hi and welcome
2 issues here, a what will keep u safe b what will keep your mum happy
Get knee elbow and wrist pads --they will keep u safe, period. A helmet maybe buto be honest --unles trying to do flips wot u cant do --you r gonna be very unlucky landing on your head.
Body armour not neded. Think about it...you are only 1 foot higher than you are normally. Yes u bounce up--but come down , even if you fall, the springs absorb almost all of the energy. Added to that you will be mentally and bodily prepaired for a fall.
If you are wearing the pads detailed above, if you fall straight on ya front or straight back on ya A*@%e all you get is embaresment un maybe a lil bruise.Of Serious injures ( which are pretty few) I cant think of any ( tho there maybe 1 or 2) that body armour would have prevented.
Basically get the pads --find a group near you if you can un just bounce about --risk no diff than mountain biking, sk8 boarding, bmx just looks worse and fun bout same
hey I surf my mum justs worries if Ill get cold ----oddly she hasnt thought about the possiblity of drowning???!!!!!