Finding Sockem Boppers ... And Should You

Socker Boppers are inflatable boxing gloves that were in virtually every toy store before the 1990's. They changed their name to Sockem Boppers and put on a fab television ad campaign through the late 90's and early 2000's that made them wildly popular (and controversial) and available in every big box store around. For whatever reason they changed their name back to Socker Boppers a few years ago, and while they haven't reclaimed popularity, you can still find them for sale today.

Before anyone complains about the violence factor ... my 13 year old is a gentle giant. He's extremely tall, and extremely patient and goodhearted. One of our 8 year old neighbors was going through a hard time at home and started randomly beating people up. He clocked my son out of the blue, split his lip and gave him a bloody nose, and I am amazed to say that my son did not hit him back. He warned him, and the next time he saw him hit someone, he pushed him on the ground and sent another child for his mother. That big kid who had every reason to hit back and didn't? He had a pair of Sockem Boppers from age 4 to probably 8 or so.They didn't encourage him to be a brute, so just calm down. One toy is not going to overhaul the morals you impart on your children.

We recently got a pair of Socker Boppers for our ten year old for his birthday. He was still a little guy when his brother's were retired, and had fond memories of bopping (gently) back and forth. The Socker Boppers of today are so much better! As usual, you get one pair per box, and they cost around $10. You can also get a wide variety of accessories, like inflatable boxing buddies or punching bags like real boxers use.

Sockem Boppers vs Socker Boppers

Sockem Boppers in the 90's were made of harsh plastic. When full, they really could hurt if you hit hard enough. The key is for parents to warn kids of this, and of the propensity for people to give back as hard as they get. In other words, if you don't want your friend beating you in the face as hard as he can, you'd better go a little easy. Keep it FUN ... if it gets brutal, these puppies are going away.

I do think most parents supervise their kids well enough and have enough common sense to introduce these toys without turning their kids into little bruisers. Unfortunately, the 90's version were also fairly easy to pop. We had a few leaks. They were easily patched with some plastic wrap and nail polish, but it was still a pain.

In addition to the potential for pain and leaks, the hand hole for the 90's Sockem Bopper got hot and wet.

Today's Socker Boppers are made of a more comfortable plastic, inside and out. The pain factor is gone, from what I can tell. Your hand can still get hot (and if it's too big, numb after awhile) but it isn't sticky and so sweaty. We haven't had any issues with leaks either, though we've only owned them a short while.

Our ten year old loves playing with them, as does our two year old... and admittedly, my husband and I. We're cheap, so we got one pair and we all share. *shrug*

I highly recommend Sock Boppers. They have a high fun quotient. Higher, in truth, than a pillow fight. With moderate supervision, they are safe and don't promote "violence" anymore than playing sports. They're inexpensive and easy to find online. Just make sure you're searching for the name they're currently sold under. ;)