Torex ATV Rentals-Direct Dune Access! — Attraction in Florence

I will start with if I could put 10 starts down I absolutely would. This made mine and my sons trip amazing! We had excellent people and Jared personally came and saved us from a sandrail tour thru Sandland Adventures (your dumb if you go there after reading this!) We went on the worst tour at this other company ever where the under experienced drivers where all getting stuck. When I looked at my 12 year old son and said "I just want to go home and he said me to," the guide said "then go ahead, why don't you go walk!" Can you believe that!! So we did. All the guy cared about was the companies goggles we still had. Me and my boy are out in the middle of a place we know nothing about. Fortunately we had rented quads that day from Torex and got an emergency number. I called it and Jared answered, I told him we had no idea where we were at and I would be happy to pay him $500bucks to come save us. We were walking who knows were. He had us describe our surroundings and came and got us. Our reservations wernt even till next day for quads, we just showed up early. Thank God!! The guys at Badland Adventures didn't even come check to see if we were ok till right as Jared was just about there!! It was almost an hour of hiking dunes panicked with a 12yr old boy. When the guys showed up on a dirt bike he was rude and condensending and told us he did all he had to do, he could care less. We got our ride back to our camper by Jared from Torex and I was so thankful. I went to pay him and he tried to refuse the money!! This guy was amazing!!! We went in the next day for our reservations and had the time of our lives!!! We were even late for our appointments with them and they accommodated us the whole way while letting us change out machines till we found the right fit for us. This crew I have never seen better!!! Best and worst trip of my life!! There is a company right below Torex called Sand Dunes Frontier I believe. They do sand rail Adventures. I watched everyone in thier tours all day long drive by with big smiles and not about to sleep in the back. I'd try them over the other hoople heads. I look forward to the next time I get a chance to go to Torex! And if the owner or employee's ever make it up to Alaska, look me up!! I owe you...

This experience was amazing and way beyond what I expected. The freedom to free ride and explore the area was awesome, the machines and staff were great. It's expensive but unlike any other riding experience I've ever had. I am really glad we did this!

That being said, a couple things to note: When they say you need to go slow and take your time to get accustomed to the terrain, they are not exaggerating. The "sand blind" effect is real beyond comprehension. It all looks flat, but ridges and cliffs can appear in front of you leaving only seconds to stop or adjust course. It's not dangerous unless you're reckless or a speed demon.

Finally, parents beware! I brought my 22 and 19 year old boys and my 15 year old daughter. My boys did fine, but almost got themselves in trouble early on by not heeding the warning to GO SLOW for at least the first 20 minutes of riding. They learned quickly that the terrain is trecherous and unlike anything they'd ever experienced.

As for my daughter, the end result was that she had an incredible time, although the first 20 minutes was scary and frustrating for her. Minors are given a 250cc, two-wheel-drive semi-automatic machine (vs the 450 4WD fully auto for adults). I imagine state law restricts the size of the machine minors can ride, but the reality is the most inexperienced riders are given the most difficult machine to use. The staff did what they could to instruct and prepare, but it's a really difficult course for a first-time rider. It took about 20 minutes of direct instruction from me, and a lot of patience for her to feel comfortable, but after about 40 minutes of riding she was having a blast.

Summary: huge win for my daughter to conquer a big challenge and have a really unique experience. I don't regret having her along, I just wish there had been a little better instruction given to her on how to shift the machine and navigate uphill slopes. Parents with first-time riders will need to plan to go at a learner's pace. The staff repeatedly warn everyone of the many dangers, but until you experience it with your own eyes it's hard to grasp. Listen to everything they say and you'll have...

Use any other rental company besides this one!! Terribly disrespected and awful service. Read the negative reviews. Despicable company to work with.

I have never felt more frustrated and treated with disrespect than working with this company. My husband and I wanted to take our three kids out of the dunes and went to Torex ATV rentals due to their direct ATV access. Parking was very difficult and then we were shuffled around from person to person until we finally were transferred to the manager or owner. They refused to rent my husband an ATV due to his arm amputation. They said they didn't feel comfortable with him not having access to all the controls. My husband asked if the machine had foot brakes (which it did) but they 'didn't feel comfortable'. We explained that we dairy farm, (which he uses and ATV daily), he has a valid drivers license, he's on the fire department and drives the ambulance. The manager then said she had a masters in special education and that 'she understands'. However, I also have a degree in special education and have been a teacher 19 years. Disability DOES NOT mean disabled and there are various ways of adapting and doing things successfully with or without a disability. She was just so incredibly rude. We went down the road to a smaller shop, which may have worked out better in the long run. They were so personable, took the time to explain things and we never felt rushed. The few mile commute to the drop off site was not a big deal. I HIGHLY recommend going to the smaller ATV rental shops where you won't be rushed and you'll be treated like a human being. The place we rented from said they've had a few customers over the years come to them complaining about Torex's service and discrimination. They claimed they had refused to rent to a person with a disability. Although they say it is in their 'policy' it sure seems like...