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Here's an interesting metaphor for income taxes, and the seeming "unfairness" of taxes on the poor: http://www.9types.com/chatboard/messages/20148.html Looking for newbie rig, all components...

I think I'd call it an A. I'd suggest being very wary of jumping off of one except when it wasn't turning -- which implies little or no wind, and then you have to worry about object strike. Just how tall is this turbine? Is it the kind where the rotors spread out from the hub (like a windmill), or there are two vertical rotors that are joined at the top and bottom? Looking for newbie rig, all components...

Hey freedom1, I don't live in Edmonton but you may like to hear that there is a distributor of Hanwags near you (the only one in Canada I have found so far): Track 'N Trail www.trackntrail.ca [email protected] 10148 82 Avenue Edmonton AB T6E 1Z4 780-432-1707 Looking for newbie rig, all components...

bump for nvknight04 Looking for newbie rig, all components...

This thread has already been done. See the thread here (I'll even bump it for you so the discussion can continue there.) Looking for newbie rig, all components...

I thought this is what the basewiki was for

I imagine there have been many different training or "gateway" sports to BASE, for different people. For me, I'm currently training most intensely with climbing, of late getting more comfortable taking large lead falls (as well as the general strength, endurance, and equipment knowledge needed for various forms of outdoor climbing). I can see platform diving being a good training route too, or gymnastics. Looking for newbie rig, all components...

Here in Canada, they do. But for me and Abbie (sigh...), it wouldn't be same-sex. Looking for newbie rig, all components...

Well if Abbie (or anyone else) wants to immigrate to Canada, I'm available for arranged marriages. I won't even demand consummation (I know how particular Abbie is!) [edited to add: didn't realize that Abbie has no need for me. I'm crushed! ] Looking for newbie rig, all components...

I wonder if you also had no experience or clue how to jump? Why would it be easier to jump than to pack? I can easily picture someone who thinks that packing is just a matter of folding the damned thing into the container and jumping is just a matter of pulling on that string thingy to deploy the canopy. (How hard could it be?) [This raises a good question -- just how rare is it for people to actually go do a FJC, as opposed to trying to wing it? Sounds like a good recipe for breaking a wing, to me...] You obviously haven't read the thread. Go ahead and die if you like, but people don't want you to ruin it for the rest of them. Looking for newbie rig, all components...

Hoo boy. Banannie, read the archives and you'll see that publicity of BASE is seen as a big problem, and getting bigger. Even some posts from the last week will provide some insight. You're likely not going to get much help from people here. You're better off writing a paper on something like rock climbing. You'll find lots of information on that, and can write about the same sort of access issues. Otherwise, the only statistics you're likely to find is on the BASE fatalities list. I won't give the link -- you should be able to find it. What kind of school is this? What level/grade are you in? Presumably you are based in the US, since you are interested in US parks? Looking for newbie rig, all components...

Looks good, except for the egregious misuse of "it's" throughout Looking for newbie rig, all components...

Oh yeah, I'm a total wuss!! it seemed like it would be too much, so I wanted to know if other people thought it was doable. From the replies so far (in this thread and PMs) all signs point to "yeah, you end up a bit like a human armadillo, but as long as you don't need to do serious tracking you'll be okay" (rephrased).

Not really -- "BASE" is a good word because it has a reasonable acronym, and a few other meanings as well. As the referenced article says, a few other names were thought of first that didn't fit quite as well. Looking for newbie rig, all components...

It would be helpful if the manufacturers posted something on their sites to this effect -- "warning, BASE is hazardous, we will ask for proof of competence or training.." etc, and links to a canonical "what is required to get into BASE" document. Or would this be seen as making it too easy and increasing the sport's visibility? Looking for newbie rig, all components...

Clueless whuffo question time -- how do you get your gear back down? Do you just hook it to a spare canopy, chuck it over and hope for the best? I've been trying to figure out the logistics in doing a rock climbing excursion that ends in a jump. Short of having a non-jumper be the lackey to carry all the gear down, I don't see what else you could do other than toss it over. Even the gear for an easy sport climb (harness, a few ropes, small amount of protection) is (afaik) too much to jump with. Looking for newbie rig, all components...

Someone should build a combo laser rangefinder/sextant unit. That would be pretty cool... Looking for newbie rig, all components...

Yup, and what part of "waiting for the rain to stop.." did you miss? The point I'm trying to make is I think the education process would be a lot harder without online information such as dz and basewiki (or heaven forbid the fatality list). And I think I've made it clear with previous posts that I fully expect everyone to be a dick. Looking for newbie rig, all components...

That feels like a chicken-and-egg situation to me. I'm a n00b, having done nothing but read a lot (still waiting for the rain to lighten up at my local DZ) and contacted some locals. However, I don't have a mentor. I haven't asked, because I know the answer would be "no", or "fuck off, BASE is not for you". I don't expect any locals to let me GC. show me local jump points, or *even start talking to me about BASE* until I have proven myself much much more. How am I going to do that without information from forums such as this? It's not enough to just say "go do a FJC". IMHO there's lots I need to do before a FJC, and resources such as dz.com are IMHO essential. But perhaps I am wrong. How would you suggest I proceed, assuming that all the information you want removed was in fact removed? [This is also leaving aside all the issues of some mentors not being as good as others, getting a diversity of viewpoints, etc etc...] Looking for newbie rig, all components...

You might want to check out the incidents section on the basewiki. Looking for newbie rig, all components...

Excellent post, RiggerLee (although some of the language rivaled Faber's.. ) Well, here's this n00b's point of view: The posts I have gotten the most value from on this forum are the ones discussing malfunctions. The recent one on PC manufacturing defects, skin characteristics and line placement is a great recent one, but the big ones are the ones that take place after a fatality (e.g. I learned a lot about burbles from the discussion after #99 last year). So the videos that *I* would find most valuable are those of malfunctions. The more scary, the better -- right now I am in the position where all of you guys should be scaring the fuck out of me and trying to get rid of me. So far it's not happening -- you all just seem really cool and I want to get to know you. So try harder -- show me all the ways that I can die, 'kay? Plus, that's probably the only way where I'm ever going to put my trust in any of you. Looking for newbie rig, all components...

OMG, I hope you have keys to the roof of every single one of those... What a beautiful picture for me to see as soon as I woke up today.. Looking for newbie rig, all components...

Sadly, some people never think of using this cool 20th century interweb thing. I'm thinking I may be in the minority here, but my progression has so far been (in this order): hear about BASE through various outdoor mags google: discover dropzone.com and basewiki.com lurk for months, learning heaps register on DZ contact the locals (coincidentally, one is someone I had already met through a completely different path) Is there any way at all of improving things without publicizing the sport further? It could help if the gear manufacturers would try to make sure their customers get educated... Looking for newbie rig, all components...

I should have added a [sarcasm] tag, I guess.. Looking for newbie rig, all components...

Possibly because they don't know who you are, or how to contact you? There may be a lot of jumpers out there who simply have never heard of this forum. Looking for newbie rig, all components...