Revolutionize Your Sports Facility with Vibrant Foam Cubes

Foam cubes have become a popular choice for sports facilities as they are safe, fun, and functional all in one.

These colorful, bouncy blocks are also cost-effective, efficient, durable, versatile and essential for injury prevention and safety.

“Foam pit blocks offer durability for safer and better recreation environments. They are mandatory in gymnastics and trampoline parks to construct safe landing zones,” says The Price of Business radio show. “They also provide many benefits that improve both safety and comfort. The blocks are built to last and will retain their shape and support even with heavy use.”

At Sterling Manufacturing & Distributing, we understand that these seemingly simple objects have the power to transform any space into an exciting, vibrant and secure environment for athletes of all ages and skill levels.

Let’s look closer at the fascinating world of foam cubes.

Why Foam Cubes are a Popular Choice for Sports Facilities

Foam cubes check more than one box when it comes to their usefulness for sports facilities. Among the attributes of foam cubes that make them a popular choice:

• Injury prevention and safety: The soft, compressible nature of foam absorbs impact energy, reducing the risk of injury during falls or collisions. This is especially important in activities like gymnastics, trampoline, martial arts, BMX and skateboard parks, parkour, and other activities where athletes may need to practice complex moves.
• Versatility in training: Athletes can use foam cubes for various purposes — from landing practice to resistance training. The lightweight nature of foam allows for easy manipulation and rearrangement to create different training setups.
• Durability and maintenance: Quality foam cubes maintain their shape and density over time despite repeated compression. They’re also typically covered in vinyl or similar materials that make them easy to clean and sanitize, which is crucial in shared athletic spaces.
• Space efficiency: When not in use, foam cubes can be stacked and stored compactly. Many facilities use them to fill pit areas that can be covered when not needed, maximizing the use of available space.
• Cost-effectiveness: Compared to specialized equipment, foam cubes are relatively inexpensive and can serve multiple purposes, making them a good investment for sports facilities.
• Temperature stability: Foam maintains consistent properties across different temperatures, unlike some materials that may become harder or more brittle in cold conditions.

Foam cubes can even be used for activities outside of the box such as in Canada, at Flying Squirrel, billed as the world’s largest indoor trampoline fun park, where kids joust with inflatables on a balance beam over a foam pit.

“Competitors have to not only use their strength and coordination, but also their balance skills in order to knock the other person off the beam. But really, everyone’s a winner, because when you fall, it’s into a pit of foam cubes for a gentle and joyful landing,” says the Flying Squirrels website.

Transforming Spaces with Colorful Foam Cubes

When it comes to foam cubes, color is king.

The visual appeal of a foam pit can significantly enhance the overall atmosphere of a facility, creating an inviting and energetic space that attracts and excites visitors.

From royal blue to fiery red, lime green to sunny yellow, the possibilities are endless.

These colorful cubes not only create a visually stunning environment but also serve practical purposes. For instance, different colors can be used to designate areas for various skill levels or activities.

Beyond Basic Cubes: Comprehensive Foam Solutions

While foam cubes are the stars of the show, they’re not the only players in the game of foam-based safety equipment.

High-quality landing mats and protective pads work in tandem with foam cubes to create a comprehensive safety system. These elements are crucial for areas surrounding foam pits, providing additional protection for athletes as they dismount or exit the pit.

Gear to consider in tandem with your foam cubes includes:

Landing Mats

• Panel/Folding Mats: These thick mats (usually 1.5 to 2 inches) can be folded and stored easily, used for tumbling, landing areas, and general floor exercises.
• Crash Mats: Much thicker (8 to 12 inches) mats designed specifically for high-impact landings from activities like dismounts or aerial moves.
• Incline/Wedge Mats: Sloped mats that help athletes practice rolls, walkovers and other progressive skills

Wall Protection 

• Wall Padding: Dense foam covered in vinyl or similar material, mounted on walls near activity areas.
• Corner Guards: Specialized padding for covering sharp corners and edges.
• Column Wraps: Protective padding that wraps around support columns or posts.

Transitional Equipment 

• Spotting Blocks: Various sized firm foam blocks used to help athletes learn new skills.
• Sting Mats: Thin (1 to 1.5 inches) mats placed over harder surfaces to reduce impact.
• Progressive Height Mats: Stackable mats that can be used to gradually increase height for skill progression.

Personal Protection

• Spotting Belts: Used with overhead rigs to support athletes learning new skills.
• Training Harnesses: More comprehensive than spotting belts, used for complex aerial moves.
• Impact Vests: Padded vests worn during training for extra protection.

Specialty Items

•  Beam Pads: Specifically designed to cover balance beams during training.
• Bar Padding: Protective covers for horizontal bars and parallel bars.
• Spring Floor Panels: Modular pieces that can create springy surfaces for tumbling.

Pit Area Accessories

• Pit Covers: Heavy-duty covers that go over foam pit areas when not in use.
• Pit Barriers: Padding around the edges of foam pits.
• Rope Ladders/Steps: For safely entering and exiting foam pit areas.

Designing Resilient Foam Pits

Creating the perfect foam pit is both an art and a science.

Factors such as pit depth, foam density and cube size all play crucial roles in ensuring optimal safety and performance.

A well-designed pit should provide enough give to cushion falls while still allowing easy movement for users to exit the pit.

At Sterling Manufacturing and Distributing, the journey begins with large blocks of raw polyurethane foam.

These blocks are precision-cut into cubes using specialized machinery. The cubes then undergo a series of quality checks to ensure consistent density, size and resilience.

Our finished products are kid-tested and approved for all ages.

Choosing Sterling to Design and Manufacture Your Foam Cubes

When it comes to foam cubes and other foam-based safety solutions, experience and quality matter. That’s where Sterling Manufacturing shines.

With half a century of experience in foam fabrication, Sterling Manufacturing has honed its craft to perfection.

At Sterling, every foam cube undergoes rigorous testing to ensure it meets strict quality and safety standards. From density tests to durability assessments, no cube leaves the facility without passing a comprehensive quality check.

Understanding that each facility has unique needs, Sterling Manufacturing offers personalized support throughout the design and installation process.

Contact Sterling today to learn more about how our experienced design team can work closely with you to create customer foam cube solutions that fit your space and purpose.