Best Large Chrome or Metallic (16-18" or so)?
When the Qualatex Chrome balloons were first introduced I picked up a package and while I think they look great they're quite a bit smaller than my preferred 16 to 18" size. I know there are different types (i.e. chrome, metallic, mirror) with slightly different properties and I'm looking for something durable at the rated size in a range of colors. In browsing the videos on the various clip sites I'm seeing lots of large metallics but not finding them with most of the places I've checked having the same Qualatex and similar 11" sized balloons available. What recommendations can you make for larger metallic balloons that are readily available in the U.S.? Thanks in advance for any info you can provide and also to those who responded to my earlier post seeking paddle or semi-airship balloons. Some great ideas were given!
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I've stumbled across some pretty decent 18" chromes from Temu.
I've got a couple of pictures on both my Instagram and X/Twitter. I actually posted a video yesterday with some of them. They're cheap as well and can take my body weight (75kg). Not sure if they'd take more though.
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You're probably looking for these balloons used by susy:
blue and purple
fushia
I don't know what these balloons could be, my best bet would be kalisan 18 inch.
she's claiming they're 16 inch in one of the descriptions, which makes it all the more confusing. Could they be sao roque?
videoframe_9242.png videoframe_18871.png videoframe_15431.pngAnd I ask myself, why? and all I hear is the cold, dead silence of the cosmos.Comment
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Sempertex/Betallic have an 18" chrome that is pretty awesome.Comment
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I'd love to find those chrome balloons that Susylooner uses, too. The shape does look like Kalisan but I've only ever found those in plain colours (from Balloon Ace, I think, and they are awesome too but in their own way). I had a few unbranded 18" chrome balloons from suppliers on eBay UK and they're great, really pretty and soft with a very, shall we say, comfortable neck opening, but I've never managed to get the neck to inflate. The balloon bursts before the neck starts to blow up.
A tight, necked chrome balloon is a prospect I find quite exciting, but I've never achieved it.Comment
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I'm also interested as I've seen Susy use gold and silver for new year and can't seem to find themComment
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Almost certainly Kalisan based on the length of the neck. Sempertex and Gemar also have mirror finish ranges in larger sizes. They are all available at Pro Balloon Shop in the UK.Comment
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I've found a local supplier which has both Kalisan 18" and Gemar 19" chromes. I can feel an order coming on...Comment
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What's the texture like on these chrome balloons? Are they slippery? Does the color or material rub off at all? How do they compare in stiffness/squishiness to non-chrome loons? I've never had any, so I have no idea what they're like.Comment
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In my experience they're much softer than metallic balloons. A lot of metallics are very stiff and blow up very tight, which sometimes I quite like, but all the chromes I've had are much softer and more silky, as if the latex is more stretchy and flexible. They're not glossy on the surface but they look fantastic. I really like them. Enjoyable to blow up, nice to look and feel good to play with.Comment
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I didn't know there was a difference between metallic and chrome. Almost all the sites I visit use the term interchangeably. Aren't they the same thing? There are some listings that even say they're both. If I buy chrome balloons, how do I know I'm actually getting chrome loons and not metallic? Any good brands to look out for?
And I do like the sound of soft and silky. So if it's silky, I imagine it has little to no friction like normal loons have?Comment
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Yes, I know some places muddle the terms up, but they're really (or can be) very different types of balloon. "Metallic" balloons have been around for decades and they do have a a metallic but rather matt finish. They're often very hard to blow up, the rubber is stiff and doesn't stretch all that much, and feel very hard when fully inflated. Sometimes I find that a thrill and very satisfying, other times I don't want it. These balloons are very commonly available in supermarkets and the like.
"Chrome" balloons on the other hand are a more recent innovation in the last few years, initially by Qualatex but now everyone else has started making something similar. When inflated they're really shiny, almost like chrome metal, and you can nearly see your face in them. I don't know what the difference in the latex is, but they generally feel much softer to inflate than metallic balloons, much more like a standard latex balloon. They're not so easy to find in high street shops, though I imagine party shops have them. Easier to find on line.
I've generally found that if I order chrome balloons, that's what I'll get. The Qualatex 11 isn't a bad place to start, but a particular favourite of mine are the unbranded "18 inch chrome latex" balloons from various sellers on UK eBay. They're really soft and a lot of fun to play with, and have the silky feel that's so pleasant.
Probably, depends what you want. They don't squeak when rubbed together, for example, but just slide softly.And I do like the sound of soft and silky. So if it's silky, I imagine it has little to no friction like normal loons have?Comment
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