skydiver_33460 0 #51 January 29, 2004 good idea kitty Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peacefuljeffrey 0 #52 January 29, 2004 Quotewhen I did my tandem (very first jump) in July in Playa Del Carmen (mexico)...my TM jumped barefoot. Interestingly, it's one of the things most people comments about my pictures of my first jump. heh. I figured that he did it because we land on a beach....but he also walked to the airport/plane (which was a little ways away) barefoot and didn't blink. It was obvious that he didn't wear shoes very often. I would love to try it...but only if I was going to land on a beach (and a 'clean beach'...no big rocks and things)...because my poor feet that are always shoed are so sensitive now... Elfanie, Far be it for me to say that you should just go on and jump barefoot... but if you do think you'd like to, but your "poor feet that are always shoed" are not tough enough right now, spend more time barefoot on the ground! It won't take long for them to become accustomed to walking on various surfaces. You will undoubtedly, like me and many others, come to enjoy the different sensations. Eventually, putting on shoes will feel like you're robbing yourself of one of your senses, like putting gloves on for the entire day would feel to your hands! Once you condition your feet (don't worry, they don't have to become gnarled and calloused just to be toughened) you'll have a lot of fun skydiving barefoot and you'll wonder why you didn't before. Plus, you won't want to do it "shoed" again. Have fun! Edited to add: I think tha twuffos believe that the landings of a skydiver are traumatic, harsh, impactful events, not the soft, smooth, gliding ones that we mostly do. That's probably why people focus on your TM's bare feet in the picture: they can't imagine landing without shoes on because years of conditioning have left them believing tha thuman bare feet are hardly able to do anything "unprotected." That's just a myth. For other myths dispelled, check out www.barefooters.org ---Jeffrey-Jeffrey "With tha thoughts of a militant mind... Hard line, hard line after hard line!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
smiles 0 #53 January 29, 2004 ask Roger Ponce.........(9950 jumps) barefoot?? No doubt he is still flying in bare feet right now (team captain world meet with Laidlaw/ Sector 9) SMiles Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkydiveNFlorida 0 #54 January 29, 2004 A couple of experienced jumpers at out dz have hurt themselves jumping barefoot. Just thought i'd throw that out there. I did a few jumps barefoot, but decided after seeing people get hurt that i'd rather not have to worry about that. It's all about your comfort level of course. . . It does feel good to jump w/o shoes:) Angela. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slug 1 #55 January 29, 2004 Quoteask Roger Ponce.........(9950 jumps) barefoot?? No doubt he is still flying in bare feet right now (team captain world meet with Laidlaw/ Sector 9) SMiles I can still remember Roger at dillingham field organizing a big way, standing up with one of his bare feet in a ice chest. Hard core I also remember a world champ swooping the ditch at deland barefoot (me old fart) and poping up just befor the bridge but caught one of his barefeet on the flower barrel planter on the end of the bridge. He just limped off laughing. Hard core You wanna play you gotts pay (sometimes). R.I.P. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peacefuljeffrey 0 #56 February 1, 2004 QuoteI jumped barefoot for a season a while back (mid-80's) and loved it until I had to wade through some irrigation ditches after landing out in ZHills. I was shitting myself stepping into those ditches, wondering what the hell I might step on that might bite back! Anyways, I gave it up after that. I jump in Tevas unless it's too cold. Being a "nothing-but-barefoot" skydiver, I find it amusing and perplexing that some people do the "I swear I never will" thing when it comes to barefooting, but none so much as the responses like this one, where nothing bad actually happened, and that's what caused the skydiver to say "never again"?! I don't get it. How is not having a problem of the very kind you were afraid you'd have a reason to NOT jump barefoot anymore? Well, anyway, everyone should do what makes them happy as long as they're comfortable with it. Me, I'm comfortable with barefoot skydiving. My landings have been happy, forgiving ones and I have confidence in them. Plus, the LZ here at SoBe is nice and big for the students and inexperienced jumpers, lots and lotsa grass. ---Jeffrey-Jeffrey "With tha thoughts of a militant mind... Hard line, hard line after hard line!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rocketdog 0 #57 February 1, 2004 i would guess that people jump barefoot for 1 of 2 reasons (or a combo of the two): #1 for the cool feeling -- ya know, wind through your toes #2 because they don't consider landing off, having a reserve ride, landing on pavement, etc. ???? any comments see the world! http://gorocketdog.blogspot.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Amanda965 0 #58 February 2, 2004 Chackos or Tevas work well for those that want to be barefoot, but want to avoid landing on something that is going to hurt them as well. (You can still feel the wind through your toes) Chackos are the best, you can adjust them to fot your foot exactly and they are so comfortable!Blue skies and SAFE landings! ~Amanda~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steve1 5 #59 February 2, 2004 I quit jumping a very long time ago. Back in the early 70's everyone jumped with either french para-boots or high topped hiking boots that you laced tight for extra ankle support. It was something you did to keep from getting hurt back in the days when a high-tech parachute was still round. Then after 25 years without jumping I started up again. After making about 50 jumps at our local Cessna DZ, I figured I was ready to jump at Perris and Elsinore. After all I was a bad-ass relative worker from the old days, and I figured I still had what it took. I was waiting to get on our jump ship at Perris, when this guy comes walking up, all geared up, with no shoes. What the hell!! I don't know how long I stood there staring with this big frown on my face. I mean it was kind of like spotting the devil in church....I just couldn't figure that one out. And then I was on another load the next day, and I was seated up toward the front of the otter, when I notice everyone is kind of smiling at me, so I smile back at them, and then I notice they aren't smiling at me, they're smiling at the gal next to me. About then I notice she doesn't have her shirt on...What the hell!! So anyhow the first few years back were a real learning experience. I still don't have it all figured out, but it looks like fun....Steve1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peacefuljeffrey 0 #60 February 2, 2004 Quotei would guess that people jump barefoot for 1 of 2 reasons (or a combo of the two): #1 for the cool feeling -- ya know, wind through your toes #2 because they don't consider landing off, having a reserve ride, landing on pavement, etc. ???? any comments Maybe I'm reading too much into your response... I don't know. It seems to have a condemnatory tone to it. Rather like if I said, "Why do people opt not to wear their seatbelts? 1) Because they find the feeling of unrestrainedness liberating or 2) Because they enjoy imagining their wife's face as she stands in the doorway with her two daughters and their little brother as the state trooper tells them all that daddy is never coming home again. I think I take a bit of umbrage at the suggestion that I have not considered landing or having a reserve ride, because it seems presumptuous. I have considered these things. I am aware of what's going on around me and my skydive. In fact, I had a learning experience today and almost DID land off, which would have been in a baseball field or one of the adjacent cane fields. Nothing that would have torn up my feet. I don't know what you mean by mentioning a reserve ride, because I don't know what difference it would make. My reserve is bigger than my main by a bit and it's not like it's a round or anything. Now, landing on pavement is a possibility, yes, but I figure that I'm more worried about what'll happen to my hands then. If the landing on pavement will be trouble on my feet won't it be likely I won't stay full up on my feet? In such a case, I'd probably be sprawling forward and might tear up my hands (not to mention my rig). Hands and feet heal, btw. Meantime, 56 jumps, 51 of them barefoot, have not seen any of the gloom and doom come to pass, so I continue to be comfortable (in more ways than one) with the idea of jumping barefoot. Blue skies, ---Jeffrey-Jeffrey "With tha thoughts of a militant mind... Hard line, hard line after hard line!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
