Make Your Own Hoop

If you only want one hoop, it makes sense to purchase one from someone who has accumulated the necessary supplies and has developed the ability to decorate the hoops in a consistent and evenly-spaced manner. However, if you know you are going to LOVE hula hooping, you may want to make your own.

The supplies to make your own hoop will cost about $70 plus shipping for the tape (which is hard to find locally---let me know if you find a local supplier!) From those supplies, you will be able to make 7-9 hoops---assuming they are 41-inch or smaller hoops. Based on 7 hoops, this works out to about $10 each.

In the beginning, it will take you about 2 hours to make and tape one hoop. If you're not a perfectionist like I am, you may be a little quicker. As with all tasks as you get more practice, your production time will decrease. 

To make 7-9 adult-sized, appropriately weighted hula hoops you will need:

• 1 roll of 3/4" 160 psi irrigation tubing (available at Lowes or Home Depot)
• Tubing connectors (available at Lowes or Home Depot)
• PVC cutters (Optional. Not factored into my cost-per-hoop calculations.)
• Grip tape
• Glitter tape (or any other decorative tape...my price-per-hoop calculations were based on glitter tape prices, though)

I buy my tape from http://www.identi-tape.com/. I haven't tried these discount codes lately, but if you have $100 or more in your shopping cart, try entering "hula hula" for a 10% discount or "standard" for a 5% discount (both codes worked as of September 5, 2015) .

And for instructions on how to make a hula hoop, take a look at the following videos:


elizabeth mitchell - how to make a hoola hoop from You Are My Flower on Vimeo.





I prefer the boiling water method for heating a hoop. It's faster and easier than a blow dryer.

If your hoop is a little wonky after you insert the connector, lay it outside in the sun. After a few hours in the heat, you'll be able to reshape it into an almost perfect circle. THEN BRING IT INSIDE TO COOL OFF and re-harden on a flat surface.