The Deal

• $499 for a two-hour bungee trampoline rental for up to four people ($799 value)

Three Things to Know About Bungee Cords

To get excited about your upcoming jump, read along with Groupon about the thing that keeps you tethered to the earth.

1. Bungee cords aren’t just rubber bands stolen from giants’ newspapers. They’re made from strands of rubber, lycra, or another latex substance, braided together for strength and often covered by a fabric sheath. Some cords have at their core a static, or non-stretchy, line to prevent overextension and serve as backup.

2. You probably won’t be using the same bungee cord the person before you used. Your bungee cord’s length and width is determined by the height you’re jumping from and your weight. Most bungee cords are intended to stretch to around twice their resting length during a jump, so heavier jumpers require thicker cords. That gives most every jumper at one location the same amount of stretch no matter what his or her weight is, keeping jumps both fun and comfortable.

3. Bungee jumping predates the invention of modern bungee cords. Witnessing the Vanuatu tradition of nagol, or land diving, is what inspired New Zealander AJ Hackett to create patents for the modern bungee cords used today in recreational jumping worldwide. During the annual yam harvest, men build wooden towers about 30 meters high, tie vines to their ankles, and jump from the top. They’re a lot more comfortable with the ground than most bungee jumpers: the vines are carefully measured so that the divers’ hair will brush the soil and, it’s believed, increase the earth’s fertility.