The Most Fun You Can Have in a Cheap Plastic Lawn Chair

New Zealand has a Chair of Death. Hopefully it's not literal.

August 14, 2017 9:00 am

Because people never tire of partaking in activities that will break their mother’s hearts, there is something called the world’s highest cliff drop swing (as well as a version known as the Chair of Death) that visitors to New Zealand’s Shotover Canyon pay $300 USD to experience.

It’s the deal of a lifetime: for only $300 (excluding medical expenses), you can literally launch yourself off a cliff — possibly to experience the fleeting thrill that there is more than just the day to day, a question which recently prompted your correspondent to order the fresh-squeezed OJ on the menu (rather than the bottled version), even though it cost an additional $1.50.

Strapped-in launchers reach speeds of up to 90 miles per hour (faster than a cheetah, but nothing on falcons), and for some reason, you can also introduce the ubiquitous plastic chair into the mix for some extra thrills. Or a bicycle. Or a slide. Frankly, they seem pretty open to ideas if you feel like designing your own near-death experience.

So pack your pogo stick.

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