Leap of Faith: What You Should Know Before Trying BASE Jumping

BASE jumping can be a lot of fun if you’re a thrill seeker. This activity can take you to some cool places where you can enjoy falling.

BASE jumping is one of the most extreme sports in the world, launching thrill-seekers off cliffs, bridges, buildings, and antennas with only a parachute between them and the ground. What is BASE jumping, and how does it differ from skydiving? What do you need, and what are the restrictions? Whether you’re a seasoned adrenaline junkie or just curious about the daredevils of the outdoor world, this guide offers a grounded look at one of the wildest ways to fall with style.

Understand yourself

Before you take on any challenge, you need to be aware of your own skill levels and limitations. You wouldn’t try to build a house without knowledge of carpentry, plumbing, and electrical work. Jumping off various structures and fixtures can be dangerous, and you need to be self-aware before you take on this challenge. If you want to learn about this activity, you should ask people who participate regularly.

Take a course and learn the basics

Like anything else in life, BASE jumping is something you can learn, but you have to take each small step in succession. This means taking a course with a coach who can teach you about the activity. You’ll want to set some goals for your course and figure out what you should focus on. Everything that you learn will likely be done on the ground to start with, which makes a lot of sense. You have to be in excellent physical condition to enjoy this activity, which means you have to build a system and your body.

Confidence matters

There’s a fine line between being confident and staying calm in the moment, and understanding how to be confident in what you do in the moment. This means practicing on the ground and understanding the various challenges that you might face while in the air. It’s not a bad idea to go to an indoor skydiving location and practice some of the things you want to do in the air if you run into trouble. Build your confidence.

The camera stays at home

When you’re learning a new activity, you need to leave extra distractions at home. If you were learning to ride a motorcycle, do you think you should worry about cameras and videos or the functions of the activity? The same goes for BASE jumping. During your first few jumps, leave the camera at home and learn how to jump and experience several jumps before ever filming the activity. If you truly want to film, put on a helmet with a GoPro and get it started before you jump.

BASE is different from skydiving

Skydiving happens much higher in the air, allowing you more time to adjust and make corrections. BASE jumping is much closer to the ground, which means you have to think fast and make your adjustments much more quickly. Even if you’re an experienced skydiver, changing to a jump that’s close to the ground could be challenging and cause some trouble for you. Ask good questions and practice responding and reacting much more quickly during practice sessions.

Learn to skydive first

Because skydiving offers more time to adjust and get used to falling to the ground, you should learn to skydive before going to an activity that doesn’t offer as much time while falling. The skills you learn while skydiving come in handy and give you a solid foundation to lean on while BASE jumping. Once you learn how to jump off fixtures, you should still enjoy skydiving to test gear and hone your skills, which you might not have time to do while jumping off of structures near the ground.

Your gear could save your life

Buy gear early and buy new gear. Don’t go with used equipment or wait to get your stuff. Once you have the gear you need, learn how to use it and what everything does. Practice packing your parachute in different configurations for fun and learn which one works best for you. Become a gear geek and learn everything you can about the stuff you’ll rely on to ensure you fall out of the sky and to the ground without any issues.

It’s worth it to buy the good stuff

Invest your time and money into training, practice, and the right gear. When you step on top of a mountain to jump off a cliff, it’s important that your gear works and you can trust it. BASE jumping is a risky activity, and you can die if something goes wrong. Once you understand the risks, it’s important to manage them by investing time and money into gradual progression through the process. Don’t be impatient; expect this activity to be difficult and take time to learn. Your invested time can save your life.

Prepare every jump properly

There are many factors that go into BASE jumping, no matter what you jump off of. You have to understand the weather, wind patterns, obstacles, your gear, and your skill levels. Even with an understanding of these things, your jump could be disastrous. It’s important to have the current information and prepare for every jump beforehand. There’s nothing wrong with visiting the site to have a firsthand look at the challenges that lie ahead.