[Noisebridge-discuss] bouncy stilts (poweriser)

[Dr. Jesus]

On Mon, Jun 01, 2009 at 08:32:59PM -0700, Eric Boyd wrote: 
> 
> Rachel and I saw a pair in use at Maker Faire, and we've both always wanted to try it, but been unwilling to spend $300+ to do it.
> 
> So, how about a noisebridge group order?  If we can get 6-10 people together, the price per person isn't so bad, and I'm sure it'll actually be more fun (and safer) to try it with a group of people.
> 
> http://www.thespinsterz.com/poweriser.htm
> 
> It seems there are three version, depending on the weight of the rider:
> 
> #1 * PR5070  (110 - 166 Pounds)
> #2 * PR7090  (166 - 198 Pounds)
> #3 * PR90120 (198 - 266 Pounds)
> 
> Other than weight, they are supposed to be quite adjustable (e.g. shoe size, height, etc are all non-issues).  Supposedly the only difference between the various models is the spring, so it's conceivable to me that we can just buy one, plus two more springs, and it'll work for everyone.
> 
> All are priced at $329 new.  We can discuss buying a used pair to save money.  But for now, let's just measure interest.  Send me a message if you are interested along with your weight class.  Please note that actual use will require considerable athletic ability - if you wouldn't use regular stilts, or enjoy yourself on a trampoline, these are not for you.

I have a set of pro-class bockers and use them for stunts.  It took me
a year of falling down and getting patched up at the hospital before I
felt comfortable doing a show with them.  I also had the use of a
gymnastics facility and clinic at the local JC, without which my
hindsight tells me I would have killed myself learning how to use
them.  

You don't read about this on the Internet because most of the material
out there is marketing driven, but these devices are basically lethal
weapons, both to yourself and to bystanders.  It's not uncommon to
have several kilojoules worth of potential energy concentrated in both
your body and/or the springs at any given time, and it takes far less
than that to permanently paralyze you if the energy is applied in the
right spot.  Furthermore, any belief you may have in your innate
reflexes to protect you do not apply here, because your reflexes
aren't calibrated for having 20kg of metal attached to your legs and
being 2 feet taller than you normally are.  A concrete example:
falling forward usually results in your body throwing your hands out
in front of you to help absorb the impact, but since you're now 7 or 8
feet tall this reflex will result in at least one broken wrist.  I
imagine most of the people here like their wrists because they're very
useful for typing, and might think twice about risking them in
exchange for the chance to play with power stilts.

Power stilts create the very hazardous situation of appearing to
operate on the principles of cartoon physics, but with real world
consequences.  They are only fun in the same way that a set of
parallel bars is fun.

If none of that scared you off, I recommend that anyone interested in
getting them buy half of what they can afford, because the first pair
tends to get torn up pretty quickly.  I also recommend that you don't
do anything involving stilts outdoors unless there's an inflatable
romper room involved or you have good health insurance and are close
to a hospital.  Even then, you need to be in pretty decent shape to
use them for anything more than walking.

I also recommend that any beginner also purchase an 8' bamboo pole
from Orchard Hardware or equivalent so they have leverage to get up
after they fall down, and to have a third support besides the two
stilts while they're learning to walk.

In the interests of safety I've scheduled a class for 6/30 where I'll
cover what I learned and teach assisted walking, the first skill you
need as a power stilt owner.  See the wiki for details.