The snake oil that is the power balance, ion band, magnetic wristband nonsense permeates into golf gloves.
Regular readers will know our distaste for the baloney that is power balance wristbands. They come in different shapes and colours, some go around your neck and make devious claims that include improving ion flow, increasing power and improving balance. All of them adhere to the same sophistry mould.
After a lot of pressure by Australian consumers and an investigation by the Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), the company was forced to admit the wristbands had no credible scientific basis for some of the ludicrous claims they were making. The company was forced to close its doors in Australia.
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The offending glove with some of the
nonsense on the back of the packaging.
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This had a much larger, intentional effect with news that the Power Balance company has filed for bankruptcy in the United States for a settlement amount of $57million. A report on Gizmodo says, “The stupid makers of stupid bands with stupid holograms claim is only $1 million and said that they are “not going out of business” in Twitter, despite filing for Chapter 11″.
TaylorMade went very close to becoming part of the charade when they combined with the Power Balance company to produce a series of golf gloves with the piece of plastic hologram embedded where the ball marker is usually placed. As a subsidiary company of Adidas, reportedly an Adidas Power Balance golf range was also to be released.
Aussie Golfer understands that the product was manufactured but never officially released when the TaylorMade pulled the pin on the product after the bad publicity recieved in Australia. But some of the gloves have been appearing online.
I’m sure the glove works as a golf glove just fine, but it is remarkable that a large, well-known golf company such as TaylorMade would entertain the thought of going into business with Power Balance.
Either they also really believed the product worked, or they… No wait. They wouldn’t would they?
Update: It seems Callaway are also well an truly involved in the chicanery too (Thanks Dave!).
They have an Ion X Golf Glove for sale which is truly a masterpiece. It certainly looks awesome but they should just admit there’s a piece of plastic in the wrist that does nothing, rather than spruik pseudoscience.
TaylorMade weren’t the only ones. I believe a baseball glove manufacturer also got in on it, and the NBA got into bed with Power Balance too, and may still be there.
Yep, the baseball company was Rawlings:
http://www.rawlingsgear.com/baseball/baseball-batting-gloves/bgppwrb.html
Funnier still was attempts by them to sue sellers of copies on eBay
Callaway had one out with the power band in built to the ‘cuff’ – I went through quite a few, they looked cool, lasted well and had the power band of awesomeness which did nothing.
Ha! Thanks Dave. I’ve chased it up. You’re spot on, it’s a cool looking glove.
Ive seen these at the course and luagh every time. Dont see how they could help a bit