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What up fellow jumpers, I have been skydiving for about two years, the first year was slow so I am right at about 100 jumps and lovin every bit of it. I have something in the back of my head that is driving me towards BASE. I raced boardercross for three years, did the motorcross thing, downhill mb you name it, so I know all to well how shitty it is getting hurt. I don't have fun in life unless I get scared, without the juice I might as well be some kind of boring suburban life junkie. I am confident in my canopy skills enough for an entry level BASE jump, but everyone's opinions are accross the board, wait, don't wait, maybe etc etc. It is wierd because the skydiving world is so much more regemented and standards are more widely accepted for gradual progression in the sport. I am not getting bored in skydiving obviously because hell I just learned how to sitfly well, but I feel that I am missing something, the stationary stomach drop I used to get dropping a sixty foot cliff on a snowboard, or the feeling of dropping in on a twelve foot vert ramp ya know? Any advice or opinions from anyone who can relate would be appreciated. I just want to do ONE to see what it feels like, most say after one it is hard to stop but I've had no problems with other things of that nature. The ulitmate goal of mixing snowboarding (injury prevented career in which) and BASE.

 
Go with what you've been told dude, develop the skills first and then it's up to you to make an informed decision on whether BASE is for you.

I wanted to find out if it was for me and did four jumps. I came home gung-ho, ready to buy gear, find a mentor and do more more more.

Then i lost a friend to a WS BASE accident and am still trying to emotionally support an even closer friend after she had a cliff strike and shattered the bones in her right leg. After watching the pain and suffering and subsequint operations that she's had to go through i've decided that it isn't for me.

I'll never forget how it felt and big respect to those who push the limits in the sport but i couldn't bear to have to take two years away from jumping, worry about losing my leg and deal with two months of hospital time. It's like the big boys say, you can do everything right and still die.

Like you say, you haven't even begun to explore skydiving at 100 jumps, stick with that for a while, get good at it before you decide to explore BASE.

JMO. Hope this helped and i didn't ramble on

Well the best thing you can do is look for a mentor, 2) get the proper coaching, and not one of these weekend worrior type deals, something like a week, and learn some real skills. I to am in your shoes I have found a guide and now I'll wait to progress my canopy skills, watch more video. Be pateint it will come don't jump in bed with the first hot bich that says she'll bang ya.

PM sent.

I'd recommend making another hundred (or couple hundred) skydives before trying BASE.

It takes more that confidence to BASE jump successfully time and time again. But confidence is obviously something you're not short on. You can tell us that you come from an extreme sports background and that your experiences in other sports can be transfered over (and yes past experiences in other sports is not a bad thing). But confidence and experience in other sports is no substitute for experience in this sport.

I am no BASE authority, but I did survive my 1st BASE malfunction this last weekend up at the span in Potatoville. I made a packing error by setting my brakes on my brand new gear wrong (gear which I was not familar with). Anyway I lost my right toggle and entire control line on a slider down opening. Yes you can flame me all you want for this packing error. I was in the wrong and yes this is the internet where flaming others seems to be the hip thing to do. But the bottom line is that it wasn't my confidence which saved my ass. It was my experience flying BASE and skydiving parachutes and more importantly my experience flying my rear risers and knowing what and what not to do under canopy. Oh and I stood my up rear riser landing in no winds on the beach. It's not something I'd like to get into the habit of doing, but something which can be done nonetheless.

So you can go about chasing your BASE jumping goals in one of two ways here (and there is nothing wrong with chasing your BASE jumping goals). You can listen to the people here when they tell you to gain more experience in the safer confines of skydiving. Or you can say, #### it, I'm full of confidence and I'll show those guys. It's your choice and your ass. BASE jumping is not safe. But it sure can be as dangerous as you want to make it.

Now if you're offended by this message, then good. Hopefully you'll understand one day why some people say the things that they do. And if you're not offended, then maybe you've got the right mindset and realize that BASE jumping is not something to take lightly just because you have confidence in the things you have done in the past.

Good luck with which ever route you take. BASE jumping is fun. But it's not safe.

I remember when I did my first BASE jump I had 100 or so skydives and I thought my canopy skills were just fine for BASE. after about 20 jumps and a few crappy canopy flight decision (none of which had dire consequnces, luckily) I realized that my canopy skills weren't all that great after all. hindsight is always 20/20. It might not be apparent to you now, but there is probably a good reason why most first jump courses recommend a minimum of 200 skydives. Whatever you decide, I hope everything works out for you.

well said!

 

Glad you didn't die!!! See you up there soon...

If you want to see what it feels like do a balloon jump .