Bungy Jumping Tools.

By: NickyWalker Click author's name for more of his/her articles

It is a good idea to familiarize yourself with the equipment used in bungy jumping before you participate in a leap. This way you will know what to look for and what type of setup you would like best. While there are many different types of platforms and retrieval equipment, for the purpose of this article, we will look at two things that will affect your leap the most - the bungy cord, and the harness.

When talking about bungy jumping equipment, the bungy cord is one of the most vital items. There are several variations on the type of cord that is used in bungy jumping today. There are braided cords, unbraided cords, pre-stretched and un-stretched, natural rubber, mil spec, and the Euro cord. These are the major variations in the bungy cord used in today's bungy jumping sports events. Let's take a minute to look at the characteristics of each one of these cords, and the impact that it has on the end user: the bungy jumper.

First, there is the military specification cord (or mil spec), which is manufactured to meet the requirements of the U. S. military. Of course, the military uses it to tie down equipment, not leap from bridges and other tall objects! However, because of the rigorous and standardized testing of the mil spec, these cords work well for bungy jumping. When using mil spec cords in bungy jumping, they are usually grouped together to form a set, as one cord can typically hold around two hundred pounds of weight. Each cord has a protective sheath on it to prevent dirt and foreign objects from abrading the cords. The downside to this is that it is not possible to inspect the ends of the cords for fraying and / or signs of failure.

Some bungy cords are pre-stretched. This prevents the cord from stretching as much during the actual leap, which provides more of a 'jerking' action and a shock as the jumper reaches the end of the cord length. These are used mostly in the northern hemisphere. In the southern hemisphere the commercial proponents of bungy jumping tend to use a natural rubber, un-stretched and unbraided cord. This provides for a lot more 'bounce' and a more smooth experience at the bottom of the leap. While these natural cords do not last as long as the mil spec cords, they do provide a much more comfortable leap for the average user.

The next piece of bungy jumping equipment that you should inquire about is known as the harness. There are two main types of harnesses - the leg harness and the body harness. The leg harness usually consists of a towel wrapped around the ankles with webbing tied around this in a special knot. The towel provides padding to help prevent injury to the ankles. The webbing is then attached to the bungy cord. The body harness is very similar to a climber's harness, and in fact, is many times the same thing. The most vital aspect of the harness is how it attaches - if it is secure - to the bungee. Some accidental deaths have occurred when the bungy cord was attached using climbing carabineers instead of specialized equipment. It can definitely be said that bungy jumping equipment has come a long way since the vines on Pentecost Island!

Article Source: ABC Article Directory

About The Author: Nicholas has bungy jumped in Australia and New Zealand. The next dangerous activity will hopefully be cheese rolling in Gloucestershire.