I have been hooping for over a year and still enjoy it. I can’t manage to hoop in my house which stinks since I have a couple of good hooping DVDs but I do my thing in my backyard or at the lake where we own a marina (when no one is down there).

I own a Canyon Weighted Hula Hoop as well as a heavily padded Sports-Hoop that snaps together and apart. The Canyon Hoop is great for those who want to firm up, slim down, and work their cores.

About the Product

Canyon sells a number of different styles of weighted hoops but the most popular one is the exercise hoop that I have. Those hoops come in a weights from 1.5 pounds to 4 pounds. I have a two pound hoop that I started out using as a three pound one (More on that later.) which is perfect for my body type, size, and my needs. The heavier hoops are not harder to use; they’re actually easier to keep going. But they hurt like heck slamming against the body and should only be used by those who are bigger or well toned in the core area.

My weighted hoop is made from 200 psi polyethylene tubing with the weight evenly distributed. There are a load of color choices and tape choices for decorative purposes. You can get braided swirled, or decorative taping to jazz up your hoop in a huge variety of color combinations. You can even order a custom made hoop if you’re so inclined. I have a dark purple hoop (Purple is my favorite color and everything I can get in purple, I do.) with lighter purple braided tape around it. It is 42” in diameter. Smaller, lighter hoops are 38” in diameter.

These hoops are very unique because they can be made heavier by adding water to them. A cup of water is equal to one half pound of weight. Complete instructions are included with the hoop and adding the water is very easy and always leak free. This feature is great for those who need to start out heavier to learn to hoop then want to up the challenge and go lighter. Rather than buying hoops of different weights, you can “grow into” a Canyon Weighted Hula Hoop. I started with a three pound hoop (with water added) and am now at two pounds because I wanted a greater challenge.

Hooping takes balance, coordination, patience, and a strong core. The larger the hoop, the easier it is to keep going. The heavier it is, again, the easier it is to keep going.

When I first started hooping with my Canyon Weighted Hula Hoop, I couldn’t keep the hoop from sliding down around my ankles after a few circles. I also was  slightly bruised around my torso from the weight of the hoop smashing against my body as it encircled it.

As I begin to get the hang of hooping, the bruising went away and I was able to keep the hoop going for a long time. I can now hoop for hours if I have the inclination - which I do NOT. However, that just shows that one can learn to hoop no matter what age or in what type of shape they are in.

I like the Canyon Weighted Hula Hoop because it is less abrasive than my other hoop which has several “links” that snap tougher to make it a large hoop. The links have small spaces between them that pinch and hurt more than my Canyon Weighted Hula Hoop which doesn’t come apart in that way. These hoops can be slightly disassembled (into halves) and coiled for storage but I never even tried to do it. It isn’t worth the effort to take it apart and put it back together whenever I feel like hooping.

My Canyon Weighted Hula Hoop has held up fine. I have used it dozens of times for many hours and it shows no wear that I can see. It’s slightly flexible and really not a big deal to store in my closet with my other exercise equipment. It came with a life time no kink warranty so I can bend it and mess with it as much as I want and I know it won’t kink or become misshapen and, if it does, Canyon will replace my hoop.

Canyon makes travel hoops, arm hoops, dance hoops, and other styles as well. It all depends on your needs and goals. The dance hoops are flashier and slighter lighter than the exercise hoops and are made more for those wanting to do tricks and learn dancey moves while hooping. I have enough trouble just keeping the hoop going around my mid section to worry about doing tricks too!

My Canyon Weighted Hula Hoop was less expensive than other hoops of its size and weight and is made very well. If you’re considering hooping to tone up, read the guide on the www.myoutdoor-store.com, where all of Canyon’s hoops are sold, about which size and weight is best for you and heed the advice. Buying a hoop that isn’t right for you can result in injury or in the exercise not being challenging enough.

When you start hooping, you will feel pain simply because a weighted hoop is slamming against your body. That will pass after seven or eight hooping sessions and soon your core will be much tougher and the hoop will not smash against you since you will be able to keep it in motion so that it circles your body smoothly.

Canyon Weighted Hula Hoops are the best I have come across and their prices are very good as well. They have a lot of info on the site that will help you to get into the “swing of things” and they also sell arm hoops (which I own) as well as kids’ hoops and hooping DVDs.

Buying Info

Canyon Weighted Hula Hoops are available at www.myoutdoor-store.com and at some sites that sell exercise gear. I’m not sure where they are sold offline - or even if they are. I have never looked around for them. The prices vary depending on weight of the hoop you choose. In general, an adult’s hoop is about $25.00.

Conclusion

I’m very happy with my Canyon Weighted Hula Hoop. It’s not child’s play even though it may seem so. Hooping will firm your core and whittle your waist as well as heighten your coordination, give you more stamina, and toughen you up! It’s great for men and women. You just need the space to do it. I have no issues at all with my Canyon Weighted Hula Hoop. It’s held up just fine so far. I have to go with 5 stars. I simply have no complaints about it!

Recommended: Yes