Dominion is the expert when it comes to the foot strap to knee strap mod - so I defer to him.  I personally haven't tried it yet.  I have replaced the factory velcro strap with a heavier duty velcro strap that works well for me.  I was just making the point that, if you didn't like the foot > knee strap mod for some reason, you could still revert back to a velcro strap system if you ever wanted to.

Bill C.

Actually, you can go back to the original velcro strap configuration if you use one long strap.  Just secure it to the inside circumferance of the knee loop with some zip-ties.

See photo...
http://images.tribe.net/tribe/upload/photo/dd2/702/dd27023e-602c-47fc-9f12-320f22cab79c

Bill C.

Hopefully, by now this problem has corrected itself.  But another way to get the left spring to catch up with the right would be to simply wear them on the opposite feet for a while -- that is, if you have a dominant leg.  Just be careful not to hit the strap clips together as they will both be on the inside of your feet.

Bill C.

Just a few of points, being an inventor with a couple of patents myself, that you should keep in mind -- pertaining to U.S. Patent Law...

1.
A royalty needs only be paid to a patent owner one time on the item that is manufactured or sold.  If the manufacturer doesn't pay the patent owner the royalty on each item up front (and many if these manufacturers do not), then the distributor must pay a royalty on each sale.  (Some of these companies are acting as both manufacturer and distributor).  If you buy from one of these companies that have not paid a royalty, then, by law, YOU can't sell your item(s) to anyone without paying a royalty.  Your source (distributor) may tell you that they are paying the royalties, but you had better find out directly from the patent owner to be sure.

2.
Once a patent owner informs you of their patent and demands that you stop all manufacturing and sales, you become legally  responsible for all royalties from that point forward, no matter if you sell 1, 10, or 500 items at a time.  Selling past that point is considered to be intentional infringement, and you will not only have to pay ALL back royalties to the patent owner, but the courts will also impose a huge fine against you if you are sued and lose in court.  You will also have to pay a lot of money for a lawyer to defend you in court -- and will also most likely have to pay back the patent owner's legal fees for their lawyer if you lose the case.

3.
Ebay will not protect you.  You are still breaking the law if caught and sued.

4.
U.S. patent law is very powerful.  If I invent a new seat belt buckle and Swedish Airlines is using it in their planes, I can legally prevent their planes from entering the U.S. if I am not receiving a royalty from someone for each of those buckles that are manufactured and sold/used.

5.
It is part of capitalizm.  Designed to help the little guy (inventor/patent owner) make some money on an idea he/she thought of -- and others also want want to make money from as well.  It's only fair.  iTunes pays a royalty to every song writer whose song you download to your ipod - and adds that to your cost for downloading a song.  You'd want to be paid, too, if you wrote that song.

Bill C.

[365 Euro in USD]

Just a tip I thought I would pass onto you guys...

If you come across a price in a different currency, you can simply use Google to convert it to the equivilent price in your own currency.  For example, to find out a $365 Euro equivilent in U.S. dollars, just enter

365 Euro in USD

Bill C.

You can easily make a protective pad for your tailbone by taping together a few short lengths of pipe insulation foam and shoving the pad down the back of your pants before bocking. 



It will save you a world of hurt if you fall backwards.

Bill C.

Sweeeeet.

Yeah, it was pretty unimpressive -- unless you've never seen these things before.  One of the 3 bockers in the group towards the back slipped on the shiny floor and fell at end of their routine.  (More like a slow slip and slide to the floor.)  What was interesting was the apparent ease with which one can attain height with the velocity stilts.  They were getting great air with what looked like very little effort.

But that girl with the bow and arrow was unbelieveable.  In general, the show is pretty lame and will probably be cancelled after a short run.

Bill C.

What temp. does it cool down to at night, Grumpy Goat?  Any chance you could do some night bocking?

Bill C.

One concern might be the torque that the riser legs will have to endure upon landing and stopping your fast spinning action.  I'd be afraid the riser legs might twist a little upon landing and get slightly bent.

Just a gut feeling.  Not based on any experience.

Bill C.

Just a tip regarding bending your own tubing... 

In order to keep the tube from pinching, it is my understanding that you should first tightly pack the tube with sand and cap both ends.  The sand will keep the tube from collapsing as you bend it around something very strong -- such as a support pole in your basement that holds up your house.  That said, it may also be a task just being able to bend the aluminum tubing, depending on the wall thickness and grade of aluminum.  It isn't as easy to do as you might think.  The original knee loop has a fairly complex symetrical bend to it.  Good luck if you attempt this -- and let us know how it goes.

Bill C.

Which is another reason why you should never push downward on the knee loop to try to compress the springs when not wearing them.  (Newbies typically do this out of curiousity right after they arrive.)  You run the risk of not only bending the loop, but apparently snapping it too.

Bill C.

Hey Swampdog,

Yep it's me.  Bill C from tribe.  This also is a fun forum to hang out in.  Matt has done a terrific job with his website.

Bill C.
Massapequa Park, NY USA

Instead of also wearing your knee pads, you might just try adhering some thin foam padding (purchased from a fabric store) to the inside of the hard shin guards to make them more comfortable against your leg.

Bill C.

I saw the commercial.  Definately looks like risers/skips and some acrobatics in one segment.

Bill C.