Re: [Halfpastniner] Beginner Setup
Halfpastniner wrote:
jessespaulding wrote:
That makes sense. I'm a climber so I guess it could compare to asking which climbing shoes to buy without ever climbing. Everyone's foot is different.
Actually its nothing like that. People don't die climbing because their 'foot was different.' They may because they got in over their head and did something they weren't ready for however. Buying a base rig before you've made a skydive certainly fits that category. It's also completely fucking retarded. Would you go buy a set of trad gear before you ever set foot in a gym? At least in that case, you wouldn't have the skills to get up the wall/get into real trouble. Unfortunately, in BASE, sometimes your first indication you didn't have the skills to do it may come wayyy too late.
Focus on skydiving. Its pretty dangerous, and if you really want to base jump, you will eventually meet the right people. Especially being a climber/videograher/ect.
^ This
Equate what you ask to someone wanting to buy a full black diamond trad rack, shoes, ultra-light harness, porta-ledge, extra-long rope, full set of quick-draws, grigris, atcs, ETC without EVER HAVING set foot in a climbing GYM because they want to go do el-cap once they get their basics down. THAT is probably safer than just jumping into BASE....really ponder that a bit.
Go do your AFF (climbing gym), rent gear (climb on top-rope), do a bunch of practice skydives (lead climbing), and then find a mentor or FJC and do a few jumps BEFORE you buy gear (going out on a few trad climbs).
It will cost you LESS money because the entire time you can be scouting for awesome used gear deals (which you should run by experienced jumpers at the DZ). Trust me...take this from the guy that did pretty much what you're talking about. It worked out perfectly (I liked skydiving....love BASE) and STILL I wish I had done it the way I was told. You will save tons of money, get better gear suited for you, and MOST IMPORTANTLY - won't have the lure of the packjob bite you on the ass. When you get your BASE gear in, you won't be ready to jump. You will learn to pack with it. You will pack it over and over again until you get tired of just packing for no reason. Then you'll finish the PERFECT packjob that you don't want to unpack. Then you'll talk yourself into how a static line would be safe since you're a climber, you have basic parachute experience, and it's a pretty safe jump (even though you will have practically negative ability to determine what's within your skill set). And presto, you're in BASE way before you're ready. Some people take that route and do just fine. Some people die. Some people get fucked up.
Also, it'll ruin skydiving. You'll be so focused on BASE that you'll miss all the great opportunities in skydiving. The mention of the word BASE when you're still new will likely completely ostracize you from most people at your DZ, which will further mess up your ability to learn the necessary tips and skills that could save your life.
P.S. Tip - do not buy new shiny custom gear. You'll spend over 1300 that you could do ~57 more skydives with (that's a lot of experience). Also, don't get some nice zippy ZP top-of-the-line skydiving canopy. Instead, buy an old f111 7-cell reserve near your BASE canopy size (that'll handle a lot more like a BASE canopy) and use it instead (it'll be like a grand cheaper...theres another ~43 skydives) inside a used container....and the money you save will practically buy all the skydives you need...and why rush into BASE jumping when you have a bunch of skydives you can hammer out and do some awesome multi-ways with people. Hang out with anybody in the DZ that's into/good at 7-cell accuracy jumping.