Vurtego

Vurtego or Vurtego Pogo Sticks are a variation of the traditional pogo stick in which the spring mechanism used for jumping is air, as opposed to a traditional metal coil spring. They are designed as a high-end pogo stick, capable of jumping to extreme heights and enabling riders to perform a wide variety of tricks.[1][2][3]

Closeup of Vurtego Stick [V1]

There are a variety of advantages in using an air-powered pogo stick, ranging from adjustable spring tensions to overall weight to power ratio.

The air spring within a Vurtego pogo stick allows riders to pump the pogo stick up to their own preferred air pressure in order to jump. The more air pressure that is pumped into the pogo stick, the stiffer the spring becomes. The same Vurtego pogo stick can be used by a 75 lb kid or a 300 lb fully grown adult, simply by adjusting the air pressure. Due to the air spring that is used in the Vurtego's pogo sticks, there is no maximum weight limit.

An air spring has advantages over other forms of pogo stick propulsion. An air spring weighs just about nothing compared to a traditional coil spring and is capable of far more power in relation to the overall weight of the spring. A metal spring capable of propelling a rider more than five feet in the air would need to weigh more than 30 pounds and is therefore infeasible. Elastomeric bands, which are used in a few pogo sticks available today, tend to degrade or break over time.

Vurtego pogo sticks weigh under 11 pounds (5 kg) and are capable of producing 1500 pounds-force (8,000 newtons) of thrust.

Models

V1

In January 2006 Vurtego released its first pogo stick, the V1. The V1 was the first air-powered extreme pogo stick ever sold and was capable of jumping more than seven feet high. The V1 utilized a custom extruded plastic cylinder body, billet aluminum footpegs, a non-rotating stainless steel shaft, and a nylon piston.

V2

In 2008 Vurtego released a new version of the Vurtego, the 'V2.' The V2 is similar to the V1, except the shaft is rotated 45 degrees, adding strength. The pegs are larger and curved a bit at the bottom. There is a less expensive version of the V2, known as the 'power pogo', which boasts the same performance as the V2, but is made in China with cheaper material. Another version known as the V2 'Fit' is, as the name suggests, for exercise. The V2 comes in three sizes; Small [riders 5'0"-5'6"], Medium [5'4"-6'0"], and Large [5'10"+].

V3

The next edition to the Vurtego series, known as the V3, became available in late 2009. The V3 is similar to a V2 but has an aluminum tube and a new boltless air piston. There were two versions, the standard V3 [grey anodized aluminum] and a black version known as the 'V3 Stealth'. The stealth version features an all black anodized aluminum tube and footpegs with the same performance as the standard V3. The V3 comes in the three sizes.

V4

In late 2015 Vurtego's latest pogo stick, the V4, was introduced. The V4 was the first major redesign since the V1. The entire design of the V4 was centered around the new Air Piston, which combined the spacer and piston designs from the V1-V3 in order to increase air volume by 10%. This additional air volume creates a smoother, softer bounce that feels very similar to a trampoline. The V4 jumps higher with less effort than its predecessors. In order to reduce friction during the bounce a smaller o-ring seal and new bushing were implemented. A much harder, 90a urethane donut with sound dampening nubs was integrated into the design, and four additional breather holes were added to the cylinder in order to increase the air flow. The stroke was extended by 1" on the V4 and 3" on the V4 Pro, allowing for riders to jump higher without bottoming out the stroke. The last major update was a round Grip Tip, which provides the same amount of surface area no matter what angle a rider lands at. The V4 is offered in white, and the V4 Pro is offered in a bright green.

Sizes

All of Vurtego's pogo sticks are offered in three different sizes:

  • Small - 4'8" - 5'3" (147 cm - 161 cm) | 10 lbs (4.54 kg)
  • Medium - 5'4" - 5'11" (162 cm - 181 cm) | 10.5 lbs (4.76 kg)
  • Large - 6' - 6'6" (182 cm - 198 cm) | 11 lbs (5 kg)

Slingshot

In 2022 Vurtego announced that they were developing their first child-sized pogo stick, which is named the Slingshot. It uses the same adjustable air-powered spring as the V4 and previous models, but it is much smaller in size. Despite the size difference, it is still capable of jumping over 5' high, as well as doing a large variety of Extreme Pogo tricks, including flips. The Vurtego Slingshot launches on May 4, 2023, on indiegogo.

World Records

Vurtego pogo sticks currently hold 8 world records.

Highest Jump on a Pogo Stick

11 feet 2.25 inches - set by Henry Cabelus on August 20, 2021[4]

Highest Front Flip

10 feet 2 inches - set by Michael Mena in 2017[5]

Most Consecutive Backflips

18 - set by Dmitry Arsenyev in 2015

Fastest Mile On A Pogo Stick

7:40 - set by Drew McQuiston in 2017[6]

Most Consecutive Front Flips

8 - set by Henry Cabelus in 2016

Most Synchronized Backflips

15 - set by a bunch of people in 2014

Fewest Jumps in a Minute

38 - set by Henry Cabelus in 2016[7]

Most Jumps in a Minute

266 - set by Tone Staubs in 2013


See also

References
  1. "Vurtego: What Happened To Extreme Pogo Stick After Shark Tank". 2paragraphs.com. Retrieved 2020-08-19.
  2. Murphy, Jen (2017-12-30). "You Can Be 66 and Still Love Pogo Sticks". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2020-08-19.
  3. Skiing. January 2007.
  4. "Pogo Sticks World Records". 24 March 2022. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
  5. "Highest Front Flip - Xpogo".
  6. "Fastest Mile on a Pogo Stick - Xpogo".
  7. "Fewest pogo stick jumps in one minute | Guinness World Records".
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