We know, that’s a tall order. How do we know if your life is incomplete or not? Simple, if you don’t know (or aren’t participating in) zorbing, you are seriously missing out. But, what is zorbing? A zebra bouncing? With a name like “zorbing” we understand you may be a little skeptical on what makes it so-so hilariously fun, so we are doing a deep dive into this crazy activity.
Zorbing is known by a few other names—globe-riding, sphereing, orbing, which might give you a hint on what this extreme activity is. Alright, we’ll drop the ball and tell you…zorbing is the act of jumping inside a massive clear plastic ball, and rolling (or bouncing) your way at high speeds down the side of a mountain or steep hill! It’s utterly insane,
You really can’t get the full effect unless you watch it for yourself:
If you think this is too crazy for words, you can blame New Zealand for coming up with this batty sport that has been popping up across the world. Generally always done on a grassy slope, the activity has evolved to be done on water, which honestly sounds like a ton of fun. Jump in and get sealed up, bounce off and into the water and start rolling around. as long as it doesn’t get too windy, pushing you out into the sea to become nothing more than plastic pollution, never to be seen again….don’t worry, it’s not that extreme. We’re just kidding.
Zorbing Records
- What’s the farthest someone has traveled by zorbing? 1,870 feet! While that might not sound too long, when you think that you are literally traveling inside a plastic hamster wheel like contraption, you’ve got to admit that’s a pretty big achievement. So who is the man that holds the record? Steve Camp, of South Africa. Just imagine, the next time you are meeting someone new, and they say, “so, tell me an interesting fact about yourself!” and you can confidently say you hold the world record for the highest distance travelled by zorbing. EPIC.
- What about the fastest zorbing ride ever? We’ve got that one, too. It’s only natural that the record holder of the fasting zorbing ride is held by someone in New Zealand, the native home of zorbing it’self. Keith Kolver is the man who holds the world record, zipping along at 32 miles an hour!
- What about the fastest zorbing sprint? The fastest 100 metres (330 ft) is 23.21 seconds—we’re sure a few seconds can be shaved off of that, no? Nevertheless, the record is held by James Duggan, of Dunmanway, County Cork, Ireland. The record was achieved at the Sam Maguire Harvest Festival on the September 8, 2019.
Zorbing Specifics & Walking on Water
Let’s get into the Zorbing specifics. What’s a zorb made from, for starters?
The zorb is made from extra strong plastic with a smaller ball inside a larger ball, leaving an air layer in between the two. This way, it helps absorb the shock for the rider. Orbs typically have two different methods of riding: One type has straps to keep you in place, and the other option could be called free zorbing, as you are free to walk around, or flip-flop your way down the hill. Oh, and if you are thinking that hills most likely really are too tame—you wouldn’t be the first person to try zorbing off of a ramp, small cliff, or even a waterfall…just say’in. Not recommending, just sharing what we’ve heard from the zorbing community in general.
How Much Space Do You Have To Move Around
So how much space do you have to move around in a zorbing orb? Normal orbs are about ten feet wide and close to 7 feet tall, with about 24 inches of air separating the inner and outer balls, which are attached to each other with small cords.
If you’re looking to Zorb in the UK, get ready for a slightly different style: called “water walking”, zorbing on water is growing more and more popular in theme parks across the UK, and Europe in general.
And if you like to participate in group activities, have no fear, zorbing is here: Most zorbs can carry between 1-3 people, so you won’t need to roll (or bounce) down the hill alone. You all can scream, “why did we think this was a good idea?!!” together, and bond over your bad decisions. Or, perhaps this will light the extreme sports fire in your soul, and you’ll want to start exploring the extreme activities and sports and take one up professionally.
Go Zorbing: You’ll Meet Interesting People, Travel to Exotic Places, and…Have an Adventure of a Lifetime!
No matter what your job is, what you’re into, or what your future dreams and aspirations are, you should always take some time to enjoy your life now. If there is something that you are interested in trying out, make a plan of action to get there! And if rolling down a hill (or jumping off a waterfall) in a giant plastic ball is on your bucket list of extreme activities to try, who are we to stop you? We promise, you’ll have a ball.
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