Sadly, now that I have used the larger Jumpsport 550F PRO, my bare feet really do not like my older Jumpsport 370 at all. It is definitely the tighter mat tension that has enabled me to do more stuff and for longer periods of time, not just the larger mat size. The tension also gives me more overhead space in my basement with a low ceiling. I feel 10 years younger being able to do so much more.
Very glad I chose the Jumpsport PRO over a Bellicon, having discovered for myself that my bare feet needed the higher cord tension. There were no real reviews of the PROs online so this was an unexpected discovery for myself. From what I have read, even the cheapest Jumpsport bungee has more tension than most Bellicons. Maybe because most people ordering a Bellicon do not get the Ultra cords but I am glad I didn't spend a few hundred dollars more to find out if that is true or not.
The larger 550/570 Jumpsports come with 6 more cords to increase the tension on the larger mat which was a brilliant design. The smaller PROs also have the extra cords.
For me, the main advantage of a higher tension mat is for Plantar Fasciitis.
The looser the tension, the more it strains the feet and ankles to stay balanced and in alignment. However, the strain on the feet and ankles can be lessened by wearing shoes. Weight can also affect the mat tension effect. The heavier a person is, the more they will sink.
What people may not like about higher tension is the bounce has less range of motion, not going as deeply into the mat so the bounce may feel less luxurious or harder to those without feet issues.
Many Bellicon customers choose looser tension over higher tension cords so it became very confusing to me which I should order if I chose the Bellicon over the Jumpsport. I should also mention besides Bellicons costing more, the warranty on the Jumpsport cords is much longer than the warranty for Bellicon cords.
Other than straining the feet less, the higher tension makes the bounce much faster for athletic cardio and thanks to the bungees, the bounce isn't jarring or noisy like with springs. I have also read the higher tension mat pumps lymph more efficiently so the softer bounce of a Bellicon may not be the better choice for physical health. It was suggested a Bellicon user can hold a heavy weight to pump more lymph.
Just wanted to throw this out there for those on the verge of ordering a bungee that a higher price tag may not mean higher quality or better health.
ETA:
This morning I warmed up on the 550 with some MUVE songs then did some of Denise Austin's Quick Burn Cardio routine to which I had added MUsic then some Essentrics Abs with Qigong MUsic. Denise offered great moves on the 550!
ETA: 9/16/2014
It has been confirmed that the center of the 49 inch Bellicon mat is softer than its edges. My 550 PRO is almost a year old and the center of its mat still has a firm bounce without adjusting the cord tension tighter. If you have Plantar Fasciitis, do not buy a 49 inch Bellicon!
