How safe is powerbocking?
No matter how you look at it, bocking is a high risk sport. The very idea of bocking is to enable people to jump to extreme heights.
However, it offers insane amounts of fun so the user needs to look at bocking and then decide if the risks are acceptable to them. Of course everyone who is starting out should be fully equipped with safety pads, essentially wrist guards, knee pads, elbow pads and a helmet.
It looks dangerous, is it?
It's no more dangerous than skateboarding, rollerblading or riding a bmx. Even though you're jumping at a reasonable height off the ground, this only comes with experience. Your brain has a unique way of knowing what you're capable of doing and until the balance and skill is developed enough to perform a trick successfully, your brain will stop you.
In terms of landing, the spring takes the full impact although the technique needs to develop. This is no different than a trampolinist or gymnast learning the various moves.
How long does it take to learn?
It's different for everybody but the learning curve is quite easy and you should be up walking and maybe running on within an hour. Most people start learning basic tricks within a week. None of the Welsh Bockers have any sort of gymnastic or acrobatic backgrounds. Everything we have learned has been through bocking.
How do I know what size/model to buy?
Jumping stilts depend on your body weight and not really how short or tall you are. There are junior models for those who weigh under 50kg or 7 stone. Be advised that we recommend buying the next model up from your weight for most brands. EG: if you are 56kg you should buy the 70kg model. The weight categories on 7 Leagues boots are more accurate.
It will not matter how tall you are as they are adjustable and your shoe size will not be important either. The same model is used for both guys and girls.
Who is powerbocking aimed at?
Everyone - there are no age limitations. The youngest we know of is 5 and we once had a 68 year old grandmother on stilts!
People with back problems probably wouldn't have fun.
Most serious bockers see the sport for the first time and know in the first few seconds that its something they really want to do. If you start bocking to look cool, you'll probably quit in a short while.
Do I really need protective gear?
YES. Wrist guards are a must in this sport but there are quite a few people who don't bother, and even some within the welsh bockers! If you choose to not wear wrist protection then you do so at your own risk.
While learning it is also a good idea to wear a helmet. You're head can be as high as 10 feet in the air while jumping on stilts and thats a long way to fall.
What about the different makes/brands?
There are quite a few manufacturers of jumping stilts and they all have different names. Unfortunatley, not all of them are the same product and some are better than others.
Please see our guide to buying which is can access by clicking here.
Also be aware there are PoweriZers and PoweriSers which are both quite different in quality. It's easy to get confused!
Do they require maintenance?
Due to the high impact involved with powerbocking it is very wise to briefly check over all the nuts and bolts before putting them on and make sure nothing is loose. The springs will become more flexible the more they are used but you should be in no danger of them snapping or causing problems as long as you have chosen the correct model for your body.
How long do they last?
There is no real answer to this. If you use them for 3 hours per day every single day then they will not last nearly as long as if you only use them once per week. The two items that suffer from wear and tear are the rubber feet and the fibreglass springs themselves. Both parts are replaceable and available seperately.
If you have a question not answered here then maybe you'd like to ask it in our forums.
