Wearing a suit or not ?

[DigitalDave 0]

I've just started skydiving and now that I'm solo jumping, I find that I don't care to wear a jumpsuit. I prefer short sleeves in freefall. I've asked several instructors and they tell me I can wear whatever I want obviously barring anything with hooks, loops or pokey things or otherwise unsafe stuff.

I've done my last couple without a suit and had no problems with stability or anything else for that matter.

Of course I won't be flying a wingsuit or camera suit, or doing RW anytime soon. But is there any benefit for a new jumper to stay in a suit other than protection from scratches and stains? Do I need to be wearing booties now?

[AggieDave 6]

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or doing RW anytime soon

Why not?

This is the perfect time to start learning RW, in fact you should be doing it. 2-ways with a solid coach, instructor or old timer will teach you more than you know!

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[skydude2000 3]

I'm sure you've been advised this already, but make darn sure your clothes are tucked in, tied down or taped up if necessary. T-shirts can flip up and cover handles, belts and buckles can be a snag hazard.

I remember tightly tucking in my t-shirt once, and it still flipped up and covered my handles. Now I pull and tuck it through my leg-straps. Who cares if I look like a fool. A lot less chance of that happening again, hopefully.

Be safe

PULL!! or DIE!!

[c10edges 0]

This is one of the biggest mistakes that i made in my short time in the sport. You and me are both in the stage where "we dont know what we dont know." I truly believe that everyone should wear a jumpsuit or go with no shirt. In Texas in the summer when I had 50ish jumps i thought there was no reason to wear a jumpsuit. I was just like you and just tucked my jumpsuit in my shorts and stayed cool. About 1 out of every 5 jumps my shirt would be above my nipples and flying everywhere all over my gear- no big deal. Well if i had a t shirt all over my handles during my horseshoe (another story fun story) i might not be telling you to get a jumpsuit. Plus! it DRASTICALLY changes the drag and power that you have to work with. I had to totally relearn how to sit fly because going from no drag to lots of drag on your legs is a incredible difference. You are only hurting yourself and wasting some money on jumps that you will have to relearn by not getting a suit.

[DrewEckhardt 0]

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Of course I won't be flying a wingsuit or camera suit, or doing RW anytime soon. But is there any benefit for a new jumper to stay in a suit other than protection from scratches and stains? Do I need to be wearing booties now?

Most people find that jumping by themselves doesn't stay fun, and without the frame of reference provided by other people you're more likely to pickup bad habits that you later need to fix. You'll want to jump with other people real soon.

Bigger people need more drag to match rw (belly to earth, back to earth, head-up, head-down, it's all the same) overlapping (or just more neutral/comfortable) fall rates than when they wear shorts and a T-shirt and small people need less (taking the form of spandex).

A T-shirt can also come loose and cover your handles which is bad.

[Stewie 0]

A banana hammock won't cover anything...including your handles. Just sayin'

"Fuck that. I'll take a good ass-pounding over a bj any day." -- pyrotech

[hcsvader 1]

But is there any benefit for a new jumper to stay in a suit other than protection from scratches and stains?

pretection from scratches became my biggest reason for wearing my jumpsuit, or at least clothing that covers any exposed skin.

I took a good chunk of skin out of my ankle this summer while landing in shorts and ankle sock. I probobly saved a good chunk of skin on my forearm when I clipped the step on exit. It tore thru my jumpsuit and 2 long sleeve shirts i had on underneath.

Scars are cool and all but I think I have enough already

Have you seen my pants?
it"s a rough life, Livin' the dream
>:)

[DigitalDave 0]

Good information. Although my instructors did say to keep my shit tucked in, it didn't occur to me how easy it would be to have a handle covered up. That's reason enough for me to wear a suit.

I will sew a grip on my banana hammock and wear it if anyone wants to coach me in RW.

[Gato 0]

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I will sew a grip on my banana hammock and wear it if anyone wants to coach me in RW.

Now that is fucking funny.

My friend, be very, very, very careful who you say that to around the DZ. Just sayin'.

T.I.N.S.

[pontiacgtp00 0]

Back when I got off student status and moved to Florida, I never ever wore a jumpsuit. I always wore a belt that I'd cinch down tight with my shirt tucked in, never had a problem with it coming untucked while belly flying.

[Tomcat933 0]

I can understand why you wouldn't want to wear a suit, but I know that i am going to bust my ass occasionally on landing, and when i'm sliding across the ground on my face, i want some material protecting my skin, and I sure as hell want a helmet protecting my head. So personally, I'll never jump without a helmet, and unless i'm planning on landing in water, i'll never jump without something protecting my skin.

[kimemerson 7]

The prime purpose of any jumpsuit is that because we jump with others who may well be of different body sizes and types, we have to be able to fly relative. So we compensate for our differences by wearing suits that allow for that difference. So, if you and another are of similar body types, then there is no real need for a jump suit. Grippers make taking grips easier but they aren't the only way to take a grip. If you are jumping solo there is flat out no real need for a jump suit at all.
As for relative flight with others, you still don't actually need a real honest to goodness skydiver jumpsuit. Going dirt cheap will accomplish all that but of course you'll have to give up looking like everyone else and accept a certain level of individuality. Not everyone can handle that, though. You can very easily create an outfit that will allow you everything you need. I have been jumping for 20 years and I still jump a pair of jeans and a baggy long sleeve T shirt. I wear two layers of the long sleeve shirt so it has some weight, and I took a pair of Carhart cargo pants and threaded a thin bungee through the hem of the leg to cinch the ankles.Shirt tucked in with a belt, the pants all set and I essentially have the equivalent of any freefly suit except I paid about $50 total instead of upwards of $300.
I've known plenty of people who have sewn grippers into jeans to take care of that issue. I've seen empty beer cans and a dead rat as grippers (both Australians so maybe there's some insight there).
When you get into more a precise need you may consider the appropriate jumpsuit then. So, if you eventually do video for teams a camera wing suit will be helpful. Booties are indeed helpful for that as well as for RW flyers jumping as a team. Two ways likely have less need for such specific needs.
As for safety of using street clothes, that's simply a matter of being smart. As I say above, tuck it in and wear a belt.Use long tailed shirts so they stay tucked in. They shouldn't be so overly baggy that they obscure handles front or back. But remember (or maybe I'm telling you here for the first time) that in the '60's balloon suits were all the rage.

Honestly, this sport seems too full of people wondering if accessories will do for them what good skills ought to be doing. An audible altimeter is nice but your eyes and the development of an internal clock should actually be strengthened so that they are primary and the altimeters (audible and visual) become the back ups.
Wing suits (for camera) and booties are for specific aspects and are meant to answer particular needs not otherwise met. But they don't make you a skydiver or give you skills you would not have otherwise. Booties didn't exist before about 1991 or '92. They are now deemed essential even by beginners who have no idea why they are essential. They just see others wearing them so they are assumed to be essential.
You may want to think about a discipline to get started on. Then eventually do it all anyway without limiting yourself. Just concentrate on one for now but by all means extend yourself into other areas. I know I'll hear some flak on this one but it really is not at all necessary to start out doing RW before doing head down. You just have to have a very good sense of time, altitude awareness and the ability to get back belly-to-earth (to pull) and to be clear of others at pull time (so you need good tracking skills). As long as you can handle your responsibilities at the low end of the skydive it doesn't matter much what you choose to do for the upper end. Safety first and foremost - always.
So I would recommend developing flying skills first. Jump with coaches or others who can teach or just partner. Learn what you will need to wear in order to be able to fly well with them but don't put too much weight on buying a real suit if you're still so young. Let your real needs and the direction you take in the sport dictate your attire.

[Cheach 0]

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I will sew a grip on my banana hammock and wear it if anyone wants to coach me in RW.

Should you "need" a grip on a banana hammock? It should have a built in one.....

I woke up next to a blowup doll Ash....so what do you think?

[matthewcline 0]

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I will sew a grip on my banana hammock and wear it if anyone wants to coach me in RW.

Get ready to say this a lot if you go with this..

"I was in the POOL!!"



Matt

An Instructors first concern is student safety.
So, start being safe, first!!!

[DigitalDave 0]

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Should you "need" a grip on a banana hammock? It should have a built in one.....

Of course the built-in grip is far too large for a normal human to wrap their hand around. Currently, I use it as a vertical stabilizer in free fall.

[Andy9o8 2]

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in the '60's balloon suits were all the rage.

Pssst... 70's. 60's was Sears coveralls.

[cocheese 0]

Don't wear a suit.

You apparently need to learn things the hard way.

[JohnMitchell 16]

I heard a 2nd hand report the other day of a jumper having his t-shirt blow behind him in freefall, covering up his BOC. Hadn't really considered that one.

Everything style of flying can be done without a jumpsuit. The jumpsuit, if properly chosen, can make it easier to do certain things and can make it easier for other jumpers to stay relative with you.

Protection from abrasion is another plus. I occasionally jump suitless, but almost always wear gloves for that very reason.

[DigitalDave 0]

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Don't wear a suit.

You apparently need to learn things the hard way.

Not sure what you mean here. I prefer to learn by watching, listening and asking a ton of questions.

[ozzy13 0]

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I've just started skydiving and now that I'm solo jumping, I find that I don't care to wear a jumpsuit. I prefer short sleeves in freefall. I've asked several instructors and they tell me I can wear whatever I want obviously barring anything with hooks, loops or pokey things or otherwise unsafe stuff.

I've done my last couple without a suit and had no problems with stability or anything else for that matter.

Of course I won't be flying a wingsuit or camera suit, or doing RW anytime soon. But is there any benefit for a new jumper to stay in a suit other than protection from scratches and stains? Do I need to be wearing booties now?

The biggest concern is if your shirt comes up over your handles. With your low jump numbers and have a malfunction, Im not sure if you would want the extra worry of having trouble locating your handles. Once you get ur A its up to you what you wear... I will not let my student jump without one..

Never give the gates up and always trust your rears!

[Sletzer 3]

All it took for me was someone crushing my fingers in the plane while getting up. That, and raking my hand between the door of an otter and the inside bar. Gloves every time now. Keeps the skin where it's supposed to be.

I will be kissing hands and shaking babies all afternoon. Thanks for all your support! *bows*

SCS #8251

[JohnMitchell 16]

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Don't wear a suit.

You apparently need to learn things the hard way.

Not sure what you mean here. I prefer to learn by watching, listening and asking a ton of questions.

Uhmm, that was Cocheese who said that, not me. I'm usually less sarcastic. My reply is a little more instructional. See above for details.

[JohnMitchell 16]

Yep, skydiving is a high speed sport. Our hands can definitely take a beating.

[kimemerson 7]

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in the '60's balloon suits were all the rage.

Pssst... 70's. 60's was Sears coveralls.

Shit! Off by a decade.

[DigitalDave 0]

Woops. I didn't notice that replying put the poster's name in the title. Sorry bout that John.