Basejumper.com - archive

Just very interested on how you did your first jumps.

Not all courses cost 1200 bucks.

I voted 'other - please explain' - here's why:

1 - research BASE to determine how to start
2 - learn to skydive (part of plan form step 1)
3 - do 260 skydives
4 - locate local BASE jumpers (including mentor) and decide on which FJC
5 - buy gear
6 - do 2 jumps at bridge-day
7 - do FJC at the Perrine
8 - stay at the Perrine for another 8 days and do a load more jumps

if I had it all over to do again, I would change it this way:

- do 500 skydives
- get PRO rating
- do 50 Demo jumps
- get rigger's ticket
- do lots of CRW and accuracy skydives on intended BASE canopy
- learn to platform dive

as additional steps before the FJC...

I've heard several people say that, but always in hindsight, after they actually got those qualifications. I think everybody will agree that more experience never hurts. So why would you only get 50 demo jumps and 500 skydives? Certainly 1000 skydives and 200 demo jumps would be better?

As others have pointed out, it's important what you did on those X number of skydives. It's also important what mentality you have (are you adventurous or do you prefer to watch other people being adventurous on television) and what other activities you participate in besides skydiving and BASE (climb, paraglide, mountaineer, run, any sport sport where body-awareness is critical).

I believe the combination of mind and body preparation forms a logarithmic curve where additional preparation starts having diminished returns. Take a look at the picture attached. On the horizontal axis we have the amount of preparation you put into BASE. On the vertical axis is your chance of survival.

Note that you're definitely going to die until you're preparation hits a certain point and the curve crosses the horizontal axis. Different people will tell you this point is at different levels. What I see happen a lot though is that people start moving this point up as they themselves move up this scale. I don't believe the accident and fatality statistics justify such a line of thought.

What some people forget is that preparation for base can suddenly become a lot more efficient and effective once a person has made some base jumps. I certainly noticed that my understanding of threads on this board and conversations between jumpers went up significantly once I had done a few packjobs and jumps. Even my participation in skydiving has become a lot more useful, not just from a gear point of view, but also from a psychological point of view.

I would say that the most critical requirement for any involvement in base jumping is having the ability to assess your own skills. Based on that assessment, having the ability to say no to an object if the type of jump or its conditions are too dangerous. There is a massive difference between jumping from the Potato bridge or jumping a wingsuit over a talus from a cliff with a five second rockdrop. Being able to judge these kind of things is critical.

If you have this skill, your chances of survival will be considerable, even if you have no experience anywhere else.

Most would say I started base jumping much too early. So take all these comments with a grain of salt.

One thing I definitely do want to add to Whatever's excellent list is a first aid course. Preferably an outdoor oriented one. Some day this will be the most useful thing you ever learned.

And I forgot to add; I did two first jump courses. One free one, and one for 1100 dollar. Both were great!

I just got lucky, although I did ground crew for all 4 objects combined over 100 times. I was injured for awhile before I could skydive and learned as much as I could before I got into the air.
I had a friend who turned me onto BASE who went in in 2002, went to BD that year and watched and learned. My favorite saying is from Tom A, "You don't find BASE, it finds you." How true, now I couldn't get away if I tried

Amen to that

I don't think there is a right or wrong answer to the question of what way is best, it is highly up to the individual.

I made 10 skydives, went to BD '96 and watched. I did another 500ish skydives and got the idea that I wanted to research base. I lost a friend to base about that same time, and got turned off from the idea. I made another 1000 skydives and that's when I got the urge to look inot base again. I did alot of research, talked to the most local jumpers available, and went to BD '03 and made my first 2 base jumps. I am a baby still with only 31 jumps, and am on the fence about how many more I'll make.

On the other side of the spectrum, some other people have made alot better judgement calls about how to go about getting into such a wonderful sport. The biggest thing I'd reccomend to someone if they asked me about base, is lot's of accuracy skydives on huge seven cell canopies. That's what I wish I had done first.

Ganja Rodriguez
BASE 916

I think because it's hard to see the value in that kind of preparation before you've jumped a little bit.


indeed, but as almost always the law of diminishing returns applies here and I'd say at 500 skydives and 50 demos most everyone would likely have learned as much they need to make the 'right' choices in how to start base


no doubt... therefore the PRO rating and demos

some things I realized I should have included:

- learn to rock climb (even just indoor would help, but trad would be of more value)
- learn to do rope rescue
- learn to paraglide (this should teach some meteorology)
- get paramedic training (first aid is good, but paramedic is better)
- get in shape
- write your will
- make sure you have a plan for WHEN you get hurt

anyways, ' no-one makes it of here alive ' - applies to life no matter how well prepared you are, being prepared in base won't keep you uninjured forever, but it might let you survive a higher number of jumps

PS - call me sam

doei

Would there be an interest in a First Aid course at one of the BASE boogies? Maybe at the Turkey Boogie or even over Labor Day in TF? I've done a little first aid and I'd be happy to teach a basic class on assessment and stuff like that.

As always, you can read this.

No multiple answers?

Chad,
I should be back from Iraq in time for the turkey boogie, I would be more than happy to help you out and I could bring my CLS bag full of a bunch of first aid goodies

Ody

Absolutely! And I'm sure plenty of other people would be very interested!

To think that maybe we might be doing something other than drinking the evening after a boogie day full of jumping. Unheard of!

I had a base jumper from the DZ show me how to pack, went out to the perrine with some locals, and made 4 jumps during memorial day weekend, 2004.
I voted this as "other" because nobody had really taken me under their wing to teach me. Since then, I made another trip to idaho for more "learning jumps" and have since progressed to slightly more difficult objects. It was a really shitty way to learn how to base.

Its nothing like being a paramedic, in the army we joke and call ourselves Combat Life Takers, But are really called Combat Life Savers (CLS)

It is a very basic way to keep someone alive until more experianced help arrives or gets to a higher med facility.

One Kewl thing is we were taught how to give IV's during a 2 week course. The IV part only lasted 2 days... watchout.... (note I can only give a soldier under specific conditions an IV. But if It meant saving a life I would do it and risk getting in trouble.)

If I can get to the Turk-boogie I will bring a short class with me.

Le Roy

 
I made a bunch of skydives (around 100 in three weeks) to take me up just over 200 total.
After hanging around, making friends and chatting to people on the DZ i was invited to fly up to Potato land with a group of first time jumpers and an experienced jumper who lectured us and taught us how to pack. We made one PCA to start and then three hand helds. Unfortunately we ran out of time and good weather to move onto going stowed.

Get everyone to chip in some $$, and get one of the volunteer first aid orgs to train a number of jumpers. Pay them back with a tandem skydive or money or something. I've used my first aid training too many times on BASE jumps. Glad I had it.

Last year I took Utah's class. For how specific He was thouout his course in packing, safity, form, and edicate. He should deffenetly be a choice.

so about 5 a day in 21, nice

I'm a Red Cross certified CPR and 1st Aid instructor. I coud also teach lifeguard training, for those really rough water landings.

And when you finish doing all this, you're a 60y.o. fart. You missed the best time by overpreparing.

It's like saying you can't love somebody before you become financially secure, get in shape, write your will, etc.

Better start small and safe than prepare for years and get hit by the car on your way to your first jump.

hey buddy,

easy on the old guys..

one of my all time favourite basejumpers and people is a 60 year old fart!

and if it takes the committed person more than a year to three to do all that:

good luck with fitting in the awareness, assessment and action you will need, when one of your basejumps develops complications, in the few seconds you will have to avoid death, minimize injury or maybe avoid injury altogether...

cya
sam

Yup. Was in the US for about 7 weeks in total, did 165 skydives, 3hrs in the tunnel and 4 BASE jumps

Yes!

I've been meaning to find a backcountry first responder course in my area. I've done some looking, but the courses I've found are 3 and 4 week long intensive training for people who want some sort of fancy "backcountry guide rating."

I just want to learn what I need to know to keep my friend alive long enough for real help to get there, or set a bone so that we can drag his ass out to civilization.

Most basic first responder courses are geared for stabilizing someone in a car accident, but I don't know how much that would apply to what we do.

Advice?

Lou

http://www.wildmed.com/

I'm an EMT instructor, PHTLS instructor, ACLS provider, and I've done a little bit of real-life combat trauma stuff. However, all my ratings are military so I can't certify civilians.

The knowledge is the important part anyhow.

"please explain"

-saw a base jump on tv 1999
-made 1st skydive 2002
-talked to the tired, unrested fellas in the dark corner of my DZ, fresh off a tower
-made 200 skydives
-crewed for a month
-got dragged up a tower with my own packjob a year later.
-will never stop.