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I'm "that guy" asking the same old "is this a good time to start question"...but I've done some homework, so I don't know that the search function will help with my question.

Been skydiving since August of this last year.
I have 81 jumps to date, which I still don't think is enough time under canopy or any dead air jumps (balloons). I've read the threads regarding recommended jump numbers prior to BASE entry.

My delima is this: When I started Skydive I was at a dropzone that was "BASE friendly" for lack of a better term. I've since moved to a new DZ several thousand miles away (living on the DZ) and while I would not call it not BASE friendly, when I expressed interest in BASE as a future goal the responses received were a bit cold...so I decided it was best to take some good advice and keep my mouth shut. I don't hear people talking about BASE around the hanger, so I don't know who the community is around the DZ, but I know it's there.

After a little over a month at my new DZ I think some people who know of my interest have come to realize that I'm in no rush to huck myself off of an object without the proper skydiving experience, mentorship, gear knowledge, etc. and a rigger offered to introduce me to local BASE jumpers.

Question: Is this a good time to be introduced to the local BASE community and to express my interest in mentorship, ground crew, packing, etc...

...or should I wait until I've got the X number or jumps or when I can say, "yeah...I'm landing in the peas 80%+ of the time...I think I have good canopy control"?

I respect the person who sugested the introductions, but I want to tread lightly so that I don't end up being percieved as another over anxious skydiver looking to get into BASE. My limitedexperience living in the DZ community has taught me that any negative perceptions can follow you around for a long time and I plan on having a long skydiving career and don't want to burn any bridges.

Opinons appreciated and the flames tend to be humorous...bring it.

Thanks.

The more people you meet in the BASE community the better as it will help when you actually start jumping. If you go with the attitude that you displayed in your post then I can only see this doing you good. You can ground crew get to know all the Locals learn how to pack and when you are ready you will know who could be your mentor. It also gives a future mentor time to get to know you.

all in all it is a good idea and will give you access to knowledge. That is assuming you are good bloke and not a cock

I'd say that sooner is much better than later. Early exposure to knowledge, will help with it's assimilation a lot. It's like preparing for exam... if you learn something one day before exam, most of that knowledge will be lost soon, but if you are exposed to it for a whole year, later you'll have a much better grasp of what, why, etc.

I started skydiving June of this year, as well. So I was in your same shoes.

I started base with just over 30 skydives. I was "that guy" around the dropzone as well. Everyone said no, even the local base jumper. Everyone will tell you there is a certain way into base, and a certain set of procedures to follow. Like someone (I forget his name) said on here before, there is not a certain way into base, or anything. If you want to do it, do it. If you don't succeed, you obviously weren't the right person for it anyway. Base is about knowing your limits. Noone is going to hold your hand when you have 1000 jumps and you don't feel right about a jump and tell you whether to do it or not. If you know you can handle it, balls to the walls, brother.

I have over 100 base jumps now. I am basically self taught, no mentor. Sure, I am probably going to die faster than most jumpers, but at least I can proudly say I had the guts to go against the "only way to get into base" and jump off shit with noone to hold my hand. This will probably get flamed pretty hard, but I can honestly say I don't think base is that hard. Learn your gear (you can do that by reading for hours on here), learn to pack (hours of packing, and repacking, and repacking), and learn the rest as you go.

What dropzone do you jump at now, btw?

Thanks for the replies.

It seems the consensous is to make my interest/presence known to the local jumpers and hope for them to put me on a course everyone is comfortable with.

I can definatly see where the early exposure is better than learning to base pack on my own, hitting 200 jumps and then trying to huck right away...seems the more prudent route for sure.

I don't think anyone would confuse me with one of those arogant cocks...although I have been called a dick (the hazards of a dry sense of humor)...I have no illusions about my current abilities or my ability to absorb new information at a rapid pace (the hazards of getting old.)... I should be good.

There have been moments of frustration when it crossed my mind to go out on my own if I could not find a mentor, but I don't like the odds associated with that path or the potential social ramifications...

In the coming weeks I'll try and get around (I'm not a real social buterfly...it takes me time) and for all I now I've probably already met a few people and just don't know it.

I jump out of Eloy now.

Simple, ask around if anyone is making an "after hours" jump. If people start talk about a night jump and getting glow sticks, avoid them.

Defiantly get yourself out there. I don't recommend following my path. I just suggest not taking everyone's word as truth all the time. No one is going to hold your hand in this or set you up on a static line program. Just decide if you REALLY want to base, and work towards that goal.

Good luck!

Why?


That's a bromide, how will you determine if someone telling the truth without experience and/or knowing the people?

I was referring to a nighttime skydive. While the experience could help with base, I meant he should go after the people who do real after hours jumps.

To your second point, I meant don't believe everything you hear. That's all.

No one takes this cheekybastard serious. I wouldn't even encourage him with replies.

You have more posts.

I'm not saying that you're giving bad advice but there's a message to the OP and every other new jumper: Be careful about who's advice you listen to.


Kerkko
BASE1184

+1

I do not know what you did to pissoff the Locals, But if your post is true, YOU ROCK DUDE.
+100
Take care,
space

Thanks brother,

It's definatly true. I'll show you my logbook sometime. 122 skydives with the last 60 being wingsuit.

Didn't do anything to piss off the locals. I wanted to do everything right, but the one local jumper wouldn't take me on ground crew. It was either sulk and move to another dropzone or do it myself.

oh my!
isn't the internet full of marvelous people!

Except do enough skydives, or get a mentor, or go for an FJC, or...

Oh wait, no, you meant you wanted to do everything right now. Sorry for the confusion

Right. Exactly.

What's a log book? Who cares how many skydives you have. Skydiving isn't a prerequisite to BASE, contrary to popular belief. Just ask Rob... (but it just might make you live a little bit longer if you have some canopy time)

Everyone is different. A lot of people started base thinking that they were special, talented, or somehow ahead of the curve. The advice to take it slow is normally coming from people who have been there, and seen some shit go down. An experienced jumper is not just someone with the numbers, but someone who has been around for awhile, and jumped a variety of different objects and places. Experience and advice from experienced jumpers can be invaluable. No offense, but 1 year and 100 base jumps is an ideal candidate for getting really busted up, or worse... Maybe not the best person to take advice from. We all started at the beginning. Just ask yourself if you want to get into this sport the fastest way possible, and risk a lot, or if you would rather ease in, be able to really enjoy it, and subsequently do well. On a side note, most jumpers who get into base with low jump numbers, while they normally do fine, will typically realize the merit of canopy control very quickly and end up going back to skydiving to work on it. There will be times when canopy skills could easily save your life. Until you have them, either stick exclusively to the more forgiving objects, or start doing drills under canopy while skydiving, that will transfer to base. Or just roll the dice. That's the beauty of base jumping... no rules. But it would be a shame to get hurt, and look like an idiot. Base will still be there whenever you're ready.

Good post and very true. The fact that the equipment is so much more reliable now is misleading to new jumpers. It will screw up at some point. When it does, or when you find yourelf in a tight landing area, you'll begin to appreciate the instincts to react quickly that can only be learned from having some air time in the sport and skydiving is the best and safest place to develp the skills you'll need when things don't go just right on a BASE jump. Without the skills, you are rolling the dice, which in essence is a part of every jump. Maximize your odds for a safer and longer BASE career by learning to skydive.
cliffleaper

Proudly huh ? Is that going to be the eulogy on your headstone. Ever heard the saying "There are graveyards full of people that thought the world couldn't live without them." That's a joke son, doncha get it.

Actually, I have it all planned out for my gravestone to say "I saw this coming."

Thank you all for the advice so far. In the last few weeks I've been more vocal about my interest in BASE and I've started to meet some of the local BASE community. The responses have been suprisingly positive. The general response has kind of been, "So have you jumped yet? No. Why not?". All things considered I take the responses as positive and encouraging.

I've been invited to jump from a paraglider at 4k to get some experience with dead(ish) air exits. I have a couple of questions regarding this:

1. I may have heard wrong but I got the impression I would/could be making this (paraglider) jump with a BASE rig. Is this advisable? What are the pro's and cons of making this jump with a BASE rig vs. a skydiving rig.

2. I apologize for being lazy with this question as I'm sure the search function would help on this, but are there any drills/exercises that I should be working on before and during these jumps to better prepare myself for my first BASE jump?

Again. Thank you for your feedback.

ask those helping you arrange the jump. they obviously know the paraglider's concerns.
(if you'd trust a BASE rig from 500', why not 4000'?)

Cool. Just wanted to make sure that did not send up any red flags. Thank you.

In skydive I don't like to add more than one new thing at a time so it gives me a bit of pause when I'm looking at a new kind of exit in a new kind of rig...not that I would not trust the rig. Overly cautious? Maybe, but so far it's been working for me.