I tried this new RecPlex attraction that lets you surf without water
I tried this new RecPlex attraction that lets you surf without water
Cooper Worth, Des Moines RegisterTue, May 12, 2026 at 10:45 AM UTC
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BrushBoarding, a surfing-inspired fitness ride, made its debut in the Midwest on Saturday, May 9, at the MidAmerican Energy Co. RecPlex in West Des Moines.
The Des Moines Register sent me, trending reporter Cooper Worth, to the RecPlex to check out the Brush Ramp ahead of its public debut. Here's how it went.
What is BrushBoarding?
Riders demonstrate BrushBoarding on a Brush Ramp. The activity provides waterless surfing for riders, and one of the devices has been installed at the MidAmerican Energy Co. RecPlex in West Des Moines.
The Brush Ramp is upstairs at the RecPlex overlooking the indoor turf fields in the Hy-Vee Fieldhouse. It features a distinctive black rotating brush surface at its center and is surrounded by black-and-blue padded platforms on all sides.
Joined by Des Moines Register Social Media Producer Nixson Benítez, we met BrushBoarding Founder and Director Kyle Dent, who traveled from his native Australia to Iowa for BrushBoarding's launch at the RecPlex.
Dent describes BrushBoarding as a "multi-board sport fitness machine" that combines elements of surfing, skating and snowboarding. Participants ride Brush Boards on a Brush Ramp that "lets riders glide across a wave of rotating brushes," according to a news release from the company.
What it's like to try BrushBoarding for the first time
While I'd never claim the stolen valor of being a real skater, I have spent some time on a board. My brief skateboarding phase came during my senior year of high school during the COVID-19 pandemic, mostly as an excuse to get out of the house, and it sadly fizzled out once I got to college. Still, I enjoyed those two or three months cruising the barren streets of Knoxville.
That's all to say that I went into the assignment feeling confident and excited, knowing I at least had some experience riding a board. Plus, I'd get the chance to "surf" for the first time in my life.
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But there was also a chance my coordination — or lack thereof — would catch up with me, and I'd wipe out in front of Dent and the small group of staff watching. RecPlex staff provide and require a helmet, gloves, along with knee and shoulder pads for anyone who wants to ride.
At first, I wasn't sure I'd ever crack the board. I would stay on for 2-3 seconds at a time before having to restart. Eventually, though, after taking Dent's advice to lower my backside and stand on my toes, things began to click. And boy, was it exhilarating.
Now, I've never ridden a hoverboard — and no, those two‑wheeled ones you saw on Vine in 2014 don't count — but looking back at the videos from my experience, I can't help seeing myself as Marty McFly from "Back to the Future Part II", with the Brushboard serving as my hoverboard for evading Griff Tannen and his goons.
That said, BrushBoarding is still a workout, and within about 5 minutes and dozens of runs on the ramp, I had worked up quite the sweat.
How can I try BrushBoarding at the RecPlex?
Prices at the RecPlex were still being finalized as of May 8, according to Dent. The public can try out BrushBoarding by renting the Brush Ramp for group packages or by stopping by during pre-scheduled BrushBoarding times. For more information, visit therecplex.com.
Cooper Worth is a service/trending reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at cworth@gannett.com or follow him on X @CooperAWorth.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: I tried BrushBoarding, the new surfing-inspired ride at the RecPlex
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