Strange Vintage Products That Left Us With Big Questions For Their Inventors
Every now and then, a new product hits the market that changes everything. Think the washing machine, the car, the iPhone — inventions that have left undeniable marks on the way we all live our lives. The thing is, though, not every new product is a hit, and for every great idea, there are a bunch of, well, not so great ideas... Here, we take a look at some of the wildest products we can’t believe found their way onto the shelves.
1. Sauna Pants
The ’70s were a strange time, and that couldn’t be more evident than when you take a look at sauna pants. These were basically blow-up shorts that would make the wearer’s thighs get so warm that they start sweating profusely. The conceit of Sauna Pants was that you could seemingly lose weight simply by wearing them... "seemingly" being the operative word.
In reality, the wearer would probably lose a few pounds in sweat and not body fat. Although they'd look more toned, they wouldn't be any more in shape than before they donned the Sauna Pants.
2. Celery Jell-O
What’s your favorite flavor of Jell-O? Strawberry? Orange? You can’t go wrong with blackberry, and maybe a left-of-field — but still very good — choice might be lime. These flavors are well and good, not to mention classics. But have you considered… celery?
Because if you were around in 1964, that was actually an option. It seems insane now, but celery Jello-O once made the rounds on grocery store shelves. They disappeared shortly after they debuted, however.
3. Nike Magneto
Certain fashion trends of the ’90s have made a bit of a comeback in recent years, but one thing that probably won’t return are glasses like these. Between 1995 and ’97 Nike was peddling the Magneto line of eyewear, but it never exactly took off. Leaving aside how ridiculous they looked, these things also required wearers to attach a magnet to their heads.
If attaching a magnet to your head sounds the tiniest bit dangerous, you'd be right. Understandably, consumers weren’t particularly enthused by that idea. We're glad Nike stuck to shoes in the following years.
4. Creepy Crawlers
How anyone thought this was a good idea is baffling, but all the same, Creepy Crawlers was marketed to kids during the ’60s. Basically, this gadget allowed children to create plastic toys in the shape of bugs and frogs. The problem? The "Plasti-Goop" used to make these creatures was as insidious as it sounds.
As per the website The Vintage News, the chemicals the "Plasti-Goop" emitted were actually toxic. Plus, the molding solution used to get insanely hot when it was switched on. Not great for kids, then.