What is the Difference Between Skydiving and Bungee Jumping?
Skydiving or bungee jumping–the adventure-seeker's favorite two methods of conveyance from high to low. But how do they stack up against each other? If you're considering the choice between them, we have a few quick factual points to raise that you may or may not know.
Different Altitude
While both skydiving and bungee jumping are done from a height–the amount of that height is massively different.
Skydiving refers to the sport of jumping from an airplane wearing a parachute. These jumps are usually done from around 13,000 feet in altitude. Bungee jumping, on the other hand, refers to jumping from a platform while you're attached to a bungee cord. The platform can be attached to a structure of any height, but you're unlikely to jump from more than a couple hundred feet off of the ground.
Despite being closer to the ground, jumping from the bungee platform is more fear-of-heights triggering than skydiving. This is because–from that platform–you see everything around you with a sense of depth. That sense of depth is conspicuously absent from the plane, making skydiving a lot easier for those who have a fear of heights.
Different Attachments
In a tandem skydive, you'll be attached securely to a professional skydiver whose job it is to walk you carefully through the procedures, ensure that the equipment is correctly configured and assembled, then conduct you safely back to ground.
In an ideal bungee situation, you'll be hooked up to the bungee rig by a professional–but then you'll make that jump entirely on your own. Lots of people really like that DIY adrenaline rush, but most people appreciate the comforting presence of a pro throughout the process.
Different Communities
The sport of parachuting has been around for a long time, and there's a worldwide community of practitioners waiting with open arms to welcome new jumpers. This means that if you love that first jump, you can go nearly anywhere on the planet and get a fix. There are dropzones–from enormous to tiny–tucked in nearly every nook and cranny of the globe!
Here's a hometown example for you: Skydivers from every nation flock to enjoy our world-class facilities at Skydive Paraclete XP, to train their skills in a range of skydiving subdisciplines (such as wingsuiting, freeflying, relative work and canopy swooping), but they all come from their very own skydiving communities and bring their own skydiving styles. We have international competitions, fun events and training camps.
Bungee jumping, while locations also exist worldwide, is much less of a full-fledged sport than skydiving is. There are certainly multiple ways to jump from a bungee platform, but the variations on the theme are much fewer–and the truly dedicated participants far less numerous–than in the great-big world of skydiving.
We'd love to be your first introduction to that world! Come out and jump with us–we're fairly certain you'll find that a parachute is the best way to fall.
I went on my first tandem skydive yesterday and I couldn't ask for a better experience! If you're looking for a fun experience with welcoming people you need to come check this place out. I look forward to going back for my second jump soon!
Sara Lynn