Tobar Large 60cm Retro Space Hopper Ball

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They say those we love never truly leave us, and I’ve found that to be true. But not in the way you might expect. In fact, none of this is what you’d expect.

In 1972, when I joined Wembley, the Space Hopper was already in our range. One of our team had seen a child in Italy playing on this bouncy thing, so took the idea, changed the handle into horns and created a creature that was meant to look like a space animal.

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It's easy to see why skateboards, rollerboots and BMX's were so popular among kids in the 70s, but Space Hoppers? For one, it seems a little odd to be bouncing up and down on a big orange rubber ball at the best of times, and considering it didn't help - but rather hinder - getting from A to B, it could be labelled a bit pointless, really... They didn't enable you to jump higher, go faster or run further than you could on foot. But you had to have one.

Charming and powerful . . . captures the longing we all share to see once again those we have lost and to transcend time and space to answer the questions we wish we’d asked’ The Hop! 66 is still primarily child-sized. Demand for truly adult-proportioned hopping balls was met with two notable items: The first was Kitt 2000 Velp, of the Netherlands Mega Skippyballs, a large hopping ball that, by virtue of its size, was intended only for adult use. It came in three sizes: 120 centimetres (47in), 100 centimetres (39in), and 80 centimetres (31in). Some slopes were too steep for bouncing and I had to deflate my hopper and climb. Occasionally, the terrain was littered with sharp stones; I lost my first hopper to a puncture on day five. Fortunately, I had three spares. Have you ever heard of a Hoppity Hop, Ride-a-Roo, Kangaroo Ball, or Space Hopper? Honestly, I never have but as soon as I saw the picture of the yoga ball with a handle, I knew exactly what they were. It was the type of fun toy – daring but not too daring — I would have loved as a kid (and it probably would have saved me the broken arm I got from roller skates at 10 years old too! Ha.) Each hopper featured two handles on the top so you could keep your balance - but still many kids ended up flying right over these very handles after things got out of control! It really wasn't the safest toy around - its saving grace was its apparent inability to burst, although we had a good try at it. But it was great fun, especially when your mates lines up on theirs and you raced each other to the end of the playing field.This story will bounce joyfully through your heart, leaving you with a fresh belief in second chances’ Quirky, magical and wise. A wistful reflection on the love between a mother and daughter' Woman / Woman’s Weekly According to advertising materials, the Hoppity Hop's original targets were both adults and children. Since the balls only inflated to around 20 inches (51cm), however, it is doubtful that any but the shortest adults could have gotten much use out of one. A space hopper (also known as a moon hopper, skippyball, kangaroo ball, bouncer, hippity hop, hoppity hop, sit and bounce, or hop ball) is a rubber ball (similar to an exercise ball) with handles that allow one to sit on it without falling off. The user can attempt to hop around on the toy, using its elastic properties to move forward. Tender, mesmerising and original, Space Hopper is a beautifully observed debut told with warmth and luminosity. I devoured it in two sittings’