Do you enjoy a good adrenalin rush? Is the thought of climbing a mountain without ropes, hooks and clips exciting to you? Well, then it sounds like you are into deep water soloing! If you have never heard of this sport, don’t feel too bad. In fact, this is one of the lesser known forms of climbing out there. However, before you run out to give deep water soloing a try, you need to know if this is a sport for you. So here is our review!
What is Deep Water Soloing?
Before we get into this subject anymore, we need to cover just what deep water soloing is. Pretty much, this involves climbing rock formations that have been formed over large bodies of water. Since you are climbing over deep water, you eliminate the need for most of your climbing gear. There are some people who still use a simple rope for a safety exit, but some do not. Really it depends on the formation that you are climbing on. If you are on a formation that offers a clear shot down, then you may not need much climbing gear, if any at all.
In the end, what it comes down to is if you’re adventurous (and a bit of a risk taker). For some, it is exciting to think about trying to scale a mountain with no help. With one wrong step, down you go! For others, the idea of this (even with the water below) is too much. My advice to you: Figure out what side of the fence you sit on before you get out there!
Getting Started
This is one of the biggest pluses to deep water soloing, and one of the biggest pluses of the review. If you are looking to try this new sport, you really do not have to invest a lot of money to get started. Besides buying some rock shoes (there are companies that make some for deep water soloing), maybe a safety rope and expanding your selection of chalk bags, you really do not have to buy anything else. The hardest part is finding locations that are perfect for deep water soloing. That being said, thanks to the internet, this is no longer that hard of a chore. By doing a quick search, you can find locations for the best deep water soloing spots around the world!
Becoming Familiar with Locations
One thing that people do not know, or at least do not think about, when it comes to deep water soloing is the studying that is involved in it. Yeah, it doesn’t take much money to get started, but it does take time before you jump off your first cliff over water. You first need to become familiar with your venue. This takes a lot of time, and may be a turn off for some people.
You need to know the height of your jumping from, the depth of the water, the height of the crux, and so on. It is even important to make note of the fastest way out of the water. Once you jump (or fall) off the rock formation, you may need to get out of the water quickly. This goes double if you go deep water soloing during the cooler seasons.
You also need to learn how to hit the water correctly. Some rock formations are extremely high above the water. Let me tell you, I don’t care how soft you think water is. If you hit it at the wrong angle, you’re going to be hurting. So learn the art of “falling.” Learn how the experts handle their splashdowns. Learning this art will become even more important the higher you go.
Do not Attempt Alone
So you want to go deep water soloing alone? Maybe not the best idea. What are you going to do if you hit the water and something goes wrong? A bad fall could result in you needing a little assistance. Thus, this is not a sport I recommend doing alone. Also, being a confident swimmer is a plus for this sport. Yeah, being good at climbing is important, but at some point you are going to end up in the water, and you need to know how to swim. A lot of times, people will go deep water soloing, and friends will wait out on a boat. If something goes wrong, the boat can come by and pick up the swimmer.
So is deep water soloing for you? Well that is a question that only you can answer! Have any of you been deep water soloing? What was your experience like?
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