The Zorb Ball is also known as the Human Hamster Ball, Human Bubble ball, or the OGO (Outdoor Gravity Orb).  It is a sphere made of transparent plastic used in the activity called Zorbing. A person would fit inside such a sphere and roll down a slope for fun, run across water surfaces or even be pulled by a jet ski.

In this article we will cover everything about Zorb balls (types, variations etc.), talk about celebrities going zorbing in the media, and also show you where you can buy your own zorb ball, and even show you a crazy stunt some advertisers pulled using one of those huge inflatable balls (you would have never thought what crossed their mind!)

Zorb Balls can be used for a wide array of sports and activities, and you can check them out here. These giant inflatable spheres are super fun. But you must know there is more to the balls then meets the eye. Let us dig a little deeper, and tell you more about them.

Human Hamster Ball Structure

The ball is made out of two sections, one ball inside the other, with a layer of air in between. The two are linked by an intricate network of nylon wires. Sometimes there can be more than 300 individual threads linking them. This structure prevents the rider from injury as it acts like a shock absorber, damping bumps along the ride. In opposition to the original hamster ball, which is made of rigid material, the human-hamster-ball is made of soft malleable plastic and is lightweight. The plastic is usually around 0.8 mm (0.03 in) thick.

Size

The usual size for a ball is approximately 3 meters (10 ft) in diameter. However, on one occasion Nissan stuffed one of their cars inside a giant custom made zorb and rolled it down a hill for an advertisement in the name of safety. Anyway, for the more common balls, the inner sphere size is usually 2 meters (6 ft 7 in). The area of around 50 cm (20in) between the two spheres makes up the air cushion. The outer and inner sphere are connected by the nylon strings. Zorbs have one or two tunnel entrances.

Types of Zorb Balls

There are two main types of spheres in use right now. One type makes use of straps to hold the rider in position (such as the one on top of the page). The other allows the rider to be free in order to walk the orb around or to be tossed freely by the rolling motion. The latter can be half filled with water so that the person inside just slides around freely in water while the Zorb rolls downhill. This is called hydrozorbing.

Zorb Ball Variations

One variation to the ball is the Zorb Cylinder. The building technique is the same as the ball. The cylinder has two layers of plastic and an air chamber in between. It allows for two, or sometimes more people to join the ride. The cylinder is usually used on water since it would be unsafe on slopes or hills.

Other variations of the human hamster ball are the Water Walking Ball and the Bubble Ball.

Get A Zorb Ball

In case you decide that you want to get your own zorbing ball, you have to be ready to pay a pretty penny for it. There is a lot of work and materials going into the construction of these giant inflatable balls, and the cost measures up to that. A good place to look for a zorb-ball for you and your family is the Amazon. Mainly because they have strict policies about the quality of the products they sell, and their good return policies, in case you are not satisfied with the purchase.

Prices vary, so you should check:

In case the zorb ball price is out of your budget, remember there is always the alternative to get a bubble ball. You know, your own portable harnessed mini zorb ball. With prices ranging between $150-$200, it is way more affordable and is also definitely as fun. You can check it out here and see what it’s like to spend day in a bubble.

Celebrities and Human Hamster Balls

Inflatable spheres have seen increasing popularity in the past few years. There have been many appearances of Zorbs in different TV shows all over the world. Here are some of the most notable ones.

The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon featuring Jason Statham has aired a hilarious inflatable ball race between the two. You can see it here: The Supreme Hamster Ball Race.

In addition to this, you can check out the story of UK TV presenter Lindsey Russell as she crosses the Irish Sea. Early 2016, Lindsey attempted to cross the Irish Sea in an inflatable sphere.

Last but not least, Jimmy Fallon, Collin Farell and Chris Prat engaged in a super funny bubble soccer suit match live on the Tonight Show.

And Here Is What Some Crazy Advertisers Did With A Zorb Ball

As you can see, zorbing balls really skyrocketed in popularity. Not only do people enjoy zorbing in different outdoor theme parks all over the world, or by themselves with their family, if they can afford their own personal inflatable ball, but also celebrities took a bite into this cool activity, and featured these balls on famous public TV Shows, or even in some movies. But what really tops it all off was this cool publicity stunt that the people at Nissan came up with.

In 2014 the guys at Nissan decided to manufacture the world’s biggest inflatable zorbing ball that could fit a whole car inside. The car weighted more than 1 ton (1090 Kilograms to be precise / 2400 pounds). It was marvelous to see a 4 meter car (163 inches) fitted inside this huge transparent inflatable ball rolling down a hillside (somewhere at UK military facility for purposes of safety).

This awesome stunt actually became a certified Guinness world record in itself, and showed once again that zorbing balls are awesome in so many ways! Use them to roll down grassy hillsides, to walk on water, to play bumper football, or even fit a car inside them and roll it downhill! Nothing is impossible inside a zorb ball!