Imagine hiking to the top of a mountain, diving to the ocean floor, or dangling from a cliff—and then pulling out a wrinkled shirt and… an iron. Welcome to the wonderfully bizarre world of Extreme Ironing, where thrill-seeking meets household chores in the most unexpected places.
🧺 What Is Extreme Ironing?
Extreme Ironing (often called EI by enthusiasts) is a tongue-in-cheek “extreme sport” that combines the adrenaline of adventure sports with the mundanity of ironing clothes. It involves taking a portable ironing board, a shirt, and an iron to a remote, dangerous, or downright ridiculous location—and proceeding to iron.
From rock faces to skydives, mountain summits to underwater reefs, the only limit is your imagination (and maybe your electricity supply).
🏁 The Origins: Wrinkles in Time
EI began in the late 1990s in Leicester, England, when a man named Phil Shaw (aka “Steam”) decided to merge his love for extreme sports with the chore he hated: ironing. He ironed his shirts while rock climbing, and the idea snowballed.
In 2002, the first Extreme Ironing World Championships were held in Bavaria, Germany—because why not? Teams competed in categories like Urban, Forest, Water, and Cliff. It was weird, it was brilliant, and it made headlines around the world.
🌍 Where in the World?
Extreme ironing has since spread globally. Some of the wildest ironing spots have included:
- ❄️ The summit of Mount Everest
- 🌊 40 feet underwater with sharks in the Maldives
- 🪂 Mid-air while skydiving in Australia
- 🧗 On sheer cliffs in the Austrian Alps
- 🚂 On top of moving vehicles and trains
- 🌍 Remote deserts and rainforests
What began as a quirky British prank now draws daredevils and travelers from every corner of the world.
📸 Instagram or Insanity?
EI is tailor-made for social media. Scroll through #ExtremeIroning and you’ll see travelers and adventurers proudly pressing shirts in places most people would barely walk. It’s part performance art, part thrill-seeking, and part protest against life’s routine.
And no—it doesn’t always involve electricity. Many use gas-powered irons, or simply pretend to iron for the sake of the photo and the fun.
🔥 How to Get Started
Want to try Extreme Ironing on your next trip? Here’s how:
- Choose Your Destination: Mountains, forests, rooftops—somewhere wild.
- Pack Smart: A lightweight board and travel iron (no need for steam mode!).
- Safety First: Don’t compromise safety for the stunt. Plan, tell someone, and be cautious.
- Capture the Moment: Photos or it didn’t happen.
- Join the Community: Post your adventure online and connect with fellow “ironists.”
🤔 Final Thoughts: Pressed to Impress?
In a world where travel is increasingly curated and polished, Extreme Ironing stands as a cheeky reminder that sometimes, the best experiences are the weird ones.
It’s not about perfectly pressed collars—it’s about ironing out the ordinary in the most extraordinary places.
So next time you’re heading out on a hike or a trip, maybe pack an iron. Just in case.
Have you ever tried Extreme Ironing or seen it in the wild? Let me know—I’ll press you for details.