Las Vegas and Skydiving

BlazeFire

This topic is not in the "help" area yet, just looking for some advice.

I'm going to be in Vegas for a bachelor party in early September and I've got it in my head to go skydiving. Does anyone have any experience with skydiving around there? Any suggestions or warnings on companies?

firewaterword

I've never done it in Vegas, but most companies are the same. Plan at least $250 for a tandem jump, and usually around $150 more if you want photos/video. I'd assume there are a few companies that offer tandems in/around Vegas, so I'm sure you guys can put a deal together or something.

Also, plan on spending most of the day there. From my experience, it can be a pretty slow process, especially if the dropzone is busy. Whichever company you choose will give you details, but basically wear good closed toed shoes and decent clothing. Most places will give you a jumpsuit and everything else you need.

I'd say photos are definitely worth it for anyone's first jump. The videos are cool too, but you'll pretty much watch it a few times and then forget about it. These days you usually get digital stills thrown in with a video, but every place is different. As far as safety goes, not skydiving is safer than skydiving, but chances are the drive to the dropzone will be riskier. And since a fall over 30ft will usually get ya, you only have to worry about the first minute or two in the plane, and then it's all good :rotate:

Oh speaking of which, you'll usually pay more the higher you want to jump from. 15k feet is a good number to look for. You'll get a good, long freefall, but it won't cost too much. Some places go higher for more money - you'll get more freefall, but go over 18k feet and you'll need a plane with oxygen masks.

Kyougu

firewaterword wrote:

I've never done it in Vegas, but most companies are the same. Plan at least $250 for a tandem jump, and usually around $150 more if you want photos/video. I'd assume there are a few companies that offer tandems in/around Vegas, so I'm sure you guys can put a deal together or something.

Also, plan on spending most of the day there. From my experience, it can be a pretty slow process, especially if the dropzone is busy. Whichever company you choose will give you details, but basically wear good closed toed shoes and decent clothing. Most places will give you a jumpsuit and everything else you need.

I'd say photos are definitely worth it for anyone's first jump. The videos are cool too, but you'll pretty much watch it a few times and then forget about it. These days you usually get digital stills thrown in with a video, but every place is different. As far as safety goes, not skydiving is safer than skydiving, but chances are the drive to the dropzone will be riskier. And since a fall over 30ft will usually get ya, you only have to worry about the first minute or two in the plane, and then it's all good :rotate:

I done skydiving a couple of times and I think it's an experience everyone should have if they can manage it.

I bolded that part because it's so true. The main reason is because Skydiving is incredibly weather dependent. Winds have to be below a certain MPH for a certain amount of time before they can send up a caravan and there can't be too much cloud coverage. There's been times when I got to the drop zone at around 9am, left at 5pm and never jumped. Then there's been times when I got to jump right on schedule.

So basically try to find out what the weather will be like for when you visit.

QuantumTurk

Though I jumped in NC, I'll just say that the above two are exactly right by my experience. Was tons of fun. If you go last out the plane, see if they will "nose" the plane for you. They offered this to me, and what it amounted to was as I fell, the plane was going down beside me, got to wave at the pilot, and was crazy to look to my left and just see the plane hanging there with us.

Oh! And since you will spend all day there, try and get there early and get through safety so you can watch other jumps. The day we were there it was a good mix of recreational/hobby jumpers running a few different kinds of chute, doing various approaches and other fun things.

And listening to a mix including "Freefallin'" and "Another one bites the dust" is MANDANTORY on the drive over.

neth

If i remember right, there's an indoor "skydiving" thing in or really close to Vegas too should some of the party not be up for actual skydiving.

found it: http://www.vegasindoorskydiving.com/index.php

Aphostile

BlazeFire wrote:

This topic is not in the "help" area yet, just looking for some advice.

I'm going to be in Vegas for a bachelor party in early September and I've got it in my head to go skydiving. Does anyone have any experience with skydiving around there? Any suggestions or warnings on companies?

Went a few years ago with my brother right around Christmastime. Most skydiving places will provide a shuttle straight from downtown out to the small airport where they do jumps, though my brother and I just drove as we were Vegas locals originally.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/vegas-extreme-skydiving-jean

Speaking as someone who has done both the indoor thing and the outdoor skydiving... don't even bother doing the indoor thing.

firewaterword

While I haven't done it myself, indoor really only seems like it would be useful for learning proper body position. I'd imagine that unless you knew what you were doing (or had people holding you in place), you'd get chucked around like a rag doll.