First Jumpsuit

[hybrid59 0]

I am new to the sport and would like to get started buying my own gear. I am in my 50's so dont plan to go to high performance rigs or swooping or anything sexy like that.

I think longterm I am more interested in RW as opposed to FF, although would like to try some FF.
I am leaning towards a BEV Competition suit without the booties.

Can anybody give me any good reason to hold off till I get more jumps? I really would like to start getting helmets, altimeters etc. of my own.

Thanks in advance for the input.

[NWFlyer 2]

Get the booties. They are an important part of the belly-fly toolkit.

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[hybrid59 0]

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Get the booties. They are an important part of the belly-fly toolkit.

Thanks NWFlyer, can you stow booties when you dont want to use them?

[davelepka 4]

If you're thinking that you'll able to freefly with the Bev suit if you don't get the booties, you're wrong. You're just going to need a seperate suit for freefly and one for RW if that's what you want to do.

Buy the Bev suit, and get the booties. It's what you want for RW and it will serve you well. When you want to freefly, look for another suit at that time.

[dthames 0]

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Get the booties. They are an important part of the belly-fly toolkit.

I felt like I was not ready for booties and did not really want them. But the cost of the suit is something I don't want to do again, so I went ahead and got the booties. Yes, you can tuck them inside the leg and put a tie around your ankle if you want to fly without them. My new Bev suit was designed to make me fall faster. I did my first couple of jumps with the booties tucked inside so I could get a feel for the suit in stages. Now I am trying to learn to use them as the tool that NWFlyer mentioned.

Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

[JackC1 0]

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If you're thinking that you'll able to freefly with the Bev suit if you don't get the booties, you're wrong.

Meh, I know people who learned to freefly to a fairly good standard in a RW suit, they're weird that way. It makes it harder for sure, but it isn't impossible.

[ASTKU 1]

get the suit you want now (belly suit).....
then when you wanna try to backfly/sitfly/freefly wear a long sleeve shirt and pants until you can save for a FIREFLY suit. which in my opinion are the best/cheapest. And they are great. Mine has lasted over 600 jumps.
I did however just order an awesome vertical suit for the wind tunnel, yay! good luck

[hybrid59 0]

Thanks for all the advise all. Bev Competition Suit with booties sounds like it would all fit.

[dthames 0]

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Thanks for all the advise all. Bev Competition Suit with booties sounds like it would all fit.

Give some consideration to how fast you fall. If you are a bit slow or a bit fast, the fabric choice and suit options can be used to adjust your fall speed.

In my old (purchased used) suit I was very slow and would float high on a small group dive. I went all slick and tight on my new suit. Jumping in a similar situation I fell below the group. WOW, that had not happened to me before, as I am tall and a bit thin. The suit does make a difference.

Talk to the suit maker about your needs.

Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

[NWFlyer 2]

Important point, and a really good set of booties can give you a LOT of range. I'm a fast faller and I actually get as much (if not more) range out of my Flite Suit with comp booties than I do out of another suit that is much baggier with a heavy fabric.

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[hybrid59 0]

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Thanks for all the advise all. Bev Competition Suit with booties sounds like it would all fit.

Give some consideration to how fast you fall. If you are a bit slow or a bit fast, the fabric choice and suit options can be used to adjust your fall speed.

In my old (purchased used) suit I was very slow and would float high on a small group dive. I went all slick and tight on my new suit. Jumping in a similar situation I fell below the group. WOW, that had not happened to me before, as I am tall and a bit thin. The suit does make a difference.

Talk to the suit maker about your needs.

Thanks dthames, I never really thought too much about it. I guess at 5'8" and 200 lbs. I would probably be considered as having a drop rate of a bowling ball. I will definitely mention it.