Spectrum Scientifics Blog

One item Spectrum has had in its inventory since it opened its doors is the 40 Rocket Balloons and Pump kit. We didn’t think too much of it at the time; it was a neat idea and a decent price.

But after a while we noticed that we seemed to keep running out of this item. When we thought about it we realized that yes, it was a really cool idea and people were buying it all the time!

The idea is simple: You get a 40 long, rocket shaped balloons that can get up to 42″ long. You also get a simple hand-pump that makes pumping the balloons up possible without passing out (believe me- we know). That’s pretty much it, but this all costs less than $10! All you do is pump them up and let them go. Good old action-reaction that we’ve been familiar with since age 2 takes over and the balloon flies around from the force of the escaping air!

The only disadvantage is that the long balloons tend to stretch out from being used and launched. You can try using them again but they probably won’t work as well. That is one reason they give you so many (40) to play with.

So how fun is the set? Well, Philadelphia Magazine (which named Spectrum Scientifics a Best of Philly in 2008) did a short blurb on the rocket balloons in their Summer Flying Fun special. Here is what they wrote:

Or maybe you just need to let go. Spectrum Scientifics sells 40 rocket balloons, plus a hand pump, for $9.95. Blow them up out back, let them loose and laugh you a** off. - Philadelphia Magazine, July 2009, page 62.

We agree!

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Filed under: Physics