DIY Hoola Hoop Recipe

Okay. So. You want to make a hula hoop either for fun or because you don't have a place to buy an oversized hoop (I make 'em and sell 'em for about $20 so you can skip all this and drop me a line...) and you're tired of trying to pull off cool tricks with the wonky kid hoops in the aisle at Target. It is relatively simple to make your own hoop as long as you have the right supplies. Your first purchase will be the most expensive but in the long run it will pay off.

Most home and garden stores like Home Depot will carry all of the material you will need to get started. The one drawback is that unless you can find someone to sell you about 12 feet of pipe for the hoop, then you are stuck with buying a whole roll of either 50 to 100 ft. But the good news is that 100 ft. of pipe makes nearly ten hoops and it only costs around $25. You'll need a pipe cutter, which costs about $15. Couplings cost next to nothing (about $.50 ea.) and tape is about $2-$3 a roll so budget for about 3-5 rolls ($10-$15). Your grand total will be $50-$60 but you'll only need to buy the pipe cutter once and the rest will make you between 8-10 hoops. So in the end you gettalottabang for your buck.

You will need: 

Rustle up an employee that can tell you where everything is. This will probably be the hardest part of the whole process. Make a list and show them what you need and which godforsaken aisle it might be on. Better yet, tell them you are making a hula hoop. Most hardware stores get more DIY hoop makers than you'd guess and the employees I've met have all known why I was buying the tubing. I guess I don't look like I'm in the irrigation business?

At least 10 feet of pipe- specifically called Polyethylene (not Polyurethane) "Poly Pipe" or "Funny Pipe". It is usually sold in the plumbing or irrigation section. You need to make sure that it is the 3/4" diameter and 120 psi. The 100 psi will be lighter, 160 psi will be heavier, but there is not always a great selection. If you can't find 3/4" but they have 1" diam. that's cool too. If they seem to be out, ask for help because they stock more way up high on the shelves above.

A pipe cutter. These are super handy to have and make a clean cut in one easy move. They look like this and cost about $12.00

You'll also need a bag of couplings, like these. They are the plastic inserts that hold the ends of the pipe together to form the hoop. There are a few different very similar looking kinds so pay attention. They are smooth the whole way across unlike the others that have a sort of hard plastic tab dividing the center. Avoid these. They are super cheap- I bought a bag of 10 for $3, but they also sell them individually. Go ahead and splurge and get enough to use up the whole roll of pipe. About 10 should do the job. The one shown in the link is listed at $.94 but that's in Canadian pesos. They aren't listed on the US sites but they do sell them in the stores.


Tape: The more the merrier. It helps the hoop grip your bod and adds a little weight. Every tape is different in how it wraps and how it feels.  Here's a quick breakdown: All you're really going to find at your hardware store is electric tape and duct tape. Electric tape comes in mainly primary colors and is available just about everywhere. It wraps around the hoop easily without wrinkling up (after a few tries) and can easily be removed when a goof-up occurs. Duct tape doesn't wrap as easily but it comes in some pretty cool colors if you're lucky, from primary to florescent.
You can also find other tapes, like the fun shiny stuff at art stores. Gaffer tape is almost sticky but people like it. If you want a good selection check out http://www.identi-tape.com/ to see all of the possibilities. The fun is in the hunt for new ideas for decorating your hoop.

Blow dryer/ Hot hot water- You'll need this to heat the ends of the cut hoop so that the coupling will slide right in.

Ready, Set, Go

1. Grab the roll of pipe and measure how big of a hoop you want before cutting by creating a circle with the loose end hold it up against you. From the ground up to anywhere from your waist to your shoulders is a good place to start. Remember, the smaller it is the faster it will go and the harder it is to keep going and vice versa.

2. Cut. Read the instructions on your new crazy pipe cutter. It's a beast and cuts through the pipe like hot butter. What? Make sure it is perfectly aligned with the X axis of the Y axis (your hoop). Snip snip!

3. Get your coupling ready. Heat one end of your hoop for about 20 seconds with the blow dryer or by submerging an end of it in some freshly boiled water. Do I need to warn you that it will be hot? Slide the coupling into the hot end of the hoop until it is halfway in. Repeat and connect the other end to the other side. TA DA! You DID it! You now have a hoop! Give it a spin.

4. Tape away. Taping is kind of awkward at first. To do candy stripes start with electric tape. It is so much easier to work with. Stand with the hoop parallel with you between your legs like it was a stick horse and you were about to ride it. Now grip the part closest to you firmly between your knees to stabilize the hoops while you wrap it. Take one end of the tape and make a diagonal line across the hoop (backslash angle) and tuck the end on the inside of the hoop under your hand. Pull the roll taut out and down to the right and swing your hand underneath to pass it to the other hand while keeping it taut and angled to lie flush with the hoop so it doesn't crinkle. Bring the left hand down and out to the left keeping the tape tight but not unrolling too much, then grab the tape with your right hand again and pull it down to the diagonal. You can play with the spacing between the stripes or wrap it in one or many solid colors by leaving no space between the stripes.

5. Have fun! Make enough to share!

The Orbettes: Live Hula Hoop Troop Performance for your Next Party or Event

If you are looking for party entertainment that a clown or a magician just won't satisfy, we've got the answer for you- hire us for a Hoola Hoopdown! From birthday parties to house parties and even corporate events, The Orbettes know how to keep the fun going strong. With live performances and routines plus an interactive portion that everyone loves to get involved with, your guests will be spun out over The Orbettes! Just click on our email address to the right (see it?) and we'll get back to you with more information.

Hoola Hooping: Give it a Whirl

Whether you are an adult or a kid (or something in between, like most of us) there are few things more fun that hooping with your friends. You can learn how to dance and do awesome tricks, and you can burn up to 700 calories an hour while having a blast. Here are some tips on getting started:

• You'll need a hoop, of course. And unless you are under 4 1/2 ft. tall you probably need a larger hoop than the toy store can offer. These tend to be too light and too small to maneuver for doing the kinds of tricks you'll be learning. The solution is to either buy or make a hoop that is large enough and the right weight for you. If you live in the Houston area we can make a hoop just for you in a variety of sizes and colors.

• We highly suggest playing music while hooping, anything upbeat that you like to dance to.

• Clothing can either help or hinder the hooper. Wearing shorts and a tank top allows for more skin contact, which gives you some extra grip. On the other hand, long sleeves or pants can cause the hoop to slide, making it much more difficult to keep the hoop going. Don't wear accessories like earrings, necklaces, or bracelets that will interfere with the hoop.

• To get started with learning how to hoop and do tricks, search for different keywords online such as hula hoop videos, lessons, tricks, etc. If you would like to take lessons and live in the Houston area, we offer classes for beginners and for advanced hoopers that would like to learn more together.