Guess I’ve had my head in the sand (not surprising when it comes to me and sports)… I’d never heard of sandboarding until yesterday.

In an article in Click Mexicana Airlines’s Loop magazine, Cristina Pesqueira wrote about the increasing popularity of sandboarding, which–as you might expect–is similar to snowboarding, but in sandy terrain.

Pesqueira writes that the attractions of sandboarding for beginners are numerous compared to snowboarding, among them:

*You’re not boarding in sub-zero temps;
*The velocity achieved on a sandboard is slower than on a snowboard;
*The rider’s control of the board is better;
*You can board any time of the year;
*You don’t need as much clothing or gear: you’re good to go with goggles, a board, shorts, a shirt, and a pair of shoes.

Apparently, the sport’s been around for awhile. Check out this YouTube video of some spectacular sandboard flips:

If you’re convinced that sand’s not for you and you’d rather stick with snow, check out Dana Ranill’s recently published article, 10 Places You Can Still Go Skiing or Snowboarding in Summertime.

Sports + Adventure
 

About The Author

Julie Schwietert

Julie Schwietert Collazo is a writer, editor, researcher, and translator currently in New York, formerly of Mexico City and San Juan. She is Matador's managing editor and is the lead faculty member of MatadorU's travel writing program.

  • Alicat

    I had a great time sandboarding in Peru this last year, and it's easy enough for anyone to try it out! However, I made the unfortunate mistake of thinking sand is soft… just as in water and snow sports, sand can hurt too!

  • http://dosomethingcool.net Steve

    I think that the world record for the fastest sandboard speed is about 50 mph! That still seems really fast to me. I’m sure that most people don’t go that fast, but I would imagine that speeds like that would be intense.

Surf / Skate / Snow →

I'm starting to think all gear reviews should be done on vid.

Snow →

Sweetgrass Productions uses behind-the-scenes videos to market their ski video.

The Season →

Jonaven finally snowboards a slope that he's dreamed about riding since he was 14.

Travel Safety →

Insure your possessions against theft, loss, or damage.

Snow →

Pro snowboarder Jonaven Moore watches as his best friend almost dies in an avalanche....

Skate →

It was the biggest longboard I had ever seen, a seven-foot-long plywood monster painted...

Snow →

Matador Co-founder Ross Borden and Independent filmmaker Brian Chu got the chance to fly...

Travel Bags and Accessories →

For slow travelers, it's very likely that you and your backpack are going to be involved...

Humor →

Having gained notoriety through his ballsy stunts and YouTube videos, Gaillard provides...

Sports + Adventure →

The three C's to goggle selection: Clarity, Clean, and Comfortable.

Trip Planning →

Chile has much to offer the adventurer or student looking for a home base in South...