We can probably all agree that plunging toward the ground head first, insured by nothing but an elastic cord is exhilarating. Bungee jumping is one of the ultimate temptations of fate, a near universal symbol of extreme, most alluring because of its accessibility. Unlike BASE jumping or skydiving, bungee jumping lends itself to anyone, anywhere, at anytime. All you need is a bungee cord! Of course you need to be supervised by experienced jump coordinators with top-tier equipment. It would be quite awful if you attempted a jump using, say, a garden hose, but who would do that? Who would look fear in the face that brazenly? Funny you should ask.

Garden Hose Jump

We challenge any nation to come forward and claim its citizens are more extreme than the Russians. From death-wish extreme workouts on top of cranes to near-death snow tubing on the highway, these fine people have proven time and time again that they know no fear. In what is perhaps the most stunning example to date, a group of bungee jumpers plunge from the edge of an abandoned cooling tower using an anchor system that’s secured to a garden hose. That’s not a joke. 0:44 proves our point in horrifying detail. We’re just glad this video ended with all jumpers making it down safely.

Cover Photo Credit: mat79 – flickr.com

Highest Jump Into Water

There’s nothing like an ocean water dowsing to tell you the jump is over, and China’s Zhang Di learned that first hand when he set the Guinness World Record for Highest Jump Into Water. The feat was accomplished on November 15, 2006, by plunging out of a hovering chopper 50 m (164 ft) right outside the Quindao City, Shandong Province, China. We’re guessing Di ended up with a fair amount of water up his nose but, for the Guinness folks, you got to do what you got to do.

Roof Jump

This ones an oldie, but extreme nonetheless. Long ago, we covered one of the most jarring displays of extreme living we’ve ever seen. To this day, the aptly named “Blood-Curdling Bungee Jump” ranks high (maybe the highest) on our list of things to appreciate, but never, ever imitate. We’re sure you’ll be able to see quite quickly why that’s the case but, in the interest of leaving nothing to the naked eye, we offer these buzz words: crowded, icy roof, painful buildings, questionable harness. That should sum things up.

 4-Year-Old Jump

Something tells us these adult jumpers are not so-called “helicopter parents,” which are the type to be overly concerned with adherence to the 5-second rule or their child’s wearing a helmet while bike riding. We could be totally wrong, but any parent willing to tandem bungee with their toddler strapped to their chest must be pretty laid back.  On the one hand, this mom and dad seem like the coolest parents ever. On the other, what’ll they let their kid do when she’s a rebellious teenager? Bungee jumping is usually sort of near the top of most people’s “crazy things to do” pyramid.

 Highest Altitude Jump

Immerse yourself in what is truly an awe-inspiring concept: bungee jumping out of a hot air balloon. In 2002, British stuntman Curtis Rivers did just that, hurling himself out of a flame-powered cradt sailing 4,632 m (15,200 ft) over Puertollano, Spain and, in doing so, secured the Guinness World Record for highest altitude bungee jump. Rivers jumped using a 10-m (33 ft) cord, which stretched to 30 m (98 ft) and, in an attempt to set another record for most crazy things done in quick succession (he wasn’t really trying to do that, but still), he cut his bungee cord and parachuted to the ground. As you can see in the video, Curtis had to use breathing equipment to combat the extremely high altitude’s thin air content. This was clearly a professional event through and through.

Cover Photo Credit: [email protected] – flickr.com