Pool noodle
{{Short description|Foam pool toy}}
{{More citations needed|date=November 2013}}
A pool noodle is a cylindrical piece of flexible, buoyant polyethylene foam. Pool noodles are used by people of all ages while swimming.
Pool noodles are useful when learning to swim, for floating, for rescue reaching, in various forms of water play, and for aquatic exercise. The most common dimensions are about {{convert|160|cm|ftin|0}} in length and {{convert|7|cm|in|0}} in diameter. The pool noodle is also used for people who experience difficulties in swimming.
The pool noodle is often used to protect sharp edges and corners.
Types
File:Woman in black bikini floats with pool noodle.jpg
The term "water woggle" derives from Koswell Holdings trademark Water Woggle, which was first marketed as a foam water toy in the 1980s.{{Cite web|url=http://www.pooltoyinventor.com/|title=The History of the Water Woggle|website=www.pooltoyinventor.com}}
The term "noodle" derives from Jakks Pacific's trademark FunNoodle water product, which was created as a foam tube water toy.{{when|date=June 2014}}{{citation needed|date=October 2024}}
Canoodle ("connect a noodle") is the polypropylene (plastic) erector set manufactured in the US by Serranoventions.{{Cite web|url=http://www.canoodletoy.com/|title=Canoodle connectors and attachments created to build and connect pool noodles|website=www.canoodletoy.com}}
Connectors
There are several pool noodle connectors on the market. One connector is a piece of pipe made out of foam, slightly larger than a pool noodle so that it can connect two pool noodles by encasing the end of each. There are several other connector made of food grade polypropylene and manufactured in Australia and the USA.
This noodle connector comes in the form of an erector set that is screwed into the cavity or center of the foam noodle and attaches to a six-sided noodle connector. This allows larger structures to be built from pool noodles. There exist at least two-, four- and six-hole foam connectors and a variety of polypropylene connector parts that enable users to build all types of structures and designs.
Other uses
File:USMC-060719-M-3006J-004.jpg aerobics class]]
File:Bicycle demonstration with pool noodles.jpg
Pool noodles are similar to some types of industrial and residential foam insulation for pipes. Pipe insulation sleeves are made from a variety of materials, primarily EPDM rubber foam (which typically has greater resistance to high temperatures than expanded polyethylene foam). Despite this, pool noodles have been used as an improvised substitute for commercial pipe insulation.{{citation-needed|date=April 2021}}
Modern martial artists occasionally use pool noodles as tameshigiri (test cutting) targets, in lieu of more expensive targets like meat or tatami omote mats.{{cite web |url=http://www.sword-buyers-guide.com/support-files/ebook-backyard-cutting.pdf |title=An Introduction to Backyard Cutting |author=Paul Southren |year=2007 |website=Sword Buyers Guide}}
FIRST Robotics Competition robots use the foam from pool noodles as a bumper to protect the robots from damage during collisions.{{cite web|url=http://www.firstinspires.org/robotics/frc/blog/pool-noodles-2017 |title=Pool Noodles for the 2017 Season |author=Frank Merrick |year=2016 |website=FIRST inspires}}
Customers often use pool noodles for their own boots to prevent the boots flopping over in the closet.{{Cite web |last=Mundorf |first=Deirdre |date=2023-06-11 |title=Ingenious Pool Noodle Hacks You Never Thought To Use Around The House |url=https://www.housedigest.com/1307850/pool-noodle-hacks-use-around-house/ |access-date=2023-10-08 |website=House Digest |language=en-US}}
Cyclists have begun to use them as a safety tool.{{cite web |last=Bergh |first=Annalisa van den |date=2019-05-17 |title=The best cycling hack is a pool noodle | url=https://qz.com/1620913/the-best-cycling-hack-is-a-pool-noodle/ |website=Quartz |access-date=2019-05-19}}
References
{{Reflist}}
Further reading
- {{Cite book |last1=Cavert |first1=Chris |last2=Sikes |first2=Sam |year=1997 |title=50 Ways to Use Your Noodle |url=https://archive.org/details/50waystouseyourn00chri |url-access=registration |isbn=0-9646541-1-3}}
- {{Cite book |first1=Chris |last1=Cavert |first2=Sam |last2=Sikes |year=2002 |title=50 More Ways to Use Your Noodle |isbn=0-9646541-5-6}}
External links
- {{Commons category inline}}
{{Competitive swimwear}}
{{Authority control}}