Skydiving Vs Bungee Jumping: Which is Safer?

When seeking out a thrilling experience, many people look to compare skydiving and bungee jumping to see which one is the best. This might be a surprise, but it can be hard to compare the two as they are actually very different! Both require the jumper to face their fears and make the conscious decision to step off the edge, but that is where the similarities end. 

While you get to experience adrenaline with both, there are some questions you should consider when deciding which is better for you. 

Do you go higher with skydiving or bungee jumping?

One of the most exciting parts of a skydive is how high up you get to go! Typical skydives are between 10,000 and 14,000 feet above the ground, but you can get even higher here at Oklahoma Skydiving Center, with an 18,000 ft tandem dive! Bungee jumps are usually only just a few hundred feet, which can still be a thrilling experience, but you just won’t get the same feeling of flying thousands of feet through the air!

Something that might be a little shocking is that many people who fear heights feel more comfortable skydiving than they do bungee jumping! Because you are so high when you take the initial jump for a skydive, you can’t see anything below you in detail. When bungee jumping, you can see the detailed rocks below which can create visuals of where you’d land if something were to go wrong (yikes!)! Depending on how your fear of heights manifests, skydiving might be the less scary option!

Do you spend more time skydiving or bungee jumping?

There is a huge difference in time when it comes to comparing the two experiences. When you bungee jump, it typically only lasts a few seconds, but with a skydive you can be in the air for more than 5 minutes!

Plus, you get different types of thrills when you skydive! First, you get the experience of climbing to altitude in the plane, which can take up to 15 minutes where you get to prepare for your jump with the adrenaline rushing through your veins. Then the initial freefall, which lasts about 45 seconds and is a feeling like none other! And then you get the time when the parachute has been deployed and you are floating down through the air. When bungee jumping you experience only the initial thrill of the jump and fall without any additional time to spend in the air, flying.

Is skydiving or bungee jumping safer?

It might be hard to believe due to the differences in altitude, but many people feel considerably safer skydiving than they do bungee jumping. When you bungee jump, you are held on by a single cord and if it were to snap there is no backup… and death is likely.

When you skydive there are multiple backups in case of a midair emergency. These include a reserve parachute, an automatic activation device to deploy the reserve should the skydiver not do it themselves, a reserve static line, and even a MARD system. Plus, the additional altitude gives the skydiver more time to sort any emergencies out, whereas with bungee jumping this time isn’t there.

Is skydiving or bungee jumping more fun?

This is totally objective and depends on the experience you are looking for! Both skydiving and bungee jumping are thrilling and fun, but you should take into account what you like. If your ultimate goal is to feel scared by your thrill, bungee jumping might be just what you’re looking for!

But honestly, nothing beats skydiving! The adrenaline you get from the altitude and the length of time you spend in the air, but still knowing that you’re safe if anything might happen, is incomparable! Besides, who doesn’t want to feel like they’re flying?!

If you have any more questions about the skydiving experience, check out our FAQ page! Ready to experience a skydive? Book with us!