Let’s face it. Skydiving is expensive. This might have you wondering why people jump from airplanes, and if tandem skydiving is an experience worth the money. Well, to help you out, this article will explore 11 reasons why skydiving is worth your hard-earned money, precious time, and effort!
- Skydiving Is a Once-in-a-Lifetime Experience
- You Learn to Manage Your Fears and Face the Risks
- You Enjoy a Beautiful View
- Skydiving Promotes Your Mental Sharpness and Decision Making
- Skydiving Is One of the Best Stress Relievers
- You Become More Active and Energetic
- Skydiving Is a Great Bonding Activity With Family and Friends
- Friends and Family Members Will Be Impressed
- Rewatching Your First Skydive Will Make You Relive the Moment
- You Will Have Performed an Extreme Sport
- Less Than 1% of the Population Has Gone Skydiving
Without further ado, let’s deep dive into each reason and explore the immense benefits of skydiving!
1. Skydiving Is a Once-in-a-Lifetime Experience
Tandem skydiving is an extreme sport that includes jumping from an airplane at an extreme height while being attached to an instructor with a robe. Once you jump, your life depends on the parachute and the tandem instructor to bring you down safely.
If any problem occurs, there is nothing that you can do to solve it. You can only hope that everything will go smoothly and that your tandem instructor will resolve the problem. Not pretty enticing right?
Indeed, skydiving is not for everyone, specifically if you are not on the confident side or you can’t trust the equipment and your instructor. However, if you find the courage to jump, it will be a once in a lifetime experience that will linger in your memory throughout your entire life.
Skydiving might also change your perspective on life and make you crave more adventure.
If you are on a budget and worry about the costs of skydiving, make it a gift for yourself for a special occasion in your life. I have seen many people that celebrate their birthdays, engagements, graduations, landing their dream job, or closing a huge project with a skydive. You might also just want to tick the box off your bucket list.
Are you looking into other exciting activities like skydiving? I have a dedicated article discussing 13 alternative activities that are sure to pique your interest if you enjoy skydiving. Make sure to check it out and add a few more activities to your bucket list!
2. You Learn to Manage Your Fears and Face the Risks
It is normal for first-time jumpers to be worried as jumping out of the plane takes a lot of courage. However, you can be assured that tandem skydiving is 2.5 times safer than solo skydiving. Based on statistics, the likelihood to die on a tandem skydive is 0.00020%, equivalent to one in every 500,000 jumps. The likelihood to die from solo skydiving is 0.00045%, equivalent to one in every 220,000 solo jumps.
As a matter of fact, skydiving is safer than driving a car. You are more likely to be killed by lightning or falling furniture than by skydiving.
Tandem skydiving is so much safer than solo skydiving because most skydiving accidents happen due to human error. As your tandem instructor has undergone special safety training and has performed thousands of jumps before, he will not make any mistakes, and everything will work out smoothly.
If you are interested in knowing more about the safety of tandem jumps, feel free to check this article out.
What if the parachute doesn’t open? You should not worry about any parachute malfunction because you will be equipped with a reserve parachute in case there is a problem with the main parachute. If the main parachute does not open, your tandem instructor will deploy the backup parachute.
Tandem instructors are also well trained to handle emergencies and resolve malfunctions in a matter of seconds. Even if the tandem instructor cannot deploy the parachute, the automatic activation device (AAD) will open the parachute at a preset altitude.
You might be well aware of all this and still be scared of skydiving. I can assure you that this is quite normal and that everyone is at least a little bit nervous before jumping.
Skydiving for the first time is a bit like facing death and you have to be brave to do it. The key is managing your fear and overcoming it. This will not only give you an amazing feeling afterward but also be a great lesson for other challenges in your life.
If you feel like panicking before your jump, talk to your tandem instructor. He has had students who were afraid before you and he will be able to calm you down.
3. You Enjoy a Beautiful View
Probably the most breathtaking moment during skydiving will be the five minutes ride under the canopy. You just need to adjust to a comfortable position while sitting on the harness and be amazed by the breathtaking and majestic view below you. It looks like you are peacefully gliding through the sky.
Most drop zones offer scenic views. You will have a 360-degree view of the greenery, blue skies, rocky mountains, rainforest, waterways, or beautiful city skylines that you only see in magazines and travel documentaries. You will have a first-hand experience in seeing those amazing places with your eyes.
If you also opt for photo or video coverage, then you will have a majestic view as your background. It will be so memorable and you will get to appreciate the beauty of nature. Everyone that will see your skydiving photo will be amazed by how beautiful the skydiving experience is.
Some of the popular skydiving scenic views in the US are the panoramic view of the Grand Canyon, New York City Skyline, the Poconos Mountains in Pennsylvania, the Zion National Park in Utah, the beautiful islands in Hawaii, and the Alaskan landscape (a peak of Mt. McKinley, the Denali National Park, and the Knik Glacier).
If you are looking for great scenery during your canopy ride, make sure to read my article revealing the 15 best and most memorable wingsuit locations worldwide. Even though the article focuses on wingsuit spots, you can often go tandem skydiving there as well!
4. Skydiving Promotes Your Mental Sharpness and Decision Making
Aside from being an exciting sport, skydiving also has mental benefits. It will help you boost your mental sharpness and coordination. When jumping out of an airplane, skydivers need to be aware of their surroundings. They need to know how far they are from the aircraft or fellow skydivers before deploying their parachutes to avoid collisions or accidents.
Once the parachute is deployed, skydivers need to check if everything is okay and if the canopy is working properly. In case of a parachute malfunction, they need to make good and quick decisions to resolve the issue in a matter of seconds.
Whether it’s a simple line twist or partially opened canopy, the presence of the mind is very important in skydiving since there is no time to panic. You just need to act and resolve the problem. It is normal to feel nervous in the beginning, but as you continue to jump you will soon realize that you are becoming more mentally sharp and good in decision making.
While this benefit is stronger when you perform a solo jump, it also impacts tandem skydivers. Even though you do not have to do a lot of during a tandem jump, you will pay attention to everything around you and be highly focused.
Those benefits are not only beneficial to skydiving but something that you can also apply in real-life scenarios. You will be amazed at how you can quickly resolve issues. This in turn will make you feel happier and content with yourself.
5. Skydiving Is One of the Best Stress Relievers
During adrenaline activities such as freefalling at 120 mph, the body produces endorphins and other brain chemicals to relieve stress. As a result, these “happy and feel-good” hormones trigger a positive feeling in the person. You will feel emotionally stable and less troubled.
Once you and your instructor step out of the airplane, adrenaline automatically kicks in. It will be scary initially since you are falling at a high speed and you might not appreciate it right away. But once the parachute is deployed, that is when you will start to feel relaxed. You will notice that it wasn’t bad after all; it was more of riding a roller coaster and reaching its peak.
Experiencing stressful activities is normal and sometimes even beneficial to your health. Adrenaline can boost your immune system and can temporarily fight off infections while improvising your vision. As a result, skydiving is one of the best stress relievers that you can have.
Aside from happy hormones and adrenaline kick, there are other feelings you will encounter during this life-changing moment. In fact, people are likely to experience a sensory overload especially during their first skydive. If you’d like to learn more and shed light on this phenomenon, read my article about the 7 true feelings of skydiving.
6. You Will Become More Active and Energetic
When the body is flooded with adrenaline, you will feel more engaged, focused and have the ability to perform cognitive tasks more quickly. Skydiving can boost your energy by increasing the heart’s pumping volume and improving the body’s regulation and circulation of blood sugar.
Similar to drinking coffee, skydiving can boost your alertness and you won’t get tired easily. As a result, you will feel more active and energetic after. You will be pumped up and full of energy to tell the world about your once-in-a-lifetime experience.
You will be surprised to know that most experienced skydivers only wanted to try skydiving at least once in their lifetime. However, skydiving can be so addictive that you will want to do it again and again after your first experience. That is because of the combined physical and mental benefits that they get from it.
If you’re curious about more physical effects of skydiving, check out my post about the 11 incredible effects of skydiving on your body. You’ll learn all about how this thrilling activity can impact your physical and mental health in surprising ways.
7. It Will Be a Great Bonding Activity With Family and Friends
Jumping is a unique experience especially if done with family and friends. It will be a great bonding activity; they can either tag along and witness your first jump or even decide to go on the jump with you. Having them with you during your first jump will serve as a support system and give you more courage and confidence.
If they decide to jump with you, it will be a very special and memorable moment because you get to experience and try something new together with your loved ones. It is also something that you all can happily talk to and reminisce about in the years to come. Having someone you know inside the plane before taking your first jump is more comforting than doing it alone.
In the US, the minimum age for skydiving is 18 and there is no maximum age. So as long as you are 18 years and up, you are welcome to make your first jump. You can bring all your family members from your siblings, cousins, parents and even your grandparents. You will be surprised to get to know who among them is brave enough to try the sport with you.
If you want to know more about the skydiving requirements that you need to meet in order to jump, check out this post.
Doing your first jump is a big decision to make and if you are still hesitant, try to involve your family and friends and make it a “family affair”. Most skydive companies also have areas for picnic and spectators. Be sure to bring some snacks or games so that they won’t be bored while waiting for your turn to jump.
8. Friends and Family Members Will Be Impressed
Not everyone will have the courage to jump from a plane at the height of 10,000 feet. If you do so, you will surely impress your friends and family members. It would be even better if they join your little adventure and see it themselves. But if not, then you can opt for a photo or video coverage, wherein a third party jumper will shoot your freefall using a professional camera. It can be a bit expensive but trust me that it’s worth it.
If you are unsure if you should get a video of your first skydive, check out my exciting guide which helps clarify if skydiving videos are worth it.
Hint: Most people regret not getting one!
You will also be the talk of the town at every family reunion or gathering. Some parents love to brag about the achievement of their child, whether it’s educational or work-related. After your first jump experience, you will be an instant celebrity among your cousins and friends.
Aside from impressing them, you might also get to inspire and encourage others to manage their fears and try skydiving for the first time. Doing something new and out of your comfort zone can be hard, but knowing that someone close to you has tried and experienced it will boost their confidence and steer their curiosity. You will even get to share the benefits of skydiving with them.
9. Rewatching Your Video Later Will Make You Relive the Moment
You can relive the moment of your first jump by rewatching the video. Since you are full of energy, you might not even wait to get home and watch it right away once you land at the dropzone. Watching your facial reaction and hand gestures will surely put a huge smile on your face and will give you a sense of achievement.
The skydiving video is proof and a reminder that you dared to face and manage your fears. You can even show it to your family and friends if they are not with you during that special moment. Even your grandparents and future kids will be impressed by your courage. Some might not believe that you have done such extreme sport unless you show them a video to see it for themselves.
Most people will cringe when they watch themselves on video but skydiving is different. Rewatching the video will also revive some of the benefits of skydiving. It’s like being in that same moment again. You will experience some butterflies in your stomach and the happiness that you had that day can be very contagious.
10. You Will Have Performed an Extreme Sport
Doing extreme sport is something special and something that not many people do. Skydiving is considered an extreme sport because it takes a lot of courage and provides an adrenaline-pumping experience to the jumper. It is also considered safer than other extreme sports since you do not need to be extremely fit to do the sport and it can be done without so much preparation.
Everyone has their bucket list. By performing skydiving, you can already tick the box off your bucket list. When you want to achieve something in life, normally you will make plans by conducting research, reading blogs, watching Youtube videos, and asking for advice.
Same with skydiving, you will invest time, effort, and money. But at the end of the day, once you make your first jump, it will all make sense and worth it. The skydive memory is something that you will treasure for the rest of your life.
Speaking of pushing boundaries, do you know how extreme people have gone in skydiving? Make sure to read my article about true skydiving heights including the world’s highest and most incredible skydives ever performed. You will be stunned by how athletes have pushed the boundaries of skydiving!
11. Less Than 1% of the Population Has Gone Skydiving
According to USPA, less than 1% of the US adult population has gone skydiving at least once in their lifetime. Each year only about 3 million skydives are made in the US, which is a combination of fun jumpers and active members of the USPA who jump regularly.
Since skydiving has a small population compared to skating and biking, you will be part of a unique and elite circle. Pretty cool, right? It will be an amazing experience that you can share with your family and friends for the years to come.
Summer is a very busy season for skydiving, so you might expect longer queues and waiting time. However, you can also skydive during winters; the experience will still be the same except for the fact that you need more layers to beat the cold.
Ultimately, the decision about whether to skydive is still up to you. Skydiving is a fun-filled sport with calculated risk. If you are ready to step out of your comfort zone, just drop by your local dropzone and experience it yourself. Trust me; the experience is priceless.
Good luck on your first jump and enjoy your freefall!
