Preparing for BASE - Overview new

Prospective BASE jumpers often ask us what they can do to prepare for BASE jumping. In this video, we try to lay out a general overview of the steps you should take to prepare yourself for BASE jumping.

In this video we give an overview of the skills and knowledge you should build before starting BASE, and give some general recommendations on the most efficient ways to build those skill sets.

Freefall skills are critical to any slider up BASE jumping, but also important for slider down jumps. Freefall skills are easiest (and cheapest) to learn from skydiving or Tunnel Flying (indoor skydiving).

BASE jumpers must be able to react quickly to their canopies opening, to correct heading or deal with malfunctions. The only real way to learn these skills is through skydiving. Skydiving openings are basically BASE openings in ultra slow motion, and act as a fantastic training ground for learning the opening reactions you need in BASE jumping. Canopy skills can be learned from many canopy flight sports such as skydiving, paragliding or speedflying. Generally flying canopies, with as many landings as possible, helps build these skills.

Some basic rigging skills and canopy knowledge will be essential in learning to BASE jump. Every jumper continues to learn theses skills, but at a minimum the ability to pack a skydiving canopy and a basic knowledge of the line and riser groups can be gained from skydiving. It’s possible to gain these skills from other sources, too, but packing is hard to practice in other sports (which don’t use packed canopies) so again, skydiving is your best way to practice.

Knowledge can be gained from many sources, and every jumper should actively seek out as many different sources of knowledge as possible.