Bristol, UK - A ball that allows people to walk on water, or roll around like a hamster, is gaining wider use in the UK in swimming pools and theme parks.
Called 'Waterwalkerz' these inflatable balls, made of a polyether-based thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) were launched in the UK a couple of years ago.
Users can walk, run, roll, flip and spin in these balls, and they can do this fully clothed, without getting wet, according to the Bristol-based UK sales agent for the devices.
To take part, children or adults are zipped into the 2-metre diameter balls made from the strong, resilient TPU.
The Waterwalkerz website says the balls will not puncture catastrophically. They may get small punctures and deflate slowly, but small tears are easily patched, and the most likely damage is to the zip, rather than to the extremely tough ball material itself, the company points out.
The £450 ($710) balls even work well in an 8 foot diameter paddling pool, the company says.
"There is no problem with them banging into each other, because they simply slip off each other," Waterwalkerz says. And the balls are strong enough to be used on pebble beaches.
Perhaps the occupant will run out of air? Waterwalkerz says there is enough air inside for about 30 minutes and adds that "a 5 minute ride is enough even for the most energetic person. It's really exhausting!"
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