Jumping in SAN DIEGO

[binkyro12 0]

Going to be in San Diego for a few months (hopefully longer) and trying to jump once or twice a week. Right now I'm working with a smooth 31 jumps so experience is something I'm after. Just reaching out to find some groups to jump with who are cool with a 26 yr old dude new to the sport. Thanks guys and blue skies.

[Starx 1]

Make the drive up to Perris Valley and jump with the Perris organizers. They are extremely welcoming to new jumpers, they make sure you learn something in addition to having people to jump with, and they are super fun.

I finished my A at Skydive San Diego and at about 40 jumps went up to Perris as a last hurrah before leaving California. I instantly regretted the fact that I hadn't started jumping at Perris the day I got my A.

[kat00 11]

I'm working through my A license at Perris but I live in San Diego. People from all over the world seem to go there which makes it easy to meet people of all levels. Plus they help to organize jumps for people. It seems like Perris, Elsinore and Sky Dive San diego should have all levels for you to jump with though.

[Lawndarter 3]

Check out EXCEL camps at Skydive Elsinore - great way to learn a lot, and they're free. You don't even pay for the coach slots - I learned a whole lot of stuff at one.

And make sure you get in a balloon jump while you're there. It's incredible.

[tikl68 6]

Welcome to our sport and SO Cal. binkyro21. I would like to echo Lawndarters advice. Elsinore has organizers and Perris LO's are awesome, but for some one with your low jump numbers EXCEL camp is right up your alley. Not only did I participate right off my A license but 2 years later after several(only missed 2 camps) I became a coach for Excel.San Diego has some awesome belly peeps, but with the low jump numbers you will get more out of each jump in an Excel camp. It is not just Load Organizing. Its free coaching. You will learn great basic foundation/techniques for RW in a safe and structured environment. The coach will engineer a dive for you and the others on the jump with you whether it is a 2 way with a coach or a 3 way with 2 other people, and explain the best techniques for flying your slot and reiterate the core basics. After each jump you will get the benefit of a video debrief 97 percent of the time even if it is inside video. I allways wore my camera when coaching Excel camp. All we ask is that you stay in the group for the day and not jump in and out of the group. After 2 excel camp weekends you will be able to hold your own in a 2way RW jump and up to at least an 8 way. You might not be ready for nationals but will be able to fly your slot with skill and confidence when the local LO at a dz puts you on a jump with out some of the common bad habits. One of my Excel camp students went to nationals this past year (2nd year in the sport) with a four way team and won a medal, and is now an Excel camp coach. It is money well spent, and a lot of fun. Check the calendar on Elsinores web site, there is usually one per month.

Blue skies

[Lawndarter 3]

The camp I went to was on a really windy day, so didn't get a lot of jumps in (I think only 1 or 2), but we still spent the day together discussing lots of useful things, I definitely got a lot of benefit and I'm planning my next California trip around an EXCEL camp.

[SkydiveUranus 0]

binkyro12

Going to be in San Diego for a few months (hopefully longer) and trying to jump once or twice a week. Right now I'm working with a smooth 31 jumps so experience is something I'm after. Just reaching out to find some groups to jump with who are cool with a 26 yr old dude new to the sport. Thanks guys and blue skies.

You might as well check out SDSD! The pricing (especially gear rentals) is much cheaper than Perris. There are a few Load Organizers and belly flying groups that would be more than happy to have you every weekend and sometimes during the week.

I did my canopy course for my B license at Perris last year, paid 250 for it, and another 50 to do the water training. (it would have cost 100 at SDSD water training included) If you have less than 100 jumps you have to land in the dirt, so i wouldn't recommend flying your own gear there until you're eligible to land on the grass.

The one thing that really bothered me though was nobody was smiling. People seemed so serious and ignored me a couple times when i gave a "whats up" head nod. Even my packer seemed moody all day (i was setting my brakes and uncollapsing the slider, so that wasnt the reason). On the plane pre-jump, one guy was double checking his gear and missed an older woman waiting for a hand and fist bump from him, and when he looked up after that she totally just flipped him off! I'm a good judge of body language and she wasnt joking lol.But, those were just two times that I've been there so it can always be different.

Perris does have the bar, monitors everywhere, pool, awesome camps all the time etc. And some of my friends like it much more, but just dont want to make the drive that often.

Check out Elsinore some time too, and Oceanside after you get your B license!

No farting on the plane!

[sizzle 0]

Funny that you brought up the packers at Perris. I used them for a year 17 years ago. They were very demeaning to me and made me feel like they were doing me a favor by packing for me. And its now a different crew of people packing now. I figure I've saved close to $20,000 by packing for myself over the years but I love the friendships I've made there.

[billvon 2,990]

>Funny that you brought up the packers at Perris. I used them for a year 17 years
>ago. They were very demeaning to me and made me feel like they were doing me
>a favor by packing for me.

Hmm. I've used them since about 1996 and some are great, some are surly and rude (but good packers) and some are trainwrecks. Like any cross-section of skydivers.

In any case, Skydive San Diego is a good option as well, although there's not much belly flying going on there right now.

[wjt5 0]

+1 for skydive San Diego! Did AFF there and it was awesome. Very friendly and helpful staff. Professional and welcoming DZ. I went to Perris once and didn't get the same feeling. Lots of groups of people doing their own thing, definitely a great DZ with a wealth of resources but maybe better to go with a group of people you know.

[tikl68 6]

THE LO's AT PERRIS WILL JUMP WITH ANY BODY. YOU SHOULD FIND OUT WHO IS ORGANIZING NEXT TIME YOU ARE UP THERE AND SIMPLY APPROACH THEM AND ASK TO JUMP. THEY WILL HAPPILY OBLIGE YOU.