Creating a backyard foam pit to learn Backfilps

[Unisykolist]

The thought came to me around 2 months ago. Surely if you have a foam pit in your backyard and you practiced everyday for a while, you would soon be able to backflip off something on to flat just as Adrien did his frontflip.

I think this could work but I don't seem to have the motivation of going forward with it like getting all the foam bits, discussing with my parents etc...I wonder how I would make it?

What do you guys think of this idea?

[1-wheeled-grape]

A foam pit in my back garden would be amazing, except after rain. Go for it, just try and find bits of foam from old sofas, sponges... anything like that, and put it in a big wooden box with a platform next to it.

Building a wooden pool like container wouldn't be too hard... but finding all the foam will be, and will take ages. Also making sure it doesn't fill with rain water.

[Eddbmxdude]

Originally Posted by Unisykolist

I think this could work but I don't seem to have the motivation of going forward with it like getting all the foam bits, discussing with my parents etc...I wonder how I would make it?

If you can't get the motivation to make the foam pit, how on earth are you going to get the motivation to learn backflips?

[KlownLife]

Originally Posted by Eddbmxdude

If you can't get the motivation to make the foam pit, how on earth are you going to get the motivation to learn backflips?

+1

If you're going to get a proper foam pit, which you really should as a half arsed one could jeopardise your safety, it's going to take a lot of work and a lot of money. Foam is stupidly expensive considering how often you might use it day to day and building the actual pit isn't exactly easy. Plus, if you're not building it into the ground, which would be even more expensive and may require planning permission, then you're going to have to build something around 12 feet+ high to jump off, (around 6 feet of the pit included).

If I were you, I'd try and use someone else's, which is what Adrien appears to have done. Get in contact with local skate parks or gymnastic facilities, tell them your story and they might be able to help. This, again, isn't easy as many gyms imparticular don't have insurance to cover such an unusual thing.

This isn't designed to put you off, just to make you think a little more.

[Kerv]

The only foam pits I have ever seen are all inside. As mentioned in a post, above, an outside foam pit would get pretty awful in the rain. The foam would probably never dry out. It would grow mold and get infested with bugs - hardly something you would want to jump into.

[Iain]

Originally Posted by Kerv

The only foam pits I have ever seen are all inside. As mentioned in a post, above, an outside foam pit would get pretty awful in the rain. The foam would probably never dry out. It would grow mold and get infested with bugs - hardly something you would want to jump into.

Couldn't he just put a cover on it? A tarp would be an easy solution.

[_Ground_Zero_]

Yah, tarp seems like it would work fine???


Maybe if you got one of those set up 5 foot pools, filled it with foam, and then made a platform higher up, it'd work. Those pools might even come with a tarp as it is.

For foam maybe there's an aussie site of something like this? http://www.gymsupply.com/index.asp?P...OD&ProdID=3830

You can't really go around this without a nice heap of cash it seems unfortunately.

[Jerrick]

Look up Travis Pastrana's foam pit. Id actually e-mail him and get any info he has about them.

Building a pit isnt too hard. Ive done it before with basic plywood and 2x4s. So after we build a sturdy box, we just used old mattresses we had from beds and couches and had are fun. Covered it with a tarp and there was never a water problem.

[onewheelishardcore]

go to clarke rubber and ask for of cuts they give them 2 u for free and just dig a hole

[jaco_flans]

I think it would be easier if you try them on grass down of a little pile of palets. A foam pit would be really cool but I think you just have to be motivated to ride and then try to land backflips somewhere(not in a foampit). Plus having a foam pit is probably not cheap, you have to get all the foam and the wood to built the big thingy to put the foam in.

[biker14]

Originally Posted by Jerrick

Look up Travis Pastrana's foam pit. Id actually e-mail him and get any info he has about them.

Building a pit isnt too hard. Ive done it before with basic plywood and 2x4s. So after we build a sturdy box, we just used old mattresses we had from beds and couches and had are fun. Covered it with a tarp and there was never a water problem.

Does it hurt cuz im thinking of just collecting alot of it and just laying it out on my lawn and jumping into it and trying big shit and does it hurt landing in that bc i find alot of old matresses etc by me

[4umfreak]

Just use a swimming pool with water in it... Problem solved. It won't get damaged when it rains, fill with bugs etc.

Just remember, don't hit the edges!

[maestro8]

Originally Posted by biker14

i find alot of old matresses

Discarded mattresses contain springs. Poky bits of rusty metal.

You want to jump onto piles of rusty metal spikes?

I hope your tetanus shots are up to date...

[Unicaw89]

Ask for a million temperpedic sample peices ;-)

[MuniSano]

Depending on where you live, a cheap, seasonal possibility might be to fill your pit, or large box with dry leaves. Obviously you'll want to keep it covered to keep things dry. Hay and other grasses might work as well though you'll be pretty messy getting out. This comes from someone who spent some time jumping in large piles of hay and leaves as a kid. Good luck!