I get scared 18 steps up a ladder. That’s about as extreme as I get when it comes to heights. For those who aren’t pussies, how about 150 miles above the Earth?

A bunch of extreme sports enthusiasts scientists plan on attempting such a jump in 2009. They’ve designed a special suit capable of protecting their fragile bodies from the immense pressures and temperatures of space and I use that term loosely. 150 miles up is on the outer fringes of the upper atmosphere.

But before they make that jump, and that’s an understatement, they’re gonna try 120,000 feet first to see if it’s possible. Hmm, smart cookies huh? The free fall could reach speeds of more than 2,500 mph. Now that’s fast! Of course this isn’t all for fun games. The scientists hope the suit can be used by astronauts as an escape route back to Earth. It may not be the first space dive but it’s certainly the most stylish. Can I say GO GO POWER RANGERS!

[Via Gearfuse]

Look at it. It looks exactly like what it’s supposed to do - flying as you shred down a snowy mountain. The cool thing is this is no concept. It’s a real product penned for release sometime early next year. What you’re buying is the harness and mount that locks into where your bindings normally go.

As strange as it looks, I think I want to try it. Granted I’m no expert snowboarder but I know fun when I see it. Only fears I have involve tangled harnesses (ouch!) and tree crashes in a horizontal position (double ouch!). Check out the video after the jump.

[Via nexus404]

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Designed with early morning surfers in mind, the Light Wave Surfboard increases visibility by sporting an array of head, rail and fin lights. They’re activated by pressure sensitive controls and by tilting the nose up above the water. Illumination can be set to stay on up to 45 seconds at a time. The entire system is powered by 2 replaceable batteries good enough for many many hours. All this for $2,950.

Frankly, it’s just a surfboard with headlights and for that kind of price, I’d rather just tack on some tap lights to a standard surfboard. Of course, pimp it out with some neons and nitrous then we may have a deal.

[Via Cool Hunting]

Ever snowboard, B.A.S.E. jump, wakeboard, play basketball, pole-vault, or jump on your friend’s twenty year-old, rusty trampoline in her backyard (that could break at any second) and wonder who had the best air time? With the Hangtimer, now you can (with the same technology that allows you and your estranged cousin to flail about aimlessly while playing with your Wii). The Hangtimer web site claims that the product will spark a “revolution in trash talk”, thereby ending all arguments about who is better. Hmm …

Let’s look at the features: (more…)