# Water Walking Ball / Suicide Trap? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 3, 2010, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-walking-ball-suicide-trap/541729 "2010-06-03T03:28:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Picard\_Kills\_Kirk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/dec6dc/32.png) [@Picard\_Kills\_Kirk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Picard_Kills_Kirk)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-walking-ball-suicide-trap/541729/1 "2010-06-03T03:28:52Z")
[Water Walking Ball](http://www.jnslive.com/servlet/the-215/0.7mm-TPU-Tarpaulin-Water/Detail) I wonder how you breathe when inside of it? What happens if you are in the middle of a lake and start running out of air? 549 dollars! ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-walking-ball-suicide-trap/541729/2 "2010-06-03T03:44:36Z")
Dang it looks fun though! ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-walking-ball-suicide-trap/541729/3 "2010-06-03T04:17:48Z")
According to a different website [selling the same thing](http://www.uswaterball.com/): > [@](#): > > The 6,5ft diameter water walking ball has enough breathable air volume inside the sphere for an average person to remain inside for a long period of time without refilling the ball. So you can stay in for a while being absolutely safe! That’s really great! > > Fill it Up!!! > > Filling in the balls with the fresh air is easy. Open up the air intake and insert the blower even with someone already inside the ball. That’s great when somebody wants to extend his ride - they don’t even need to walk out and then go in again. > > How much time can you stay inside? > > 5 to 15 minutes, when used on hot sunny days. And as long as you want if no sun or at night (just change the air every 20 minutes). For even more fun, fill it with helium! The kids will love it! ---
**Author:** ![si\_blakely](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-walking-ball-suicide-trap/541729/4 "2010-06-03T12:20:09Z")
What a stupid design. Why not make it dual layer with multiple column portholes, similar to a Zorb ball but with a larger inner sphere and lots of holes. You still have buoyancy with a bit of water capable of coming through at the bottom, but you can stay in it all day because it is open to the air. Si ---
**Author:** ![si\_blakely](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-walking-ball-suicide-trap/541729/5 "2010-06-03T12:22:30Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > According to a different website [selling the same thing](http://www.uswaterball.com/): For even more fun, fill it with helium! The kids will love it! It will keep them quiet, anyhow (once they stop with the squeaky voice shouting). 😃 Si ---
**Author:** ![RalfCoder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@RalfCoder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RalfCoder)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-walking-ball-suicide-trap/541729/6 "2010-06-03T12:35:07Z")
Anyone else here start thinking about [Patrick McGoohan](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRPDO63rI1E) when you saw this? ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-walking-ball-suicide-trap/541729/7 "2010-06-03T19:58:16Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > 5 to 15 minutes, when used on hot sunny days. And as long as you want if no sun or at night (just change the air every 20 minutes). I can see someone taking it to the lake or the beach, a strong wind comes up and blows you way away from shore. You spend your 5-15 minutes racing back to shore, so you can open the damn thing and catch a breath. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-walking-ball-suicide-trap/541729/8 "2010-06-03T19:59:44Z")
% Balls like us, baby we were born to run on water % ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-walking-ball-suicide-trap/541729/9 "2010-06-03T20:03:46Z")
> [@Picard\_Kills\_Kirk](#): > > 549 dollars! Selling on Ebay for just over [$200](http://cgi.ebay.com/Walk-ball-Water-walking-ball-Zorb-Zorbing-PVC-1-0-mm-/120545576007?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c11138447), leaf blower included to air it up. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-walking-ball-suicide-trap/541729/10 "2010-06-03T20:05:48Z")
> [@Wilbo523](#): > > I can see someone taking it to the lake or the beach, a strong wind comes up and blows you way away from shore. You spend your 5-15 minutes racing back to shore, so you can open the damn thing and catch a breath. Carry a knife with you in case you have to cut your way out. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-walking-ball-suicide-trap/541729/11 "2010-06-03T20:07:13Z")
On a hot summer day, how long would it take to nuke the occupant? ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-walking-ball-suicide-trap/541729/12 "2010-06-03T20:09:16Z")
I certainly hope you can open the damn thing from the inside. If I got blown out to sea, I’d open it, crawl out, re-close it and use it as an inflatable to get me back to shore. Of course, it’s possible once you open it, it immediately deflates, tangles you in plastic, and then sinks. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-walking-ball-suicide-trap/541729/13 "2010-06-03T20:09:40Z")
On a hot summer day, around here, being stuck in a greenhouse-like structure on the water, but being unable to reach it, sounds like utter hell. They should call it the Tantalus Ball. ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-walking-ball-suicide-trap/541729/14 "2010-06-03T20:11:29Z")
Uh-huh. You lie back, float, dose off, run out of air… ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-walking-ball-suicide-trap/541729/15 "2010-06-03T20:12:18Z")
The “Detailed Description” says, “…just open up the zipper, enter inside and blow it up, close the zipper and it’s ready” Yup, get in and blow it up from inside. Good trick. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-walking-ball-suicide-trap/541729/16 "2010-06-03T20:31:42Z")
Since the outside looks smooth how do you even maneuver across water? Wouldn’t you just kind of spin in place? If you started floating off to sea you’d have no chance of getting back. ---
**Author:** ![moldybread](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@moldybread](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moldybread)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-walking-ball-suicide-trap/541729/17 "2010-06-03T20:32:56Z")
This has got to be one of the more idiotic contraptions I’ve ever seen. Imagine the lawsuits that will be filed on it’s behalf. ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2010, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-walking-ball-suicide-trap/541729/18 "2010-06-04T03:37:31Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > The “Detailed Description” says, “…just open up the zipper, enter inside and blow it up, close the zipper and it’s ready” > > Yup, get in and blow it up from inside. Good trick. You just need to take a really deep breath before getting in. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2010, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-walking-ball-suicide-trap/541729/19 "2010-06-04T13:15:07Z")
Reminds me of bubble boy on that Seinfeld episode. This contraption doesn’t seem as scary as the water skiers with kites on their backs. My idea of fun does not involve flying at the end of a ski rope. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2010, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-walking-ball-suicide-trap/541729/20 "2010-06-04T13:43:19Z")
If you think the bubble is dangerous, my refrigerator sled has no hopes. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-walking-ball-suicide-trap/541729.md?page=2)