We receive a lot of questions about air tracks regarding price differences between products on the market that appear essentially similar in size and proportion. The key point of difference between Gymnastics Direct Air products, and the numerous cheap models appearing on the market is that ours are hand made, and hand glued. Many others are machine made without the same attention to detail and quality. The life expectancy of a hand made, Gymnastics Direct Air Track, used regularly, will be 5-8 years. A machine made, mass produced Air Track, often made up of cheaper component parts and poorer quality glue, can often have a life expectancy of less than 2 years. It's something to keep in mind when trying to make sense of the Air Products market, and the first question you should ask of any supplier when making a purchase in this area.