Basejumper.com - archive

YO< Im looking for insight on what is different about base if anything from other sports, like big mountain skiing. Is it more or less dangerous? Can you do a casual base jump? Is there any longevity in being a Base or do all go-in at some point unless you quit in time? Not sure what to think anymore so hopping to hear from the community your thoughts and ideas. Thanks
S.U.

They're all the same. If you can ski and swim, you can base jump. You might get laid more being a base jumper, but that's debatable. Skiers tend to get colder.

I personally think that BASE takes the least amount of raw talent compared to anyother extreme sport.

But we do have the biggest egos

xoxoxxooKevo

I live in Florida, so we ski on water, and
have never seen someone die from it

Good point. I never considered waterskiing in the discusion. It's quite dangerous. I got a bloody nose waterskiing once. I've never had a bloody nose base jumping.

From a spectator standpoint the difference is that the rest are boring, with the possible exception of skiing. But they ski off a cliff and BASE it's even better.

Of course, BASE has nothing on Nascar.

whatcha mean? as far as watching only to see the crashes?

Why would you only watch the CRASHES? That's the worst part! The BEST part is hour after hour of a bunch of guys driving around in motorized billboards! And the commentation! Oh man. It's the smartest sport in the world. Everyone who's anyone watches Nascar. It's poetry in motion.

And by that I mean I have never watched a nascar race in my life and even the crashes are dull beyond all imagining. I'd rather watch CGI for Michael Bay movies over and over and over! ;P

 
A word about raceing. Don't know any thing about Nascar but I once viseted a shop that built and opperated formula one cars. I was blown away. The workmanship an tecnollogy were incredable. They have better telemetry then the space shuttle. They can read every thing in flight. There not supposed to up grade it as it goes around but when ever it comes in they can upload a whole new package totaly changing the car for the conditions.
I don't really watch any sports. But don't dish raceing. Borring ashell to watch but some cool shit behind the screens.

Lee

Agreed. kinda.

there is a huge difference between NASCAR and formula one.

I have no problem with anyone taking a figurative shit on NASCAR (or any fully organized overly-funded creativity limiting 'sport' where 98% of the fans do not do on their own) and all that it implies.

hundreds of millions of dollars to make left turns all day long, no thanks you bunch on miss-educated inbreds.

Your'e screwed!

... such as football, 22 guys who really could
use a rest surrounded by 80,000 people who
could really use some exercise!!!

so the drivers with degrees in Mechanical Engineering would be the miss-educated inbreds you speak of or are you referring to the engineers that design and build the cars or hold the position of Crew Chief?

yes.

someone along the way thought it was a good idea, and they are all going along with it. of course I respect the engineering, organization, etc that goes into it.

no offense to all my NASCAR homies out there, of course.

It's like skydiving RW. I have a ton of respect for the skill and commitment and practice that goes into the sport, it is a focus I will never have. but in the end it lacks creative freedom and all blends into the same monotonous looped reel footage droning on at the local DZ. at least a skydive is only 30 seconds as opposed to 6 hours.

the same can be said about any spectator sport, or excessively-funded advertisement oriented activity.

note, of course, I am not claiming myself innocent of aforementioned hypocrisy or defending BASE or any sport in particular.

BASE and skiing are as dangerous as you make them, although assuming some familiarity with avalanche conditions it seems easier to kill or break yourself BASE jumping.


Not really.

Any BASE jump can kill or break you.

Although least dangerous, jumps off objects where you open relatively high, are unlikely to crash into the object, and which have a wide open landing area aren't as much fun as the more dangerous sort people with the disposition to BASE jump gravitate towards.

My wife refers to one object as the "baby bridge" (for the baby BASE jumpers) although a few people have died there and I broke my ankle at the bottom.


Lots of BASE jumpers survive although only one order of magnitude separates the number of entries on the BASE # list and BASE fatality list. Many spend time in hospitals.

I grew up playing more traditional sports up to a decently high level, and I must say that I get just about the same thrill from base jumping as I did hearing the crowd when I was competing, just no crowd there.

So Slider Up did they answer your question? Or is there something else on your mind?

I didn't "dish" racing. I said that I found it boring, the commentation was lame, and the cars are motorized billboards. All are true. I said nothing of the skill of the drivers, the engineering feats, etc., for the same reason I don't speak about rigs and that sort of thing here. I can't comment on it. I can only say what my opinion is of it being one who would only be watching it, and that is that I couldn't care less.

And I will diss whatever I want. It was not a personal attack, and, unlike others, I did not insult the normal spectator of the sport.

And as I did not comment on the "cool shit behind the screens" at all, And you dissed racing right after telling me not to diss it, I just don't get what you're trying to say.

Plus, I was only talking about Nascar. I do like Indy, mainly because those cars are really cute, and it's way more interesting to watch a race in which the cars bust apart if they barely touch each other.

Agreed. but at the same time some of the better ski-BASE jumpers, wingsuiters, trackers, and aerialists have a level of skill and concentration equal to any other sport. but without a doubt, BASE is the easiest "extreme 'sport'" in the world to do.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nlytg1bYI0&feature=related

Formula One and Indy Race cars are designed to break apart on impact to protect the driver. At the speeds in which they are racing, what looks like a little tap is a high impact hit. Parts fly off absorbing some of the impact and protect the driver from being injured. The cars are manufactured from lightweight strong carbon fiber.

Because of the speeds in which NASCAR is racing, the car has flaps on the roof to keep it grounded from going airborne in the event that the force of impact lifts it in a crash.

Carls flight could have been worse at the speed he was traveling down the straight away to win the race, fortunately the design of the car and the catch fence prevented him from going into the crowd.

Auto racing can prove to be rather fascinating to watch and to actually get in a car on the track. The taste of speed, power and control really becomes addictive.

Who cares : ) Play all the games !
Longevity that is funny...lets not take ourselves to serious, none of us are permanent...whoever lives the longest and has the most fun wins : )))

What if the person who has the most fun lives the shortest? ;D

BASE sucks donkey dicks compared to the rad sport of olympic curling, I mean it's on that slick ass ice and stuff. Could bruise coccyx or bust a nut in that sport. Hard core, my hats off to them..

Nik had a good response to a question like this a while ago. It was something like: Other sports are just as if not more dangerous than base. The difference is you can learn to ski on the bunny slope and work your way up, there is no real way to practice base, only prepare yourself the best you can.
Something like that.

"Who cares : ) Play all the games !
Longevity that is funny...lets not take ourselves to serious, none of us are permanent...whoever lives the longest and has the most fun wins : ))) "
I have spent my entire life agreeing with you.. but lately i started to question this as my knees are less than they were and I wish I had been more careful. Perhaps not less aggressive, just picky. Not hucking onto hard pack, not sending hard landings, being a bit of a prude and only going for the soft (ski) landings big or medium. It is curious to listen to everyone here about this. Most, including myself wouldn't do what we do if we were the type to stops and think about it all the damn time. The flow is in the Go! But Longevity in our sport must be an art, a feel, a way of knowing... being in touch. I think we all face our own mind games. Perhaps these inner conversations and personal insights have been what I come back for. On the outside I will step down on things that are normally a walk in the park. I used to say "what the hell is wrong with you... send it man!" And I do, But not all the time. If I dont feel it, if something isnt sitting right. Or the most dangerous.. if it feels casual, then i try my best to recognize that and take a break. Does anyone else know what im saying? I think this conversation for me, why i started it was to discuss The way of the ninja BASE guru. ( close to the ways of other action and dangerous sport ninja gurus)

Hey man, you gotta try it first. But there's no way it is the same as any other sport. Who ya kiddn'

I quit. Nothin to proove. Some still might need to show - too bad. I'm more than this.. Still, a cool ride. But not again.

some people need to prove something in base but for me its more spiritual. Something about hiking in the mountains then sending it is like connecting to some greater power thats not of this world.

This video really helps people understand how complicated nascar is. http://www.youtube.com/...ure=rec-HM-fresh+div

post deleted...was being a prick about the new base lingo regarding ' send it ". I be nice. I'm just old I guess.

Most sport fans (as in the majority) are pretty fucking retarded, but American 4 wheel sports fans do have a somewhat lower IQ.

you can Put 95% of sports and surporters into that catgory.

obviiously not including curling!! i think someone has mentioned the audacity and skill and intrest level of that sport.

Thinking of mindless sports, i once "saw" a woodmen comp, including choping wood, sawing wood, chainsawing wood, rolling wood on the river, climbing wood, climbing wood then cutting wood,.
that was a good day.....

Yeah man, that phrase smacks of ultra
30-seconds-ago-too hip for me also!

that is deep : )

Funny...most people in general think Base jumpers have a lower IQ than other sports participates.

Strange how that all balances out.

Ever tried a speed cutting competition? You'll be on the floor half way through.

Ask them what saw works best for pine, oak, cedar, etc. You'll get not only an answer for each type tree, but about brand type, tooth angle, sharpening method, and which works best for the current atmospheric conditions. Then Buford will give you a tour of the blade smith shop he built from scratch while still in high school. He's a millionaire.

But you're right the fans may be a bit off.

"dayem saowwws cuht guud.. hyuck"

I get that man, but one of my friends is now even closer to that great oneness. but sure, its not for me ta say for you. Just that I get that that spiritual connection, but don't need to risk death to get it. R u jumpin for your self? That's way cool man. In all honestey, I wasn't. It was souped, but when I really look at it, I liked being someone who did something no one else would do or dare to do. I wasn't that special and no one really cared. They just like watchin, knowing I could die. Not cool

Gotta think DrewEckhardt has it right.

I personally think Big wall free-climbing is the most insane thing ever. I may not completely understand it, It seems if you miss a hold, you're history.

Agreed. The pegged climb/ gettting turned around to exit on my first A, was more scary than the actual junp, and I doubt you'd find a big wall that has hand holds anywhere near as good as pegs.

+1

congrats! you may have got out alive (or at least injury free). quitting as you did sets you apart from many. cool stuff.

thanks. I'm not cool, just honest, for me.

/End thread

?

Shhhh.

One name..... Dan Osman.

g.

i just got back from a 3 day chainsaw safety course in astoria. it was kind of cool learning the different types of cuts for different situations and different kinds of trees. i feel im ready now to go down and take out some serious brazilian rainforests. but then again, why cut down a forest when u can burn it down?

(sighhhh) God dammit sangi....

I agree thats some scary shit, I saw a video of Dean Potter free climbing eiger and my palms were sweating just watching I can't imagine how he must feel.

Ha!, NASCAR and Mechanical Engineering is an oxymoron.

Maybe they should rename it NastyCar

If you think that Dean Potter Eiger shit is cool, you definitely need to check out Dan Osman.

One of my favorite quotes was Dan, "I've got this really hardcore group of guardian angels that need a free paid vacation" Dexterbase got to hang out with him, I think they were friends.

Miles dasher was his firend too, he was there when Dan died
RIP