It’s time to talk about the Upside Down, everybody. Not the Upside Down from Stranger Things however—although we could go on endlessly about that too. No, what we need to talk about right now is the Real Upside Down: a.k.a. the absolutely insane 360-degree swing in the above video that was built by the equally insane British inventor Colin Furze.
While most of us probably remember a local playground swing set, and pushing each other to see who could go the most parallel to the ground before flinching, what Furze has built here is straight out of the kids’ wildest dreams playbook. Although children should definitely never go on this thing, because it swings 9.5 meters from the ground at its apex (about 32 feet), has required maintenance due to bending support beams (check that out around 1:58 if you enjoy sweaty palms), and has… wait for it… zero safety features; as in no straps, no harnesses, no big inflatable bag on the ground, just squeezed knees and maybe if you can get it, a quick “May the Force be with you” from an Australian Jedi.
This kind of inventiveness, which in this case literally teeters on the brink of insanity, is par for the course for Furze however, as he’s made a reputation for himself as one of the most clever and gutsy inventors on the web. He’s built everything from a firework rocket launcher to a Mad Max-style flame-throwing guitar to a hoverbike that should really be used as the stock photo next to the word “deathtrap” in Webster’s.
Furze doesn’t seem to be content with human power for the 360 swing, though, as he’s noted that “Now we just need to add some form of propulsion.” That propulsion will likely come from a paramotor (used in paragliders), and will result in something Furze calls “para swinging.” Hopefully para swinging won’t involve a paramedic.
What do you think about this insane, 360-degree swing? Would you take a whirl on it, or are you happy with all of your blood not pooling in your cranium while you’re three stories above the ground? Let us know in the comments below!
Images: colinfurze
