A New Take on Tubing

Tubing may be a classic summer pastime—but it doesn’t have to be the same sport you enjoyed twenty, thirty, or forty years ago.

Why not switch things up? In today’s blog, we’ll be sharing five fun ways to usher in a new era of tubing: one that meshes the simple activity with high-octane thrills. Take a look!

Ride with a friend

When it comes to tubing down an old familiar path, lake, or waterway, sometimes two really is better than one (if only for the sake of having a partner in crime, who’s sure to be as excited as you are!). The thrill of having a friend by your side as you skim the water or unexpectedly catch air is an unbeatable way to mix up your tubing routine.

Float somewhere new

Of course, it also helps to switch up your surroundings. There’s more than one kind of tubing experience out there—you just have to find the one that’s right for you!

If you’ve been tubing across lakes all season, for example, you might try switching it up and hitting the white waters of the Guadalupe River in Texas, This spot is famous for its cascading waterways and thrill-a-minute runs, all experienced from the bouncy, free-floating position of the tube.

Catch air

When you achieve a steady pace, tubing can actually be quite the relaxing water sport. If you want to make it a little less relaxing, however, and a little more adrenaline-pumping, try catching air!  For most tubes, that simply means pulling back on the handles so that you disrupt the center of gravity that’s been keeping you on the surface. Once you master this simple motion, the sky’s the limit—literally—and you can perfect more daring flips and turns.

Rock around

Finally, for another fun way to ride the waves, try rocking around! This simple move involves you timing your pushes to the left and right so that they occur alternately with the natural movement of the wake. (If you’re the captain, you can help by gently veering left, right, back and forth to achieve this effect.) The end result? An s-shaped wake pattern that’s as fun to ride as it is to look at.

What’s your go-to tubing method? Share it with us in the comments below—and happy tubing!