The Apex BASE (R)Evolution

The 80's:

Todd began skydiving in 1984, started rigging 2 years later, then
"jumped" into B.A.S.E. in 1987. By the end of that year he earned BASE #169,
became an FAA rigger and was awarded his first instructional rating. Along
with his brother Troy he founded T&T Rigging and began manufacturing the
first BASE specific harness/container systems and accessories.

Marta moved to the US from Brazil at age 20. After only 30 skydives she
discovered BASE while it was still in it's infancy. There was no BASE
specific gear, and in 1988 she began building BASE gear, relying on her
skydiving gear and BASE jumping knowledge and experience to make appropriate
gear for the sport, and Vertigo was born.

The 90's:

In 1993 Todd partnered with Anne Helliwell BASE #222, who had designed the
first BASE specific parachute, the FOX, and Basic Research, Inc. was born.
Other BASE gear innovations included the Tail Gate, the Multiple Bridle
attachment, and BASE jumping training and expeditions. By the end of the
90's BR had begun testing its new idea of bottom surface vents, later to be
named Vtec.

Jimmy was following his dream of snowboarding in Breckenridge, Colorado,
also participating in SCUBA, climbing, and mountain biking, then finally
found skydiving. Soon after beginning teaching skydiving he decided it
needed to be his daily event. Freeflying was the brand new skydiving
discipline at that time, and Jimmy joined two other freeflyers and formed
the team Perris Valley Structure Fire. Jimmy got an opportunity to try BASE
jumping, and on a dark tower late at night, after five minutes of instruction, Jimmy
jumped into the unknown and immediately was hooked for life.

Todd met Marta in Deland, Florida, for the first time during the early part
of this decade, and in 1996 Jimmy and Marta met in Hawaii.

Into 2000:

Jimmy and Marta, uniting both personal and professional lives, moved to
Moab, Utah, and changed Vertigo to "Vertigo BASE Outfitters", enjoying the
uncounted jumpable cliffs of the Canyonlands as well as BLM tolerance for
BASE jumping.

Back in Perris, the beginning of 2000 ushered in the first production of the
Vtec canopy design, and in 2002, 9 years after the inception of the FOX, the
FLiK canopy was tested and introduced. The sport had grown tremendously
during the 90's, and as Anne exited BR to return to nursing, Todd, Jimmy and
Marta decided joining forces was the course that would enable both sides to
continue to provide BASE gear, training, expeditions and events without
losing their minds. "And the Two Become One" was the motto of the newly
formed Apex BASE, which made it's official debut at Bridge Day in 2004. (?)
Todd would remain at Apex Perris and manage the production side of things,
while Marta and Jimmy would run Apex Moab and manage all first jump courses
and other events. Design would be a collaborative activity, which was
proven nicely with the introduction of the Apex DP (Dual Pin)
harness/container system jointly created by Todd, Jimmy and Marta.