Archive for the ‘Bungy Jumping’ Category

When most people think of Bungy Jumping, what comes to mind is usually basic information that’s not particularly interesting or beneficial. But there’s a lot more to Bungy Jumping than just the basics.

Bungee jumping has taken the extreme sports world by storm. Over the last few decades, millions of people have completed successful jumps. So now, it is your turn. You are getting ready to jump and you are excited. But where do you jump from? What are your options when it comes to the location? In real estate, it is always said that the most important thing is ‘location, location, location’. Is this true about bungee jumping as well? Let’s take a look at some of the options for where to bungee jump, and how the jumps are completed in these environments. This will help you to make an informed decision when you get ready to take the big dive.

Probably the most common place to bungee jump from is the crane. In this scenario, a crane is used with a cage on the end. The cage is lowered to the ground, and the jumper is prepared, rigged up, and attached to the bungee cord. The bungee cord is then attached to the cage. The jumper is then raised up to the jump height using the crane. Often times the jump master will hold the coiled cords to prevent them from tangling up during the jump. Once the cage reaches the jump height, the jumper jumps from the cage, bouncing at the end of the jump. Upon completion of the jump, once the jumper is no longer bouncing, the cage is slowly lowered to the ground. The ground crew is prepared to catch the jumper as he is lowered and safely remove him from his harness. Once the jumper has cleared the platform, the bungee cords are recoiled and everything is inspected and prepared for the next jump participant.

See how much you can learn about Bungy Jumping when you take a little time to read a well-researched article? Don’t miss out on the rest of this great information.

So where else can you bungee jump? Another prime location for a bungee jump is from a bridge. Many successful jumps have been done from a variety of bridge types as well. When jumping from a bridge, the jump team usually assembles a platform for the jumper to jump from. The jumper is then harnessed up, and attached to the bungee cords. The cords are then anchored to the bridge. Once everything is ready, the jumper jumps off the platform. A variation of this allows the jumper to jump from the rail of the bridge as well. The jumper will bounce around 2-4 times before coming to a stop. At this point the jump crew will usually lower down a secondary static line. When the jumper clips this line to their harness, it is then used to pull the jumper back onto the bridge. This is the safest recovery method used to get the jumper from the bottom jump position. Another method that is sometimes used is to pull the bungee cord up enough to un-hook it from the bridge, and then use the cord to lower the jumper to the ground.

In addition to these tried and true places for bungee jumping, there is no end to the quest for where to bungee jump. In the progression of this modern extreme sport, bungee jumping is taking place from buildings, towers, cable cars, hot air balloons, and even cable cars. There is no end in sight to the locations that will be explored in the bungee jumping adventure.

As your knowledge about Bungy Jumping continues to grow, you will begin to see how Bungy Jumping fits into the overall scheme of things. Knowing how something relates to the rest of the world is important too.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his top ranked GVO affiliate site: GVO

Are you looking for some inside information on Bungy Jumping? Here’s an up-to-date report from Bungy Jumping experts who should know.

So you want to go bungee jumping, and you are trying to figure out where to get started. Or, perhaps you are a seasoned jump veteran, and you are looking for others to start a jumping group together. Either way, you are really looking for the same thing: a bungee club. Bungee jumping clubs have come into existence over the last few decades as a result of the prominence and massive expansion of the bungee jumping industry.

A group called the Dangerous Sports Club could be considered to be the first bungee jumping club. This group, from Oxford and London, were active in a variety of extreme sports adventures from the late 1970s through the 1980s. The club is credited with the invention of the modern bungee jumping craze. Their first jump took place on April 1st, 1979. The club was very active during their heyday in the early 1980s. Easily the most famous member of the Dangerous Sports Club was Graham Chapman, of Monty Python fame.

Since that time, bungee jumping clubs have grown in popularity as well as quantity. There are bungee jumping clubs on virtually every inhabited continent of the globe. The fact that this extreme sport has taken such strides in popularity is evident from the number of clubs and the amount of jumpers who make the plunge every year. There are two primary bungee jumping safety organizations that operate as certification entities today. One is the United States Bungee Association (USBA), the other is the British Elastic Sports Association (BERSA). These organizations would be a good starting place to find a bungee jumping club, because they keep track of who is certified by their respective organizations. This is good, because you can be assured that the club is operating with safety procedures strictly enforced.

Hopefully the information presented so far has been applicable. You might also want to consider the following:

Some experienced bungee jumpers may want to start their own club. However, this is a big endeavor, and they should consider all of the steps necessary to start a club before they get started. Just a few of the things needed will be considered here.

First, in order to start a bungee jumping club, you would want to write and document your ‘business plan’, so-to-speak. This would document your project and would provide something for you to give out to prospective investors and concerned government agencies. You will need to acquire financing in order to pay for equipment, insurance, experienced crew, jump location, etc. Once contracts are in place for the crew, location, etc., you will want to get any needed governmental permits. Once all the paperwork is in place, you can begin construction of your jump site. After testing with sandbags, and your crew, you will finally be ready to start promoting your bungee jumping club. As you can see, these are only an overview of the steps required. Even this short list presents a formidable task to starting a club.

It is probably best to start by joining an existing bungee jumping club, and drawing from their experience while you grow your own experience. This would provide the springboard needed to launch your own bungee jumping club in the future.

Now you can understand why there’s a growing interest in Bungy Jumping. When people start looking for more information about Bungy Jumping, you’ll be in a position to meet their needs.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his top ranked GVO affiliate site: GVO

The following article covers a topic that has recently moved to center stage–at least it seems that way. If you’ve been thinking you need to know more about it, here’s your opportunity.

There are five major types of bungee jumping. Everyone knows the first type of bungee jumping. This is the plain old bungee jump (if there ever was such a thing). Based on the natives from Pentecost Island in the South Pacific, this is where you jump off from a platform or other tall object. Attached either through a let harness or body harness to a bungee cord or cords, you propel toward the earth. Once the cord(s) reach their maximum elasticity, you would rebound a few times. Typical jumpers experience about 2 to 4 rebounds, giving them the feeling of weightlessness.

The second type of bungee jumping is called ‘the catapult’, ‘reverse bungee’, or ‘bungee rocket’. In this version of the bungee jump, you start on the ground and propel upwards. You are actually attached to the ground using a variety of methods. Once the bungee cord is stretched and ready, you are released. This has the effect of shooting the jumper upwards into the air. There is some danger in this method of jumping however. The bungee cord has a tendancy to pull the jumper towards the object it is anchored to. In the case of the ‘catapult’ jump, it is usually a lift crane. The danger is that you could hit the crane on the initial pull upwards. Of course, after the initial rocket upwards, the jump is much like the normal bungee jump.

The third type of bungee jumping is called the ‘twin towers’. This type of bungee jump has solved the collision issue created with the ‘catapult’. In this version of the bungee jump, there are two towers or cranes with bungee cords attached to the jumper. These are set some distance apart, with the jumper in the middle. This has the effect of shooting the jumper straight up, since they are pulling simultaneously. This eliminates the issue for potentially hitting the platform or crane. Some commercial outfits use a metal cage with this type of operation. However, this does require a bit more calculations, as the added weight of the cage will increase the need for more bungee cords.

See how much you can learn about Bungy Jumping when you take a little time to read a well-researched article? Don’t miss out on the rest of this great information.

The fourth type of bungee jumping is called the ‘bungee run’. However, as the name implies, it really doesn’t involve any jumping at all. This type of bungee activity usually takes place down an inflatable runway. The object is for the runner to get as far as possible before the bungee cord pulls them back toward the anchor point. Competitions are actually held in this variation of the bungee sport.

The fifth type of bungee jumping is called the ‘bungee trampoline’. This variation involves the use of a trampoline, in conjunction with poles and bungee cords. The jumper starts jumping on the trampoline, in a body harness, attached to bungee cords. The cords are attached to poles on the sides of the trampoline. As the jumper gets up higher and higher, the cords are tightened. Using this method, the jumper is able to go higher than they normally would with just the trampoline alone.

As you can see there are many types of bungee jumping in the modern bungee jumping movement. These are but a few of the more well-known examples. The future is sure to bring about even more variations of this extreme sport.

There’s a lot to understand about Bungy Jumping. We were able to provide you with some of the facts above, but there is still plenty more to write about in subsequent articles.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his top ranked GVO affiliate site: GVO

If you’re seriously interested in knowing about Bungy Jumping, you need to think beyond the basics. This informative article takes a closer look at things you need to know about Bungy Jumping.

While modern bungee jumping has become known and practiced worldwide, what is less understood is the physics behind bungee jumping. Interestingly enough, the extreme sport originated from spiritual rituals of South Pacific natives, who had no idea of the science behind the sport. Modern bungee jumping enthusiasts find much comfort in the idea that someone has worked through the math required to perform a safe jump. So who developed the physics of bungee jumping and how sure are the modern practitioners of the sport that it is relatively safe? Let’s start by taking a look at the origins of the science behind the sport.

Years before the discovery of the land diving natives on Pentecost Island, a British mathematician named Robert Hooke was discovering the physics of bungee jumping. He began working as an assistant to the famous scientist Robert Boyle in 1653. However, it wasn’t until 1660 that he formulated and wrote down Hooke’s Law of Elasticity. In laymen’s terms, Hooke’s law basically tells us how much tension a spring can endure, and the maximum length it will reach. Hooke’s law can be used on any material that is considered linear-elastic, or stretching lengthwise. Oddly enough, rubber is usually considered non-linear, because variations of stress and temperature can have a significant impact on the elasticity of the rubber.

You can see that there’s practical value in learning more about Bungy Jumping. Can you think of ways to apply what’s been covered so far?

Today, modern practitioners of the physics of bungee jumping don’t have to be as well-versed as Hooke. Depending on the bungee cords used and their ratings, the science has been simplified quite a bit. The commercial proprietor who is offering ‘bungee jumping’ as an extreme sport still has to be on their toes. Cords that are manufactured to meet a well established United States military specification (mil spec) are perhaps the best to use. This is simply because of the rigorous testing that must go in to making sure they meet the mil spec. Most of these cords have a specific weight limit and elongation potential. Using these numbers, along with the length of the jump and the weight of the jumper, the calculations can be made. The length of rope needed, how many strands are needed for the weight, and how much beyond the normal length of the cord the jumper can expect to go.

The physics of bungee jumping has changed some with advances in the material used in bungee cords. Some cords are also ‘pre-streched’ so there is less elasticity and bounce, and a more forceful shock and return from the bottom of the jump position. The problems with some jumpers using cords that were too long are the result of not understanding the physics of bungee jumping. Even though modern bungee cords are weight and elongation rated, some people still fail to take this into account when performing amateur jumps. This is why it is highly recommended that anyone who wants to learn bungee jumping should consult with a professional. This is not a sport that you can learn and practice at home. The physics of bungee jumping have been simplified by 20th century manufacturing standards, resulting in a much safer sport for everyone participating.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his top ranked GVO affiliate site: GVO

Although there are many bungy jumping sites in countries all over the globe, many Americans who have developed an interest in this sport would prefer locations that are closer to home. Fortunately, there are plenty of places in the United States where prospective bungy jumpers can begin trying out this fascinating new hobby. Whether you’d like a plan a traveling vacation centered around bungy jumping, or if you want a day of excitement nearer to where you live, it is not difficult to find a bungy jumping location which suits your needs. You may just decide to make it a part of your lifestyle.

Some of the prime bungy jumping sites in the United States can be found in California. Due to its year-round mild climate, outdoor sports in general are very popular in this state, and bungy jumping is no exception. Bungee America, which is located in Los Angeles, is one of the most well-known in Southern California. Since it first opened in 1989, Bungee America is the oldest bungy jumping company in the country. This fact, coupled with their perfect safety record, may help you in deciding that Bungee America would certainly be a good choice for your bungy jumping trip.

Pioneer, California, is home to Bungee Experience, which has been an operating business since 1989. It was founded by Glenn Bruno, one of America’s first bungy jumpers. They usually schedule bungy jumping once per month between April and September at various Northern California bridges which are no lower than one hundred forty feet. They also offer bungy jumping excursions to higher bridges around the United States.

I trust that what you’ve read so far has been informative. The following section should go a long way toward clearing up any uncertainty that may remain.

In Washington state you can find the Pacific North West Bridge surrounded by the area’s breathtaking scenic beauty. Bungee.Com provides for this location’s bungy jumping; if you elect to become a member of their Dangerous Sports Club you will be entitled to special members’ discounts for your future trips.

Located in Wisconsin, the Extreme World’s sports park has bungy jumping as its main attraction. The Extreme World Bungee Jump tower, at a height of one hundred thirty feet, is currently the only bungy jumping provider in the midwest that allows this sport to be done without the use of traditional ankle harnesses. Your Extreme World bungy jumping experience will have you plummeting toward the ground at a speed that accelerates to forty mph. After your fall has been successfully completed, you will be given the opportunity to purchase a videotape of your experience.

Over the Edge, Inc., in Boise, Idaho, offers bungy jumping for individuals and groups. They have bridge sites in various parts of Idaho, or they will take you on an excursion to any of their nineteen other bungy jump bridges in the western United States. One favorite is the Grand Canyon Jump, located at the northern tip of the Grand Canyon. Another popular bungy jumping experience offered by Over the Edge, Inc., is the one hundred sixty foot jump at Yellowstone National Park.

Wherever you are in the United States, and whichever part of America you would like to be the destination for your bungy jumping, there are plenty of options available.

This article’s coverage of the information is as complete as it can be today. But you should always leave open the possibility that future research could uncover new facts.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his top ranked GVO affiliate site: GVO

Have you ever wondered what exactly is up with Bungy Jumping? This informative report can give you an insight into everything you’ve ever wanted to know about Bungy Jumping.

Perhaps you have decided to take up the sport of bungy jumping, but would prefer some professional training before taking the plunge. Or perhaps you have thought a lot about bungy jumping, but still have not reached a conclusion as to whether you want to try it or not. If you find yourself in either of these categories, you can benefit from taking some bungy jumping classes which are designed to teach you everything you need to know and have a bit of hands-on experience under the guidance of skilled instructors. This way, you can have the confidence of knowing you have learned the basic skills needed for bungy jumping before you take your first death-defying challenge.

As there are already a number of classes in various locations for bungy jumping staff members, it shouldn’t be long before suitable classes are also open to the general public to assist them in gaining the important knowledge and skills needed for this sport. You can decide if this is something you would like to consider as an option; if so, check to see when classes like this are available in your area.

Sometimes the most important aspects of a subject are not immediately obvious. Keep reading to get the complete picture.

Another possibility for learning all about the sport of bungy jumping is to begin as a spectator. While this may also help you decide whether or not you are personally suited for bungy jumping, you will have the chance to view this amazing activity as close as you can be without actually participating. With this goal in mind, you can watch either your friends doing their own novice bungy jumps, or you can see perfection in motion by viewing trained professionals. In addition to watching bungy jumping first-hand, you can also utilize a video camera so that you can focus on all the details of the jumps later on.

While you can probably gain the helpful cooperation from most of the companies that provide bungy jumping by simply requesting the chance to begin your initiation into this sport as a spectator, there are some of the companies which already present it as an option and consider spectators to be a basic part of their customers’ bungy jumping experiences. One that lists this as a trip option in itself calls it the “Auckland Ultimate Bungy Jump Spectator” part of their Adventure Tour. Offered by New Zealand on the Web, it includes a guided bridge walk where you can watch the action from a safe point. Not only will this give you the chance to take in the excitement up-close, you will be able to learn the basics from those who are actually participating. Taking still-pictures or making a video of the action will allow you to view it at a later date when you can pay close attention to the details.

Whether you choose the method of “watch and learn” or seek training from skilled professionals, you will be at an advantage when you finally decide to take your first solo jump. The more you know beforehand, the more you will want to take part in bungy jumping.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his top ranked GVO affiliate site: GVO

There is something about an individual that is willing to jump from a high place, attached to a rubber band. This modern extreme sport, known as bungee jumping, seems to have it’s own culture attached to it. It’s almost ethereal, hard to put your finger on it, but it is there. Perhaps it comes from the past, or is a morphing into a new spiritual experience, but the bungee jumping culture can be seen and felt.

So what is the bungee jumping culture? Where did it come from? Where is it going? The origins of the sport itself gives us a clue as to where the bungee jumping culture came from. Originally a religious ritual used on the South Pacific island of Pentecost to appease mother earth, it was supposed to proved for a good yam crop. It was also a demarcation, a rite of passage, for young boys to become known as men. Since as long as anybody can tell, these natives have conducted this ritual every spring, literally for thousands of years. The prevailing culture of the original land divers was definitely a spiritual one.

Hopefully the information presented so far has been applicable. You might also want to consider the following:

Re-discovered in the 1950s and promoted heavily in the modern world during the 1980s, bungee jumping has grown by leaps and bounds. The modern bungee jumping culture doesn’t consist of primitive natives trying to appease the mother earth. However, there is a back-to-earth element to this extreme death defying outdoor sport. It provides a thrilling adrenaline rush that is next to nothing else on earth. Perhaps space travel could rival this effect, but I doubt it. The bungee jump goes beyond the limited religious and cultural conflicts of our modern day, and appeals to something more primitive, more basic. The modern bungee jumping culture is a multi-ethnic, multi-generational, and multi-socio-economic group, all looking for the thrill of their lives.

So what does the modern bungee jumping culture look like? It defies logic. Both young and old alike flock to bungee jumping events. There is simply a mystique that permeates this sporting event like no other. Back to mother earth, defying death, and telling the tale – all of these are the bragging rights of successful bungee jumpers. They all share in common this aspect of the sport – survival. Jumpers face a primeval fear, the ultimate loss – death, and overcoming that fear to complete a jump. There is a sense of accomplishment and victory that goes beyond mountain climbing and other extreme sports.

Taking the back-to-nature theme to the extreme, there is a new movement within bungee jumping called nude bungee jumping. It typically appeals to the green back-to-earth movement, as well as the frugal bungee jumpers. Commercial bungee jumping outfitters usually provide a discount, or even a free jump, if someone decides to go the full monty. This type of jump is usually done with a partner, for a spiritual bonding that goes beyond the everyday realm. This is yet another evidence that the bungee jumping culture is evolving beyond normal boundaries, and we have yet to truly see what it will become.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his top ranked GVO affiliate site: GVO

Would you like to find out what those-in-the-know have to say about Bungy Jumping? The information in the article below comes straight from well-informed experts with special knowledge about Bungy Jumping.

Modern bungee jumping started with a jump from a suspension bridge in Bristol, England, on April 1, 1979. Obviously, it was no April fool’s joke. From a height of 250 ft., four friends from the ‘Dangerous Sports Club’ leapt into the history books by taking the historic plunge. They were promptly arrested by the authorities shortly after completion of their activities. However, this failed to dampen their spirits much. They moved their jumping activities to the United States, where the jumped from the Golden Gate bridge in San Francisco, California. They also managed to secure sponsorship from the American television show ‘That’s Incredible’ for their jump from the Royal Gorge bridge in Colorado. Their perseverance helped bring modern bungee jumping to the spotlight of the media, and the masses.

Bungee jumping takes place around the world today, from Australia to the United States, to many countries in Europe. It is well respected as a dangerous and extreme sport. Despite it’s obvious dangerous aspect, millions of people have successfully completed jumps since the onset of modern bungee jumping. Indeed, tens of thousands of bungee jumpers take the plunge each year, in an ever-increasing variety of ways and places.

The information about Bungy Jumping presented here will do one of two things: either it will reinforce what you know about Bungy Jumping or it will teach you something new. Both are good outcomes.

Many commercial endeavors have sprung up because of the rise in popularity of bungee jumping in the modern sports world. One of the most notable and respected outfits is the A. J. Hackett Bungee Company in New Zealand. A. J. Hackett founded the company in the late 1980s, after popularizing the sport with his own jumps. Indeed, he contributed to the modern bungee jumping by developing a new type of bungee cord. He personally demonstrated his new super elastic bungee cord when he jumped from the Eiffel Tower in 1987. His company has done a great service to the sport by helping to develop modern means and methods that provide a safer form of bungee jumping.

Modern bungee jumping has even crept into some aspects of mainstream western culture. For example, there have been a few major movies that have featured a bungee jump in their plot. One of the most well-known of these movies would be the James Bond spy-thriller, ‘GoldenEye’, from 1995. In this particular film, Bond is shown performing a bungee jump from what is supposed to be a dam in Russia. While the jump was actually performed, and was not computer or artist generated animation, the actual location of the jump was incorrect. The filming actually took place at the Versazca Dam in Switzerland.

Modern bungee jumping has even become a sport that in which the participants are striving to outdo one another. The Guinness Book of World Records has become involved, and has recorded what they have officially deemed as the ‘highest commercial bungee jump’. This jump takes place from the Bloukrans River bridge in South Africa. At over 700 feet above the floor of the valley, it is an astounding feat indeed. While other jumps have taken place from higher locations, this particular locale is considered the highest because it is purely a bungee jump. There are no additional cords or secondary safety cables … just the good ol’ bungee cord. Like it or not, it looks like modern bungee jumping is here to stay.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his top ranked GVO affiliate site: GVO

Three decades before bungy jumping began to come into the public eye as a new sport, the well-known broadcaster Sir David Attenborough encountered people on the Pentecost Island who demonstrated their courage by tying vines around their ankles and diving from tall platforms. Shortly after, Chris Baker of England devised an elastic rope for attempting a similar feat. In 1979, members of the Oxford England’s Dangerous Sports Club jumped from the 250-foot Clifton Suspension Bridge, marking the first attempts at bungy jumping as it is known today. Bungy jumping was slowly but surely gaining the public’s interest as a potential sport.

In 1986, A. J. Hackett of New Zealand did his own first jump. To promote widespread interest, he bungy jumped from numerous structures, including the Eiffel Tower in France, going on to start up one of the world’s largest bungy jumping companies. The A. J. Hackett Bungy company has expanded to locations in Macau, Mexico, Indonesia, Germany, the United States, Australia, and France, in addition to his original New Zealand location.

Not only was A. J. Hackett successful in spreading the word about bungy jumping, in creating his company he began to make this new sport much more widely accessible to those who wished to try it. While the Macau location boasts the highest commercial bungy jumping in the world, all of the other branches provide a nearly-equal degree of excitement for all who elect to participate in this sport.

The basic bungy jumping equipment consists of latex strands which are made into shock cords. Some companies and customers prefer to use plain ankle attachments, but in the interest of the jumpers’ safety body harnesses are often used also. Although sites vary in their means of retrieval, the most common method is with the use of a mobile crane which can quickly and accurately lower the jumper to the ground. The variations of retrieval methods generally depend on the types of jumping platforms that are used.

See how much you can learn about Bungy Jumping when you take a little time to read a well-researched article? Don’t miss out on the rest of this great information.

In addition to the basic form of bungy jumping, there are some variations to this sport. In a Decelerator Descent, the jumper is able to slow down to a safer and more comfortable landing speed; the Macau Tower site provides for this style of bungy jumping, and is the world’s highest facility for this style.

The Catapult version is actually bungy jumping in reverse, as the jumper begins on the ground and, with the aid of a crane, shoots up into the air. The Twin Tower variation is similar, but the jumper uses two cords.

The two other most popular variations are quite different from the usual type of bungy jumping. In Bungy Running, the person races along a track to see how far he can go before he is pulled back by the bungy cord. On a much more tame scale than regular bungy jumping, the person wears bungy cords while using a trampoline, thus giving him the ability to jump much higher than with normal trampoline jumps.

The popularity of bungy jumping has been increasing. Whichever form of this sport you develop an interest in, you will be able to find exactly the one you’re looking for.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his new GVO affiliate site: GVO

Bungee jumping equipment comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. In fact, each piece of the equipment used in bungee jumping can have quite a few variations. It is a good idea to familiarize yourself with the equipment used in bungee jumping before you participate in a jump. This way you will know what to look for and what type of setup you would like best. While there are many different types of platforms and retrieval equipment, for the purpose of this article, we will look at two things that will affect your jump the most – the bungee cord, and the harness.

When talking about bungee jumping equipment, the bungee cord is one of the most important items. There are several variations on the type of cord that is used in bungee jumping today. There are braided cords, unbraided cords, pre-stretched and un-stretched, natural rubber, mil spec, and the Euro cord. These are the major variations in the bungee cord used in today’s bungee jumping sports events. Let’s take a minute to look at the characteristics of each one of these cords, and the impact that it has on the end user: the bungee jumper.

Hopefully the information presented so far has been applicable. You might also want to consider the following:

First, there is the military specification cord (or mil spec), which is manufactured to meet the requirements of the U. S. military. Of course, the military uses it to tie down equipment, not jump from bridges and other tall objects! However, because of the rigorous and standardized testing of the mil spec, these cords work well for bungee jumping. When using mil spec cords in bungee jumping, they are usually grouped together to form a set, as one cord can typically hold around 200 pounds of weight. Each cord has a protective sheath on it to prevent dirt and foreign objects from abrading the cords. The downside to this is that it is not possible to inspect the ends of the cords for fraying and / or signs of failure.

Some bungee cords are pre-stretched. This prevents the cord from stretching as much during the actual jump, which provides more of a ‘jerking’ action and a shock as the jumper reaches the end of the cord length. These are used mostly in the northern hemisphere. In the southern hemisphere the commercial proponents of bungee jumping tend to use a natural rubber, un-stretched and unbraided cord. This provides for a lot more ‘bounce’ and a more smooth experience at the bottom of the jump. While these natural cords do not last as long as the mil spec cords, they do provide a much more comfortable jump for the average user.

The next piece of bungee jumping equipment that you should inquire about is known as the harness. There are two main types of harnesses – the leg harness and the body harness. The leg harness usually consists of a towel wrapped around the ankles with webbing tied around this in a special knot. The towel provides padding to help prevent injury to the ankles. The webbing is then attached to the bungee cord. The body harness is very similar to a climber’s harness, and in fact, is many times the same thing. The most important aspect of the harness is how it attaches – if it is secure – to the bungee. Some accidental deaths have occurred when the bungee cord was attached using climbing carabineers instead of specialized equipment. It can definitely be said that bungee jumping equipment has come a long way since the vines on Pentecost Island!

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his new GVO affiliate site: GVO