Skydiving Types: Is Tandem Skydiving Right for You?
Should I go tandem skydiving or indoor skydiving for my first skydive?
**So you want to cross skydiving off your bucket list? Except you don’t know if you have the guts to jump from a plane so you may not pursue it at all. That breaks my heart. Canopy flight is something that everyone should try to experience in their life. I'd hate for you not to cross it off your bucket list simply because you are not aware that tandem skydiving exists. **
Not knowing about the different types of skydiving that can prevent a person from pursuing the life-changing experience that is skydiving. It’s my goal that by the end of this post you understand what each of the skydiving types are. You should learn about what’s required for each type of skydiving experience as well as which type of skydiving is suited for each experience level.
**By the end of this post, you should be able to determine which skydiving type is best suited for you. **
In this article, you’ll find information on...
- Tandem Skydiving
- Solo Skydiving
- Demo Skydiving
Plus…
- Which Skydiving Type is Right for You?
What are the different skydiving types?
Let's dive into Tandem Skydiving:
Some people don't know that as a newbie skydiver, you don't have to jump out of the plane alone. Instead, you can go tandem skydiving with a professional tandem skydiver.
Here’s a tandem skydiving gif to give you an idea of what it looks like…
Skydiving Tandem GIF from Skydiving GIFs
What does tandem skydiving involve?
Tandem skydiving adventures involve you jumping from a plane attached to an experienced tandem skydiving instructor, from up to 4,000 feet in the sky! You'll free fall for a minute at 120mph! Then, your tandem instructor will pull the parachute and you'll experience 5 minutes of peaceful canopy flight before landing safely on the ground.
Who can go tandem skydiving?
Tandem skydiving is an excellent option for first-timers or skydivers with little to no experience. Tandem skydiving allows you to fly in the sky with no experience or prior training. Anyone over 18 years can go tandem skydiving as long as they meet the weight requirements for skydiving. You can find more information about skydiving requirements in the blog post Skydiving Requirements.
How much does a tandem skydive cost?
The cost of your tandem jump will vary. The total amount you spend on your skydiving experience will depend on where you live, whether you get videos, and how much you tip. There's more about how much it costs to go tandem skydiving in the blog post, Average Skydiving Costs.
Let's dive into Solo Skydiving:
What does solo skydiving involve?
Solo skydiving is the act of skydiving by yourself with nothing but a backpack full of parachutes! (yes, you read that right - there are TWO parachutes. The main canopy and a reserve parachute in case something happens to your main canopy)
Who can go solo skydiving?
**If you’re a dare-devil, then this might be what you want for your first skydiving experience.**
**You’ll have to become a certified skydiver in order to jump solo whether it’s your first or 100th time. You must complete the Accelerated Free Fall course and become a certified skydiver before you step foot alone on the plane. The AFF course work costs a couple of thousand dollars more than a one time tandem jump. It also requires more of your time. **
Solo skydiving is a great choice for someone who has made skydiving their hobby!
Indoor Skydiving:
Indoor skydiving works by you entering a skydiving simulator. In the simulator, you can feel the thrill of skydiving without falling towards Mother Earth at full throttle. Indoor skydiving is excellent for someone who doesn't meet the age and weight requirements for tandem skydiving or simply can't get over their fear. For more on skydiving requirements, check out the blog post Skydiving Requirements.
**Demo Skydiving: **
Ah… Demo Skydiving. The fascinating, yet dangerous skydiving sport.
Demo skydiving is also known as demonstrative skydiving works by having experienced skydivers do crazy stunts and land in challenging areas. They do this to demonstrate their skill.
**Demo skydiving is responsible for a number of skydiving fatalities. According to the United States Parachute Association, 2018 had only 13 deaths out of the millions of jumps that year.**
**I don’t mention that statistic to scare you. That is a super low number! You’re more likely to die in a car accident. **
**If demo skydiving is something that interests you, start by getting your skydiving license and work on gaining the experience. Until then, here are some links to some video clips of my favorite demo skydiving. **
My Favorite Examples of Demo Skydiving videos:
**Here are links to some really incredible demo jumps! **
In this video, a guy lands on the shore of the ocean, barely missing the spot he was aiming for! If he had an unexpected gust of wind, he could have landed deep in the water…
This is a video of a skydiver gliding through the Mountain crack. Check out that gorgeous Mountain view! One wrong turn and he could crash into the mountain...
**These Parachuting Championships from Dubai dance in the sky with their amazing skydiving routine. Check out their stunts! **
**Which demo jump was your favorite? **
**So, Which Skydiving Type Is Right For You? **
For first-timers, tandem skydiving is probably the best choice simply because you don't have to go alone. But ultimately, deciding which skydiving type is best for you comes down to what you decide, but leave the demo jumping to the pros! If you are under 18 or over the recommended weight, indoor skydiving is an excellent place to start.
Conclusion
**Tandem Skydiving is the best option for newbie skydivers to experience skydiving without having to be certified. You can go Solo Skydiving for your first dive if you're brave enough. In order to do that, you will need to become a certified skydiver first! Demo skydiving is best left to the pros but it sure is a lot of fun to watch them on video. And if you don't meet the age and weight requirements for tandem skydiving or if you find yourself too scared to go, then Indoor Skydiving is a great alternative option. **
**That's it on skydiving types! **
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Would you like to see ‘Tandem Skydiving Near Me’?
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