If you were out of the sport for a while....

[skyejumper 0]

how long were you away for, and how easy/difficult was it for you to come back? Did you sell your gear and have to buy new stuff, or still had your old gear? I'm afraid the longer I'm away, the more challenging it will be to get back into it. I know time and money are going to be the major issues I face, and I'm curious if any of you had to face the whole fear issue again, or just get your finances/life back in order.

[Chris-Ottawa 0]

I once didn't jump for 3 weeks. Thankfully I kept my gear. Getting current again was a B*tch. The real challenge was actually staying away. Rememer to ask your instructors for help to get your currency back. Take your time.

Hehehe, sorry, I had to....

Chris

"When once you have tasted flight..."

[AMax 0]

Quote

I once didn't jump for 3 weeks. Thankfully I kept my gear. Getting current again was a B*tch.
Chris

Very helpful post, especially considering all you experience and years in sport

Edit to add:
skyejumper, I have not been away for longer than a month (bad weather during a winter) and getting back was never a problem. Obviously, you are considering a much longer break. I wouldn't worry about getting back until you are ready to do so, but I would definitely keep the gear.

[MikeD10834 0]

I was out for just a short time... 16 years. I kept my gear for a while, but eventually sold it to pay for classes. Then, things just kept coming up that, at the time, seemed just a wee bit more important than skydiving (graduating, career, wifey, kids, mortgage payments, hospital bills... the usual.) It's all good though.

I always regreted getting out of the sport and longed to get back, but I just 'knew' that if I made so much as 1 jump then I'd wind up selling my kids and make my wife hit the streets so I could get back full time. Well, I finally got into a position ($$$) where I'd be able to come back fully into the sport and I did just that. Droped the dough for new gear, hit the dz, and well... here I am.

As far as fear goes... well, on the drive to the dz I had a few butterflies in my belly. I had a D license (good for life btw) so I didn't have to start over from scratch... got updated on modern gear, drilled on EP's, canopy flight characteristics, and got on the plane for a check dive with the HNIC. On the ride to altitude, the butterflies returned but as we climbed in altitude they went away and on jump run they were totally gone. Green light came on in the PAC, he looked at me and said "...at your leisure" or something like that. I didn't wait for him to finish... I was gone! Dove out...turned around and watched him swoop down to me!

It was like riding a bike, in that it felt just sooo right and natural. No hesitation... no instability... no fear. Just a big O shit eating grin on my face!

On the ground, my debrief consisted of the following... I did great, he expected a bit of hesitation at the door, I gotta stick my legs out more, and that I owe beer! It was already in the cooler, on ice, and on the DZ. I learned way back when that if ya want to make friends at a new dz, bring beer... preferable on ice.

The only thingy I'd do different after coming back is that I would have bought a used canopy instead of dropping cash for a new one and my only problem is that my new job is just slaying me with the hours I'm having to put in.


*** edited to compensate for my fat fingers ***

[BIGUN 1,050]

Nine years out.
Challenge? Yeah, it's an easy sport to walk away from with those things that will be thrown at you in this life. As for the whole fear issue - I think it's safe to say there will be some anxiety, but nothing like you experienced your first few jumps - and with the number of jumps you have - you could be gone for a year or two and not feel much fear at all.... you may even feel like its "right" on the ride up.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[freakflyer9999 1]

I've left the sport twice. The first time for about 5 years and this most recent for about a year. Sold my gear the first time. Wish that I hadn't. I'll never sell my gear again.

As for fear, there wasn't really any fear just a few butterflies. Both times the first jump back felt just like I'd been jumping everyday.

[wmw999 2,116]

I left for 13 years, with about 1100 jumps. I'd pretty much always planned on jumping again, when I had the room in my life for it. I kept my gear, and used it for about 1 1/2 years when I started up again. The first year back I only made about 10 jumps, but then it picked up some. 50 the second, and more after that. I've made 5-600 jumps since starting again 5 1/2 years ago.

As far as fear is concerned, not really. I did a short refresher with a friend, and made a solo, and then a 2-way, and then was pretty much on my own.

Worked for me, YMMV

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[lauras 0]

On my dz there have been quite a few jumpers that took 15+ years off for a variety of reasons. They sat through the first jump course to learn all the new stuff, did a Level 1 and then were evaluated to see if any further AFF training was needed. All of them bought new gear, jumpsuits, etc.

I had an 8 month lay-off due to surgery & needing time for PT. My first jump back was a 5 way with close friends that were current. The plane ride sucked but the rest of it felt great!

There's nothing wrong with taking time off from jumping for real life. Priorities change. Skydiving will still be around when you're ready to come back.

[darkwing 4]

Look at my web page (below) for a graph of my skydiving activity. I had a couple of long layoffs. I generally suggest unloading your gear while it is still worth something. It is fun to buy cool, new stuff when you start up again. Right now I am in China for 6 months. I sold my gear last spring to help pay for the China trip. I will buy cool new stuff when I get back.

I do realize that for short layoffs you would be better off keeping your gear, but at some point you should just sell, and use the money in a useful or fun way.

Getting back into jumping was low fear, and lots of fun. My first jump after a multi-year layoff in the mid-1990's was going to be a 20-way, but I told them I would rather do a low, solo first. Just remember, your skills have eroded, whether you are aware of it or not. I never had much skill anyway, but I got some back with practice. SKydiving is more fun than ever.

-- Jeff
My Skydiving History

[tbrown 26]

I took 22 years off when I got married. My wife NEVER asked me to stop and always said I could jump again anytime I wanted to. When the kids came, it just didn't feel right for me to be jumping and I mostly forgot about it for many years. Sold my rig to a kid who was just getting started, it was late seventies gear (piggyback, hand deploy, 3 Ring, 7 cell main, round reserve).

Then we moved back to So Cal and went out to see what time had done with Perris and I knew I had to start jumping again. Fortunately I found 2 of my logbooks, so they believed me that I had a D license. Took an hour or so of recurrency training, how to find a BOC pilot chute, reviewed emergency procedures and was ready to go.

Honestly, I went dry mouthed on the ride up. I wanted to jump, but part of me felt just like a first jump student all over again. As soon as we "got busy" though with final gear check and moving to the door I was fine, exit went very well. Frefall was familiar and yet brand new all over again.

Ya never can quits da mob....

Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

[jsaxton 0]

3 months out
Broken ankle.

when I came back I upsized for one jump then it was back to normal

[Peej 0]

I was out for 6 months. Why? Simple really: i broke myself I riser turned into the ground and broke my fib/tib in my right leg.

I think it was pretty easy for me to come back, i mean i thought about jumping every day for the six months that i sat on the sidelines! When the doc/ physio said i was ready i got hold of an AFF instructor friend and we went up and did an AFF lvl 6 i think, the release dive. We went out linked, stable, he let me go, i did some turns, some vertical levels and then we just vibed till pull time. It was sweet. I pulled a little higher and used my gear (at the time i was still jumping a 170, now i would go up a size).

To answer the part about the fear: yeah it was there for me. There was never any question about me not jumping again or not getting out the plane but i was nervous as hell coming back. The pain that i'd been through was very fresh in my mind. Still, i took it chilled and it was cool.

Advertisio Rodriguez / Sky

[Chris-Ottawa 0]

Guess you didn't notice the sarcasm...I was being a dumbass. Oh well.


EDIT to fix my spelling handicap

"When once you have tasted flight..."

[Spatula 0]

I believe I'm in your same situation....I picked up 87 jumps in about 1.5 years. Now just recently (as in about 5 weeks ago) stopped jumping and sold my gear. I racked up some debt paying for college, and life. I felt that this was the best move I could make. And to tell you the truth it has made a big difference. It jump started my repayment plan (that I planned). I know exactly when I will be debt free, what it will take to get there, and how long. Obviously theres more to the story than what I just said, but you should get the point.

While I certainly miss jumping right now (as I just went uncurrent last week) I know the sky will always be there. I have a good repore with the DZ owner and getting a jump here and there won't be a problem, plus my friends are AFF-I's who will help me get current again.

Do I regret selling my gear, not one bit! Life comes first and living in debt is not the way I wanna roll. When the time comes, I'll be back jumping under my terms. Everything paid for in cash (read:brand spankin' new V3!!! . For me it was the right decision and the best one.

[skyejumper 0]

I can't jump 'til after I give birth (although I have an awesome natural arch now if I was an RW jumper!) My main concern was time and money. I think both may be a bit tight for a while, but ya never know. Then I have to worry about the whole, "what if I get injured?" thing (after going thru a broken femur, hip and fractured pelvis, I know how accidents can happen when you least expect them ) and won't be able to care for my baby.

As most of you have said, the sky will always be there. In the meantime I can swing by the DZ and pick up some cute baby onesies and tan by the pool.

• Quote

[Beatnik 2]

As much as skydiving is a major part in our lives other priorities come up. Just as many of us find it important to skydive it is also important to live. Unfortunately, that might mean taking a break from skydiving.

I had to take a break for about a year. Learning to walk normally from an nonskydiving related incident. It sucks, but it doesn't do any good to be even more busted up.

If skydiving is something in you, returning to the sport should be hard. Probably more exciting than anything else. At least that is how it was with me.

There are many things that you can do to keep involved in the sport without having to jump. Doing that will make any return easier.

[SWATcop 0]

Quote

how long were you away for, and how easy/difficult was it for you to come back? Did you sell your gear and have to buy new stuff, or still had your old gear? I'm afraid the longer I'm away, the more challenging it will be to get back into it. I know time and money are going to be the major issues I face, and I'm curious if any of you had to face the whole fear issue again, or just get your finances/life back in order.

I was out of skydiving for 10 years. I was involved in a skydiving accident in 1996 and couldn't do much of anything for six months, sold all my gear. Ten years later, I got the urge to jump again, did a couple re currency jumps and dropped five grand on all new gear.

As for fear, My first jump was static line in the Military 1991 (honestly not scared at all), first skydive still in the Military on jump status in 1994 (not scared), first jump back after my accidental deployment accident (SCARED SHITLESS).

Kevin

Muff Brother #4041
Team Dirty Sanchez #467

[popsjumper 2]

Short 27-year layoff.

Came back and went through AFF...never to look back again.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[GumbyGirl 0]

Just make sure when you come back that you have enough time to devote to staying current. I've known people who've come back for a few months but then had to stop again because they couldn't make it to the dz once or twice a month. It's a waste of money to buy new gear/get current and then just lapse again.

[Shawndiver 0]

The most amazing thing after an eleven year layoff was that my jumpsuit still fit.

Honestly, as many others had said, a little nervousness on the way up, out the door, it was like I never left. The best part after landing was Texas Tom coming up to me afterwards with a big s%#t eating grin on his face saying "DAMN, I could SEE the rust blowing off ya!"

_________________

[pilatus_p 0]

Chris, Is this the enemy of ultra-serious highly technical forums the world over I see before me?

Quote

I once didn't jump for 3 weeks. Thankfully I kept my gear. Getting current again was a B*tch

Irony

I thought this was a lost art. Well its certainly lost on some ...

Ross

EDIT TO ADD: Just read down the thread ... it WAS irony. And you got only ONE "what the hell do you know, you're just a kid with a handful of jumps mi-laddo" reply. Not bad going ...

http://www.teamtechnology.co.uk/troll.htm

[CrazyRick 0]

I took some time off after 700 jumps to go hang gliding, car racing, ect., over 27 years off. I came back and went throught the AFF class to learn about the new gear...3 rings, BOCs etc. I did two jumps with instructors and one solo. After that it was like I had never left.

Have fun.
CR