Zorbing will provide you with an amazing experience and effectively raise your adrenaline level. Rolling down a steep slope in a transparent ball is a real test of endurance - especially if the participant decides to go on an extreme descent without protection. Check what is zorbing and what its different types look like.
Zorbingis a relatively young sport - it was invented in 1994 and its authors are two New Zealanders: Dwane van der Sluis and Andrew Akers. They patented the transparent ball for rolling down slopes and called it "zorb". Zorbing quickly became popular not only in New Zealand, but also in Australia, the USA and Europe. There are also many amateurs of this sport in Poland. You don't need special skills or experience to try it - almost everyone, regardless of age or fitness, can take a crazy ride in a spherical ball.
Zorbing - what is it?
Zorbing consists in entering a special, transparent ball and rolling in it on a gentle slope, e.g. a grassy hill. The ball is made of durable, flexible plastic. It consists of two layers: an outer sphere with a diameter of approx. 3 meters, and an inner sphere with a diameter of approx. 2 meters. Both layers are connected by hundreds of nylon strings. The space between the inner and outer spheres is filled with air, so you don't feel any jolts when rolling downhill.
Zorbing - what does it look like in practice?
The best areas for zorbing are flat lawns or gentle slopes where there are no obstacles such as trees, sharp stones, etc. the form of grooved tracks. Thanks to them, mastering the rolling ball is much easier.
A typical sphere can hold one to two people. It is recommended that people taking part in zorbing should wear loose, non-restrictive clothing and get rid of any sharp, hard objects (keys, rings, chains, etc.) before entering the ball. Then the participant jumps inside the zorbu through a 60 cm wide sleeve. If the surface is flat, the person participating in the game is not pinned to the walls of the zorbuand sets the ball in motion, moving in it like a hamster in a spinning wheel. If a participant decides to roll down a hill, he must be better protected. His arms and legs are attached to flexible walls with special straps. While rolling, the participant is constantly "glued" to the inside of the ball and spinning with it.
This will be useful to youZorbing - what is the price?
Zorbing is the most profitable to organize for more people, because the costs of renting a spherical ball with an instructor's lesson are high - for 1 day of zorbing you have to pay from 1,500 to 2,500 PLN.
Zorbing is offered in many amusement parks, then one "rolling" on the slope costs PLN 20-50.
You need to pay about PLN 2,500-3500 for the ball alone.
Extreme Zorbing
Zorbing has some extreme variations. One of them is hydro zorbing, which involves rolling down a slope in a sphere filled with water inside. Water gives more slip and thus the participant does not bump against the walls, but slides over them.
A large dose of adrenaline can be delivered by zorbing on steep slopes where the speed of the ball's spin is much faster. The length of such a track can be up to 150 meters. The exit can be made even more difficult by giving up security. This form of zorbing is one of the most extreme and requires a lot of coordination, because the movements of the participant determine the speed and direction of the ball rolling.
Another idea to diversify the fun is group zorbing, in which one or two people are inside the ball, while the rest of the participants run away from the rushing zorb. If the zorb gets too close to the fugitive, you have to quickly lie flat on the ground and… let yourself be "crushed" by the rolling ball. Contrary to appearances, this crazy variant of zorbing is safe and is a great way to spend time with friends.
Zorbing - for whom?
Most people, even if they do not regularly play any sports, should have no problems moving around in a bag on a flat surface. Rolling down the slope is more of a challenge when the participant spins with the ball very quickly. You have to be resistant to quick changes of position, so people who have problems with the labyrinth or keeping balance should not try to zorbing.
Zorbing has some other limitations as well. For safety reasons, the game can be played by people whose height is between 140-180 cm and the weight does not exceed 130 kg. You must also be at least 17 years old. For children, water zorbing is dedicatedon moving in a ball around a lake or pool.