A water ball or water walking ball is a large

inflatable An inflatable is an object that can be inflated with a gas, usually with air, but hydrogen, helium and nitrogen are also used. One of several advantages of an inflatable is that it can be stored in a small space when not inflated, since inflata ...

sphere that allows a person inside it to walk across the surface of a body of water. The giant ball is usually two metres in diameter and has a

zipper A zipper, zip, fly, or zip fastener, formerly known as a clasp locker, is a commonly used device for binding together two edges of textile, fabric or other flexible material. Used in clothing (e.g. jackets and jeans), luggage and other Bag, ba ...

ed entrance to allow for easy entry and exit. The water ball is similar to the

zorb Zorbing (also known as globe-riding, sphereing, orbing) is the recreation or sport of rolling downhill inside an orb, typically made of transparent plastic. Zorbing is generally performed on a gentle slope but can also be done on a level surfa ...

but it has only one layer and is designed for water travel rather than down-hill rolling. In the United Kingdom, the balls have been used at

swimming pool A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, paddling pool, or simply pool, is a structure designed to hold water to enable Human swimming, swimming or other leisure activities. Pools can be built into the ground (in-ground pools) or built ...

s, marinas and lakes in an effort to keep children fit.

History

One of the first water balls appeared in the film Diamonds Are Forever (1971) and in the

Beach Boys A beach is a landform alongside a body of water which consists of loose particles. The particles composing a beach are typically made from rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles, etc., or biological sources, such as mollusc shell ...

music video, ''

Getcha Back "Getcha Back" is a song written by Mike Love and Terry Melcher for the American rock band The Beach Boys, on their 1985 album ''The Beach Boys''. It was the band's first release since the drowning death of Dennis Wilson in 1983. The song peaked a ...

'' (1985). Charles Blane Jones designed the first water ball for public distribution in 1998.

Safety

The

United States Government The federal government of the United States (U.S. federal government or U.S. government) is the national government of the United States, a federal republic located primarily in North America, composed of 50 states, a city within a fede ...

has warned of the dangers of using the balls, saying it "does not know of any safe way" to avoid the dangers of suffocation and drowning, among other hazards. There are recorded instances of children fainting and crashing onto hard surfaces while inside the balls, and the

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (USCPSC, CPSC, or commission) is an independent agency of the United States government. The CPSC seeks to promote the safety of consumer products by addressing “unreasonable risks” of inj ...

has encouraged amusement ride officials not to allow their use. The Commission chairman declared an intention to pursue the safety investigation further. Charles Jones from

Oklahoma Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...

developed a water ball commercially in 1998. He was invited by a British reporter to visit

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

to demonstrate the ball on a lake. As soon as he attempted to walk across the water, he lost his balance and fell. The ball deflated and filled rapidly with icy water. He was saved from sinking below the surface when an assistant dragged the ball back to dry land using a safety line, witnessed by a crowd of tourists. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has warned of the dangers of the balls being used in a safe manner. The Commission is aware of two unconfirmed incidents involving water balls. In one, a child was found unresponsive after being inside the ball for a very brief period of time. In the second incident, a person inside the ball suffered a fracture when it fell out of a shallow, above-ground pool onto hard ground. Water walking ball in Roosky (Ireland)

Construction

Many water balls are constructed from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) 0.8–1.0 mm thick.

Thermoplastic polyurethanes Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) is any of a class of polyurethane plastics with many properties, including elasticity, transparency, and resistance to oil, grease, and abrasion. Technically, they are thermoplastic elastomers consisting of linea ...

(TPU) are the best choice for use in cold weather or on snow. Some water balls are made from a PVC–TPU mix. More expensive balls use 100% TPU. Balls are typically made in

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

, and come in various sizes. A typical water ball stores flat and weighs 15 kilograms, and can be inflated in under a minute with a good air pump. Some models also have hand grips on the inside or outside, and the surface can be printed on.

References

{{reflist 1990s toys Balls Physical activity and dexterity toys Inflatable manufactured goods Water rides Water toys ru:Зорбинг#Гидрозорбинг

History

Safety

Construction

See also

References