Why you need to try jetpacking

I’ll admit that on the way to the venue my nerves were running high. I’d seen the viral videos of people jetpacking and I was certain I was about to star in my very own. I’m not known for my coordination skills and for the life of me I couldn’t quite get my head around just how I would be able to balance on a flyboard  metres above the water. But by some miracle I did, and it was a truly incredible experience. Here’s how it all went down. 

A small team from RedBalloon were lucky enough to head out on a jetpack adventure. We were told that the flyboard is actually much easier for beginners than the jetpack, so unsurprisingly, most of us went for the easy option. I’ve got to say, it was a somewhat surreal experience watching your colleagues fly across the water in front of your eyes. But we all managed to take to the air at some point throughout the day. 

I was up last and by this stage it’s safe to say I was more than a little bit nervous - I was terrified. You see, I always tend to forget just how afraid of heights I am until I’m a good few metres off the ground. It’s very inconvenient. But before I could talk myself out of it, my feet were being strapped into the board, a helmet was placed on my head and I was being motored out towards the centre of the lake. It could have been relaxing, if adrenaline wasn’t pulsing through my veins.

At about this time there were a lot of instructions being shouted out, but the only thought going through my mind was to try and not make an epic fool of myself. I swung my legs beneath me as instructed and I could feel the power build. I was rising out of the water, my chest, my torso, my legs and then I was plummeting back towards the water, very fast, face first. After a few more failed attempts I started to get the hang of things and before I knew it I was airborne. 

It’s hard to describe the sensation of standing on a flyboard, other than to say you look and feel like a superhero. I may have even pulled a Superwoman pose or two (when else can you channel your inner Gal Gadot?!). Despite my limited coordination levels, I spent plenty of time in the air and when I finally reached the shore, I was completely elated.

If you’ve ever dreamed of flying, this experience is a must-try. No matter how nervous you are, how uncoordinated, how afraid of heights, you’ll overcome it all and find yourself just having a whole lot of fun. Browse our range of jetpack and flyboard experiences below.