Mokai Gravity Canyon - Flying Fox product reviews

The flying fox was really fun, but kind of scary as well. It was so great that I wanted to go on it all day. It was really fast and fun. It gave me a full bladder and a big head rush, it also made me feel like I was going to slip out of my harness because of all the gravity. I felt like I was going to wet my pants and the first time I was screaming my head off, but I was also full of laughter. The ride was cool too, and I loved it very much.

This was the first event we had ago at........... well kinda the second, because on the way to it you get to do THE EXTREME HILL CLIMB. It's not that bad, a 15 minute hike up a gravel hill. It starts off easy enough until you get to the 1st corner then its a little steep but it certainly makes the flying fox more rewarding. One thing I would suggest though, would be for some signs to be placed along the way letting you know how far away the next seat is. Every time I stopped to suck in the big ones I laughed as a seat was just around the corner. The track is well shaded which is good.

Once at the fox you are met by 2 friendly staff members who let you catch your breath then start applying the harnesses and hooking you and other passengers to the wire. You each end up lying in a snug sling looking out to the tree tops in front of you. They have it set up well so you can't really see the whole way down, but you know its gonna be a rush by the deep breaths you're already taking.

"Are you ready?" they ask.
"I hope so" I thought, then boom we were off, the trees became a blur and then vanish as we hurtle over the edge of the canyon. OH MY GOD! I was trying to say through clenched teeth and without stomach, but once we were up to the 160kph the ride is amazing with such an awsome view of the river as we flew under the bridge. It wasn't long before my teeth were tightning again as trees loomed up again on the far side. But before we were tasting timber we were above them and had reached the end of the ride.

From there we slid back and forwards for a bit while our hearts slowed again and were finally pulled back to where it all began. The flying fox certainly gives you a cheek-hurting smile and jelly legs, and is a real good way to start the adventure if you're heading onto the other rides.

Well, 2 years down the track, and it was time to head back and check out how things have changed, or not, at Mokai Gravity Canyon... and I am really happy to annoucnce that all the good stuff is still there, and has managed to get better in many respects... but there are still a few *tiny* things that could be addressed.

Relating to just the Fox... my favourite elements are still there in abundance... the awesome views, the amazing staff, the breathtaking rush as you launch out over the ground, then the river appearing a good 100m below as you rush forwards at cheek-stretching speeds, and the buttock-clenching burst of fear as the trees as the other end start to look awfully tall and un-trimmed, even though you *know* they must be well below your flightpath... and that sudden mental image of what a bug looks like after it's kissed your windscreen at a mere 100kph...

However, the most unpleasant element of this attraction is also still there... the 15-minute calf-numbing hike up the gravel path and bolted-to-the-cliff-wall scaffolding. Honestly, arriving at this stunning ride with legs that feel half-knackered really isn't my idea of fun. 2 years ago there was talk of a cablecar linking the viewing platform with the Fox's launchpad... and I was *really* hoping to be enjoying a stunning view as I rode quietly upwards to begin my day of fear-sweat soaked thrillseeking... instead I was greeted by a knackering hike in strength-sapping heat and humidity.

But, by and large... it wasn't the worst way to pass 4 hours of a lazy Sunday afternoon... getting the bejeebers freaked out of you by speed and height and wonderfully sadistic staff who let you think you have any say in exactly when you start to succumb to the irresistable attraction of gravity... and the hike wasn't unpleasant enough to put me off totally... after all, we all went back up for a second run, eh. But what *really* impressed me most was that on the second run, they must have been listening to the recorded trip, because they kindly cranked up the speed on the trip back up... it was awesome to ride the fox at speed... in reverse! I would *LOVE* to ride it full-speed facing backwards sometime. Heck, I'd even pay extra for that! My only suggestion for improved customer comfort: A water cooler at the launchpad for a quick chiller after a stinking hike on a hot day.

Arriving at Gravity Canyon and watching from the safety of the platform as other thrill seekers tried out the various activities, the Flying Fox was one I KNEW I'd have no problems going ahead and trying. After all, I've been on several during my lifetime (all back when I was a kid- oh wait, I still am - at heart!), although all pretty tame compared to this one, and thoroughly enjoyed each and every one of them. So it was with great eagerness that I set off with my co-reviewers up the track towards the launch bay. After a while, I began to wonder if I would even be able to make it up to the launch bay, as the track wasn't exactly one I'd class as suitable for a stroll. It involved some serious hard yakka, especially for one who has long since found exercise to be classed as a four-letter word, and it was a rather sweaty, red-faced, panting Tigger that finally arrived at the top- after many breath catching stops along the way!! The views on the way up though were absolutely stunning, and if it wasn't for the fact that my son was already waiting up top, and that I had others with me who were eager to give the ride a go, I probably would have taken MUCH longer to reach the top due to all the photo stops I would have made!!!
When I finally made it to the top, one glance down told me it was going to be a ride of a lifetime- the sight of just how FAR the ground was below us making me (only ever so briefly) hesitate in my decision to go through with this. But no way was I going to back out now. So- hooked up in a comfy, well padded mat with a complicated web of harnessing wrapped securely around me, I waited for the release of the button that would send me and the reviewer I was harnessed up with racing at exhilarating speeds towards the river waiting below. There were security checks a-plenty, but I was more than happy to wait for the all clear, and then- it happened!!! The ground dropped out from beneath us, and we were sent plunging out along the line so fast that the scream I tried to emit couldn't even force its way out past all the air rushing past my face and into my mouth!! But it was a scream of pure joy! Such a rush, and one I was extremely happy to experience all over again when I had the chance to have a second go with our third reviewer. With a camera tucked securely in amongst the harnessing and mat, I was able to get some rather interesting shots as we waited down the bottom, enjoying that magnificent scenery, until the crew at the top decided we were ready to be hauled back up again. The return trip was enjoyably slow, allowing for the appreciation of the lovely surroundings, along with conversation regarding the thrill that had just been experienced.
A huge thank you to the team at Gravity Canyon for providing a place like this, and for being so friendly, and making it so easy to push past my fears in order to experience the ride of a lifetime!!!

This is definitely the way to start your day at Mokai Gravity Canyon (other than parking the car, of course). After a very scenic walk (You should wear proper shoes, or maybe even boots to do this, its not a walk down a gravel road, it is uphill, and if you aren't careful, though there are steps to use in the difficult parts, there is potential to twist an ankle on the walk up to the launch platform).
But once you get to the launch platform, the view is stunning, the air is clear, and on a good day, you can see for miles around.
Then the very friendly staff members begin harnessing you up, into something that looks more suited for a hanglider, than the hanging-bar-with-a-strap-around-the-waist flying foxes I am used to, but, once the numerous safety checks are complete, by multiple staff members, then you are under-slung either by yourself, or with one or two fellow flyers, once again safety checks are completed, and (now this is where I am really impressed) you are launched, by BOTH staff members, not just one.
It takes both staff members to release a the "fox". I assume this is to prevent any accidental releases, or attempts by children to release it.

Then once you have been released the ground rushes up at you, the wind blows through your hair, your stomach heads dramatically towards your feet and the occasional bug splatters itself on your goggles, and you get a chance to admire the scenery around you, flying past at up to 160 km/h as you careen through Mokai Canyon,

The views are amazing, the rush is unbelievable.
I do recomend doing this ride first of all the other Gravity Canyon rides, primarily because if you have a fear of heights, or falling, it might help alleviate these, or at least bring you, mentally, to a level where you can face your fears and do the bungy or Bridge swing.

A Great Ride. Great Company. Great Staff. Great Way To Spend The Day.

A great way to start your Gravity Canyon day, the flying fox is one of a kind. Securely strapped into a double harness, and slung in something that feels like a sleeping bag with steel cables, you are hung under a free-running trolley located at the launch platform 175m up one face of the Mokai Canyon, overlooking the beautiful Rangitikei River. After multiple safety checks by the two staff on duty, you hear a click and suddenly the ground is starting to whiz past under you, then it falls away and you feel like you are flying.

This is great for getting you used to the feeling of speed, and getting the heart hammering up to full speed in preparation for something a little more daring, such as the bridge swing or even, if you are crazy enough, the bungy jump which are also on the menu.

For a person who is terrified of heights, this is a step outside the comfort zone, and the sheer speed and the noise of the wind whipping past you won't let you disappear into happyland in your head, so you might as well open your eyes and enjoy the view.

Overall, though it only lasts a few minutes, the speedy trip down and the cruisy return trip back up to the launch platform are quite something, worth giving a go, seriously! Fear or no fear, I loved it, and I am just miffed one of the other reviewers got to have a second ride while I was stuck on the end of the camcorder. The only downside is the required hike up the hill to get there. Sure, it gets your heart pumping a bit, but not in a good way when it is a stinking hot day and you're, shall we say, less than optimum in the fitness department. A cablecar of some kind to carry you up and back would be a great next-step in the evolution of Gravity Canyon adventures, methinks.