Air Track

AirTrack buying guide: Choose the right AirTrack equipment for gymnastics and jumping in schools and clubs

Gymnastics, acrobatics, cheerleading, tricking, parkour or martial arts: An AirTrack is the perfect training surface for learning jumps and acrobatic elements without fear. Whether as a mat, balance beam, vaulting horse or take-off board: The inflatable AirTrack training equipment is extremely popular for school and club gymnastics. To help you find the right AirTrack for your facility, we answer the most frequently asked questions about buying AirTracks in this guide:

1. Which type of AirTrack do I need?
2. What dimensions are recommended?
3. How do you set up and use an AirTrack?
4. Can you use an AirTrack outdoors?
5. How durable are AirTracks?
6. Key benefits of AirTracks at a glance

1. Which type of AirTrack do I need?

AirTracks are inflatable training devices for school and club sports. They enable joint-friendly training of jumps and jump combinations. The advantage of inflatable gymnastics mats is that they can be quickly and easily adapted to body weight, sport and current skill level.

AirFloor: AirFloor refers to a large-area, inflatable AirTrack mat for floor exercises, acrobatics, children’s and competitive gymnastics, gymnastics classes, cheerleading, freerunning, parkour and martial arts. Nurseries and primary schools also use AirTrack mats as a springy surface for play. They offer a bouncy yet stable surface and are ideal for methodical learning, jumps and movement sequences over a larger area. The 3 m, 4 m and 5 m AirTrack mats are among the most popular lengths.

AirBlock is a rectangular air cushion for joint-friendly, confidence-building gymnastics training with jumping exercises. It serves as an elevated training surface and supports learning handsprings, jumps and technical elements. It is particularly practical for gymnastics clubs, school sports and methodical technique training.

AirRoll: These elongated, inflatable rolls are methodical training tools for balance, core tension and first acrobatic movements. They are often used to promote movement patterns in a playful way and to improve body awareness. In children’s gymnastics and at sports festivals they are also popular fun equipment for kids, teens and adults.

AirSpot is round, compact and offers excellent bounce. It is ideal as a targeted take-off or landing area and for demanding jumping exercises in gymnastics.

 

2. What dimensions are recommended?

You can get AirTrack mats in different heights, lengths and widths. Depending on the sport, but also on the age, weight and performance level of the athletes, thinner or thicker air mats are used. There is no official minimum ceiling height for using an AirTrack. The required height depends on how it is used. For an AirFloor air mat we recommend a room height of at least 3–3.5 m.

++ Height:

• 10 cm high AirTracks have less bounce. Manufacturers recommend them for home use.
• 20 cm high AirTracks are ideal for nurseries, schools and leisure facilities. They are less suitable for very high jumps.
• 30 cm high AirTrack tracks are ideal for clubs and gymnastics centres. They are recommended for high jumps, as they offer more options for adjusting the air pressure.

Rule of thumb: The thicker the mat, the more varied the use and the greater the scope for adjusting the pressure.

++ Length:

The right length of an AirTrack depends heavily on the sport, the specific exercises and of course the available space. The 3 m, 4 m and 5 m AirTrack mats are among the best-selling lengths.

As a guideline:

• For simple skills such as a single back handspring, you need an AirTrack length of around 3 m.
• For double skills we recommend at least 5 m.
• For full tumbling passes, choose a longer track. AirTracks are available in lengths of up to 15 m.
  

++ Width:

AirTracks come in different widths. While 2 m wide AirTracks correspond to the width of standard landing mats, the 2.8 m wide version can be used as a 2-lane track – ideal for training sessions with large or school groups, as the air mat can be used from both directions.

 

3. How do you set up and use an AirTrack?

AirTracks are ready to use in just 5 minutes: unroll, inflate with a standard blower and start training! Unlike bouncy castles, no blower is needed after inflation. The air pressure in an AirTrack remains constant for many hours. A new mat will stay fully inflated for an entire day.

Recommended air pressure values:

• Children: 35–50 mbar
• Teens: 60–75 mbar
• Adults: 75–85 mbar

Dismantling an AirTrack is just as quick. Release the air via the valves or use the blower to extract it. Sweep off dust and dirt with a soft brush or use a damp cloth for heavier soiling. Cleaning agents are not necessary. After cleaning with water, make sure the AirTrack is thoroughly dry to prevent mildew or mould spots. Then roll up the mat and store it in the transport bag.

 

4. Can you use an AirTrack outdoors?

All AirTrack devices are easy to transport and can be used both indoors and outdoors. For outdoor use, we recommend placing a groundsheet underneath for protection. AirTracks should always be set up on a clean, dry and level surface.

 

5. How durable are AirTracks?

Each AirTrack is handmade and every m² of AirTrack contains more than 60,000 threads, so high-quality control is essential. Every AirTrack product undergoes extensive double quality checks and has a unique serial number. All Sport-Thieme AirTracks by AirTrack Factory come with at least a 3-year guarantee.

 

6. Key benefits of an AirTrack at a glance

Back handsprings in acrobatics, squat-throughs in PE, handstands in children’s gymnastics, forward rolls in nursery: With an AirTrack, children and adults can perform all gymnastics exercises gently on the joints and with more confidence. Compared with other inflatable sports equipment and traditional apparatus such as sprung floors, tumble tracks and wooden gymnastics equipment, AirTrack devices offer many advantages.

Here are all the benefits of Sport-Thieme AirTracks by AirTrack Factory at a glance:

• Ready to use in just a few minutes.
• Air pressure remains constant for many hours.
• No blower required after inflation.
• Airtight, tear-resistant coating: Sport-Thieme AirTracks by AirTrack Factory feature a special coating system. In this process, PVC is not only bonded to the fabric, but partially pressed into it. The robust double-wall fabric makes the mat airtight, extremely tear-resistant and extends its service life.
• Double seam protection: After years of intensive use, wear can occur at the seams. All AirTracks developed after 2018 use a special thread material – recognisable by the double black line.
• Smooth surface – perfect for learning tumbling passes.
• Adjustable firmness for beginners and advanced users.
• Soft, high-quality neoprene handles for comfortable carrying and to prevent damage during storage.
• Low weight for easy transport.
• Requires very little storage space.

Tumbling in competitive gymnastics, acrobatic elements in school circus clubs, bouncing fun in nurseries: The right AirTrack is a great addition wherever people jump and tumble. You’ll find all AirTracks for confident, low-impact gymnastics in schools and clubs here in the Sport-Thieme online shop.