You finally decided that you will tick another box off your bucket list and fulfil yourself the dream of skydiving. You are nervous and excited at the same time and the last question that remains is whether you should spend additional money and get a video of your skydive?
In order to help you, I have summarized five reasons why it is worth getting a skydiving video.
For most people, it is worth spending extra money and getting a video of their first skydive. After the jump, they do not regret that they spend the money due the following five reasons:
- It is a life-changing experience that you will watch even after years
- It is amazing to share your skydiving video with your friends and family
- You are more likely to regret not getting a video than to regret getting one
- You will still watch your first skydive even after hundreds of other jumps
- You will not think about the money in a few weeks
To help you in your decision process, let’s go through the reason one by one and explain the rationale behind it.
Getting a skydiving video or not is a personal choice, however, it often helps to understand how other people felt after they have done it. If you decide to get one, there is also one small appeal that I want to share with you.
People Watch The Video Of Their First Skydive Even After Years
Jumping out of an airplane from 14,000ft and falling towards the earth at 125 mph (200km/h) is one of the most amazing and adrenaline-pumping experiences that you can have in your lifetime. Even though you are only in freefall for around 30 seconds, it will feel much longer and shorter at the same time. Not only does time flow differently when being in the air, but your body and mind also experience something new. And this new experience will be reflected on your face and specifically in your eyes.
If you’re curious about more physical effects of skydiving on your body, check out my post on 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.
Everyone looks different on their videos: you might look scared, amazed, fascinated, and surprised – or everything at the same time. It is not only fun and interesting to watch your own reaction to the freefall and the face that you will make, but it is also a great memory for later. And the video will always help you to recoup the memory and to be back at the moment of your first jump.
Whenever I feel stressed or down, I look at my first skydiving video. It constantly reminds me that life is about happiness and joy and not about negativity. Even after this time, it still cheers me up and works wonder on my mood.
It Is Fun To Watch Your Skydive Video Together With Your Family And Friends
It is not only fun to watch yourself making a crazy yet delighted face during your first jump – it is also fun for your family and friends. They might laugh at the face that you make and will poke you a bit. However, they will also be impressed and will be infected by your good mood. If you show them the video it is guaranteed that you will have a great time together and they are likely to also tell you about the past exciting experience of their lives.
Not only will you have fun together watching the video, but your friends and family will also be part of a special experience for you. Sharing a skydiving experience is not as simple as going to the prom together or having a nice dinner to celebrate one of your achievements. It is very unlikely that you will jump together with all your family members and friends (although it must be fun to do so!) and by showing them the video afterward they can still be part of your experience.
I showed my skydiving video to my grandfather and he was thrilled to watch it. He could not believe that I jumped from 14,000ft because in his days it was not that common. If I hadn’t had the video, he would not have believed it and could not have imagined how it worked. His reaction alone was worth getting the video for me.
People Usually Regret Not Getting A Video Of Their First Skydive
Whenever I talk to someone who has not received a video of his or her first jump, they regret their choice. Having a video would allow them to relive the moment and would continue to give them joy after the jump. Most people who do not become regular skydivers will perform a second jump, just to get some footage of their skydive. If you are going to spend money on the video afterward anyway, why not get it in the first place?
One problem, however, is that nothing is similar to your first jump. As you will already know the feeling of free-falling, your reaction will not be as rigorous as it was on your first jump. I found the following quote in a skydiving forum that reflects this feeling:
“I wish I had for my first jump. My reaction was priceless. I did get a video for my second jump, but my reaction was definitely more dialed down than the first one. I’d pay anything to see my first jump again.”
Anonymous Quote from Reddit
Even Experienced Skydivers Still Watch The Video Of Their First Jump
Over the course of the years, skydivers collect a great number of videos and photos about themselves skydiving. This might include cool formation stunts or just them playing and posing in the air. While it is fun to shoot these videos and watch them later, it is not the same as recording your first skydive.
Stunts not only look cool but are also difficult to perform, given the limited freefall time. In a stunt every movement has to be near perfect, otherwise, skydivers might miss the right height for parachute deployment. If you want to learn more about how long the freefall time for skydivers is and the surprising ways how to manipulate it, check out my article about it
Whenever I talk to other skydivers about their first jump, they are still able to tell me about this special experience and how they felt at the moment. Even years after the jump, they are able to revive the moment of their first jump.
This might be a bit biased because experienced skydivers obviously enjoyed their first jump and probably would have not continued if they had not liked it. However, even for people that did not enjoy it, it is often a good memory of their courage and determination.
You Will Not Think About The Money In A Few Weeks
The last perspective that you can take in order to derive a decision is to ask yourself: How long will I think about the money? How long will I think about it if I do not enjoy the jump? How long will I think about it if I do not like the video?
If you are likely to feel bad for months because of the extra money that you spend, I would not get a video. However, if you feel like you can recover the money on other ends, you should definitely get one.
How Much Does A Skydiving Video Cost?
In the end, it is not only about the personal value of the video but also about the price that you will pay for it. Obviously, it differs from skydiving company to company, but I was able to research the price range of the videos.
| Type of Footage | Description | Price Range |
|---|---|---|
| Handcam Video Or Handcam Photos | You will either get videos or pictures that are shot by the tandem instructor with a handcam (e.g. GoPro) | $60 – 110 |
| Handcam Video Plus Photography | You will get both videos and pictures of your skydive that are shot with a handcam | $110 – 150 |
| Outside Video And Outside Photos | You will get videos and pictures that are shot with a professional camera from a third jumper. The cameraman jumps besides you which often give cool angles to it. | $140 – 180 |
| Handcam Plus Outside Videos And Photos | This is the premium option to make sure that your jump is filmed from all kinds of different angles. | $190 – 220 |
Before making a decision about where to go skydiving, make sure that you calculate the overall skydiving price (the price of the jump + getting video footage). Some skydiving companies make the jumps cheaper and then overcharge the prices for videos because they know that people are willing to pay a lot for this kind of memory.
Which Skydiving Footage Option Should I Get?
When talking to people, they often tell me that the handcam video is enough. If you want pictures, you can later extract them from the videos. Although outside footage looks incredibly cool, it is not necessary to get it for your first jump.
When I talk to people they want to see themselves and the scenery which you will if you go with a handcam video. Outside videos make sense if you perform stunts or jump in formation – something that you are not likely to do on your first jump.
Do Not Focus On Looking Cool Or Posing On Your First Skydiving Jump
My last appeal is that you should not worry about whether your skydiving video looks cool. If you start posing too much, you will not be able to enjoy your freefall as much and the abovementioned effects will be lower.
It is not only fun watching your own skydives but those of others as well. If you want to learn more about stunning skydiving jumps, check out my article about the most mind-blowing wingsuit flights in human history.
In my experience, the videos also look coolest when people do not focus on the camera but on the amazing experience that they have. In the end, it is not about the footage of the jump but about the jump itself!
That being said, enjoy your freefall!
