In this episode, Matt Blank interviews Jacob Gardner, a renowned BASE jumper and equipment manufacturer. Jacob delves into his journey as a parachute rigger, the challenges and learning curve he faced, and how understanding gear transformed fear into fun. The discussion covers the evolution of BASE canopy manufacturing, the importance of equipment maintenance, and the trade-offs between different materials and designs. They highlight the balance between action and technical knowledge in BASE jumping, emphasizing the significance of self-reliance and passing down traditions. Jacob's passion for improving the safety and performance of BASE gear is evident as he shares insights on innovations and his vision for his company, Magic Backpacks.

Please support this independent project by visiting: support Exit Point

For more info visit exitpointpodcast.com Producers: Laurent Frat, Matt Blank, Mark Stockwell  Host: Matt Blank Sound mixing: Mark Stockwell Music credit: Staccato Strings by Andreas Beats 

In this episode, Laurent is joined by Scott Palmer.  Scott, also known as Plamer, is a 3rd generation aviator, was a forward air controller with the US Air Force and after serving in Iraq, he went on to pursue a career in skydiving.  With over 15 years in the sport and over 11,000 skydives, Scott traveled the world competing and became one of the world’s most sought-after tunnel coaches.

He has multiple world records and championship titles and has been involved in a ton of amazing aerial stunts, including appearing on Nitro Circus. 

After reaching what might be the pinnacle of skydiving, Plamer changed his focus from flying his body to flying airplanes.  He now is an aerial firefighter for the US federal government.

Please support this independent project by visiting: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/exitpoint - For more info visit www.exitpopintpodcast.com

In this episode, Laurent sits down with Yuri Kuznetsov. Yuri made his first skydive when he was 13 years old, his first BASE jump in 1994 with skydiving gear, and has since made thousands of jumps.  He has been active in urban, terminal, wingsuiting, sliderdown, you name it - to say that he is experienced is a massive understatement. We're looking forward to hearing some of his stories from back in the day, how his motivations around BASE have changed over the years, and talk about how he has remained so resilient  -

Please support this independent project by visiting: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/exitpoint

For more info visit www.exitpopintpodcast.com 

In this episode, Matt Blank interviews Brian Germain. Brian is a career educator with a master's degree in sports psychology and a groundbreaking parachute engineer and test pilot. Brian has authored numerous critically acclaimed books, including The Parachute and Its Pilot. https://briangermain.company.site/ https://calendly.com/brian-germain-1

http://adventurewisdom.com 

. Please support this independent project by visiting: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/exitpoint . https://www.exitpointpodcast.com

In this episode, Laurent speaks with Luke Rogers, a professional wingsuit pilot from Australia. He's won multiple national titles, podiumed at various world championships, and was the first person in the world to flare a wingsuit over 100 meters. Luke is constantly training, competing, and coaching at wingsuit events.

He's incredibly generous with all his tips and tricks regarding flying wingsuits.  This conversation is packed with info about maximizing performance.

.

Please support this independent project by visiting: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/exitpoint . Mark Stockwell is the man that makes this podcast sound the way it does.  Please show him some love:  https://www.instagram.com/mtstockwell/  https://www.exitpointpodcast.com

 

In this episode, Matt Blank talks to Marta Empinotti, a BASE-jumping living legend. She’s not only a skilled and creative stuntperson, but also a pioneer in BASE education and rigging. She was one of the first to make BASE jumping a professional career and helped establish the industry standards.

Marta is a respected leader in the BASE community, who inspires many of us with her excellence and ethics. She has guided and mentored countless BASE jumpers over the years. If you don’t know who she is, you should find out - chances are, your instructor learned from her or from someone who did. Please support this independent project by visiting: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/exitpoint Mark Stockwell is the man that makes this podcast sound the way it does.  Please show him some love:  https://www.instagram.com/mtstockwell/  https://www.exitpointpodcast.com

 

In this episode, Matt Blank sits down with John McEvoy. Blank and John take a deep dive into BASE jumping student progression and what it means to be on the path to mastery. John shares his incredible story of recovery, determination, and passion. He talks about how he got into BASE jumping, what he learned from his stroke, how he fixed his heart and faced his tumor, and how he continued to develop his business and teaching.

He also reveals some of the challenges and rewards of being a BASE jumper, such as dealing with fear, injuries, and navigating ethics. He shares some of his insights and tips on how to progress safely and responsibly in the sport.

John is not only an amazing athlete, but also an inspiring teacher who lives life to the fullest and encourages others to do the same. . McEvoy's links: @johnny_craic @basegear BASEgear.net Baseguiding.com  . Please support this independent project by visiting: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/exitpoint . https://www.exitpointpodcast.com

In this episode, Laurent speaks with Marine Descols. Marine is a hypnotherapist, wingsuit coach, and camera flyer. She did her first skydive at the young age of 12 and developed a passion for action adventure sports when she met her partner Vincent. Marine and Vincent founded Sky Vibration, the world's first commercial tandem wingsuit operation.

Marine is fascinated with the mind-body connection and has pursued a career in physiotherapy and hypnotherapy, which led her to work with surgical patients—and later opened her own practice. I'm interested in sharing her experience and discovering how we can use hypnosis to improve performance in sports and life.

Please support this independent project by visiting: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/exitpoint Mark Stockwell is the man that makes this podcast sound the way it does.  Please show him some love:  https://www.instagram.com/mtstockwell/  https://www.exitpointpodcast.com

 

In this episode, Laurent speaks with Fred Fugen, a pioneer of modern parachuting and one of the most talented and innovative skydivers, wingsuit pilots, and BASE jumpers on the planet. Fred has won multiple world championships in freeflying, set several world records in BASE jumping and wingsuit flying, and has executed some of the most incredible aerial stunts ever performed. Laurent talks with Fred about how it all started, what motivates him to push the boundaries of human flight, and how he copes with the risks and losses that come with his passion.

Please support this independent project by visiting: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/exitpoint

We want to hear your thoughts about the podcast!    

lau@nextlevel.ws  blank@nextlevel.ws

Mark Stockwell is the man that makes this podcast sound the way it does.  Please show him some love:  https://www.instagram.com/mtstockwell/  https://www.exitpointpodcast.com

 

In this episode, Laurent speaks with Steph Davis. Steph is a world-class free solo climber and an avid BASE jumper. She has a unique background, including being a dedicated pianist and holding a master's degree in literature. While attending law school, she decided to drop out to pursue climbing full-time and has never looked back. Steph is an inspirational figure with her approach to risk management and how she dedicates herself to her passions. https://stephdavis.co/ -

Please support this independent project by visiting: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/exitpoint

We want to hear your thoughts about the podcast!    

lau@nextlevel.ws  blank@nextlevel.ws

Mark Stockwell is the man that makes this podcast sound the way it does.  Please show him some love:  https://www.instagram.com/mtstockwell/  https://www.exitpointpodcast.com

In this episode, Matt records with Sean Devlin who comes on to share his perspective on wingsuit progression, using data driven analysis to enhance performance and the importance of water training in the BASE environment.  Devlin has built an impressive career outside of BASE jumping as a risk analyst in the financial tech world as well as compiled an impressive wingsuit resume traveling the world to jump both to compete and adventure. He's a multi-sport instructor with several accreditations in both water and air sports and holds several world records in a few outrageously fun categories. We dive into navigating the BASE jumping world as both an outsider and a community resource as Devlin shares some stories about the mistakes and successes of his journey off the exit point.

Please support this independent project by visiting: support Exit Point

For more info visit exitpointpodcast.com Producers: Laurent Frat, Matt Blank, Mark Stockwell  Host: Matt Blank Sound mixing: Mark Stockwell Music credit: Staccato Strings by Andreas Beats 

In this episode, Laurent Frat speaks with Katelyn Compton Escott - a performance wingsuit pilot, BASE jumper and speedflyer. She was recommended by a few mutual friends as a potential guest. However, before we could invite her, she suffered a serious spinal injury while speedflying in Kamloops. Since her accident, she underwent a successful 10 hour surgery and has been making positive progress. Initially, we hesitated and considered waiting for her comeback story, but after seeing her social media feeds, we wanted to find out more about her resilience in the face of adversity.  

 

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We want to hear your thoughts about the podcast!    

lau@nextlevel.ws  blank@nextlevel.ws

 

Exit Point is completely self-funded and there are no ads. Please support this independent project by visiting: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/exitpoint

Thanks to everyone who has already supported us! Mark Stockwell is the man that makes this podcast sound the way it does.  Please show him some love:  https://www.instagram.com/mtstockwell/  https://www.exitpointpodcast.com

 

 

Tension knots might be the scariest and least understood malfunction in BASE. In 2019 and 2020, Squirrel conducted surveys in an attempt to get a better understanding of tension knots and their occurrence. In this episode, Blank and I sit down with Will and Matt from Squirrel to have them share what they learned, and some suggestions on how to train our emergency procedures. Read SQRL's paper on tension knots: link

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We want to hear your thoughts about the podcast!    

lau@nextlevel.ws  blank@nextlevel.ws

 

Exit Point is completely self-funded and there are no ads. Please support this independent project by visiting: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/exitpoint

Thanks to everyone who has already supported us! Mark Stockwell is the man that makes this podcast sound the way it does.  Please show him some love:  https://www.instagram.com/mtstockwell/  https://www.exitpointpodcast.com

 

With us this week is Lonnie Bissonnette, a BASE jumping pioneer who after suffering a nearly fatal accident that left him paralyzed, became the first person to earn a BASE number as a paraplegic, jumping all four objects in the BASE acronym (Building, Antena, Span [bridge] and Earth).

He has since traveled the globe BASE jumping and became a para-bobsleigh world champion representing his home country of Canada. 

________________________________________

 

If you have been listening to Exit Point and enjoy what you've heard, we want to hear from you!    

lau@nextlevel.ws  blank@nextlevel.ws

 

Exit Point is completely self-funded and there are no ads. If you would like to support this independent project, you can visit: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/exitpoint

Thanks to everyone who has already supported us! Mark Stockwell is the man that makes this podcast sound the way it does.  Please show him some love.   https://www.exitpointpodcast.com

 

In this episode, Laurent speaks with Espen Fadnes. Espen has somehow stayed at the top of the discipline, basically from the beginning of wingsuit BASE jumping, was part of the community that opened the world's eyes to what was possible and how base jumpers could fly.  He is an FAI world champion, regularly holds sell-out camps at the indoor wingsuit tunnel, and it completes hundreds of wingsuit BASE jumps a year. Espen has been part of many film projects and continues to inspire the masses with his creative approach to filming and sharing the air with his partner Amber.

https://espenfadnes.com/ https://www.instagram.com/espenfadnes/ https://www.facebook.com/espen.fadnes

________________________________________

If you have been listening to Exit Point and enjoy what you've heard, we want to hear from you!    

lau@nextlevel.ws  blank@nextlevel.ws

 

Exit Point is completely self-funded and there are no ads. If you would like to support this independent project, you can visit: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/exitpoint

Thanks to everyone who has already supported us!

  Mark Stockwell is the man that makes this podcast sound the way it does.  Please show him some love.   https://www.exitpointpodcast.com

 

 

In this episode, Matt Blank speaks with Taylor Cole.  Taylor is a member of the US parachute team, CTO of the Navy’s technology lab in Southern California, stuntman, and long-time BASE jumping community organizer. His open-minded and logical approach to BASE jumping may appear in contrast to his wild antics, but after listening to this conversation we hope you gain some valuable insights into his unique and innovative approach to risk analysis and performance. Among other things, Matt and Taylor discuss canopy flight, teamwork, and the training it takes to be a world-class competitor and BASE jumper. 

In this episode, Laurent and Matt speak with Chris McNamara. Chris is an expert in big wall climbing and describes himself as a recovering wingsuit BASE jumper.  

Climbing Magazine once pointed out that three percent of Chris's life had been spent on the face of El Cap - of which he has climbed over 70 times, he holds 9 big wall speed climbing records, and is a winner of the American Alpine Club's prestigious Bates Award. 

Chirs has written 10 books, and is the founder of SuperTopo and now the Editor-in-Chief of outdoorgearlab.com Along with other things we talk with Chris about his "too eventful BASE career" a climber's mindset, risk assessment, his intense BASE career, and when he finally felt like enough was enough.  https://chrismcnamara.com/

Chris on Ammon Mcneely: https://watch.reelrocktour.com/the-sharp-end/videos/ammon-mcneely

Chris essay from the Great Book of BASE: Why I Quit BASE jumping

Great Book of BASE: BASE Book

If you have been listening to Exit Point and enjoy what you've heard, we want to hear from you!    

lau@nextlevel.ws  blank@nextlevel.ws

 

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Exit Point is completely self-funded and there are no ads. Please consider donating to help cover our operational costs: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/exitpoint

Thanks to everyone who has already supported us!

  Mark Stockwell is the man that makes this podcast sound the way it does.  Please show him some love.  

 

In this episode, Laurent speaks with Robert Pecnik.  Robert is the director, owner lead wingsuit designer, and test pilot of Phoenix Fly.  In Croatia, Robert's skydiving career started in 1982, and is still regularly BASE jumping with unrelenting enthusiasm.

Among other things, we talked about his thoughts on the risks and dangers of wingsuit BASE and how his passion for flying has remained so resilient.

Phoenix-Fly

@pecnikrobert

 

If you have been listening to Exit Point and enjoy what you've heard, we want to hear from you!    

lau@nextlevel.ws  blank@nextlevel.ws

 

Exit Point is completely self-funded and there are no ads. Please consider donating to help cover our operational costs: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/exitpoint

Thanks to everyone who has already supported us!

 

 

In this episode, Laurent and Matt speak with Jamie Crawford. Jamie is an expert in urban BASE jumping who has been honing his skill with patience, dedication, and intention for over a decade.  Jamie provides a fresh perspective on Exit Point with his hardcore urban style. He has generously agreed to shed some light on what has historically been a shadowy dark art. 

Jamie's FB

His Insta

 

If you have been listening to Exit Point and enjoy what you've heard, we want to hear from you!    

lau@nextlevel.ws  blank@nextlevel.ws

 

Exit Point is completely self-funded and there are no ads. Please consider donating to help cover our operational costs: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/exitpoint

Thanks to everyone who has already supported us!

 

In this episode, Laurent sits down with Tristan Wimmer and Ben Pitassi of 22 Jumps.  22 Jumps is a public charity that combines BASE jumping and fundraising to support the development of durable solutions for traumatic brain injuries. 

 

The project was initiated by Tristan Wimmer after his brother Kiernan's tragic death. Kiernan, who had suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) sustained in Iraq for almost a decade, tragically took his own life in 2015. Tristan and his family watched as Kiernan's injury affected his mental and physical well-being, leading to emotional and violent behavior. Unfortunately, Kiernan's story is not unique, with an estimated 22 veterans taking their own lives each day, according to a 2012 report by the Department of Veterans Affairs. In response to this, Tristan and his team are working to raise awareness and funds for organizations researching and treating TBIs by completing 22 BASE jumps in one day, the same number of veterans who take their own lives each day. 22 Jumps serves as a tribute to honor those veterans and bring attention to the struggles they face.

 

Our second guest is a member of the board of directors for 22 Jumps and is currently serving with the Navy Parachute Team while on active duty. He has deployed 7 times to various parts of the world during his career.  Ben is passionate about helping his fellow service members and founded The Uplift Union in 2019, a nonprofit centered around adaptive paragliding.

 

Note from Tristan: "22 Jumps would not be possible without the groundswell of love, support, and time that people give to make it a reality. There are too many to name, but Adam Ghannoum, COO of 22 Jumps, has been a shoulder since the beginning of this journey and has been invaluable to its success."

Their next event is scheduled for February 4, 2023 more info here: Feb 22 Jumps event

General info: https://22jumps.org/ Watch the video: https://vimeo.com/651574823

If you have been listening to Exit Point and enjoy what you've heard, we want to hear from you!    

lau@nextlevel.ws  blank@nextlevel.ws

 

Exit Point is completely self-funded and there are no ads. Please consider donating to help cover our operational costs: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/exitpoint

Thanks to everyone who has already supported us!

Jesse Hall is an accomplished athlete who grew up in the mountains of Colorado and developed a love for skiing, rock climbing, and backpacking at a young age. Jesse was inspired by air sports early and made his first jump on his 18th birthday in 2000. Since then, he's made thousands of BASE jumps from hundreds of different objects around the globe. Jesse won the North American Extreme Skiing Championships and podiumed at various BASE competitions including aerial, landing accuracy, and tracking and wingsuiting competitions. He also excels in a variety of other nylon disciplines including speed-riding, paragliding, and para-motoring.

 

Jesse is known for his positive attitude and for pushing limits while staying true to his personal boundaries. https://www.instagram.com/jessehallskibase/

https://www.facebook.com/jessehallskibase

 

Jesse's packing video: https://vimeo.com/128044236

If you have been listening to Exit Point and enjoy what you've heard, we want to hear from you!    

lau@nextlevel.ws  blank@nextlevel.ws

 

Exit Point is completely self-funded and there are no ads.  There are some behind-the-scenes costs to keeping us online so please consider donating to help cover our operational costs: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/exitpoint

In this episode, Laurent Frat and Matt Blank speak with Todd Shoebotham.  Todd is the co-founder and President of Apex BASE, one of the premier manufacturers of BASE Jumping equipment. Todd has been involved in the sport of BASE jumping since 1987.  He is a designer, innovator, educator, a film consultant, and with his brother Troy, was one of the very first commercial manufacturers of BASE-specific equipment.  You can find out more about Todd and Apex here:  https://apexbase.com/ If you are interested in 'buying us a coffee' please follow this link: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/exitpoint

If you have been listening to Exit Point and enjoy what you've heard, we want to hear from you!  

lau@nextlevel.ws  blank@nextlevel.ws

In this episode, we speak with Kenny Daniel, the founder and designer of Baseline.ws. Baseline.ws is a website and mobile app that provides tools designed to help skydivers and BASE jumpers improve their safety margin and increase performance. I've been excited to chat with Kenny about how I can best use baseline.ws for what I'm doing and general suggestions about data gathering for BASE.

www.baseline.ws

 

If you have been listening to Exit Point and enjoy what you've heard, we would love to hear from you: 

lau@nextlevel.ws  blank@nextlevel.ws

In this episode, Matt Blank interviews Jay Moledzki. Jay Mo is one of skydiving's foremost canopy instructors and we've brought him on to talk about his history as a test pilot, his experience pioneering high-performance canopy flying, and some of his training tips that we can use to improve our own canopy skills for the BASE environment. Jasonmoledzki@gmail.com @jason_moledzki www.trustthejourney.today  Flight-1.com @flight1sport

 

If you have been listening to Exit Point and enjoy what you've heard, we would love to hear from you: 

lau@nextlevel.ws  blank@nextlevel.ws

https://www.instagram.com/exitpoint.podcast/

 

Sean Chuma has made BASE jumping his life and livelihood for the better part of one and a half decades, moving from southern California to Twin falls to BASE jump full time.

 

Despite being a world-renowned aerialist, tandem BASE developer and BASE jumping instructor, he remains a soft-spoken ninja who’s largely chosen to represent through action rather than words, so we’re excited to get him on record and dive into his personal progression as well as pick his brain for tips and advice.

 

https://www.seanchuma.com/

 

If you have been listening to Exit Point and enjoy what you've heard, we would love to hear from you: 

lau@nextlevel.ws  blank@nextlevel.ws

https://www.instagram.com/exitpoint.podcast/

 

Big shout out to Mark Stockwell, our sound mixer and co-producer, for being part of this project.

Dr Matt Wilks is an adventure medic, ICU doctor and seasoned paraglider pilot. He founded the Flight Physiology Project, which is a multidisciplinary bid to study physiology, cognitive performance and safety of pilots during free flight. Matt has a long list of notable experiences including being the lead doctor on several large international expeditions. He practised anesthesiology in New Zealand and Nepal and has flown all over east Africa with the AMRF Flying Doctor Service.  Among other things in this episode, we discuss basic first aid for jumpers some helpful items to carry on every jump and how to manage a crisis situation in the field.

Marcel Geser is a professional paraglider pilot, avid base jumper and president of the Swiss BASE Association. We talked to Marcel about the history of jumping and Lauterbrunnen and some of the efforts they’ve taken to preserve this epic site for jumpers. This is a must-listen episode if you're planning your first trip to the valley.

Swiss BASE Association

Air Glacier +41 33 856 0560

Rega

 

 

 

In 2012 Matt founded Squirrel, a company that manufacturers wingsuits, parachutes, and BASE jumping equipment. Among many other articles and publications Matt wrote the Great Book of BASE which is arguably the most comprehensive piece of writing on the sport. We talk to Matt about his early days in BASE, how he has seen the sport develop, and his process as a test pilot.  We dive into what motivates him to improve BASE jumping educational material and develop new technology in BASE.   Matt's links:  www.squirrel.ws https://base-book.com/

 

Will Mitchell has been using an analytical approach to open short-start wingsuit BASE jumps in the United States while pioneering some technical and aesthetic lines. Will’s approach has also led him to challenge the conventional wisdom in BASE jumping.  In this episode, we talk to him about some of his recent observations which include: slider-down packing/rigging, short-start wingsuit performance, and using technology for site evaluation. Will's links:   https://www.instagram.com/will.i.am.mitchell/ https://www.facebook.com/3pt141592

 

Amber Forte holds the world record for the fastest female in a wingsuit. She is a member of the Norwegian national wingsuit team and placed 2nd in an international FIA performance wingsuit competition. We discuss her flying progression, her thoughts on training in the wingsuit tunnel for skydiving and BASE, and the emotional and physical challenges that come with recovering from injury. We chat about her romantic relationship with her jumping and competition partner, Espen Fadnes. Amber's links: https://www.amberforte.com/

https://www.instagram.com/accounts/login/?next=/amber4t/ https://www.facebook.com/Amber4T/

________________________________________________________________________________________

We love hearing your thoughts on the podcast and topic ideas for future episodes. Please reach out through any of the following methods: Laurent Frat: lau@nextlevel.ws Matt Blank: matt blank@nextlevel.ws

 

Roch Malnuit started BASE jumping in 2003, at the age of 21. Roch learned how to jump from his father who is a pioneer in the sport. Roch moved to Chamonix when he was in high school to play ice hockey and soon after dedicated himself to climbing and jumping in the Alps. He has over 2000 BASE jumps and has opened many exits in his home region. He has also completed technical alpine ascents and wingsuit BASE jumps in Antarctica and Pakistan.

He is heavily involved in the sport and is President of the French BASE Association. Roch also provides teaching and guiding with his Rock Drop BASE jumping school. He believes that being a good coach is not just about performance, but also being able to support and advise students on their path in the sport. When he’s not out jumping, you can find Roch in his hometown of Chamonix, rock climbing, snowboarding, paragliding, or spending time with his two daughters. 

https://www.rock-drop.com/

https://www.facebook.com/roch.malnuit

In this episode, Laurent is joined by Kendrick Dane, a licensed attorney and BASE jumper. They explore the evolving world of BASE jumping, its legal battles, community spirit, and the pursuit of freedom through human flight.

Kendrick is also General Counsel for the advocacy group BASE Access, whose mission is to preserve and open site access on public lands within the United States. Kendrick and Laurent discuss the challenges and hopes of legalizing BASE jumping in national parks, Kendrick’s journey through law and adventure sports, and the pivotal role of community and respect in advancing the future of BASE jumping.

This episode is a dense discussion about the intersection of law, advocacy for our sport, and the culture war the National Park Service has waged against BASE jumping. https://baseaccessfund.org/

Please support this independent project by visiting: support Exit Point

For more info visit exitpointpodcast.com Producers: Laurent Frat, Matt Blank, Mark Stockwell  Host: Matt Blank Sound mixing: Mark Stockwell Music credit: Staccato Strings by Andreas Beats  Timestamps:

00:41 Exploring the Legal Landscape of BASE Jumping

01:01 Advocacy, Culture, and the Future of BASE Jumping

00:00 Welcome to Exit Point: Diving into BASE Jumping Culture

00:28 Meet Kendrick Dain: Attorney and BASE Jumper

01:01 The Legal Landscape of BASE Jumping in the US

03:10 Exploring the Challenges of Legalizing BASE Jumping

03:46 Kendrick's Journey: From Legal Troubles to BASE Jumping

12:35 The Evolution of BASE Jumping and Its Community

17:59 Navigating Legal Access to National Parks for BASE Jumping

32:22 The Administrative Procedures Act and Its Impact

48:52 Exploring the Wilderness Act and Its Impact

49:26 The Intricacies of Rulemaking and Executive Orders

51:29 The Role of Tenure in Federal Employment

54:48 Navigating the Legal Landscape for Base Jumping

55:03 The Struggle for Base Jumping Permits

01:01:02 Cultural Evolution and Legal Challenges in Base Jumping

01:06:19 The Path to Legalizing Base Jumping in National Parks

01:22:34 Community and Personal Motivations Behind Base Jumping

01:26:41 Legal Advice for Base Jumpers in Gray Areas

01:32:09 Closing Thoughts on the Future of Base Jumping

Jeff Shapiro is a multifaceted adventure professional.  Drawn to the mountains and the air above them, Jeff is an elite level climber, bush plane pilot, a professional paraglider pilot, and has competed in hang gliding at the highest level.  Jeff dedicated 10 years to wingsuit BASE jumping during which he pioneered new exit points in Montana, often solo.

Jeff is grounded, thoughtful and approaches his pursuits with passion and gratitude. 

Jeff's links: https://searchingforsatori.com/ https://www.instagram.com/jeffreyshapiro/ https://www.facebook.com/Jeff.M.Shapiro

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Brett Kistler shares what he's learned while exploring the human mind and takes us through the finer points of his journey to understand fear and the role it played in his BASE jumping career which spanned dozens of countries and nearly two thousand jumps without any injuries. If you're looking for an opportunity to question how to process fear or how you've constructed your ego, this is the episode for you. Brett's podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-art-of-accomplishment/id1540650504

 

Tim Howell is a BASE jumper, climber, alpinist, and former Royal Marine. He is one of the most active jumpers on the planet in a variety of disciplines and is also an instructor.   We discuss expedition mindset/recognizance, ski BASE, proposing to his wife and her subsequent crash, social media positives and negatives, teaching new jumpers, and a wide variety of other topics.    

https://timhowelladventure.com/

https://www.instagram.com/tim_howell_adventure/

https://www.facebook.com/TimHowellADVENTURE/

 

Cedric Dumont is a Red bull athlete, author, entrepreneur, keynote speaker and business consultant.  He splits his time between leading expeditions, flying, speaking, writing and consulting for elite athletes and major companies all over the world. Alongside his career as an action sports athlete, Cedric is also an authority in High-Performance Psychology.  For over a decade, Cedric has been helping elite athletes and major organisations worldwide grow leaders at all levels by doing things differently and demonstrating that performance comes from purpose, passion and presence. Risk mitigation and hyper-awareness have been the foundation for his consistent performance and survival - for Cedric "it’s flow or die!" Cedric's book: http://www.cedricdumont.com/books.html Website and social links:

http://www.cedricdumont.com/

https://www.instagram.com/cedricdumont/

https://www.facebook.com/cedricdumontofficial

Originally from New Zealand, Jeff Weatherall's background is in professional wakeboarding.  His career has seen 2 World Wakeboard titles, 9 New Zealand National titles, Australian Pro Tour Series title, and X Games medals. These days Jeff is a professional skydiver in Byron Bay, Australia where he also mentors new BASE jumpers.  In this episode, Jeff shares with us a gnarly story of a BASE mission gone wrong, in hopes their mistakes will provide valuable lessons for others.  

Vincent ”Le Blond” Descols - Stories from a Wingsuit BASE pioneer, visualization for success, and world’s first tandem wingsuit operation

Le Blond is a professional skydiver and BASE jumper who pioneered some of the longest terrain flights ever done.  Along with his buddies from the Vercor BASE team, Le Blond opened many new school wingsuit BASE jumping classic exit points in the French Alps - including Brevent and the Aiguille de Midi.  

Vincent is a multi-time WWL Champion, and Wings for Love medalist.  He holds a degree in engineering at ENAC (Ecole Nationale Aviation Civile) and worked as an air traffic controller. 

Le Blond now coaches wingsuit skydivers and runs the WORLD'S FIRST tandem wingsuit skydive operation.

Links: https://skyvibration.com/en/ https://www.instagram.com/vincent_descols_le_blond/

https://www.instagram.com/skyvibration/

 

We wish Jimmy Pouchert were here for his episode, and that’s why we did it anyway. So strap in as our team inducts our absentee guest into the hall of legends in what we hope is just the beginning of our community celebrating his life. One love forever… We’re going to regroup after making this our season finale. Please join us again in March Photo credit: Arlo Pace

In this episode, we delve into the daunting task of maintaining the BASE Fatality List (BFL) with curator Brad 'Patto' Patfield. Patto shares his insights from more than a decade of collecting details about how and why a jumper went in and shares how he's dealt with the burden of shepherding the loved ones of fallen BASE jumpers through the initial stages of loss. This is a can't miss episode for any active jumper, if for nothing else than to humanize a man who is an angel of light in our sport's darkest moments.

Scotty Bob is one of the most well-rounded BASE jumpers on the planet. His resume includes thousands of wingsuit jumps and over 1000 low BASE jumps from a wide variety of different objects.  After two tours in Iraq with the Marine Corps, Scotty found BASE jumping as a way to satiate his hunger for travel and adventure.  He embraced the sport and the lifestyle wholeheartedly traveling the world full-time for many years.  Now, with his wife Julia, they run Bob's BASE Academy.  Scotty instructs with a sense of duty to pass down his experience and to share the sometimes hard lessons with the next generation. In this episode, we chat with Scotty about his very popular course that takes students to Brazil and why he thinks it is an ideal location to begin terminal cliff jumping. This is followed by a discussion on how students can arrive prepared to get the most out of the course, which evolves into a more broad discussion on progression in general.  Scotty Bob opens up about his own personal growth and what he fears most these days.   https://bobsbase.com/

www.instagram.com/scottyybob

https://www.facebook.com/BASEwtheBobs If you are enjoying Exit Point, please consider sharing it with your friends and showing us some love by writing a review, & giving us a shout here: exitpoint.podcast

After miraculously living through what should have been a life-ending accident, Taz comes on the podcast to share her incredible story of survival.  In our hold-nothing-back interview, Taz talks about her mistakes, her lessons, and even the gruesome details of what it was like to crash her wingsuit into the side of a mountain and live to talk about it.    Among many things, Taz is a BASE jumper and graphic artist based out of Moab, Utah.  You can learn more about her by reading the Great Book of BASE https://base-book.com/ , by checking out her company's website http://silentstudiodesign.com/ or by following her social media feeds: https://www.instagram.com/silentstudiodesign/ , https://www.facebook.com/sarahtazlovesyou 

In this episode, Matt Blank talks with Avery Badenhop, Dennis McGlynn, and Harry Parker, who were known during the 90s as the “three-headed dragon” of BASE and founders of the infamous Team Ill Vision. This team has been a timeless model for outlaw extreme sports gangs living an endless summer lifestyle. The leader of Team Ill Vision, Avery, is the quintessential counterculture athlete, creating a unique lifestyle that would inspire generations of jumpers to go all in and totally cut away from the mainstream. Dennis McGlynn, one of the first jumpers to perform BASE stunts for film and television, is also a pioneer of manufacturing BASE-specific gear. He was one of the original FJC instructors and the first to be prosecuted by the federal government for BASE jumping. Harry Parker, the man with the perspective, has been an active jumper and photographer for more than three decades, participating in and capturing some of our community’s historic moments. Harry helped put a face and voice to the BASE jumping lifestyle. Their team created a culture around the pursuit of BASE jumping, opening the first public events, competitions, and demonstrations. Their access efforts helped open jumps on BLM land, the Perrine Bridge, and recrafted Bridge Day in West Virginia, as well as forged paths to international BASE events, which have continued to grow over several decades.

Please support this independent project by visiting: support Exit Point

For more info visit exitpopintpodcast.com Producers: Laurent Frat, Matt Blank, Mark Stockwell  Host: Matt Blank Sound mixing: Mark Stockwell Music credit: Staccato Strings by Andreas Beats  Timestamps: 

00:39 Avery Badenhop: The Counterculture Athlete 00:51 Dennis McGlynn: Pioneer of BASE Stunts and Gear 01:07 Harry Parker: The Man with the Perspective 01:22 Creating a Culture Around BASE Jumping 03:23 The Evolution of BASE Jumping Gear and Techniques 09:22 The Dark and Dangerous Early Days of BASE Jumping 24:55 The Transition to Legal and Sponsored BASE Jumping Events 28:52 The Art of BASE Jumping: Performance, Evolution, and Community 40:49 Cliff Camp '94: A Pivotal Moment in BASE Jumping History 44:14 The Legal Battle Over Aerial Delivery 46:47 The Cliff Camp Incident: A Tragic Turning Point 50:06 Learning from Mistakes: The Importance of Gear Awareness 54:07 From Legal Battles to Building a BASE Jumping Legacy 57:29 The Rise of Team Ill Vision and BASE Jumping Competitions 01:09:47 Navigating the World of Sponsorship and Event Organization 01:21:19 The Impact of Legal Troubles on Personal Life and the Sport 01:25:01 Surviving and Thriving in BASE Jumping: Lessons Learned 01:33:48 The Evolution of Safety and Community in BASE Jumping 01:34:00 The Shift in BASE Jumping Culture: From Tight Crews to Independence 01:34:30 Finding Community and Collaboration in a Solo Sport 01:36:13 The Challenges and Rewards of BASE Jumping Hiatus 01:38:24 Identity and Lifestyle: The Essence of Being a BASE Jumper 01:41:17 The Double-Edged Sword of Currency in BASE Jumping 01:54:03 The Impact of Gear and Training on BASE Jumping Sustainability 01:57:40 The Role of Community and Mentorship in BASE Jumping 02:08:26 Reflecting on Careers, Sacrifices, and Gifts in BASE Jumping

Chris Byrnes is a champion wingsuit skydiver & BASE jumper, world record holder, wingsuit instructor, and an overall insightful and good guy. In this episode, we discuss what it means to be a good wingsuit pilot, opening exit points, competitive wingsuit skydiving, Skyderby, tools for training, Chris' personal progression, his future flying goals, and his philosophy on risk, flying, and life.     Chris' links: https://www.facebook.com/greenflyingdude, https://www.instagram.com/greenflyingdude, www.youtube.com/greenflyingdude Other: https://skyderby.ru/ Photo courtesy of Steve Fitch www.fitchimages.com

Matthias Giraud or ”Super Frenchie” is a professional skier, mountaineer & BASE jumper, as well as a world record holder. Check out the Super Frenchie documentary here: www.superfrenchiemovie.com/watch-at-home https://superfrenchie.com/ https://www.instagram.com/superfrenchieofficial/ https://www.facebook.com/superfrenchieofficial/ photo credit: Orazio Guarnieri

From the French Alps and Moab, Utah, welcome to Exit Point - the podcast about BASE jumping, wingsuiting, and all the ups and downs that come with it. Whether you're just curious about getting into BASE, passionate about mountain sports, interested in how our top athletes approach risk assessment, or already an expert jumper you're sure to pick up tidbits of actionable advice on best practices and gain new perspectives when you listen to Exit Point. Laurent Frat and Matt Blank draw on their experience and network of professional jumpers to gain a deeper understanding of all things BASE.

In this episode, Laurent welcomes Marshall Miller.  Marshall has inspired both jumpers and the public with his epic videos from his early days to his recent projects, including his appearance in Line of Sight (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcWMZq8-3wI), shout-out to the KAVU boys for producing what we believe is one of the most incredible wingsuit BASE jumping videos ever made.  Marshall, a pioneer in the world of professional BASE jumping, was one of GoPro's first sponsored athletes and has played a pivotal role in shaping the community. He candidly shares his experiences, including his brush with the law in Zion National Park and the absurdity of the National Park Services' enforcement. We delve into the crucial role of patience in high-risk sports, the potential pitfalls of group mentality, and the valuable lessons learned from walking down. Marshall's Zion episode with Outside Please support this independent project by visiting: support Exit Point

For more info visit www.exitpopintpodcast.com

In this episode, Matt Blank interviews John Cox, a mostly self-taught BASE jumper who recently shattered the world record for "Most BASE jumps in 24 hours". He surpassed the previous record holders (Miles Daisher and Danny Weiland) at the end of 2023 with an outstanding performance, completing more than 100 jumps off the Perrine Bridge in Twin Falls, Idaho. We talk to him about his progression in BASE, his training for the world record attempt, and what it was like during the grueling 24-hour slog to accomplish his childhood dream of being in the Guinness Book of World Records.

If you'd like to donate to either of John's causes mentioned in the episode, John has provided this link: https://venmo.com/u/baseworldrecord If you would like to support Exit Point, please visit: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/exitpoint                                For more information about the podcast visit www.exitpopintpodcast.com Music credit: Staccato Strings by Andreas Beats 

In this episode, the Exit Point team holds a round table discussion about how we've been doing and where we hope to go. This episode also celebrates a milestone in our podcast. Sometime last year, thanks to all of you out there, we passed 100,000 downloads and have since blown past that. Thank you all for listening and supporting us by sharing the podcast, leaving us reviews, and donating so that we can continue producing the show. _______ Please support this independent project by visiting: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/exitpoint                                 _____ For more info visit www.exitpopintpodcast.com

In this episode, Matt and Laurent interview Dan Darby.  Dan has been skydiving and BASE jumping for over fifteen years. He's a competitive wingsuit skydiver, BASE jumper, and a member of the US parachute team for wingsuit performance flying.

He's also a co-founder of Arcus Flight wingsuit school in DeLand, Florida, and a multidisciplinary skydiving and wind tunnel instructor. In this episode, Dan talks about wingsuit progression, survival tactics, training techniques for performance flying and the new wingsuit BASE race he created in Sass Pordoi, Italy. https://www.instagram.com/dandarbybase/ _______ Please support this independent project by visiting: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/exitpoint _____ For more info visit www.exitpopintpodcast.com