Catalog / Extreme Sports Cheatsheet
Extreme Sports Cheatsheet
A quick reference guide to various extreme sports, covering essential gear, safety tips, and risk factors.
Air Sports
Skydiving
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Description: |
Jumping from an aircraft and free-falling before deploying a parachute. |
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Essential Gear: |
Parachute system (main and reserve), altimeter, helmet, jumpsuit. |
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Safety Tips: |
Proper training, gear checks, awareness of weather conditions. |
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Risk Factors: |
Equipment failure, misjudgment of altitude, collisions, landing injuries. |
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Training Required: |
Yes, extensive training and certification are mandatory. |
Base Jumping
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Description: |
Jumping from fixed objects (Buildings, Antennas, Spans, Earth). |
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Essential Gear: |
Parachute system, helmet, specialized BASE jumping rig. |
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Safety Tips: |
Experience in skydiving, thorough knowledge of aerodynamics, careful planning. |
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Risk Factors: |
Low altitude jumps, unpredictable winds, object strikes, parachute malfunctions. |
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Training Required: |
Extensive skydiving experience is highly recommended, but BASE jumping courses exist. |
Wingsuit Flying
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Description: |
Flying through the air with a specialized jumpsuit that adds surface area, creating lift. |
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Essential Gear: |
Wingsuit, parachute system, helmet, altimeter. |
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Safety Tips: |
Significant skydiving experience, wingsuit-specific training, altitude awareness. |
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Risk Factors: |
High speeds, proximity flying hazards, parachute deployment issues. |
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Training Required: |
Yes, wingsuit-specific training after extensive skydiving experience. |
Water Sports
Big Wave Surfing
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Description: |
Surfing waves that are at least 20 feet high. |
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Essential Gear: |
Big wave surfboard, personal flotation device (PFD), wetsuit, leash. |
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Safety Tips: |
Excellent swimming skills, knowledge of ocean conditions, tow-in surfing experience. |
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Risk Factors: |
Drowning, wipeouts, impact injuries, strong currents. |
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Training Required: |
Extensive surfing experience and specialized big wave training. |
Whitewater Kayaking
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Description: |
Navigating a kayak through rapids and turbulent water. |
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Essential Gear: |
Kayak, paddle, personal flotation device (PFD), helmet, spray skirt. |
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Safety Tips: |
Proper training, knowledge of river features, ability to self-rescue. |
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Risk Factors: |
Drowning, hypothermia, entrapment, collisions with rocks. |
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Training Required: |
Yes, whitewater kayaking courses are essential. |
Kite Surfing
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Description: |
Using a kite to harness the wind’s power to glide across the water on a board. |
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Essential Gear: |
Kite, board, harness, control bar, wetsuit/rashguard. |
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Safety Tips: |
Proper kite control skills, knowledge of wind and weather conditions, awareness of surroundings. |
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Risk Factors: |
Entanglement in kite lines, collisions with objects or other people, drowning. |
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Training Required: |
Yes, kite surfing lessons are highly recommended. |
Mountain Sports
Rock Climbing
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Description: |
Ascending rock formations using ropes, harnesses, and specialized equipment. |
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Essential Gear: |
Climbing shoes, harness, rope, belay device, carabiners, helmet. |
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Safety Tips: |
Proper belaying techniques, gear checks, communication with climbing partner. |
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Risk Factors: |
Falls, equipment failure, rockfall, rope abrasion. |
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Training Required: |
Yes, climbing courses and instruction are essential. |
Mountain Biking
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Description: |
Riding bicycles on off-road trails, often involving steep inclines and technical terrain. |
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Essential Gear: |
Mountain bike, helmet, gloves, protective gear (knee/elbow pads). |
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Safety Tips: |
Proper bike maintenance, awareness of trail conditions, controlled speed. |
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Risk Factors: |
Falls, collisions, mechanical failures, dehydration. |
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Training Required: |
Basic cycling skills are required; advanced techniques are learned through experience. |
Ice Climbing
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Description: |
Climbing ice formations such as frozen waterfalls or icefalls. |
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Essential Gear: |
Ice axes, crampons, climbing boots, harness, rope, ice screws, helmet. |
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Safety Tips: |
Knowledge of ice conditions, proper placement of ice screws, belaying techniques. |
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Risk Factors: |
Falls, icefall, equipment failure, hypothermia. |
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Training Required: |
Yes, ice climbing courses and mountaineering experience are essential. |
Land Sports
BMX
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Description: |
Performing tricks and stunts on a BMX bike, usually in skateparks or on dirt tracks. |
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Essential Gear: |
BMX bike, helmet, pads (knee, elbow, shin), gloves. |
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Safety Tips: |
Wear protective gear, start with basic tricks, practice in designated areas. |
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Risk Factors: |
Falls, fractures, concussions, sprains. |
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Training Required: |
Practice and progression are key, but coaching can accelerate learning. |
Skateboarding
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Description: |
Riding and performing tricks on a skateboard. |
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Essential Gear: |
Skateboard, helmet, pads (knee, elbow), skate shoes. |
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Safety Tips: |
Wear protective gear, start with basic maneuvers, practice in safe environments. |
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Risk Factors: |
Falls, sprains, fractures, concussions. |
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Training Required: |
Practice is essential, but lessons can help with fundamentals. |
Parkour
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Description: |
Moving rapidly through an environment, overcoming obstacles using running, jumping, and climbing. |
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Essential Gear: |
Athletic clothing, supportive shoes. |
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Safety Tips: |
Start with basic movements, assess risks, train in safe environments. |
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Risk Factors: |
Falls, sprains, fractures, impact injuries. |
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Training Required: |
Training is crucial, focusing on strength, agility, and risk assessment. |