Space Hoppers and Hoppity Hops

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  • sonarloon
    Senior Member
    • Jun 2017
    • 121

    #16
    Re: Space Hoppers and Hoppity Hops

    Wow! Is this from stretching and bouncing over time? Or have you very carefully baked it? I bet it's all kinds of squishy now!
    I haven't played with mine long enough for that to even be noticeable. I have a CanDo 105 cm exercise ball that has, though. Even with it's still all wrinkled it's huuuuuuuuge as compared to when I first got it. When I first got it I was like ok, this really doesn't scream 105 centimeters to my mind. I've had it for about 5 years now. It's been deflated, reinflated, stored and reinflated time and time again.

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    • Yen_D_Heart
      Member
      • Jan 2019
      • 47

      #17
      Re: Space Hoppers and Hoppity Hops

      No baking of any sorts. I didn't even know that this is possible! Won't try it myself, my oven isn't exactly great.

      I made a photo to compare the sizes. Bad quality, but it gets the point across: https://i.imgur.com/AKE4udS.jpg

      The pink one is rather new, the blue one is the oldest. I think that there is still some room, but I don't have a proper pump for it. Than again, I like my balls bouncy, not stiff

      I really like having one of them around. When I am talking on the phone I sit on it, swaying from side to side instead of running in circles. Wierdly enough, I don't get the same satisfaction from sitting on exercise balls. I guess it's the nature of their more resilient material compared to most hoppers, which are just toys.
      Once I get a better camera (and some not-so-crappy lighting) I want to make some photos of them to compare them and give others an idea of their size.

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      • Bamman27
        Junior Member
        • Jan 2019
        • 15

        #18
        Re: Space Hoppers and Hoppity Hops

        Can we add yoga balls to this?

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        • sonarloon
          Senior Member
          • Jun 2017
          • 121

          #19
          Re: Space Hoppers and Hoppity Hops

          We technically already have, I think. Aren't yoga balls just another name for exercise balls?
          I really should bring out my pink hopper more often. It's small-ish size make it a bit uncomfortable to ride sometimes but it can be lots of fun to ride if I look passed that.
          All of you with hoppers how long/far have you hopped in a single session?

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          • Yen_D_Heart
            Member
            • Jan 2019
            • 47

            #20
            Re: Space Hoppers and Hoppity Hops

            While I specificly target hoppers, so balls with some kind of handle, I see no reason to exclude gym/exercise/yoga/pilattes balls from the discussion. Personally they don't interest me.

            I also have some smaller balls. But I have to say that I wouldn't buy any hopper below the size of 60cm again. Almost all of my smaller ones we're not bouncy or big enough to have fun on them. 60cm at least makes it fun to hop around.
            My favorite 60cm one is a pink hopper from Decathlon I believe. Very soft with it's slightly rougher feel, like a gym ball. Don't know if they are being sold anywhere else, as I couldn't find out if these ones are being produced in-house from Decathlon, who is a sport outfit company.

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            • sonarloon
              Senior Member
              • Jun 2017
              • 121

              #21
              Re: Space Hoppers and Hoppity Hops

              I bet 60 cm hop balls are fun to bounce around on.
              The other day I tried using my 65 centimeter exercise ball like a hopper with no handle, and, it, sort of worked? I did manage about 6 hops before I tumbled hard, but it was fun trying. That's only slightly less than what I can manage on my only hopper ball I have. Lol

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              • Yen_D_Heart
                Member
                • Jan 2019
                • 47

                #22
                Re: Space Hoppers and Hoppity Hops

                It's sooo much fun. I like it especially because I can throw myself at it and bounce around with no fear of a loud bang. I am always very timid around balloons, which has its own fascination. But hoppers are just plain fun! I want to try to stretch a smaller ball with warm water or something... hopefully I get somewhere with it.

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                • sonarloon
                  Senior Member
                  • Jun 2017
                  • 121

                  #23
                  Re: Space Hoppers and Hoppity Hops

                  do let me know how that goes. I think I could arrange a way to do that to a theraband 45 cm I have if you have any kind of success with that. It's much too small and firm for my liking.
                  How long/far/times around your room/house have any of you with hoppers hopped/bounced in a single session?

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                  • Yen_D_Heart
                    Member
                    • Jan 2019
                    • 47

                    #24
                    Re: Space Hoppers and Hoppity Hops

                    I only bounce around in my small living room, but that's fine for me. I do sit on them rather often, if one of them is inflated. However, I think my blue hopper has been inflated for the last 2 months not. Mostly because I am not home very often, so I don't mind it sitting somewhere in the mean time.

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                    • sonarloon
                      Senior Member
                      • Jun 2017
                      • 121

                      #25
                      Re: Space Hoppers and Hoppity Hops

                      I bet it's rewarding to come home after a long day and see your hopper all properly inflated and ready for a play session in this case.
                      You know, just for fun, I'd like to try some how bonding a few balloons together and using that is an odd hop ball. One would be more than enough if we're speaking of q24s, but the odd shape of a q24 would make hopping a bit interesting.
                      Somewhere on youtube somebody tried that and I, think it worked?
                      That, or try filling a future purchased 60 cm hopper full of helium, would probably be a huge waste of helium though still could be neat.

                      Comment

                      • frenchy
                        Senior Member
                        • Sep 2018
                        • 288

                        #26
                        Re: Space Hoppers and Hoppity Hops

                        Hop66 and other HoppityHop ball and space hoppers stretch best in the hot sun. Inflate, heat in sun, bounce a while, add a bit more air, allow to heat in the sun and repeat the whole process gradually. They can get really big that way. The important thing is to do it gradually and not add too much air at one time. Pay attention to thin spots in the material too.

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                        • Stiefelreiter
                          Junior Member
                          • Jan 2021
                          • 15

                          #27
                          Re: Space Hoppers and Hoppity Hops

                          Originally posted by Yen_D_Heart
                          -1x Rody horse from Gymnic
                          Hi,

                          I know this is an older thread, but so nice to see I´m not alone with Rody.
                          Since childhood I love to ride on Rody and play with it, gets me hard so quickly.
                          Space hoppers are nice as well, but nothing comes close to Rody for me.

                          Comment

                          • Spacehopper
                            Hopper
                            • Mar 2021
                            • 78

                            #28
                            Re: Space Hoppers and Hoppity Hops

                            Add me to the list of hopper fans :-)

                            Comment

                            • Merl
                              Hopper research dept.
                              • Apr 2021
                              • 697

                              #29
                              Re: Space Hoppers and Hoppity Hops

                              Hello,

                              Has anyone ever heat stretched a Hop 66, or had one stretch out just from use?

                              I plan to stretch a new old stock Ledra 66. No yard so I can't use the sun method, but have had good results for truly vintage (50+ years old) hoppers using very hot shower water followed quickly by gradual inflation. That's my plan for this one.

                              However, it's been over 20 years since I've owned a 66. I recall Ledra's PVC was unusual...flexy yet very slightly stiff, and thicker feeling than cheap Chinese ones like Waliki...so I'm hopeful it will take stretching pretty well.

                              If all goes well, anyone got a guess on the maximum that could be expected past the rated 26 inches?

                              Thank you for any advice, all input is welcome.

                              Comment

                              • Merl
                                Hopper research dept.
                                • Apr 2021
                                • 697

                                #30
                                Re: Space Hoppers and Hoppity Hops

                                Also, if anyone has ever been fortunate enough to get ahold of a late 1960s Ride-a-Roo Kangaroo Jockey ball, I'd like to hear your thoughts on it. The basic design of the Hop! 66 is a direct descendant and is probably the closest I'll ever get to the very rare original.

                                Comment

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