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Skydiving...

M

monk3y

Lifer
I'm seriously thinking of doing it for the first time sometime this month. It's also going to be a birthday present for my gf so it should be fun.

Just wondering if any of you have done it and how the experience was.
 
It's a little different when you go as a civilian than if you jump in the military (which is where my experience is), but I enjoyed it. Would probably have enjoyed it more if it hadn't normally been at night and with 100 some pounds of gear strapped to me, which you won't have to deal with. Go for it, and enjoy 🙂
 
Originally posted by: OdiN
I would never do it. I've seen people killed - including instructors - from skydiving.
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eh, I've seen people killed driving cars...

I think the risk is relativly low for the thrill of it. I would love to do it some day.
 
my experience is the same as glenn1, military only, so I can't really comment on civillian jumping. As crazy as it sounds, I hate heights, and I never really got comfortable with jumping as some others do... so I never really felt the need to do it as a civillian. Its an experience unlike any other, and if you feel the desire to give it a try, do it! I don't think the risk is much higher than getting on the freeway every day, just a bit more exciting.

 
its really not as much fun as i had hoped. I liken it to lying on a gigantic fan that is blowingn up at you at whatever speed it is you fall at. it seriously does not feel like you're falling at all.

that being said, its definetely something everyone should try once.
 
I've done it. Best experience ever. Definitely do the AFF(accelerated free fall), it's worth the extra $.
 
I did it and it was awesome--totally worth the money. It's something you have to do before you die. Do a tandem free fall of course... it's nothing like jumping out of the plane on a static line like in the army. Those first 5-10 seconds after jumping from an airplane at 12,000 feet was an experience I'll never forget.

I eagerly volunteered to be the first person to jump out of the Caravan... the thing was loaded with 18 people (9 sets of tandems). Since the instructor guy is attached behind you, I was dangling completely OUTSIDE the airplane for a while before he rolled us out. Once you hit terminal velocity (which happens pretty quickly), I had a little trouble breathing so I didn't enjoy it as the initial jump. Once the parachute opened though it was great. It was north of Seattle so you could see the Olympics and Cascades as well as the Sound - the view was incredible.

If I end up working in Seattle fulltime (I was there for an internship), I might end up joining a skydiving club through work. I talked to a coworker who had made hundreds (or even thousands) of jumps in just like 5 years after joining.

Do it.
 
I did a tandem jump from upstate NY a few years back.

Best experience in my life. Well except when I first met my wife...

Anyway, I jumped from a height of 11-12,000 feet and free falled for almost 10s.... That is the absolute best part. And because we jumped with a cameraman, when my guide pulled the cord, it took another 2s for the cameraman to drop into a pin and disappear from sight. That's when I realised how fast I was falling... OMG.

Absolutely best thing I ever did in my life. Fun, exciting, and if it weren't so expensive, I would certainly do it again.

As for how dangerous it is... yeah. It's not the safest thing in the world. But you only live once, and I think it's probably more likely that we will die from being rear ended than from your chute not opening.

 
I've been in Hollister, CA.

It was a great experience except my instructor thought it would be funny to spin us about 100x after our chute was deployed. I don't mean gentle spins, I mean Disneyland teacup spins. I hate those rides to begin with so doing the same thing thousands of feet in the air was not fun.

The free fall was awesome though. It is strange how the earth seems so far away for the majority of the fall then all of the sudden it comes rushing up at you.
 
I went a couple years ago. Awsome experience! I would love to do it again.

I think it cost $130 for rental, lesson, and jump (everything). The friend I went with and I are planning on going again this spring.
 
Originally posted by: binister


The free fall was awesome though. It is strange how the earth seems so far away for the majority of the fall then all of the sudden it comes rushing up at you.
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Ya the free fall was the best. On the AFF you jump from 12k and have about 45 seconds of free fall. Just like binister says, it seems so far away, then all of a sudden it rushes up on you.
 
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