Skydiving vs. Bungee Jumping: Which is Safer?

While some folks think adrenaline junkies have a few screws loose, we know better. We have no drive to dive blindly into a dangerous situation. In fact, we are pretty rational people. So since you’re thinking about taking your first tandem skydiving jump, you have probably been wondering: which is safer – skydiving vs bungee jumping? Well, we’re here to help you find the answer.

Falling vs. Flying

Skydiving and bungee jumping both require you to take a step forward and, consequently, right out of your comfort zone. Whether this “step” is off a ledge or from the door of an airplane, the step itself is nothing to scoff at. In fact, for both, the fear of heights might come into play. If you’re afraid of finding yourself in high places, join the club! Many people who jump with us at Boston Skydiving Center have a fear of heights. If this is the case for you, don’t worry. We’re prepared to help you feel secure and comfortable. For your tandem skydive, you are paired with a highly-trained instructor. On that bungee jump? You’re making the leap alone.

Also, while it’s not necessarily a matter of safety – when skydiving, you don’t notice how high you really are, and your fear of flights won’t come into play quite as much. This is due to the lack of objects relative to you at 10,000 feet (which is about where you’ll be when you make your skydive) for your brain to triangulate your position.

In skydiving, you begin to reach terminal velocity after you leave the airplane and pick up speed. That “fall” tends to feel more like flying than dropping. Bungee jumping, however, definitely feels like a fall, and will give you that sinking-stomach feeling. It is over in a few short seconds, and then you sort of dangle/hang there until you are lowered down to the ground. Just doesn’t sound as breathtakingly glorious as freefalling for 45 seconds around 120mph – now does it?

Skilled Sports vs. One-Time Thrill

As experience junkies, we are always looking for more. With bungee jumping, all you get is a short thrill. Because of how your body adapts, each time you take the leap, you get a little less of that satisfying adrenaline buzz. There is also no skill to develop and no further learning. Each time is the same. The only thing you can change is the location you make the leap from, and how confidently you take the first step.

Skydiving is a different matter entirely. With skydiving, there is a vast new world just waiting to be explored. Skydiving is a burgeoning sport with tons to learn and become involved in. There are various skydiving disciplines to keep you challenged, and there is always a new skill to master. The envelope is always being pushed. Just recently there was a world record attempt to create a formation with 200 people while flying on their heads! So, unlike bungee jumping, you can really add others to the mix. If you are looking for a sport to be challenged by and to progress in, skydiving might just be right up your alley.

So—Skydiving vs. Bungee Jumping: Which is Safer? 

As with all extreme sports, there is a degree of risk involved in both bungee jumping and skydiving. However, in both sports, a great deal is done to mitigate those risks, and consistent developments in technology and state-of-the-art equipment continue to make each safer. The United States Parachute Association has been gathering data on skydiving to produce statistics on skydiving safety since the 70s. The most recent data gathered reveals that skydiving is continuing to improve its safety record. The track record for tandem skydiving is even better. Over the past decade, there has been one student fatality per 500,000 tandem jumps. The National Safety Council says a person is more likely to be killed being stung by a bee or struck by lightning than during tandem skydiving. Bungee jumping has the same fatality rate or 1 in 500,000.

When it comes to safety, bungee jumping and skydiving are right on par. As you can see, though, the nature of the experience is quite a bit different.

Think skydiving might be for you and want to get started? Book your skydive with Boston Skydiving Center Today!