When I first started assembling this I couldn't believe the rods didn't snap and screw tight. They are only held together by the tension of the net and the spring pad on which you jump. It cannot be placed in the garden, it must be placed on a flat surface, otherwise the frame will begin to deform. The whole thing almost bent when my son dragged it out into the garden to play. We've had it for 8 months now and the kids have already torn the mesh underneath over the mesh spring padding and no they don't wear their shoes inside. In fact, they only had actual use for a month or two before the cold hit. Mesh netting is a cheap nylon that is not strong enough to maintain cohesion in a child toy abuse environment. I doubt we can continue to use it safely unless I devise a more secure and permanent way to hold everything together. I wish I had never bought it. **Update** Spoke to Skywalker Holdings LLC. The trampoline comes with a 1 year warranty on everything except the net and foam post covers which is 90 days. Strange that two parts failed after only 3 months of use. Obviously they know that these parts are fragile and not durable. Instead of fixing the problem, they make sure they don't have to replace it if it fails. At least I found another company that I will not buy from again. I wish companies would still make durable products and not cheap disposable ones.