Winter Jumping without Gloves?

[Bodhisattva420 0]

Anybody out there jumping this winter without gloves? Last time I went to the DZ I was the only one who wasn't wearing some. I've never had a cutaway and am sort of worried about not being able to feel my handles. Any advice? Thx!

[GLIDEANGLE 1]

Here is the USPA position on this question from the SIM § 5-3.K.2.b: "Gloves are essential when the jump altitude temperature is lower than 40° F."

You have already identified a good reason to wear gloves... you might need to use your hands!!!

The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

[airtwardo 7]

Where are you jumping?

Even in a warmer climate ya may wanna invest is some gloves this time of year, frozen up flippers just don't work at well a warm ones.

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[Skydivesg 7]

If you can't feel your fingers because of the cold it's just as dangerous as wearing gloves that are too thick.

Go to the Performance Designs website and buy some of their PD gloves. Then buy some latex medical gloves at Walmart or Target and wear them under the PD gloves.

This combo gives you great warmth and the latex blocks the wind and the PD gloves are like batting gloves so you can feel handles and toggles with no problem. I wear the PD gloves year round and the latex when it's really cold.

Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

[stayhigh 2]

We were jumping in shorts and t shirts last weekend, my advice will be move to so cal.

Bernie Sanders for President 2016

[sundevil777 102]

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Anybody out there jumping this winter without gloves? Last time I went to the DZ I was the only one who wasn't wearing some. I've never had a cutaway and am sort of worried about not being able to feel my handles. Any advice? Thx!

People get in trouble when they use ski type gloves, where the inner and outer layers are separated with insulation and allows relative movement between your hands and the outside of the glove.

Appropriate gloves will not interfere with your emergency procedures. Baseball batting type gloves (thin single layer leather) are very typical and many use them even in very hot summer weather. In cold conditions adding a liner such as a stretchy latex glove adds a huge amount of insulation without interfering with your ability to feel your handles.

It feels great to have the wind on your hands in the summer, but there are many ways to injure your hands while skydiving, and even a thin layer of leather prevents you from bleeding.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[virgin-burner 1]

i jump the same gloves, summer as in winter..

“Some may never live, but the crazy never die.”
-Hunter S. Thompson
"No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try."
-Yoda

[Bodhisattva420 0]

Hey thanks for the advice. I'm pretty poor so I might try and buy some golf gloves and latex gloves to wear underneath if they have holes.

[DaVincisEnvy 0]

A cautionary tale:

My first AFF jump was without gloves, in northern Indiana, in late October. The temp on the ground was right around 40F, and the temp aloft was probably around 10F-15F. By the time we were at pull altitude, I had lost all sensation in my fingers. I went to pull, but couldn't feel my handle -- my main-side instructor pulled for me. Later, on the ground, my instructors asked why I didn't pull when my hand was right on the hackey during every practice touch and at pull time... I couldn't feel a thing, much less get a good grip.

I was lucky this was on an AFF jump with two great instructors, otherwise the jump could have ended much differently. But lesson learned -- for AFF2 (well AFF level 1 version 2.0), I had a nice pair of batting gloves and everything went perfectly. The gloves kept my hands warm and didn't interfere with my ability to feel or grip my handles at all.

[Andy9o8 2]

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My first AFF jump was without gloves, in northern Indiana, in late October. The temp on the ground was right around 40F, and the temp aloft was probably around 10F-15F. By the time we were at pull altitude, I had lost all sensation in my fingers. I went to pull, but couldn't feel my handle -- my main-side instructor pulled for me. Later, on the ground, my instructors asked why I didn't pull when my hand was right on the hackey during every practice touch and at pull time... I couldn't feel a thing, much less get a good grip.

Instructors are supposed to know better than students. That includes gearing-up the student properly; and sometimes that includes seeing to it that the student is dressed properly. I think a lot of instructors would have recommended, and some would have insisted, that their AFF student wear appropriate gloves, given the temperatures you describe, for exactly the reason of what happened to you.

[Craterpond 0]

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We were jumping in shorts and t shirts last weekend, my advice will be move to so cal.

NO, No, NOOOOOO...too crowded already! California sucks, stay away....(visitors welcome)

[sundevil777 102]

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Hey thanks for the advice. I'm pretty poor so I might try and buy some golf gloves and latex gloves to wear underneath if they have holes.

Golf gloves are very thin and might be a good choice for very hot weather. They are typically not as cheap as basic baseball batting gloves. Even without holes, any single layer leather gloves can be uncomfortably cold, but some are more tolerant to this of course.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[DaVincisEnvy 0]

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Instructors are supposed to know better than students. That includes gearing-up the student properly; and sometimes that includes seeing to it that the student is dressed properly. I think a lot of instructors would have recommended, and some would have insisted, that their AFF student wear appropriate gloves, given the temperatures you describe, for exactly the reason of what happened to you.

True. I think part of the problem is that they were both locals and used to those temps, while I was not. I probably should have 'fessed up to being a cold wuss from the south before boarding the plane without gloves. Although I did ask about gloves, my instructors said that they usually prefer students to jump without gloves since gloves can make it a bit harder to feel and recognize the hackey (especially as a newbie).

I also knew that if I wanted gloves, I'd have to go buy them (it was a tiny Cessna DZ and they didn't have any gloves lying around that would fit me). Leaving the DZ to buy them would have meant pushing back my jump by a week.

I was excited and in a hurry to jump, so I ignored my better judgment and hopped on the plane. It was certainly a wake-up call for me to experience how such a seemingly-small thing as (not) wearing gloves could have such a radical impact the outcome of the jump.

[Bodhisattva420 0]

Batting gloves it is!

[shayelk 0]

disclaimer: I'm a novice with only 10 jumps behind me :)

I was afraid of not being able to pull with my gloves on, so I used to just wear them in the plane and take them off just before jumping. my hands weren't numb or anything but they did kinda hurt while pulling on the toggles. in my last jump I decided to give it a chance (not before asking an instructor i trust if he thought it was o.k) and jumped with my gloves on. my grip on the ripcord actually improved and felt better, because my hands were all warm and cozy :P

don't wear any new gear or clothing you're not sure about before asking someone you trust at the DZ. that said, do what ever you can to make yourself fill comfortable while jumping. if you need to wear gloves- wear gloves.

just my 0.02

[ridestrong 1]

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Hey thanks for the advice. I'm pretty poor so I might try and buy some golf gloves and latex gloves to wear underneath if they have holes.

I wear thinly insulated gloves (more similar to football gloves) with latex gloves under those to block the wind on the colder days. Those 'Mechanix' gloves work well too, you can get them at any auto stores, Walmat, and gas stations...

I also have a pair of thicker wind resistant gloves but they don't have great grip so it makes it difficult to pull on my risers. I would still recommend them tho for the REALLY cold days. Go to the nearest army surplus store, the one I went to had a pretty large selection of wind resistant gloves, they can be a bit spendy tho.


I wouldn't go with golf gloves... but that's just me. I think you'll want at least a thin insulation.

*I am not afraid of dying... I am afraid of missing life.*
----Disclaimer: I don't know shit about skydiving.----

[thrillstalker 0]

i use a pair of these http://www.chutingstar.com/newgear_en/nsl-tackified-skydiving-gloves.html

and when it is cold i put these on under the skydiving gloves http://www.underarmour.com/shop/us/en/mens/accessories/gloves/liners/pid1203060-Men-s-UA-Camo-ColdGear-Liner-Glove/1203060-399

it is better two wear two thin gloves than one thick pair. the glove liners are wonderful. i jumped last weekend with snow/ice on the ground (doesn't happen much in ga) and my hands were toasty warm.

"Never grow a wishbone, where your backbone ought to be."

[Dittodogg 0]

I hate wearing gloves, but when I have to I wear due to the cold I wear a pair of the thin Military flight gloves with latex surgeons gloves underneath to protect from the wind. Dexterity is bueno with that combination.

I really hate gloves... I constantly get crap at work for not wearing my flight gloves when I fly....... It just doesnt feel natural wearing em.

my.02

Team Dirty Sanchez #455,
Muff Brother #4197,
SCR #14847, DPH -8,
Dude #5150

[skydance1954 0]

If you are jumping at a DZ where the temperature is near or below freezing on the ground prior to take-off - wear gloves. Period.

Mike Ashley
D-18460
Canadian A-666

[Bertt 0]

I wear baseball batting gloves in hot to cool weather, and I have a pair of football receiver gloves for colder weather. If I need thicker gloves to keep warm, it's too cold to skydive. The rule I use is that if I can't tie my shoes with the gloves on, the gloves are too thick. (If I can't tie my shoes with the gloves off, I'm too drunk to skydive).

You don't have to outrun the bear.

[tmarine253 0]

I wear the standard NFL receiver gloves and take a pair of small cotton gloves that you can buy for a buck at CVS or Walgreens and put them under my receiving gloves, if its really warm I wont wear gloves if it is getting colder I will only wear the receiving gloves if it is really cold I will wear the cotton gloves under the receiving gloves, that will do it up to 25 degrees (which is the coldest I jumped in) it is never to cold to skydive.

[SRI85 0]

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Anybody out there jumping this winter without gloves? Last time I went to the DZ I was the only one who wasn't wearing some. I've never had a cutaway and am sort of worried about not being able to feel my handles. Any advice? Thx!

i wear thin instrument gloves for winter. despite how cold it is, i havent had any problems with my hands feeling cold. even when it was 18 degrees out last monday.

[councilman24 37]

Even better are Neuman football gloves. Usually receiver. They come in winter weight too. I wear them all year long after tearing my hands up throwing S/L students. Either identical or nearly identical to the ones at chuting star but available at the local Dunhams or other similar sporting goods store. Really cold I put a very thin poly glove line under them.

For a new years eve jump that never happened I looked hard and bought thin, neoprene scuba gloves. I think they would have kept my hands working at the projected 0 degrees.

But I grew up jumping old military wool liners with leather covers. Actually worked well for me but really too bulky.

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[anthonyfellows 0]

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Go to the Performance Designs website and buy some of their PD gloves. Then buy some latex medical gloves at Walmart or Target and wear them under the PD gloves.

This combo gives you great warmth and the latex blocks the wind and the PD gloves are like batting gloves so you can feel handles and toggles with no problem. I wear the PD gloves year round and the latex when it's really cold.

Latex gloves also cause sweat like you've been having sex for 90 consecutive minutes, only it's all in your hands. I wouldn't put the latex on under another pair of gloves when you're gearing up on the ground.

Serious relationships turn into work after a few weeks and I already got a fucking job :)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
H.A.F. = Hard As Fuck ... Goddamn Amateurs

[kuai43 7]

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Latex gloves also cause sweat like you've been having sex for 90 consecutive minutes, only it's all in your hands. I wouldn't put the latex on under another pair of gloves when you're gearing up on the ground.

If you're having sex with your hands for 90 minutes, you're doing it wrong.

Every fight is a food fight if you're a cannibal

Goodness is something to be chosen. When a man cannot choose, he ceases to be a man. - Anthony Burgess