How to Get Into BASE Jumping: Training, Skills & Real‑World Steps

Key Takeaways
To start BASE jumping, you first need to become an experienced solo skydiver. Usually, the expectation is at least 200 skydives with perfected freefall and canopy control before starting any BASE course.

Why Skydiving First is Essential to BASE Jumping

First, what is BASE jumping? It’s similar to skydiving in that it’s a parachute sport, but it involves jumping from low-altitude stationary objects such as Buildings, Antennas, Spans (bridges), and Earth (cliffs). In contrast to skydiving, there is no room for mistakes in BASE jumping.

Skydiving students are required to jump from a minimum altitude of 9,000 feet for Accelerated Freefall (AFF) courses, which offer plenty of time for students to make mistakes and learn the correct body position. Additionally, skydiving dropzones have requirements for student landing areas to be large and open enough so that it’s the most forgiving learning environment possible. 

In BASE, jumpers launch from much lower altitudes, meaning there’s way less time to make life-saving decisions. Moreover, many BASE jumpers go alone, which means they assess the safety of the winds and weather conditions without help. A mistake that is easily solvable in skydiving can have serious consequences in BASE. A solid foundation in skydiving is critical to mitigating some of the risk.

What Makes BASE Jumping Different?

It’s important for anyone considering becoming a BASE jumper to clearly understand the differences between BASE jumping vs skydiving:

• Higher Risk: BASE jumping is more dangerous than skydiving, with one study showing a five to eightfold risk increase of injury or death.
• Single-Parachute Setup: BASE jumping only involves one parachute, whereas skydiving involves two – a main and a reserve. All BASE jumpers must be experts at inspecting and packing their own gear. There’s no professionally-packed reserve parachute to rely upon; no second chance.
• Lower Altitude: There is much less freefall during a BASE jump due to lower-altitude exit points, generally between 100 and 4,000 feet. During a skydive, jumpers usually exit between 9,000 and 14,000 feet. At Skydive Tecumseh, we even offer an 18,000-foot skydive with supplemental oxygen.
• Regulations: Unlike the United States Parachute Association (USPA) and the FAA, which oversee skydiving activities, there is no oversight committee or regulatory body monitoring BASE jumping in the US.

Can anyone go BASE jumping? BASE jumpers self-regulate; there is no governing body. So, yes, anyone with gear can technically jump with no supervision. However, we cannot emphasize enough the risk of making this choice – having proper instruction and guidance is beyond vital before making your first BASE jump.

Steps to Launch Your BASE Jumping Journey

Is it hard to get into BASE jumping? It’s definitely harder to get into BASE than it is skydiving, but if you’re dedicated, it’s doable. First, let’s dive into what is required for BASE jumping:

• Gain Skydiving Experience: Reputable BASE instructors typically require at least 200 skydives, but most jumpers will recommend you have even more than that. Some exceptions are made for highly experienced paragliders.
• Educate Yourself: Read valuable peer-reviewed resources like The Great Book of BASE and talk to experienced jumpers with a good reputation for mentorship and guidance.
• Sign Up for a BASE Course: A BASE first jump course costs anywhere from $1,000 to $2,000. Instructors have varying teaching styles, so we recommend reaching out to multiple courses and experienced BASE jumpers to determine your best fit.
• Get Good Gear: While some courses rent gear, having your own equipment is advantageous for learning – you’ll go home from your course with experience on that particular canopy. Your instructor or another experienced jumper can help you choose the right equipment.

How expensive is BASE jumping? Very. You’ll have to add up the costs of: learning how to skydive, your own skydiving gear, at least 200 skydives, a BASE course, and your own BASE gear. Buying second-hand gear can save some cash, but you’re still looking at spending about $3,000 to $8,500, plus travel costs, to become a BASE jumper.

The first step to beginning your BASE journey is a tandem skydive!

Top Tips from Experienced BASE Jumpers

One of the best tips from an experienced BASE jumper comes from Jenna Kay (BASE #2735): 

“Learn how to fly your canopy. This is best accomplished through a significant amount of skydiving. The vast majority of injuries in BASE (outside of wingsuiting) have to do with decisions/reactions made once under canopy.”

Experienced BASE instructor Sean Chuma leads a jump course at the Perrine Bridge. As the first person to achieve 8,000 BASE jumps in 2023, his course emphasizes the importance of remaining mentally sharp:

“Take your time getting into BASE. It’s a serious one. No mistakes allowed. It’s not about being crazy, it’s about being precise and highly calculated. In a high consequence sport like this, proper prep is key. Get into skydiving and get really good at it first, then, well after 200 jumps, you can start thinking about making your move into BASE. You really do want to be a ninja under a canopy before starting BASE. You also need to be very good at making quick decisions in intense situations.”

Nicholas Lorch (BASE #2745) also shares his advice for those looking to start BASE jumping: 

“Always plan to climb down, hike out, or otherwise give up on the jump. Never put yourself in a position where a jump in suboptimal conditions is safer or preferable to aborting the jump plan.” Plus, he adds, “Never stop checking your ego.”

Choosing Where & How to Jump

Choosing where to jump involves assessing the exit point and landing area, observing the weather forecasts, and creating an emergency plan. You assess an exit point by measuring how high the exit point is via methods such as using a laser or dropping a rock and timing it. 

When scouting a landing area, you want to ensure sufficient size and quality to be safe to land in. Observing weather forecasts and identifying how wind and weather may affect the planned jump is crucial to overall safety. 

Before jumping, you need to create an emergency plan involving how a rescue would be conducted in the worst-case scenario and how to contact emergency services. If a site is remote, it’s ideal to purchase helicopter insurance.

You’ll want to choose the appropriate pilot chute and packing methods for the intended delay (time in freefall before initiating parachute deployment) when packing equipment for the jump. Plan for water and even food or camping equipment, depending on how long the approach to the exit point is.

So, where can you legally BASE jump in the US? Some popular spots include:

• Perrine Bridge in Twin Falls, Idaho
• Moab, Utah
• New River Gorge Bridge occurs once a year in October for Bridge Day
• Superstition Mountains in Arizona

There may be some other legal jumps available on a one-time basis or with the property owner’s permission. Your BASE jumping community, found at your dropzone or online, may also be able to guide you to some local spots that are legal.

Is BASE Jumping Calling to You?

While we can’t teach you how to BASE jump at Skydive Tecumseh, we can teach you how to skydive. Get started on your journey with us by making your first tandem. Book now!