velocity stilts

velocity stilts has been in the newsworthiness nowadays so i thought you may require to learn about it here.


First off, I'm not talking about those little springs
attached to peoples feet you see in cartoons, or "velocity
stilts" or moon shoes. Iv'e had moon shoes, and they do
not cushion your fall. In fact, they really hurt my ankles.

Anyway, heres how it works: you are standing on a pair
of stilts,
which rest inside of larger stilts. The smaller
stilts are suspended inside the larger ones by an
industrial sized rubber band. The larger stilts are also air
tight, save for a very thin cut running down each side.
These slits can be partially widened or covered up by a
sliding piece of metal to increase or decrease the rate
air can escape. (covered up or closed for low heights,
widened or opened further for high)
Both stilts are strapped to your knees and ankles. Upon
leaving the ground, the larger stilts are pushed by the
industrial sized band away from the smaller stilts, but
cannot simply shoot out. Before impact the stilts should
extend to about twice the length of the users legs. Upon
impact, your fall is cushioned in four ways.

1. As the smaller stilts and your legs fall into the large
ones, the rubber band is stretched.

2. The as the solid platform within the smaller stilt is
pushed into the larger one, the air is compressed, but
allowed to escape through the aforementioned slits in
the larger stilt.

3. When the small stilt pushes all the way through to the
ground, it lands on a soft material (NASA style temper-
pedic pillow fluff?) which is wedged in the very bottom of
the larger stilt.

4. The smaller stilt hits the ground, and you slow the
rest of your momentum with a roll (if necessary)

Using these, you should be able to jump off of really
high stuff, but there are a few dangers to using them.

If you land with the end of the stilts too far apart, (which
is likely if they are too long) then you will be split in half.

If there is no way to lock the smaller stilts in place lower
within the larger ones, it would be very hard to keep you
balance. Such a lock could operate like a gigantic ball
point pen, collapsing the stilts permanently upon impact,
so as not to cause unwanted bounce when walking

You might look funny, but maybe not if you wear really
long pants. (see "pygmy boots")