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Best Hopper Balls

Updated September 2022
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Pros
Cons
Best of the Best
AppleRound Retro Hopper
AppleRound
Retro Hopper
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Trusted Brand
Bottom Line

This large hopper ball is a fun and enjoyable choice for both teenagers and adults.

Pros

A 28-inch hopper ball with a strong and durable handle. Includes a 2-way hand pump for easy inflation. Great for both indoor and outdoor use. Complies with ASTM (American Society for Testing Materials) safety standards.

Cons

Too large for smaller children.

Best Bang for the Buck
WALIKI Hopper Ball
WALIKI
Hopper Ball
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Customer Favorite
Bottom Line

An affordable choice for a safe and durable hopper ball for children between the ages of 3 and 6.

Pros

Eighteen-inch hopper ball constructed with thick rubber. Phthalates-free. Comes with double-action hand pump for quick and easy inflation. Also comes in adult sizes. Meets ASTM (American Society for Testing Materials) safety standards.

Cons

A few customers noted having to re-inflate ball frequently.

INPODAK Space Hopper Ball for Kids
INPODAK
Space Hopper Ball for Kids
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Simple Yet Solid
Bottom Line

A great choice for a strong, stylish, and fun hopper ball for kids between the ages of 3 and 9.

Pros

Eighteen-inch hopper ball with a handle that can safely hold up to 220 pounds. Easy to inflate with a regular hand pump. Available in blue, orange, and blue-green.

Cons

May need to re-inflate ball once or twice after initial inflation.

XinoSports Deluxe Hopper Ball, 22 inch
XinoSports
Deluxe Hopper Ball, 22 inch
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Best for Indoors
Bottom Line

These vibrant hopper balls are great for indoor use, but might not hold up as well outside.

Pros

Cute print is gender-neutral and appeals to kids of all ages. Holds up to 170 pounds and accommodates kids of varying age groups. Withstands regular, energetic play.

Cons

Doesn’t come with a pump. Not recommended for outdoor use.

Little Tikes Mega 18" Inflatable Vinyl Ball
Little Tikes
Mega 18" Inflatable Vinyl Ball
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Customer Favorite
Bottom Line

This hopper ball from Little Tykes provides reliable fun and exercise.

Pros

This 18-inch ball is made with sturdy vinyl material. Has a recessed valve that can be deflated when not in use. Great for young children, and can be used for several years as they grow. Comes in blue color.

Cons

Smaller than expected.

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BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. About BestReviews  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We buy all products with our own funds, and we never accept free products from manufacturers.About BestReviews 
HOW WE TESTED

We recommend these products based on an intensive research process that's designed to cut through the noise and find the top products in this space. Guided by experts, we spend hours looking into the factors that matter, to bring you these selections.

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Buying guide for Best hopper balls

Essentially large exercise balls with handles on top, hopper balls are fun for folks of all ages. Just sit on your hopper ball and bounce to your heart's content. You might want your child to experience the excitement you had as a kid, flying around on your hopper. Or perhaps you're searching for a more enjoyable way to exercise.

Hopper balls go by many names — space hopper, hippity hop, and hoppity hop are just a few on this list. But whatever you call them, you'll need to make sure your chosen model has all the features you require. Arguably the most important factor to get right is the size. If it's too big or too small for the user, they won't be able to bounce properly. For purely aesthetic reasons, you may want to pay close attention to the design — luckily you'll find a huge range of options.

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Hopper balls are a fun way to get moving, no matter what age you are.

Key considerations

Size

Size definitely matters when you're choosing a hopper ball. If your chosen model is too large for the user, their feet won't reach the floor when sitting on top, making it impossible to bounce. If it's too small for the user, their knees will bend at an uncomfortable angle, and pushing off from the ground will be a challenge. Luckily, it's fairly easy to find the right size of hopper ball according to the age of the user. Of course, this is a rough guide and won't be accurate for everyone, especially people who are taller or shorter than average for their age. The size measurement of a hopper ball is generally given in inches and is the diameter of the widest point of the ball.

  • Hopper balls with 15- to 16-inch diameters are suited to children under five.

  • Hopper balls with 18- to 20-inch diameters are suited to children between three and six.

  • Hopper balls with 20- to 22-inch diameters are suited to children between six and nine.

  • Hopper balls with 23- to 25-inch diameters are suited to children between nine and twelve.

  • Hopper balls with 25- to 29-inch diameters are suited to teenagers and adults.

Material

When they were first designed, hopper balls were made from either natural or synthetic rubber, but today they're more commonly made from PVC. Hopper ball material should be thin enough that it's lightweight and gives you plenty of bounce when inflated, but thick enough to withstand some punctures and hold the weight of the user.

Weight limit

It's important that the user doesn't exceed the maximum weight limit of their hopper. It will only be safe up to its weight limit — if someone heavier attempts to bounce, it could burst and cause an injury. Hopper ball weight limits are usually higher the larger they are, which is another reason why you should avoid using a model that's too small for you — so, no stealing your child's hopper ball for a bit of fun! Weight limits can range from less than 50 pounds for toddler models to more than 300 pounds for adult models.

Features

Design

That cool tie-dye pattern won't make your hopper ball move faster or bounce higher, but hoppers are supposed to be fun, and part of that fun is bouncing around on a hopper that you love the look of. This is especially important for kids and might mean the difference between it becoming your child's favourite toy and it being discarded after a couple of uses. Luckily, you can find hopper balls in all kinds of designs, from solid bright colours to Disney character prints to outer space designs, so you're bound to find an option that you (or whoever you're buying for) will love.

Handles

Original hopper balls had two separate handles sticking out of the top of the ball. Since these classic designs usually had faces on the front, these handles looked like ears or horns. With modern hoppers, it's much more common to have a single looped handle, which tends to be easier to keep a proper grip on than separate handles, especially for young kids.

Pump

It's fairly common for hopper balls to be sold with a pump included for easy inflation.

Hopper ball prices

What should you expect to pay for a hopper ball, and what will you get for your money?

Inexpensive

You can find some basic hopper balls for less than $10, but these will be small in size and may not be especially durable.

Mid-range

In this range, hoppers cost around $10 to $20. You can find some solid kids' hoppers in this price range that should be tough enough to last.

Expensive

High-end hopper balls are priced between $20 and $30. The majority of options in this price range are sized for adults, but you can find some extra-rugged kids' hopper balls here as well.

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Did you know?
If you position the handle out of the way, you can use a hopper ball for sitting on, much like people do with exercise balls.
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Tips

  • Think about where the hopper ball will be used. While they make great indoor toys for rainy days, the majority are perfect for outdoor use, too. However, it's best to avoid cheap models for outdoor use, as they won't be as durable.

  • Get kids to practice on soft surfaces first. Space hoppers are generally safe, but new users are likely to take a few spills while they get the hang of it. As such, it's wise to start out on carpeted areas or grass before attempting to hop on hard surfaces.

  • Consider whether traction is necessary. Some hopper balls have textured areas on the underside of the ball to provide some traction. This isn't necessary on most surfaces, but a ball may not have much grip on extremely smooth floors, such as laminate, without a textured underside.
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Keep your kids entertained for hours with hopper ball races or obstacle courses.

FAQ

Q. When were hopper balls invented?

A. Hopper balls were invented in the 1960s by Aquilino Cosani, who worked for an Italian rubber ball manufacturer. The idea was patented in 1968, and the first hopper balls appeared in the United States that same year, sold under the brand name Hoppity Hop. They made it to the United Kingdom the following year, 1969, sold as Space Hoppers, and a trend for these toys quickly took hold. They were so popular in the subsequent few years that they're often considered an iconic part of the 1970s.

Q. Are hopper balls just for kids?

A. Hopper balls might be primarily marketed at children, but they're certainly not just for kids. As we mentioned, you can find different sizes of hopper balls and models with different weight limits, so there's no reason why an adult can't use a hopper if they choose the right size.

Q. How do you inflate a hopper ball?

A. You can inflate a hopper ball with a hand pump, foot pump, or even an electric pump, assuming your pump has the right attachment to fit in the valve. That said, hopper balls aren't especially huge (particularly those models designed for young children), so the majority of healthy adults can manage to blow one up using lung power alone.

Q. Is using a hopper ball good exercise?

A. Who said exercise had to be boring? Using a hopper is certainly a decent workout. Hopper balls strengthen a range of muscles, including major leg and arm muscles and abdominal muscles. Plus, they raise the heart rate, making them a great form of cardiovascular exercise, too. They're also often used by occupational therapists and other healthcare professionals to improve balance and vestibular orientation in kids.