Re: [base570] Do you jump with a helmet in Moab?
The conversation about "Do you wear <insert protective gear item>?" has come several times during the time I've been jumping. It's a heated topic with several people who are adamant about the value of wearing protective gear (mostly helmets, but sometimes body armor) and others who choose not to wear such things.
When I was first learning to base jump, one of my instructors (DW) told me that protective gear was a deeply personal choice. We talked about it and I learned that people make their own choices about protective gear and arguing with them isn't likely to change their approach. Some tailor the amount and type of gear to the jump, others have a regiment of gear they wear for every jump, and some choose to wear almost no additional protective gear.
Given that BASE jumping is an insane risk with a high fatality and injury rate with little to no tangible outcome, most would classify it as an 'unnecessary risk'. Given that BASE jumpers have crossed the line of necessary risk, it seems fair to assume that BASE jumpers are people who have accepted the risk that they may die or be permanently injured. Anyone who hasn't is lying to themselves. Since jumpers are willing accept such a high level of consequence, which the other 99.99999% of humanity deems completely ridiculous, whether or not someone chooses to wear a helmet seems like a rounding error.
One can argue that protective gear minimizes the damage which may occur in the event of a certain level of injury and therefore question the logic of others who choose not to wear such gear, however the people they are questioning have already accepted fatality and permanent injury as a potential risk of the sport. The details of what they wear while they jump seems to be slicing hairs. While there is anecdotal evidence for the benefit of protective gear that is also anecdotal evidence for its lack of importance.
I'm curious if those who jump without protective gear jump more conservatively than those who do. Do those who jump with protective gear have a higher rate of object strikes, dangerous or bad landing, or willingness to jump in sub-optimal conditions? Do they push the envelope further because they have an additional margin of safety? It would be interesting to know.
More than anything this seems to be a modern trend of pushing people towards safety equipment and a universal push towards making safety equipment mandatory. The concept the safety of the individual is the responsibility and therefore under the authority of a larger group leads to things such as the mandatory use of safety belts in cars, helmets on motorcycles and bicycles, anti-smoking laws, etc. These ideas begin with the idea that that others should better protect themselves from potential danger and that additional level of safety makes the world better. While there is an argument to made for that side I'm somewhat surprised its entered the sport of BASE where the freedom to decide one's own level of risk is a foundational element of the sport. Given this influence I'm curious if in a few years new organizations will require safety equipment, licenses, ID, and contracts in order to jump, buy gear, own gear, use gear... perhaps that's the future of the sport: a safe organized adventure for people to experience all the thrill of adrenaline in a controlled and safe environment that does its best to make sure no one gets hurt.
Or perhaps people will hold to the general consensus that each individual chooses their own level of risk and that's part of the beauty of the sport. People can do dangerous things because it fulfills something inside them, because they want to, because it gives them something they can't achieve in any other way. Because they can pit themselves against the forces of nature for a little while and enjoy the victories they earn and endure the consequences if they fail.
BASE jumping is a very dangerous sport which is covered in risks, and unless someone has a personal reason TO jump, they would be better off not jumping. If there are people jumping for any reasons other than personal ones they should re-evaluate their relationship to the sport. Jumping for fashion, or to be one of the 'cool kids', or any other reason other than something inside them says they have to is engaging in absolutely pure risk (risk with no benefit if they succeed, and much to lose if they fail). But if someone does have a reason to BASE jump, then they're jumping on their own terms and each jump is between them and the object. They're willing to bet their life that they can make that jump work and they're willing to even die if they're wrong.
Its strange to hear BASE jumpers criticizing each other for taking 'unnecessary risks'. Those who live in glass houses shouldn't throw hammers. It seems strange to hear one BASE jumper tell another "you could die if you make a BASE jump while <name conditions here>". During a new jumper's training this kind of advice makes sense and teaching new jumpers how to better survive makes sense. (Although the relationship between a student and their mentor is a very personal one in which a lot of trust is exchanged.) But at some point the student will grow up to be their own jumper and make their own decisions about how they jump and they may do things you don't like or that you wouldn't do yourself. And whether you like it or not, you'll do things others won't approve of either. That's part of life, let alone the sport. One can criticize it all day long and scream until they're blue in face about how others should change their jumping. (In fact there are some people who do, although it doesn't seem to be a very effective method).
Many BASE jumpers are individualists who do things their own way, and on their own terms. In fact it would be an odd picture to see a jumper at an exit point listening to the crowd of voices shouting various points of advice about what they should do, how they should do it, and when they should do it and watching said jumper's head spin as they flop off the exit point trying to follow the melee of advice. Perhaps some people do that, but in my experience people take their time until they feel like they are in control of the situation and then jump. I'd like to think this means they are at peace with the risk they are taking and understand the potential consequences of their actions. I haven't heard of someone who jumped and got injured and complained "If I'd known I could get hurt I wouldn't have jumped!". Or more to the point, I haven't heard of a jumper in the hospital who became seriously injured (on a jump) who plead ignorance to the risks they were taking. (It would be hard to take them seriously if they did.)
We've all done dumb things in the sport of BASE, from the day we chose to throw our soft fragile little bodies off something solid with a sheet of nylon on our backs to the day we pushed the envelope a little too far. Those who are honest with themselves will (someday) look at that jump and say "That was really dumb". Taking risks of permanent injury or death is a part of the sport, it's an inescapable part, perhaps that's the least appealing part for some, and they'd prefer those risks weren't there. (Although that begs the question of why they continue jumping). While protective gear may alter the risk of permanent injury or death in the sport one should be reasonable about the amount of safety margin they are providing themselves, if someone believes a helmet
significantly reduces their total risk then they are jumping with a false sense of security and may be more reckless than someone who jumps without one.
<steps off soapbox>
My general view can be summarized by: protective gear is a very personal choice. Respect your own choice, own your choice, feel good about your choice, and respect the choices others have made, as their right to make those choices. Please don't become critical about someone else's level of risk... after all you are BASE jumper criticizing another BASE jumper, and unless your history is clear of unnecessary and unreasonable risks you might want to think twice before becoming overly critical of other people's. Feel free to wear the "Do as I say, not as I do" mentality, but equally be prepared to be ignored. Try to remember to celebrate and enjoy the freedom we have to take risks, whatever those risks are. Don't lose sight of core vaues by focussing too closely on specific details. Otherwise you'll become myopic and bitter.
Just some thoughts,
-=Raistlin
that´s not fun! 
i rather packup for the worst then walk away than choose the light one and hope for the best.. 
