BASE jumping is the act of jumping off fixed objects with a parachute on your back. It's NOTHING like skydiving, where you jump out of some sort of a moving aircraft, and where totally different physical forces are at work during the exit phase of the jump. Equipment is also somewhat different.

Modern BASE jumping started in 1978, when four guys jumped off El Capitan in the Yosemite national park with modified skydiving gear. At first, it was known as just fixed object skydiving. After some time a group of jumpers came up with BASE, and it stuck. BASE is an acronym consisting of the initials of the types of objects we jump from. It's also a word play - base, something solid and ground bound from which to jump. BASE jumping is fast, furious, and a whole lot'a fun!

              B uilding
              A ntenna
              S pan (bridge, catenary, powerline)
              E arth (cliff, natural bridge)

To give some ideas of the forces of gravity facing a BASE jumper:

Take a look at some awesome ultra-low freefall BASE jumps:

BASE jump made at 2:52 p.m. on Saturday, July 1, 1995
260' high bridge, 2 seconds freefall (!), velcro rig, 42" pilot

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