Basejumper.com - archive

No, not the one I've been working on (ever since I can remember, LOL!) This one isn't a BASE history book but from reading the sample pages it looks interesting. It's written by Matt Gerdes.

Supertopo thread here: http://www.supertopo.com/...SE-jumping-explained

Sample pages here: http://www.base-book.com/Pages2-9.pdf

Website and ordering here: http://www.base-book.com/

NickD

Thanks Nick.

There are some sample pages up on the Facebook page, if anyone is keen to check it out (in the photos section).

http://www.facebook.com/...BASE/106608446050800


Basically, The Great Book of BASE is an 'All About' book. IT IS NOT A HOW-TO BOOK. That is made pretty clear throughout the text and will be clear to anyone who reads it.

BASE Info tends to be scattered. This is my (our) attempt to bring it together and create a decent reference for jumpers of all skill levels, and non-jumpers who are interested in the sport.

I'm looking forward to the feedback.

This was a 'For Benefit' (of the BASE community) project. It is definitely not a 'For Profit' project. It was tremendously expensive to create and print, and we will be lucky to break even on costs in the long term.

If anyone has questions... I don't check PMs often so if you want to contact me it's better to email - m@matttg.com

To order: www.base-book.com

If you want to be an absolute hero and print the flyer and stick it up at your local DZ, it can be downloaded here: http://www.base-book.com/...BasePoster8.5x11.jpg


-Matt Gerdes

is more publicity a good thing for the sport?

there has been a ton out there. a few years ago, people said publicity will help BASE. has it?

have all the YouTube videos helped?

(I haven't seen the book yet, so I can't comment on it.)

too add, it might be a great book that I'll enjoy. I simply have NOT seen it.

I bet it is a great snapshot of the current state-of-the-art. It might even be fun to look through it 20 years from now.

surely, a lot of hard work went in to the effort.

maybe this effort is special, but I can't recall where publicity had a serious, positive impact (beyond the sponsored jumpers making a living).

feel free to point out where I'm wrong, or why this will "benefit" BASE.

(entertaining, fact filled, eye candy, etc. might make a great read, but still not "benefit" BASE.)

Anyone any idea how many pages ill be getting for my $42 ??
Tempted to order but would like to know it is not only 15 pages long !!

check out the table of contents. (it's part of NickDG's 2nd link.) the index is on page 267.

Thanks for that wwarped, looks like its deffo worth the $$ will order a copy at the weekend! That will take me past the $100 mark of books in 2 weeks inc Douggs and 66, girlfriend is not a happy camper

The books are arriving within the hour! All pre-orders ship today and tomorrow.

I got one of the advanced copies because I get the job of packaging and shipping them all to you. It looks awesome! The photos alone are worth it: they are full color and bad ass. The writing spans just about everything including one story about a vegas casino/rock star/playmate episode that is most entertaining building jump story i have ever read.

This is a self-published book. No big marketing budget for advertising, road tour etc so please, please tell a friend or two about the book. Many thanks in advance for forwarding this link to your friends http://base-book.com/

SuperTopo (me) is going to be distributing these books. If you know any DZ's or online stores that are interested in carrying the book, please contact me chris at supertopo dot com

Nice job gathering and compiling all that information in an easy to read book.
I have not read through the whole thing but browsing through it looks pretty complete.
comments so far...

Pros:
Lots of pictures
Good info on most all subjects
easy to read
great stories

Cons:
no pictures of me
advertisements throughout


When is Kid Rock's next party??

Awesome! I cant wait to read the whole thing. Do want!

second that

only about three chapters into it but it must have been a lot of work. I admire the effort and don't mind the spelling misteaks

Hey Matt.
I just got my copy today and have read through most of it. Excellent combination of history, flavor, technical info and in my opinion, a must for anyone in his first couple years of BASE jumping. Also for folks who don't have much skydiving experience thinking about getting into BASE. Good photos as well as great references. Most complete book on BASE so far.
Rick H

I have just finished reading mine and there is a shit load more information then I thought there would be. A very good read. I also have never read more truer words then those written by DorkZoneHero.

Finally got my hands on the http://www.base-book.com

Must-read, in the same reference way as Dan Poynter's skydiving manuals.

I will make this thread sticky again, and very strongly recommend this book to anybody who's not yet in a position to write one himself

Just ordered one. Had to order it after reading that review .

I just ordered 20. I'm going to start including it with the student materials for my First Jump Courses.

Tom,

That was my first thought having completed reading the book. How could you let someone make their first jump without having read the book...

My own personal experience was that I started making single parachute jumps and then went through a well recognized FJC before the book was available. I can recognize that I would have had better learning experiences had I read the book prior to both those activities.

Still feel pretty good about having the chance to download all those ideas and perspective before getting into my jumping career proper.

Jeff

Matt,

Thanks for all your hard work. I will buy the book when I have the cash :)

Has anyone come out with a good GBOB mount yet? I mean, to mount the great book of base to one's self while in freefall? I played around with the belly-mount option, which makes flipping through pages really accessible. But I think if I mounted the book to my helmet on some kind of an arm, I could read the fine-print a little easier. That could be useful while landing, in case I need to brush up on some flaring techniques, etc. I'm sure others have tried this, just wanted to see what people are doing as far as mounting options are concerned. By the way, don't worry about snag-factor. It comes in paperback, so it shouldn't be too bad. Don't get hardcover, that would be black death, like wearing boots with hooks.
Your thoughts.

By the way, fantastic section on weather. Nice job.

I wrote the book into txt file and I have wrist mount for my mobile phone where the book is in text format. So everytime something happens, I just use the search feature and write for example "LINE OVER!" and it will bring the solution for my problem in a blink of an eye. It's great and fun way to learn. You don't have to waste your time to read and practise all these things beforehand, you learn to deal with the problem as you bump into one. I mean, what's the point to learn to deal with 40 malfunctions when you are not going to get them all anyways.

1. digitize the book into my mobile phone
2. a special application in my phone able to search and read out in short instructional lines.
3. will ask Todd to put some speed and pressure/tension sensors into all the lines and a couple of them on each stabilizer, 2 on slider, 1 on the pilot chute, 1 each on the pins.
4. All the sensors will communicate with the mobile application via bluetooth (yes with Nanotechnology these days. It IS possible)
5. The application will get all the parameters from the lines, risers, pilot chute, free fall rate, etc and do some calculations based on Artificial Intelligence or Neural Networks and figure out the optimal inputs to be given for the current scenario and actually read out loud in the preferred language the instructions from the book.

e.g.

"Page 43 paragram about lost toggles says you should let go the other toggle and use your risers to steer and land. All the Best!"

"the book recommends you to get a mentor before you attempt the next jump. That was an unsafe jump but lucky. Thank you!"

"Your Weather chapter had warned you about the Venturi effect. Now pray to God and land safely. There is a lot of turbulence and headwind to make to the landing area"

"The Book strictly warns against jumping a cliff with facing winds. Seeing what has just happened. You are [beep]. R.I.P. "

and as an advanced feature, your Facebook status shall automatically be updated as per the sensors' reading and calculations.

(user)Osama bin Clinton just experienced a spanker from the left riser and is struggling to get his senses back.

15 seconds layer
Osama bin Clinton has just landed on a stub. Still alive and breathing. But does not know which way is up.

etc etc ....

If the jumper wishes, he can even incorporate the GPS facility of the mobile to update the status on his Facebook and also to log the same in his digital logbook in the mobile phone itself.


PS. I love that book. All the above crap is to be taken with a grain of salt and certainly not anything even close to ridiculing the book, authors, contributors, or the concept itself. Just got into a technology mode on reading "mobile", "text format" and all so made this up.

One of my favorite quotes from the book so far

"There are two ways out of the sport of BASE jumping: Quitting, and Dying."

and another splendid one from "mthead"

"When you're in the field, use your senses in their respective proportions; Two eyes, TWO ears, ONE mouth."

Makes it sound dramatic, but that applies to everything and all hobbies... you can play baseball till you quit or die, you can basket-weave till you quit or die... and on and on.... good quotes have insight, not drama.

I played 5 years of Baseball
and 6 years of Soccer as a
kid but neither of them have
the injuries that our sport has....

Yeah, you jump till you get
your rocks off and realize it
is totally fucking stupid or
you just jump some more

Don't fucking lump us in
with those crazy nihilistic
basket weavers, not fair
to them

okay, you can do free solo alpine climbing till you quit or die.. free diving in caves..etc. there's tons of other ways to get the same or more potential for injury.

dramatic?! ummm yes, may be. BUT it's factual.
Agree. It can be applied to any extreme sport and certainly not to basket weaving.

And also to drug trafficking... you either quit or get busted! haha

something conveying the same in a another quote, if I remember verbatim

"There are old BASE jumpers, there are bold BASE jumpers, but there are no old bold BASE jumpers"

There are old basket weavers and there are bold basket weavers. There are no old, bold basket weavers. :)

There are old basket weavers sitting at home weaving, there are bold basket weavers sitting at the edge of a cliff weaving, but there are no old bold basket weavers because the bold ones started BASE jumping off the edge with their baskets once they finished weaving and died before getting old.

whatsoever that means :-P

Hi All,

Just a quick note to let you know that the 1st Edition is sold out in print. We are working on the 2nd Edition (print) now.

In the meantime, an ebook format is now available.

http://www.base-book.com

Thanks to everyone who has helped to make this such a fulfilling project.

-M

I have a brand new copy I'd sell ya. I had already bought and read it (and jumped) before I went to Toms FJC. He sends you a copy in your (impressive) FJC care package.

*edited to say*
P.S... The book and the course were both fantastic!

Dude, I am pretty sure PGpilot is Mattt Gerdes,

aka the author of the book.... Sooo I doubt

he wants to buy your used copy

SNAP!

I know. It was *supposed* to be a joke. Guess it was a fail on my part. Still, jokes you need to explain are always the funniest kind, right?

my bad. I was being a hater.

I've got one that I autographed and rubbed my pheromones all over. It also has a dead millipede in it. It's super popular in the Dongbei.

ill give you 1000 for it, cash................deal?