What’s Better, Skydiving or Bungee Jumping?

When it comes to adrenaline-pumping adventures, skydiving and bungee jumping are often at the top of the list. However, the choice between skydiving and bungee jumping ultimately depends on personal preferences. Let us help you narrow it down!

Skydiving vs Bungee Jumping

The difference between skydiving and bungee jumping is based on a few factors: safety, scariness, and overall experience. While most of these are up to you and your opinion, we’d like to shed a little light on each of these topics and what sets skydiving apart as you make your choice.

Which is Safer: Skydiving or Bungee Jumping?

Safety is a significant concern for anyone who might be considering an extreme sport such as skydiving or bungee jumping. Both sports involve their own element of highly calculated risk, but when it comes to safety, skydiving tends to have the advantage. 

For starters, skydiving is highly regulated by the United States Parachute Association (USPA) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and requires rigorous training, equipment maintenance, and certified instructors. On a tandem skydive, you are paired with a licensed and certified tandem instructor who is responsible for operating all of the equipment and guiding you throughout your experience. Modern skydiving gear includes a main parachute, a reserve (backup) parachute, and an Automatic Activation Device (AAD) to add another layer of extra security. In 2022, out of 3.9 million jumps recorded by the USPA, there were 20 fatal skydiving accidents. This is a rate of 1 fatality in every 195,000 jumps amongst licensed sport jumpers. It’s worth noting, too, that the vast majority of skydiving accidents and fatalities are due to human error by experienced skydivers, and not equipment malfunction. Tandem skydiving has an even better safety rate with 1 student fatality per 500,000 jumps on average over the past 10 years.

Bungee jumping, on the other hand, involves jumping from a fixed structure while being attached to an elastic cord. While bungee jumping is generally considered safe when conducted under proper supervision and with certified operators, there is a risk that equipment failure or miscalculation could result in injury or death — and there are no backup measures in place. Bungee jumping also has a fatality rate of 1 in 500,000 jumps. Buuuuuut, you have to go it alone with nobody there to support you. See ya!

Which is Scarier: Skydiving or Bungee Jumping?

The fear associated with skydiving and bungee jumping is completely subjective and varies from person to person. Skydiving offers a unique sense of freedom and empowerment as you conquer your fears and freefall through the open sky. Most people would describe skydiving as an unforgettable, life-changing, spiritual, inspiring, and thought-provoking experience. Some will say (and we agree) that the scariest part is the anticipation that builds during your journey to altitude, but as soon as you jump, you’ll feel the fear subside and fully embrace the adrenaline rush of freefalling at 120 mph, becoming one with the sky.

Bungee jumping often evokes a different kind of fear. The act of voluntarily jumping off a tall structure with nothing but an elastic cord keeping you from a sudden stop can be unnerving. The intense fear of falling and the sudden rebound as the cord stretches can be a quick release of adrenaline. However, the duration of fear, along with excitement, quickly subsides when bungee jumping as compared to skydiving. 

If it’s a fear of heights you’re concerned about, you would think that skydiving would be scarier since you’ll be jumping from 10,000 to 14,000 feet in the air as opposed to a few hundred feet with bungee jumping — however, many people who fear heights feel more comfortable skydiving than bungee jumping. This is because skydiving starts so high in the sky that our brains can’t comprehend the height, whereas in bungee jumping, we have a pretty good idea of how close the ground is and can visualize exactly where you would land if something were to go awry (yikes!).

Which is Better: Skydiving or Bungee Jumping?

Is skydiving better than bungee jumping? Well, duh … skydiving is the best! Okay, we may be a little biased. But, in all seriousness, determining which activity is better is completely subjective and depends on personal preferences. 

Bungee jumping offers a quick burst of excitement with a shorter overall experience. The rebound effect and feeling of weightlessness during the fall can be exhilarating, especially for thrill-seekers who enjoy a sudden rush of adrenaline. A quick adrenaline-filled adventure could be what you’re looking for, but if you want to get more out of your experience … skydiving is where it’s at!

Skydiving is a longer process that provides a “fully-loaded” adventure equipped with an airplane ride, breathtaking aerial views, 45-60 second freefall through the sky, and a 5-minute parachute ride back to the ground. Skydiving offers a ton of benefits, including a change of perspective that will last a lifetime and an opportunity to experience true freedom while overcoming your fears and testing your limits. Nothing compares to this overwhelmingly joyful adventure of jumping from a perfectly good airplane — we guarantee that it’ll be one of the best things you ever do!

Is There Anything Better Than Skydiving?

While skydiving and bungee jumping are both incredible sports, some may argue that there are activities that surpass the thrill of skydiving. Wingsuit flying, base jumping, hot air balloon jumping, paragliding, and helicopter skiing are all examples of other unique thrills that might be more fun than skydiving for some. However, these activities require a certain skill level that is simply inaccessible to most people. This is why tandem skydiving is consistently considered one of the best things you can do RIGHT NOW!

So, what will you choose: skydiving or bungee jumping? Skydiving? Great! Book your skydive with WNY Skydiving and let us show you how skydiving will far surpass your expectations of a thrilling adventure. Blue skies.