What’s the Difference Between BASE Jumping and Skydiving?

For some adrenaline junkies, the thrills down here on solid ground just aren’t enough…so they take things to the skies.

Whether you’re leaping from a plane or jumping off a cliff, there’s nothing quite like launching yourself through the air and plummeting towards planet Earth. The wind rushing through your hair. Your heart pumping against the confines of your chest. Your blood coursing through your veins at lightning speed.

Two sports that provide these exact thrills are BASE jumping and skydiving. With that said, they’re far from the same.

Curious about what sets these two extreme sports apart? We’re diving headfirst into the world of freefall, exploring the key differences between BASE jumping and skydiving and what makes each one uniquely exhilarating.

Breaking Down the Basics: What is BASE Jumping and What is Skydiving?

Before we dive into what sets these extreme sports apart, it’s good to understand what each one involves.

BASE Jumping

“BASE” stands for Building, Antenna, Span, and Earth, which are the four fixed objects off which BASE jumpers launch themselves. Unlike skydiving — which usually involves jumping out of a plane — BASE jumpers could throw themselves off anything from a skyscraper to a bridge to a natural cliff.

BASE jumps are typically completed at lower altitudes, usually only up to a few hundred feet. But don’t be fooled — that doesn’t mean it’s any less daring. In fact, because you’re closer to the ground, you’ve got less time to deploy your parachute. In other words, you’ve got to be on the ball, completing every jump with precision and control.

Skydiving

As we mentioned before, skydiving typically involves jumping from an airborne aircraft, usually at altitudes between 10,000 and 15,000 feet.

That means skydivers have a much longer freefall than BASE jumpers, giving them plenty of time to soak up the incredible views from the top. During an average jump, skydivers are in freefall for roughly 60 seconds, reaching speeds of up to 120mph.

For beginners, tandem skydiving is the most common (and safest) introduction to the sport. In this style of jump, the beginner is securely harnessed to an experienced instructor who pulls the parachute and controls the flight. It offers all the excitement with way less responsibility and training.

BASE Jumping vs. Skydiving: The Key Differences

Now that you understand the ins and outs of each sport let’s take a closer look at what distinguishes them from each other:

Location, Location, Location

One of the most obvious differences between the two is location. BASE jumping involves leaping from fixed objects, whereas skydiving involves jumping out of a moving airplane.

Risk Levels

If we’re comparing the two, BASE jumping is the riskier sport. This is because you’re much closer to the ground, giving you less room for error. Once you’ve stepped off, you may have only seconds to deploy your chute.

With skydiving, you have more time for these kinds of safety measures. Plus, if you’ve opted for a tandem jump, this maneuver won’t be your responsibility at all.

Equipment

BASE jumpers often use specially designed parachutes that deploy at a quicker rate. Some even wear wingsuits for wingsuit flying, a special type of BASE jumping that turns a vertical freefall into an horizontal gliding motion.

On the other hand, skydivers use larger parachutes that allow them to descend at a slower, more controlled rate.

Learning Curve

In general, skydiving is the path people follow to get into BASE jumping. Most BASE jumpers start their careers in skydiving, learning the basics of parachute control, freefall, and safe landing techniques.

One of those jumpers is none other than wingsuit pioneer Jeb Corliss.

Speaking to the Team Ignition Show podcast host, Leticia Bufoni, Jeb recounted how he approached a BASE jumping instructor to enroll in her course as an eager 18-year-old. The required number of skydives to sign up for the course was 200 — but Jeb only had 40. He knew he had work to do.

“Within two months, I had 150 skydives,” he said.

Although he hadn’t quite met the 200-jump threshold, the instructor admired his passion and tenacity, allowing him to enroll in the course.

“She called me back and said, ‘You’re in,’” he recalled.

Meet the Major Players & Record Breakers

Now, let’s talk about some of the people making the biggest splashes in each of these sports, along with some of the most jaw-dropping records ever made.

Base Jumping

It should come as no surprise that BASE jumping has attracted some of the most daring athletes in the world. Here are some of the top players and the history they’ve made:

• Carl Boenish — Known as the “father” of BASE jumping, Boenish is credited with inventing the acronym BASE. Not only was he a BASE jumper, but he was also a filmmaker. His footage played a huge role in popularizing the sport, documenting some early jumps from incredible landmarks like El Capitan in Yosemite National Park.

• Jeb Corliss — A legend in the world of wingsuit flying and BASE jumping, Jeb Corliss is known for his high-risk, high-reward jumps. Having completed jumps from the Eiffel Tower, the Golden Gate Bridge, and more, Jeb is constantly pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in BASE jumping.

• Valery Rozov — This Russian daredevil has achieved some of the most extraordinary feats in BASE jumping. He’s leaped from some of the world’s highest points, including Mount Everest, where he jumped from over 23,000 feet.

Skydiving

From early trailblazers to modern-day thrill-seekers, these skydivers have redefined what’s possible in freefall:

• Joe Kittinger — Long before Felix Baumgartner’s leap from the stratosphere (which we’ll talk about next), Joe Kittinger held the record for the highest freefall. In 1960, Kittinger jumped from a mind-blowing height of 102,800 feet. Needless to say, his bravery and technical expertise set the stage for future high-altitude jumps.

• Felix Baumgartner — In 2012, Baumgartner successfully completed one of the most epic skydives in history. This record-breaking jump saw the Austrian daredevil leap from 128,000 feet above Earth, plummeting through the stratosphere and safely landing back on solid ground.

• Cheryl Stearns — One of the most accomplished skydivers in history, Stearns holds the record for the most parachute jumps by a woman — over 28,000 jumps and counting! A former U.S. Army Golden Knight, Stearns is also a weapon in competitive skydiving, having won multiple world championships.

High Stakes, Higher Rewards: A Final Look at BASE Jumping vs. Skydiving

While both BASE jumping and skydiving offer next-level thrills, the two differ in many ways. Although BASE jumping is considered the riskier of the two, both sports require a deep respect for safety. The right gear, training, and experience are all essential for minimizing your risk. For a deeper dive into the world of these extreme sports, check out Jeb Corliss’ interview with Leticia Bufoni on the Team Ignition Show podcast. During their chat, they explore the risks and rewards of these heart-pounding pursuits.