Why go Barefoot?

Discussion in 'Bare It! Nudism and Naturism' started by syd, Jan 24, 2005.

  1. peacefuljeffrey

    peacefuljeffrey Senior Member

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    Food on hand is a very good thing at a DZ. :) Some have it, some don't. The ones that have it rock!

    A video package often includes a digitally-shot video, edited professionally and set to music, including a short pre-jump interview, footage of the climb to altitude, the exit, the freefall, the deployment and the landing, plus a "How'd you like it?" debriefing interview (just a few seconds of an ear-to-ear smile, basically). Plus, many places give you a roll of quality stills to develop on your own (which is best done with a direct-to-CDROM processing). The cost usually hovers around $80-$100, and is worth every penny. Especially considering that it goes by in a bit of a blur on your first time (even your first 20 times, really). You'll really do well to have it on video if you truly want to remember all of it -- and more to the point, to show your friends and family! :p

    On the subject of asking if doing it barefoot will be okay...
    I'm not so sure I would ask ahead of time. I'd simply show up there and be barefoot. I think that asking beforehand has the risk of forewarning -- and thus forearming -- anyone who might be inclined to be hesitant about allowing you to do your tandem skydive barefoot. If you show up that way and they hassle about it you will probably be okay if you simply say that you figured it would be perfectly okay, since you've heard of (maybe seen video of) people skydiving barefoot; you know someone who does it as a rule (and who knows others who do as well); and you're all waivered-up the yingyang anyway!; plus, you know that landing is not as harsh as "whuffos" tend to believe anyway. (Use that term, "whuffo," and they'll be blown away! It's what we call people who wonder why we skydive, i.e. the non-skydiving rest of the world.)

    Whenver you do decide to skydive, have a great time! :)

    -Jeffrey
     
  2. txbarefooter

    txbarefooter Senior Member

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    How about showing up in flip flops ? If ya show up in them, would they ask you to remove them because they might fall off during the jump ?

    about landing on your butt, Bush sr on his latest jump on his birthday, both he and his tandem instructor landed that way... it was kinda funny seeing the former president sliding on his ass.

    about how much would a tandem jump run ?
     
  3. Ocean Byrd

    Ocean Byrd Artificial Energy

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    "If you have to ask, you will never know."

    The reasons why I do are kind of beyond explanation...
     
  4. peacefuljeffrey

    peacefuljeffrey Senior Member

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    You know, that jump the ex-president did was supposed to NOT be a tandem, it was supposed to be an AFF jump, which is a training jump where you have two instructors, not attached to you, holding onto each side. They hold on until you deploy, then they deploy on their own. As I understand it, wind/weather played a role in them deciding to do the tandem.

    Around me, tandem jumps run about $160-$200. Tandem videos run about $80-$100.

    Worth every single cent.

    -Jeffrey
     
  5. shaggie

    shaggie Senior Member

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  6. shaggie

    shaggie Senior Member

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  7. txbarefooter

    txbarefooter Senior Member

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    thanks for the info. There is a local jump club, I'll look into it.

    As I recall, it was windy that day. His landing zone was at his library here at Texas A&M. The owner of the skydiving company said that the Golden Knights did a jump earlier that morning.
     
  8. peacefuljeffrey

    peacefuljeffrey Senior Member

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    Heh heh, nooooo... when a Tandem Instructor and the student go up, they are not strapped together until a couple of thousand feet before reaching jump altitude.

    I know, it's kind of surprising, but that's the way it is done. I'm not a TM so I can't really explain why. It might be just as you suggested -- because of practical difficulty in walking around, and certainly comfort issues for the 10-20 minutes it may take to get to altitude. Yes, it always struck me as kind of odd, because of the thinking that if something went wrong with the airplane, the two people on the tandem are not ready to just do an emergency exit...

    That's why I'm glad I have my own rig! :D

    -Jeffrey
     
  9. peacefuljeffrey

    peacefuljeffrey Senior Member

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    Yes, there is plenty of shoelessness at a dropzone, especially at the warm ones. It's not universal, but it's common. There are people known as "packers" who do nothing all day but pack for the sport jumpers, who pay about $5 per job. (I don't pay to have mine packed, I do it myself.) It's not uncommon to see them do it barefoot, because not only is it far more comfortable, but a good portion of the year is hot as hell down here in Florida, and packing is hot, sweaty work; also, bare feet are far less likely to damage equipment if one is to accidentally step on gear.

    Hey, I should mention that I regularly jump from the Skyvan that Pres. Bush jumped from some years ago (not the recent jump, but I think the one five years before). There are signs in the airplane identifying where he sat, and where he bumped his head on his exit. :p

    -Jeffrey
     
  10. shaggie

    shaggie Senior Member

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