Using airplanes to experience anti gravity dates back to 1959, where it was used to help train astronauts.  It works by flying in a flight pattern called parabolas (which just looks like a sine curve) and the weightlessness is experienced at the top part of the curve.  Zero G has a good explanation and video of this on their website – the summary is that the plane begins by flying level to the horizon.  It then pulls upwards and begins climbing until it is ascending at roughly a forty five degree angle under forces greater than gravity.  The plane is then pushed over to initiate the feeling of no gravity for about thirty seconds.

Is it just me or is this the coolest thing in the world?  I’m not sure how, but I must figure out a way to get on one of those flights.  Here’s a quick look at one of the flights with a bunch of astronauts bouncing around and having the time of their life.  You can see that on the Zero G flights they also fly parabolas that simulate the gravity on the Moon and the gravity on Mars.

Considering that $4,950 is not even close to within my budget, I’m going to have to keep looking for some anti gravity boots that slightly less expensive.  I find it very hard to believe that there’s absolutely nothing out there outside of the Air Kicks or Michael Jackson’s own gravity defying shoes.  Until then, I’ll definitely be dreaming of taking a trip on the Vomit Comet.

Photo Source: jurvetson

I actually learned how to do the moonwalk a couple years ago and this seems like as good a place as any to write about how it’s done and where in the world it came from.  The basic idea is to make it look like you’re attempting to walk forward, but instead glide backwards across the floor.  Before I get into more detail about the walk, the visualization that helped me a lot when trying to learn was that you want to keep the leg being dragged backwards straight, and the leg that is stationary, bent.  This way it looks like the leg  you are extending to take a step forwards is actually moving backwards.

I didn’t realize before, but the move can be tracked pretty far back in history before Michael Jackson’s most famous moonwalk on Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever.  It had been seen in various performances as far back as 1932 before being performed by Michael Jackson, including a few mime skits where the person miming was acting as if he was attempting to walk into the wind unsuccessfully and being pushed back.  If you would like to see the first performance of Michael Jackson doing the moonwalk without the need for anti gravity shoes, here it is on YouTube.

So if you’d like to give it a shot, start off by standing with your left leg bent with most of your weight on the toes of your left foot.  Extend your right leg so it’s straight and try to glide your right foot across the ground (think anti gravity).  Ideally you will be balanced on your left foot and your right foot will be just barely hovering over the ground as it moves to really give the impression of weightlessness, but a good way to start off with the motion is by practicing in socks.  All in all, it can be a lot of fun to try and you can be guaranteed to look silly while you’re learning.

This might not be bouncing on around on the moon in anti gravity boots but it’s definitely a lot of fun and a great little skill to show at random occasions.  So the next place I look might have to be the moon shoes worn by astronauts?  Or maybe I’ll actually find some boots that are a little closer to simulating a stroll in space.

Photo Source: CainAndToddBenson

The way that it works is with a pair of small hitches poking up on the stage that look like the head of a screw.  The person doing the dance move wears the anti gravity boots specially designed (and patented) for this that have a small gap in the heal capable of engaging with the hitch.  The hitches can be raised up through the holes when necessary so that they don’t pose a tripping hazard until necessary for the dance move.  So basically all the happens is the dancer goes to the necessary place with the small hitches on stage, slides his or her foot forward onto the hitch so that it engages and locks in properly, and then he can lean forward as far as he is physically possible.  A pretty simple concept, but an amazing looking dance move.  Here is a link to a video of it in case you haven’t seen it for awhile.

So this wasn’t exactly what I am looking for in terms of going without gravity (I’m thinking more along the lines of bounciness), but these are some pretty amazing anti gravity boots.  Particularly because they accomplish the task they were created for so perfectly; it pretty much looks like and seems like performing a magic trick.  I’m not sure if I have the performance flair to pull off a stunt like this even if I did decide to make a pair, but maybe the search for a lack of gravity needs to veer slightly outside of the box.  I’m going to keep looking and see what else I can come up with.

While I’m searching, I’m probably going to have to look a little more into some of Michael Jackson’s other amazing dance moves (particularly the moon walk) and maybe, at the more scientific end of the spectrum, the boots astronauts wear when they are actually experiencing anti gravity in space.  I’ll go ahead and post the information that I find and please let me know if you know of any other fun anti gravity stuff worth looking into.

Photo Source: stylespion

Here is the new ad for comparison and once again I’m drawn in like a sucker thinking that it’s finally time for me to try moon shoes again; and there’s even this new kind for grown ups.  I wish that my youthful dreams could be answered but unfortunately the reviews aren’t coming up as too stellar.  I’ll have to start off by saying that I still think they look pretty awesome and I might actually have to give them a shot, but unfortunately the reviews of these are almost exactly the same as for the purple and green shoe sized trampolines that Nickelodeon produced.

Basically, it seems like most people complaints come down to two major things: they don’t really bounce as high as they would have guessed and they are dangerous for children.  I think in regard to the danger claims this is probably true, but if you’re going to be putting on portable trampolines you have to at least be assuming some level of danger.  In regard to the bouncing part, this seems like something that us mere mortals are just going to have to learn to accept: no matter what we put on our feet we’re not going to get to feel what no gravity feels like.

The same thing happens with a pogo stick or anything other than an actual trampoline – bouncing up and down on the ground is just not the same as bouncing on the moon.  I’m definitely not ready to give up on my search for something that is at least a little closer to moon shoes and unfortunately, though very cool, the Air Kicks Anti Gravity Boots don’t seem like they’re going to do it.  The next post might involve something resembling a rocket pack if it’s what’s necessary, but there has to be something out there.  Is it so much to ask to want to walk on the moon?

Photo Source: meddygarnet