At gadgetshop, we have discovered the time machine. But it's not a blue police box. Or a Victorian whirlygig. Or a ball of white-hot energy, for that matter. It's an inflatable orange rubber blob with a smiley fang-toothed face on it. And it's capable of time travel to one decade in particular, when glam rock and power cuts were all the rage. Welcome to the Space Hopper time machine - a continuum-busting time warp all the way back to the mid 1970s. As well as time travel, this gadget is also capable of provoking extreme sensory recall: it's simply impossible to mount one of these without the sound of Marc Bolan or Showaddywaddy in your ears and the feint smell of Spangles in your nostrils. The Milky Bars are most definitely on me. There are limitations to its performance, however. You see, there simply is no elegant way to get on or off. There's no practical way to move at speed. But there is, undoubtedly, a thrilling return to the seven year old version of you having the time of your life. And now, rather than relying on your dad's bicycle pump to get it inflated, we have thoughtfully provided a touch of 21st century convenience in the shape of a more practical foot-pump. Buy one of these and the instructions are quite, quite simple: bounce yourself silly. We most certainly do.

Retro Hopper, 10 Sep 2008
After reading a couple of bad reviews about this space hopper I almost didn't buy it but I decided the odds were in favour of it and to go with the reviews written by the people who were happy with it and I'm glad now I did. I bought two of these space hoppers for my grandchildren for Christmas so I thought it wiser to open them and test them now in case there were any problems. I can't see any problems at all with either of them and they look exactly as the picture shows them. I had no bother with the valve and the seams are perfectly ok and not leaking any air. Now its just a case of waiting for Christmas to watch how much fun I know my grandchildren are going to have on them :)

Paul H, 24 May 2008
Fantastic back to basic`s great exercise and healthy family fun toy,dont know what pevious reviewer`s expect for £8.49 perhaps they should stick to their £39.99 computer games,we have also purchased the 4 pack hopper`s
and garden games and created our own sports day,absolute great value for money.

AVOID AVOID AVOID WOULD GIVE ZERO STARS RATING IF POSSIBLE, 19 May 2008
I AM NOT ONE TO COMPLAIN BUT FEEL I SHOULD WARN POTENTIAL BUYERS OF THIS HOPPER TO STAY AS FAR AWAY FROM IT AS POSSIBLE. I CAN ONLY DESCRIBE IT AS "CHEAP TAT" AND THATS BEING POLITE. AS MENTIONED BY AN EARLIER REVIEWER IT IS NOT THE ONE DEPICTED IN THE MAIN PICTURE BUT AN ITEM OF ABSOLUTELY DISGRACEFUL QUALITY. I STOOD THERE BLOWING IT UP (OR SHOULD I SAY TRYING TO BLOW IT UP) AS THE AIR ESCAPED RAPIDLY THROUGH THE NUMEROUS SPLIT SEAMS IN THIS LOW GRADE POOR QUALITY PRODUCT. MY LITTLE GIRL STOOD THERE CRYING AS HER VERY ANGRY FATHER DUMPED THIS CRAP IN THE ONLY PLACE IT DESERVES TO BE AND THAT WAS IN THE BIN. PLEASE DO YOURSELF A FAVOUR AND CHOOSE ANOTHER HOPPER. THE QUALITY OF THE PUMP FOLLOWS THE HOPPER ITSELF AND YOU WOULD BE LUKCY FOR IT TO WITHSTAND ONE INFLATION OF THE HOPPER. I HAVE CONTACTED AMAZON AND AT THIS TIME AM AWAITING A REPLY.

Hoppin' mad!, 23 Aug 2007
Well, it did drive us crazy trying to blow it up the night before our son's birthday. Try as I might, I couldn't fit the nozzle of the included foot pump into the valve on the hopper. Husband couldn't either. Balloon pump didn't work nor did puffing into it ourselves. Several work colleagues the next day also tried and failed.

Eventually, after much deliberation, we decided to cut the white stalk of the valve, inflate it and stick the stalk back in then sellotape it in place. I still don't know if it is what you're supposed to do or not but it worked. Our three year old loves rolling around on top of it - hasn't mastered bouncing yet!

Best fun we've had since the 70's, 31 Jul 2007
I am so pleased with this toy. We purchased this for our nephew's birthday, he loved this more than all his other presents! so did his parents who seem to spend more time on it! Excellent value for money and great fun.

Retro Hopper, 10 Sep 2008
After reading a couple of bad reviews about this space hopper I almost didn't buy it but I decided the odds were in favour of it and to go with the reviews written by the people who were happy with it and I'm glad now I did. I bought two of these space hoppers for my grandchildren for Christmas so I thought it wiser to open them and test them now in case there were any problems. I can't see any problems at all with either of them and they look exactly as the picture shows them. I had no bother with the valve and the seams are perfectly ok and not leaking any air. Now its just a case of waiting for Christmas to watch how much fun I know my grandchildren are going to have on them :)

Paul H, 24 May 2008
Fantastic back to basic`s great exercise and healthy family fun toy,dont know what pevious reviewer`s expect for £8.49 perhaps they should stick to their £39.99 computer games,we have also purchased the 4 pack hopper`s
and garden games and created our own sports day,absolute great value for money.

AVOID AVOID AVOID WOULD GIVE ZERO STARS RATING IF POSSIBLE, 19 May 2008
I AM NOT ONE TO COMPLAIN BUT FEEL I SHOULD WARN POTENTIAL BUYERS OF THIS HOPPER TO STAY AS FAR AWAY FROM IT AS POSSIBLE. I CAN ONLY DESCRIBE IT AS "CHEAP TAT" AND THATS BEING POLITE. AS MENTIONED BY AN EARLIER REVIEWER IT IS NOT THE ONE DEPICTED IN THE MAIN PICTURE BUT AN ITEM OF ABSOLUTELY DISGRACEFUL QUALITY. I STOOD THERE BLOWING IT UP (OR SHOULD I SAY TRYING TO BLOW IT UP) AS THE AIR ESCAPED RAPIDLY THROUGH THE NUMEROUS SPLIT SEAMS IN THIS LOW GRADE POOR QUALITY PRODUCT. MY LITTLE GIRL STOOD THERE CRYING AS HER VERY ANGRY FATHER DUMPED THIS CRAP IN THE ONLY PLACE IT DESERVES TO BE AND THAT WAS IN THE BIN. PLEASE DO YOURSELF A FAVOUR AND CHOOSE ANOTHER HOPPER. THE QUALITY OF THE PUMP FOLLOWS THE HOPPER ITSELF AND YOU WOULD BE LUKCY FOR IT TO WITHSTAND ONE INFLATION OF THE HOPPER. I HAVE CONTACTED AMAZON AND AT THIS TIME AM AWAITING A REPLY.

Hoppin' mad!, 23 Aug 2007
Well, it did drive us crazy trying to blow it up the night before our son's birthday. Try as I might, I couldn't fit the nozzle of the included foot pump into the valve on the hopper. Husband couldn't either. Balloon pump didn't work nor did puffing into it ourselves. Several work colleagues the next day also tried and failed.

Eventually, after much deliberation, we decided to cut the white stalk of the valve, inflate it and stick the stalk back in then sellotape it in place. I still don't know if it is what you're supposed to do or not but it worked. Our three year old loves rolling around on top of it - hasn't mastered bouncing yet!

Best fun we've had since the 70's, 31 Jul 2007
I am so pleased with this toy. We purchased this for our nephew's birthday, he loved this more than all his other presents! so did his parents who seem to spend more time on it! Excellent value for money and great fun.

Great Fun !, 06 Sep 2008
We wanted a swingball to go in the ground as it would need to take a hard hit or two. It could do with a longer point to go in deeper but just needs checking before use. It's really good fun, if you're not too quick maybe a helmet and goggles for safety, get hit with the ball and it hurts. Will give an A but not A* as not perfect just close.

Great fun!!, 27 Jun 2008
I'm known amongst my friends for being clumsy and generally unfit.
I can't play tennis for toffee and so I decided to get this to improve my hand/eye co-ordination and to also get a bit of a workout.
Easy to assemble and you can alter the height of the pole and the length of the twine to suit.
I've found it great on my own (the neightbours get value for money entertainment too) and when I played friends and family at the weekend I had an even better time.
Added bonus - my brother pointed out it's another way of aerating the lawn as it can get loose and need moving if you are playing a hard hitting game and/or have soft soil.
I love this and wonder how I got to 40 without having owned one before.


Highly recommended but watch out for the little ones!, 20 May 2008
This a wonderful outdoor toy that's easy to set up, good exercise, fun and improves hand-eye coordination. My only complaint - and it's a big one - is that it's a very dangerous toy for anyone under 5-6 (it does carry an age restriction on the box!) as the fast-swinging tennis ball easily hits unwary children's eyes and heads. Adult supervision a must.

summer fun, 28 Apr 2006
This is a great toy for all aspiring tennis players or just those of you who do not have a large enough garden to play tennis in. It's great to play with in the summer in the sun and will please all ages including parents. Best played with two people but you can practice on your own.

The Good Toy Awards Winner 2003 , this design has much in common with the Super Swingball, but with the added advantage of the all-surface base. The base can be filled with water or sand to anchor the pole during play and afterwards transforms into a sturdy carry case for maximum convenience. All Surface Swingball is high-energy game that will keep you on your toes wherever you choose to play it. Exciting, tough and versatile... Looks like it's game, set and match to All Surface Swingball!

Retro Hopper, 10 Sep 2008
After reading a couple of bad reviews about this space hopper I almost didn't buy it but I decided the odds were in favour of it and to go with the reviews written by the people who were happy with it and I'm glad now I did. I bought two of these space hoppers for my grandchildren for Christmas so I thought it wiser to open them and test them now in case there were any problems. I can't see any problems at all with either of them and they look exactly as the picture shows them. I had no bother with the valve and the seams are perfectly ok and not leaking any air. Now its just a case of waiting for Christmas to watch how much fun I know my grandchildren are going to have on them :)

Paul H, 24 May 2008
Fantastic back to basic`s great exercise and healthy family fun toy,dont know what pevious reviewer`s expect for £8.49 perhaps they should stick to their £39.99 computer games,we have also purchased the 4 pack hopper`s
and garden games and created our own sports day,absolute great value for money.

AVOID AVOID AVOID WOULD GIVE ZERO STARS RATING IF POSSIBLE, 19 May 2008
I AM NOT ONE TO COMPLAIN BUT FEEL I SHOULD WARN POTENTIAL BUYERS OF THIS HOPPER TO STAY AS FAR AWAY FROM IT AS POSSIBLE. I CAN ONLY DESCRIBE IT AS "CHEAP TAT" AND THATS BEING POLITE. AS MENTIONED BY AN EARLIER REVIEWER IT IS NOT THE ONE DEPICTED IN THE MAIN PICTURE BUT AN ITEM OF ABSOLUTELY DISGRACEFUL QUALITY. I STOOD THERE BLOWING IT UP (OR SHOULD I SAY TRYING TO BLOW IT UP) AS THE AIR ESCAPED RAPIDLY THROUGH THE NUMEROUS SPLIT SEAMS IN THIS LOW GRADE POOR QUALITY PRODUCT. MY LITTLE GIRL STOOD THERE CRYING AS HER VERY ANGRY FATHER DUMPED THIS CRAP IN THE ONLY PLACE IT DESERVES TO BE AND THAT WAS IN THE BIN. PLEASE DO YOURSELF A FAVOUR AND CHOOSE ANOTHER HOPPER. THE QUALITY OF THE PUMP FOLLOWS THE HOPPER ITSELF AND YOU WOULD BE LUKCY FOR IT TO WITHSTAND ONE INFLATION OF THE HOPPER. I HAVE CONTACTED AMAZON AND AT THIS TIME AM AWAITING A REPLY.

Hoppin' mad!, 23 Aug 2007
Well, it did drive us crazy trying to blow it up the night before our son's birthday. Try as I might, I couldn't fit the nozzle of the included foot pump into the valve on the hopper. Husband couldn't either. Balloon pump didn't work nor did puffing into it ourselves. Several work colleagues the next day also tried and failed.

Eventually, after much deliberation, we decided to cut the white stalk of the valve, inflate it and stick the stalk back in then sellotape it in place. I still don't know if it is what you're supposed to do or not but it worked. Our three year old loves rolling around on top of it - hasn't mastered bouncing yet!

Best fun we've had since the 70's, 31 Jul 2007
I am so pleased with this toy. We purchased this for our nephew's birthday, he loved this more than all his other presents! so did his parents who seem to spend more time on it! Excellent value for money and great fun.

Great Fun !, 06 Sep 2008
We wanted a swingball to go in the ground as it would need to take a hard hit or two. It could do with a longer point to go in deeper but just needs checking before use. It's really good fun, if you're not too quick maybe a helmet and goggles for safety, get hit with the ball and it hurts. Will give an A but not A* as not perfect just close.

Great fun!!, 27 Jun 2008
I'm known amongst my friends for being clumsy and generally unfit.
I can't play tennis for toffee and so I decided to get this to improve my hand/eye co-ordination and to also get a bit of a workout.
Easy to assemble and you can alter the height of the pole and the length of the twine to suit.
I've found it great on my own (the neightbours get value for money entertainment too) and when I played friends and family at the weekend I had an even better time.
Added bonus - my brother pointed out it's another way of aerating the lawn as it can get loose and need moving if you are playing a hard hitting game and/or have soft soil.
I love this and wonder how I got to 40 without having owned one before.


Highly recommended but watch out for the little ones!, 20 May 2008
This a wonderful outdoor toy that's easy to set up, good exercise, fun and improves hand-eye coordination. My only complaint - and it's a big one - is that it's a very dangerous toy for anyone under 5-6 (it does carry an age restriction on the box!) as the fast-swinging tennis ball easily hits unwary children's eyes and heads. Adult supervision a must.

summer fun, 28 Apr 2006
This is a great toy for all aspiring tennis players or just those of you who do not have a large enough garden to play tennis in. It's great to play with in the summer in the sun and will please all ages including parents. Best played with two people but you can practice on your own.

Not suitable for adults, 22 Jul 2008
The "all-surface" swingball has proved a great hit with our 5 year old, who'll play for hours, but is not up to adult use. Ours does not have the extra poles mentioned by a previous reviewer and is too low down even for me at 5' 4". Also it doesn't take much of a whack before it tips over even with the base filled to the brim with water. Ours does not have the pole coming out of the base - the whole thing goes. The ball attachment is not up to the standards of the 1980s one I remember as a child but we wish we'd gone for the stake in the ground type.

Not durable, 18 Jun 2008
This toy looks good the way it's packaged as a 'carry anywhere' toy. We were looking forward to playing it in the garden, at the beach, camping etc.
BUT....the thing can not stand up! A couple of not even very hard whacks and the pole dislodges from it's holder in the stand and falls over.
I didn't buy this from Amazon, but I'm taking it back to the 'never knowingly undersold' retailer and asking for my money back.


Swing ball fun and energetic, 16 Mar 2008
A great toy bought for my kids. Aged 9 and 6 they both love it. They like to play against each other against their parents, grandparents friends anyone really.

We played for a while and then the pole started falling at an angle but it is just the pole coming out of hole in bottom of the base. Simply push back in. Easy! We have the base filled with water in milk containers as we have it indoors at the moment until weather better.

Falling apart, 12 Jun 2007
This is advertised as suitable for children and adults and that the ball can be hit strongly. However, we found the pole kept coming out of the slot every few (not particularly hard) hits making a proper game impossible. It was also a nuisance having to fill up the base with sand or water and clean it out after. The carrying case is a good idea, but the lack of stability made the game frustrating for everyone. I sent mine back for a refund as not fit for the purpose and will try the stake in the ground type instead.

All-surface base NOT an advantage, 02 Sep 2005
The write-up above mentions the 'advantage' of the sand / water filled base, but for us it has just become an annoyance.

The metal pole repreatedly slips out of its mountnig point in the plastic base - causing the pole to lean at 45 degrees - usually midgame - and bringing it to a premature end.

I'm wondering why I just didn't buy a traditional 'stake it into the grass' model.

If you do not have a lawn then it's inevitable you'll prefer this model - but be prepared for some frustration or self-administered modifcation to how it is assembled.

16mm (1/2") solid steel rim with support braces and ten gauge back plate. 101cm (40") impact blow moulded polyethylene backboard

Height adjustable up to 2 metres. Ring diameter approx 40cm. Complete with ball and pump

Thomas Basketball set, perfect for indoor or outdoor fun. Comes complete with basket, backboard and kid sized soft basketball. 3 Years +

Features include a mini vinyl basketball that is ideal for little hands, a fabric mesh backboard, and a fold out carry handle. 3 Years +

Retro Hopper, 10 Sep 2008
After reading a couple of bad reviews about this space hopper I almost didn't buy it but I decided the odds were in favour of it and to go with the reviews written by the people who were happy with it and I'm glad now I did. I bought two of these space hoppers for my grandchildren for Christmas so I thought it wiser to open them and test them now in case there were any problems. I can't see any problems at all with either of them and they look exactly as the picture shows them. I had no bother with the valve and the seams are perfectly ok and not leaking any air. Now its just a case of waiting for Christmas to watch how much fun I know my grandchildren are going to have on them :)

Paul H, 24 May 2008
Fantastic back to basic`s great exercise and healthy family fun toy,dont know what pevious reviewer`s expect for £8.49 perhaps they should stick to their £39.99 computer games,we have also purchased the 4 pack hopper`s
and garden games and created our own sports day,absolute great value for money.

AVOID AVOID AVOID WOULD GIVE ZERO STARS RATING IF POSSIBLE, 19 May 2008
I AM NOT ONE TO COMPLAIN BUT FEEL I SHOULD WARN POTENTIAL BUYERS OF THIS HOPPER TO STAY AS FAR AWAY FROM IT AS POSSIBLE. I CAN ONLY DESCRIBE IT AS "CHEAP TAT" AND THATS BEING POLITE. AS MENTIONED BY AN EARLIER REVIEWER IT IS NOT THE ONE DEPICTED IN THE MAIN PICTURE BUT AN ITEM OF ABSOLUTELY DISGRACEFUL QUALITY. I STOOD THERE BLOWING IT UP (OR SHOULD I SAY TRYING TO BLOW IT UP) AS THE AIR ESCAPED RAPIDLY THROUGH THE NUMEROUS SPLIT SEAMS IN THIS LOW GRADE POOR QUALITY PRODUCT. MY LITTLE GIRL STOOD THERE CRYING AS HER VERY ANGRY FATHER DUMPED THIS CRAP IN THE ONLY PLACE IT DESERVES TO BE AND THAT WAS IN THE BIN. PLEASE DO YOURSELF A FAVOUR AND CHOOSE ANOTHER HOPPER. THE QUALITY OF THE PUMP FOLLOWS THE HOPPER ITSELF AND YOU WOULD BE LUKCY FOR IT TO WITHSTAND ONE INFLATION OF THE HOPPER. I HAVE CONTACTED AMAZON AND AT THIS TIME AM AWAITING A REPLY.

Hoppin' mad!, 23 Aug 2007
Well, it did drive us crazy trying to blow it up the night before our son's birthday. Try as I might, I couldn't fit the nozzle of the included foot pump into the valve on the hopper. Husband couldn't either. Balloon pump didn't work nor did puffing into it ourselves. Several work colleagues the next day also tried and failed.

Eventually, after much deliberation, we decided to cut the white stalk of the valve, inflate it and stick the stalk back in then sellotape it in place. I still don't know if it is what you're supposed to do or not but it worked. Our three year old loves rolling around on top of it - hasn't mastered bouncing yet!

Best fun we've had since the 70's, 31 Jul 2007
I am so pleased with this toy. We purchased this for our nephew's birthday, he loved this more than all his other presents! so did his parents who seem to spend more time on it! Excellent value for money and great fun.

Great Fun !, 06 Sep 2008
We wanted a swingball to go in the ground as it would need to take a hard hit or two. It could do with a longer point to go in deeper but just needs checking before use. It's really good fun, if you're not too quick maybe a helmet and goggles for safety, get hit with the ball and it hurts. Will give an A but not A* as not perfect just close.

Great fun!!, 27 Jun 2008
I'm known amongst my friends for being clumsy and generally unfit.
I can't play tennis for toffee and so I decided to get this to improve my hand/eye co-ordination and to also get a bit of a workout.
Easy to assemble and you can alter the height of the pole and the length of the twine to suit.
I've found it great on my own (the neightbours get value for money entertainment too) and when I played friends and family at the weekend I had an even better time.
Added bonus - my brother pointed out it's another way of aerating the lawn as it can get loose and need moving if you are playing a hard hitting game and/or have soft soil.
I love this and wonder how I got to 40 without having owned one before.


Highly recommended but watch out for the little ones!, 20 May 2008
This a wonderful outdoor toy that's easy to set up, good exercise, fun and improves hand-eye coordination. My only complaint - and it's a big one - is that it's a very dangerous toy for anyone under 5-6 (it does carry an age restriction on the box!) as the fast-swinging tennis ball easily hits unwary children's eyes and heads. Adult supervision a must.

summer fun, 28 Apr 2006
This is a great toy for all aspiring tennis players or just those of you who do not have a large enough garden to play tennis in. It's great to play with in the summer in the sun and will please all ages including parents. Best played with two people but you can practice on your own.

Not suitable for adults, 22 Jul 2008
The "all-surface" swingball has proved a great hit with our 5 year old, who'll play for hours, but is not up to adult use. Ours does not have the extra poles mentioned by a previous reviewer and is too low down even for me at 5' 4". Also it doesn't take much of a whack before it tips over even with the base filled to the brim with water. Ours does not have the pole coming out of the base - the whole thing goes. The ball attachment is not up to the standards of the 1980s one I remember as a child but we wish we'd gone for the stake in the ground type.

Not durable, 18 Jun 2008
This toy looks good the way it's packaged as a 'carry anywhere' toy. We were looking forward to playing it in the garden, at the beach, camping etc.
BUT....the thing can not stand up! A couple of not even very hard whacks and the pole dislodges from it's holder in the stand and falls over.
I didn't buy this from Amazon, but I'm taking it back to the 'never knowingly undersold' retailer and asking for my money back.


Swing ball fun and energetic, 16 Mar 2008
A great toy bought for my kids. Aged 9 and 6 they both love it. They like to play against each other against their parents, grandparents friends anyone really.

We played for a while and then the pole started falling at an angle but it is just the pole coming out of hole in bottom of the base. Simply push back in. Easy! We have the base filled with water in milk containers as we have it indoors at the moment until weather better.

Falling apart, 12 Jun 2007
This is advertised as suitable for children and adults and that the ball can be hit strongly. However, we found the pole kept coming out of the slot every few (not particularly hard) hits making a proper game impossible. It was also a nuisance having to fill up the base with sand or water and clean it out after. The carrying case is a good idea, but the lack of stability made the game frustrating for everyone. I sent mine back for a refund as not fit for the purpose and will try the stake in the ground type instead.

All-surface base NOT an advantage, 02 Sep 2005
The write-up above mentions the 'advantage' of the sand / water filled base, but for us it has just become an annoyance.

The metal pole repreatedly slips out of its mountnig point in the plastic base - causing the pole to lean at 45 degrees - usually midgame - and bringing it to a premature end.

I'm wondering why I just didn't buy a traditional 'stake it into the grass' model.

If you do not have a lawn then it's inevitable you'll prefer this model - but be prepared for some frustration or self-administered modifcation to how it is assembled.

great toy for all the family, 16 Mar 2008
My boys 6 & 4 love this. It's not in constant use, but someone will pick up the ball and try for a basket and before you know it we are all playing. There aren't many games that don't take loads of setting up that are suitable for all the family. You can make it harder by just standing further away for the older members or closer for the little ones. Good fun. We have it on our decking so it's even played with during the winter months.

Lazy Town Basketball set, perfect for indoor or outdoor fun. Comes complete with basket, backboard and kidsized soft basketball. 3 Years +