WE TRIED IT
Sandboarding
By: Elizabeth Rakow
It’s all going down in the dunes–and so are we.
Picture this.
The dunes just outside of Utah’s Zion National Park, a sand-filled scene replete with infamous desert winds.
But take notice of something, or someone, cruising along the sand. It’s Team FP (and friends), surfing the wave of dunes and experiencing something new, exciting, and rare. Enter sandboarding.
The dunes just outside of Utah’s Zion National Park, a sand-filled scene replete with infamous desert winds.
But take notice of something, or someone, cruising along the sand. It’s Team FP (and friends), surfing the wave of dunes and experiencing something new, exciting, and rare. Enter sandboarding.
L TO R: @michellefusiono, @aasian
WHERE WE WENT + WHAT WE DID
We traveled to southwest Utah for a week of outdoor activities (everything from horseback riding to canyon jumping was on the table), but we chose to finish out our week of adventures at Red Canyon Slot, AKA Peek a boo trailhead, just outside of Zion National Park. We were driven by our instructors on UTVs, taking in the incredible expanse and getting prepped for our downhill dune action.
First thing’s first. We were given our sandboards. Specifically crafted to glide along the sand, sandboards are made with a unique design that features an extra slick base material and special wax that allow you to slide smoothly on dry, loose sand (the ideal condition for sandboarding).
First thing’s first. We were given our sandboards. Specifically crafted to glide along the sand, sandboards are made with a unique design that features an extra slick base material and special wax that allow you to slide smoothly on dry, loose sand (the ideal condition for sandboarding).
Our instructors led us up to the top of a dune, explaining that taking it slow is the best way to ease in to the experience of sandboarding. Since this was everyone’s first time, they suggested we start out sitting and then could stand up as we got more comfortable. A few of us had snowboarded before, which definitely helped in terms of balance and overall preparedness.
“The people with snowboarding experience were definitely the most likely to be brave and stand up going down the dunes–even if that meant they fell more often!”
A few key takeaways…
- Look in the direction you want to go and, with the board's nose pointing downhill, lean forward (sitting or standing).
- As you start your descent down the dune, keep your body weight toward the back.
- Much like regular surfing, stretch your arms to the side to help you maintain balance.
WHAT WE WORE WHILE SANDBOARDING
Lightweight, breathable layers were key. We put everyone in wind-resistant pieces to keep the breeze at bay. The Champ Is Here Pant and Happy Camper Pullover were major MVPs. We also made sure to layer up with long sleeves and socks to keep the sand from blowing into our clothes.
WHAT WE THOUGHT OF SANDBOARDING
While we expected sandboarding to be fun, we were surprised by the easy-going vibe of the entire experience. “Our instructors were so calm and went at our pace. It really helped us all feel like we could relax and just have fun!” Most of us were also surprised that the hardest part was climbing back up the hill. Well…that, and, getting up time and time again when we fell, but at least it was a soft landing. “Falling on the sand was better because it was a softer landing than it would be on the snow or pavement! It was so much easier to get back up and do it again!”
HOW WE MOVED
Sandboarding proved to be a full-body workout (and not just because we had to climb back up the dunes)! Feeling the burn from our quads and glutes to our ankles and cores, the amount of balance and strength required to do run after run down some pretty steep dunes was a lot more than we initially expected!
“I definitely thought it would be easier than it was. It took so much more core strength and balance to just keep the board going straight!”
“I definitely thought it would be easier than it was. It took so much more core strength and balance to just keep the board going straight!”
FP MOVEMENT TEAM
All in all, it was a fun, unique experience and we came away feeling like we got the rare opportunity to experience everything that Zion had to offer.
Want to try sandboarding yourself? Here’s our advice:
Want to try sandboarding yourself? Here’s our advice:
- Sandboarding is all about balance, so strengthening your core is a great way to better your chances of success.
- Can’t quite make it to Zion? There are plenty of sandboarding locations across the US! Colorado, Texas, North Carolina, and even Indiana have options available for you to fulfill your sandboarding dreams.
- Most importantly…trust yourself–like most physical activities, there’s a level of security you have to have in your balance, your strength, and most importantly, yourself.
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