Diff between RW & Competition jumpsuits

[celticrider67 4]

So, I'm new to the sport and older. 1st jump at 50. Started the reqs for my "A" license at 52.  Full of all those silly questions and I don't know what i don't know. 

CURRENT silly question. 

 

What's the difference between and RW jumpsuit and a Competiton jumpsuit? Do these differ from student jumpsuits or are student jumpsuits just the name of suits provided on loan by the DZ?

 

I'm wanting to pick one up over the winter. Since I live in upstate NY,  we won't jump a lot at my home DZ between mid october and late march and that would seem a good time to play hurry up and wait. A few jumpers at my home DZ suggested used and Bev or Tony suits. But I'm not seeing much so I figure by end of December, order if I haven't found used. 

[bill6870 3]

19 minutes ago, wolfriverjoe said:

Bev is more marketed towards women, but I think she makes them for anyone

I have bought an RW and a camera suit from Bev and the quality is top notch. I have done over 1000 tandems in the RW suit and other than some minor repairs it's still going strong. Tony suits are well built as well. Jump suits are expensive but don't go cheap, you get what you pay for.

[mbohu 77]

I would echo Wendy's advice--although I have to admit I did not quite follow it myself in the beginning.

If you just got your A-License, or are still working on getting it, you do not know enough about your own skydiving to be likely to get the right suit. It's not about knowing anything special about skydiving in general, but it's about knowing what kind of skydives YOU want to do, who YOU are jumping with, what your ongoing challenges may be (falling too fast, falling too slow), and so on.

RW (or competition) suits will have booties, which are useful (almost required) if you want to do serious 4-way, 8-way or big-way RW--but they certainly aren't necessary to join others on belly jumps and even get on some jumps with more serious organizers (they'd probably be more concerned with grippers, but even those aren't usually necessary)
On the other hand, if you also want to try some freeflying, the booties will for sure get in the way (I still have to try to sit-fly with my belly-suit, some day! I'm sure it's fun!)
See, if you can get a cheap used suit (maybe with some grippers if you want to do RW, and of a size that helps you with freefall speeds (large and baggy, if you usually fall below the group, tight and slick, if you usually float above them) That should take you through the next 99 jumps. By that time you may know more.
Congrats for starting at 50--that's when I started, so I think that's an ideal age for starting to skydive! 

[flyhi 24]

On 10/6/2019 at 12:44 PM, celticrider67 said:

What's the difference between and RW jumpsuit and a Competiton jumpsuit?

IMHO, a competition suit will be tighter, with less drag. You'll have spandex or the equivalent for the lower sleeves. The grips will be bigger and you have both inside and outside leg grippers. 

An RW suit may be dependent on who you jump with. More baggy in the arms and between the arms and the body. I have not seen a lot of people get real upset if you do not have inside leg grippers. I have never seen anyone get upset with smaller grippers. Both save money. I would not consider not getting booties, but some people leave those off, too. I wouldn't, but that also saves money. 

Look around at the people with whom you jump. Do they fall faster or slower. If you are in with a slower falling group, a competition suit may knock you out of that group. 

A gross generalization would be that with competition suits, lighter guys wear weights; with RW suits bigger guys wear swoop cords. In competition suits, arching is expected. In RW suits, de arching is de rigueur. 

 

[sundevil777 102]

The important thing is to call the mfg with your measurements and let them help you decide how to get a fall rate that will allow you to easily play with others. Nobody flies best when having to fly near the upper or lower limit of what they can do.

[wolfriverjoe 1,523]

Well, there are probably a few differences I don't know about (I don't make jumpsuits), but the folks I know who compete in RW (belly) use RW jumpsuits. Not a whole lot different than 'normal' RW suits. Some of them have some features that aren't on every suit (big booties, vented booties, extra grippers), but those are available for anyone. 
I also know more than one fun jumper who is jumping an old suit from a top level competitor (SDC Rhythm - You can tell because they have the name of the team member on the back collar). 

Suits intended for vertical stuff (freeflying) are a bit different. But that's not what you are asking. 

Used suits are the best choice... If you can find one. But finding one that fits well and is in good shape may or may not happen. 

 

If you end up going new, Tony & Bev are both great. Bev is more marketed towards women, but I think she makes them for anyone. Vertical is also good. They make more freefly suits, but I think they'd make a belly suit if you ordered one. 

If you go new, take some time and talk to the maker. With the cost and time involved, make sure you understand what you are getting and are getting what you want. 

[wmw999 2,439]

The biggest advantage of buying used is that you'll probably make mistakes with your first suit, even if it's new, because you don't know enough about your flying. Make those mistakes with a used suit that's reasonably close (any experienced RW person can tell you what reasonably close is), then you'll know what not to do with the new suit. 

Things like booties, vents, big vs. small grippers, fabric, where to put the spandex -- these all can change depending on your body shape, and on who you fly with.

And a rigger can probably make some changes; others aren't worth trying to make. Feel free to message me (though I'm no expert, just been around a long time)

Wendy P.

[wolfriverjoe 1,523]

18 hours ago, 20kN said:

Eh, I'd argue you dont really. A more expensive jumpsuit mostly just gets you a lighter wallet. I have a few jumpsuits from some cheaper companies and they are very close in quality to any of the big name American brands. Maybe not 100%, but probably 90% which for a 50%+ discount I can live with that. Many jumpsuits are just flat-out overpriced.

Which companies are those? 

I've seen a few knock off suits from overseas (Pakistan, Bangladesh, Viet Nam). A couple were 'sorta decent'. Most were pretty flimsy (construction, materials or both). 
I've also heard of more than a few companies that promised cheap suits, but simply took the deposit and then disappeared. 

[celticrider67 4]

On 10/7/2019 at 4:55 PM, mbohu said:

I would echo Wendy's advice--although I have to admit I did not quite follow it myself in the beginning.

If you just got your A-License, or are still working on getting it, you do not know enough about your own skydiving to be likely to get the right suit. It's not about knowing anything special about skydiving in general, but it's about knowing what kind of skydives YOU want to do, who YOU are jumping with, what your ongoing challenges may be (falling too fast, falling too slow), and so on.

RW (or competition) suits will have booties, which are useful (almost required) if you want to do serious 4-way, 8-way or big-way RW--but they certainly aren't necessary to join others on belly jumps and even get on some jumps with more serious organizers (they'd probably be more concerned with grippers, but even those aren't usually necessary)
On the other hand, if you also want to try some freeflying, the booties will for sure get in the way (I still have to try to sit-fly with my belly-suit, some day! I'm sure it's fun!)
See, if you can get a cheap used suit (maybe with some grippers if you want to do RW, and of a size that helps you with freefall speeds (large and baggy, if you usually fall below the group, tight and slick, if you usually float above them) That should take you through the next 99 jumps. By that time you may know more.
Congrats for starting at 50--that's when I started, so I think that's an ideal age for starting to skydive! 

 

[celticrider67 4]

Flyhi...

Thanks for your time and your response... your comments regarding fall rates... sounds like something I can't figure out by doing math... because right now... i don't know WHO I'll be jumping with... which brings us back to Ms Wendy's comments/advice... used it should be... assuming it doesn't prove to be a search for a unicorn...

 

Thanks again and Blue Skies!

[20kN 93]

5 hours ago, bill6870 said:

Jump suits are expensive but don't go cheap, you get what you pay for.

Eh, I'd argue you dont really. A more expensive jumpsuit mostly just gets you a lighter wallet. I have a few jumpsuits from some cheaper companies and they are very close in quality to any of the big name American brands. Maybe not 100%, but probably 90% which for a 50%+ discount I can live with that. Many jumpsuits are just flat-out overpriced.

[flyhi 24]

Quote

Which companies are those? 

Windline Skydiving Equipment out of Lake Wales makes a nice jump suit for a little lower price.