Basejumper.com - archive

It's just some funny imaginations from our recent jump-trips
I know that every community of every country has its own image worldwide... And who could expect the new tendency in russian "beginners" community?
I'm talking about the jumpers who began to BASE at the same time as me or after me. The members of this community (circa 15 active jumpers) became to be crazy about the protection. Each jumper wear knee-, elbow- and back-pads and helmet. Not because they're thinking about protection but because it's in FASHION. They suppose it's cool. And they're wasting the non-jumping time comparing and discussing the protection of different brands. Last months all of them upgraded their protection sets and completed it with back-pads. And now the not so well-protected jumper looks freaky on our regular objects no matter how difficult is the landing/object.
I'm excited

Another fashionable tendency is to wear leg-straps under the pants. Not only under the PF or Birdman stuff but under the simple snowboarding pants.

What is in fashion in your BASE crew?

to go naked in the winter!

its funny, as I only have now bought up my first lot of body armour and decent pads since my injury. When I was looking at also buying some of the snow board pants for the padding they gave, my GF (a non jumper) said "dont you think you are going into overkill on protective wear"

even she thought that the amount of body armour I was buying was too much, and also some of my jumping buddies think I am buying too much ( this month I have bought hanwags, ankle brace, body armour, knee and shin pads and I am still looking for more!)

so I guess I think its cool that people are "thinking of the crash and not the jump"

I spent the last few years jumping in Vans and no helmet or pads - I only just started wearing a decent pair of boots and 5 months later they stopped my tib breaking out the bottom of my dislocated foot - so now I am of the thinking "protection is best"

its cool these guys are thinking like this.......

BTW: the pads and body armour I bought is cheap as hell and brand new - PM me if you want the link............

<snip>

Not an option if you are trying to get away in a hurry, unless you have B12's. I would hate to be busted just because I wanted to be fashionable. Not that I would ever want to put myself in such situation, but that is the main reason I have not worn tracking pants on a few high jumps - I didn't want to deal with having to keep the rig on as the procedure called for land, stash, hide (the gear) , getaway, pickup later

I second the going naked part.

Post pics.

I am glad to hear it, fashion or not ... protection is good and you never know when you need it. I guess you are the guy on the picture ... no helmet? I guess you have seen skull injury after wallstrikes too ...

I do not always wear my body armour, and I will regret it when I am lying there next time ...

So the russian "beginners" community just earned my respect, keep it up, I love your work!

PerFlare

I'm not really sure that she is guy.

Protection sure is good thing to have. As long as you don't start jumping in less than good conditions, or places you wouldn't jump without massive armour to make you feel like bulletproof. If the amount of protection gear around makes one decide to jump rather than climb down, the protection has become dangerous. This is just my personal opinion, disagreeing is sometimes wise.

I tend to agree with you. My "default setting" is armor on. I jump with a Dainese Wave2 Safety jacket, fullface helmet, and fox knee/shin pads.

Unless there's a compelling reason to leave the armor behind, I wear it.

Technically easy spans are pretty much the only time I feel totally comfortable without armor. I pretty much always wear a helmet.

I figure it may be easy to justify not wearing armor before you exit. Sitting in the hospital, possibly injured severely for life, you might find it a little harder to justify.

My decision to jump or not is not usually based on the amount of armor I'm wearing, but there are certain sites I will absolutely not jump unless I have my battle gear on.

Of course I jump wearing protection - a condom!

I remember a time at our local sport wall (back when i still climbed)

If you were not wearing a helmet nobody would talk to you...
now i stopped by and and i didnt see a single bucket on any of the 300 routes.

You're right, I am that guy I've made ~100 jumps without any protection... and I've even had some incidents being unprotected and went well through it. But after those 100 jumps I began use protection. And I like it. There were two reasons for such decision.
First -- I decided to try some aerials. I was very nervous about it and choose to cut off all worries except those were about aerials itself. I mean I didn't want to increase it with the additional paranoia about landings etc.
Second -- I watched "Extreme Edge" (not sure with the name of video -- it was about Slim & crew) and I especially loved one jump from that film. The cameraman made running exit after Dwain. He was wearing protection and his freefall body position was simply ideal. It was not only cool-looking but also full of expression. Always make my heart beating hard.
Everytime I wear protection I think about that video. And it helps me to make up my mind and feel the intention for a perfect jump. I know when I feel it, my mind is in the right condition and everything I'm going to do is possible.

I don't know who's that guy, but thank him anyways for my personal sense of BASE.

edited for spelling :)

The helmet saved my life on my first jump and I haven't jumped without it since. I clipped a tree under canopy and after landing the tree hit me back. Right on top of the head. Thank God my mentor insisted on the headwear.

Sorry, did not look at your profile Lika. We have actually met a few times.

But anyway, my opinion stands, battle gear are good.

PerFlare

I love this thread, I'm a big fan of helmets in almost any sport.

I've cracked quite a few mountain bikeing when I was in my teens.

1 I even cracked just sitting on my bike, was chatting, wasnt even rideing it lol , got off balance, slipped was in awkward position and couldnt put my hands out and my head hit the ground, cracked my helmet but I was fine (minor head ache) even if your only jumping a bridge, its quite possible you could come in for a safe landing and slip over and hit ya head on a rock, with a helmet you might get a head ache, without one you might spill some of ya brains.

helmets in all sports are seen differently by different people, I personally think they look cool, I love in the jeb video "a year in the life"
(on skydiving movies.com) how he has that helment, looks awesome and his really good, shows he isnt to good for a helmet, kind of like tony hawk, you see all these kids jumping around with no helmet then hawk comes out, twice as good and has a helmet, cos odd's are his experienced hitting his head (or helmet) on the ground quite a few times.

when I seen slims tribute video "A base life" (not sure of the exact way to say this so dont read it wrong.) I was quite happy to see he wore a helmet in his final jump, as at the time of his last jump it was in the papers that he was in a coma, and I remember thinking to my self "I wonder if he was wearing a helmet" cos if he wasnt and was in a coma, it would have been worse to know that maybe if he had a helmet he might be still alive. but now knowing he had a helmet it showed nothing could really be done to have prevented his death.


for jumpers that don't wear a helmet what is your reasoning behind this ?
I don't ask in a negative way, I ask it as a friendly question as I'm curious, everyone has a personal reason for there actions.

how about some photo's of peoples body armour (wearing it of cos)

I always use a full face helmet and kneepads. And also I'm thinking of buying some more protection. Just wanted to point out possible negative aspects that may rise when using extensive protective gear and trusting it too much when really should say no for the jump...

My reason were:
1. It's important to me to hear the air coming to terminal and the opening. I thought I couldn't feel it with helmet.
2. It's important for me to feel the freedom. I mean -- you came on the exit -- make your mind like basejumping and just drop off. I thought that such freedom inside me is not enough and external protection and other stuff make it more sporty instead of more psyhodelic.

I know that some of my friends are still thinking exactly the same way. But for me it doesn't matter any more what stuff are wearing on you -- cool tracking pants or dirty jeans, helmet or just hair... BASE is BASE, and my all feelings are under my control.
And very sporty things may be very psyhodelic at the same time. Like in the "ExtremeEdge"


My new helmet