Summer X-Games: Who’s taking gold this year?

Mark P    Adventure Sports & Travel Thoughts     espn, olympics, Skateboarding, tony hawk, winter x games, x games

If you don’t know: the X-Games are the extreme sports World Cup, Olympics, Cup final and Superbowl rolled into one!

This is where skate legend Tony Hawk first pulled off the legendary ’900′ back in 1999 and BMX uber rider Dave Mirra somehow turned a double backflip in 2000.

We just sat in on a press conference with Tony Hawk and friends, and Sandro Dias, one of only a handful of skaters to land a 900 told us he did it at the X-Games the first time he hit the ramp, never even checked it out beforehand: X-Games is where things happen!

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Books to take travelling

Mark P    Adventure Sports & Travel Thoughts     Adventure Travel, India, motor biking, thailand, united states

So, you’re packed and ready to go. All that’s left is to decide which books to take. It’s down to taste, no doubt, but there are some books that just beg to be stuffed into your rucksack, to appear thousands of miles later dog-eared and experienced.

So here’s our top three adventure travel books; if you’ve suggestions, just let us know, we’ll include the most popular in Pt2. read more

Keeping Extreme Sports Safe

Ian K    Adventure Sports & Travel Thoughts     Accident, Adventure Sports, Danger, equipment, extreme sports, gear, Injury, Protection, Protective clothing, Risk, Safety, Safety Tips, Skateboarding, Sport Safety

It’s not been a good month for skateboarding. There have been a number of accidents that have made the press, and inevitably questions are being asked about the safety of extreme sports.

So, it seems only right we set the record straight, and make four points on safety and risk: read more

Coasteering: What is it?

Mark P    Adventure Sports & Travel Thoughts     coasteering, Dorset, Swanage, united kingdom

Jumping off random cliffs into the sea is not clever. However, there is a sport that uses local experts to help groups navigate around the coast so they can then jump safely – and it’s a whole lot of fun. The sport is: Coasteering.

If ever there is country that is perfect for Coasteering, it’s the United Kingdom. We’ve rocky coasts and coves aplenty, and no shortage of cliffs. So what is Coasteering ? Surely, it can’t just be jumping off cliffs?
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Buying your Extreme Sports Gear

Mark P    Adventure Sports & Travel Thoughts     Adventure Sports, Adventure Sports Equipment, buy, buying, equipment, gear, hire, kit, owning, rental, sell

Getting into a new extreme sport is exciting: there’s so much to learn and a huge amount of exploration and discovery to be enjoyed. That said, it’s not always cheap. Some sports require very little investment, but with others, you really need to have the right gear.

It’s the move from renting to owning that financially hurts the most. Buying your own rig or board is a real step forward; it’s also a statement that you are fully committed to your exciting new world. And with ownership comes freedom: no more waiting for hire shops to open, no more rushing back to return your wetsuit just as the sun is setting and the best waves of the day are rising. With your own kit and equipment, you can get riding, skiing or flying any time you like. read more

Chile: It’s Time for Tourism

Mark P    Adventure Sports & Travel Thoughts     Atacmama Desert, Cape Horn, Chile, chile earthquake, Earthquake, South America, Tumunan Lodge

It was little more than four-and-a-half months ago that a terrific earthquake hit Chile. Measuring 8.8 on the Richter scale, the quake devastated some parts of the country and forced president Michelle Bachelet to declare a “state of catastrophe”.

The country’s tourist industry was badly affected, but is already recovered well enough to take new bookings. read more

VW Camper: Adventure Sports Icon

Mark P    Adventure Sports & Travel Thoughts     australia, cornwall, Surf, Surfing, vw camper, westfalia

The VW camper is one of the few true adventure sports icons. And here’s why they have such a place in our hearts:

Designed to live from, the camper is home and vehicle, transport and recreation, all rolled into one.

How else can you carry several boards, have a place to shelter in, a front room to chill in, and a spot to entertain, cook and sleep in. You can’t! VW campers shout ‘freedom’. They invoke thoughts of travels of discovery, and of raw and rugged shores. read more