Rope jumping

Rope Jumping (sometimes called "controlled free-falling") is a sport involving the use of standard rock climbing and rescue equipment to free fall from objects. The sport became known in the mid 1990s when Dan Osman took the sport to its current state. Dan Osmond made a Rope Jumping system off Leaning Tower in Yosemite National Park, California, USA.

Rope Jumping should not be confused with bungee jumping, which uses rubber bungee cords to slowly arrest the fall and bounce back up.

A rope jumper designs a rope jumping 'system' and uses the system to free-fall. The majority of rope jumping is done from bridges and other man-made spans using a single length of rock climbing dynamic rope, with the jumper leaving the object at a distance from the anchor of the rope, so that much of the drop energy is transferred into a swing. The sport can be done with a small amount of gear, most of which a rock climber would already have. Rope jumping can be done relatively safely if the correct techniques and equipment are used, but can be extremely dangerous without instruction.

In 2002, a group of Colorado rope jumping enthusiasts founded a company called "SINE Innovations" to design and build rope jumping systems. Systems have been built in several American States. These systems utilize high-tension Tyroleans to provide access to jumps at different areas and to increase the energy absorption capability. One recent system built in Moab, Utah is called FRASCA II, and allows for 7-second free-falls.

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