Do you wear a jumpsuit as a TI?

[WatchYourStep 0]

Hopefully the poll makes sense...

To elaborate a little:

Option 1: You have a jumpsuit that you only wear for tandems. You don't wear it for FF or RW or camera. It is solely worn on tandem skydives

Option 2: Yes you do wear a jumpsuit as a tandem instructor but it's the same jumpsuit you would wear on your normal skydives as well. (ie your FF suit or RW suit)

Option 3 and 4: Fairly obvious. If you put down other please let me know what you are using.

I know the TI build (short, tall, skinny, heavy) may make a difference here as well as how big or small your student is, but in general.

Edited for clarification on Option 4.

"You start off your skydiving career with a bag full of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience up before your bag of luck runs out."

[TheCaptain 2]

I have a two piece free fly suit that I use for tandems. I had it built with reinforced cordura knees and butt for tandems. I only use the jacket during the winter and during the summer I wear a polo shirt with the DZ's name on it. This is not required, I personally think it looks more professionalthan just wearing jeans and a t-shirt.
Kirk

[sdctlc 0]

I have a pair of Tandem Pants I wear that are more durable. Summer will be a short sleeve shirt and winter will be a sweatshirt on top.

I will use the pants to do a sit jump or if I am trying to get to a plane fast and I have it on and don't feel like changing they will get jumped but they are mostly used for Tandem.

Scott

"He who Hesitates Shall Inherit the Earth!"

[matthewcline 0]

I wear a Michiagn Suits Tetris with built in sleeves.
I also wear it for AFF and Coaching jumps, some RW as well. I have a 2 peice Freefly suit that is on stand by for multi-use as well.

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

[WatchYourStep 0]

Matthew-

Does your Michigan suit have booties? Some of the TIs have booties on their jumpsuits and love them. They've had tandem jumpsuits without them and really like having them now.

Just to clarify the booties are on the instructors' jumpsuits not the students.

"You start off your skydiving career with a bag full of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience up before your bag of luck runs out."

[pchapman 279]

I wear cheap coveralls. Quick to put on, no spandex, velcro cuffs or all that crap.

In summer they are still relatively airy, sleeves can be rolled up, or they can be dispensed with entirely on the hot days. (And accepting grass stains from slide landings.)

Some coveralls are very heavy but the ones I found aren't bad. Some places sell used coveralls. Used military flight suits could be OK, but some get a little heavy with a million pockets all over them.

I added velcro to a chest pocket to better hold earplugs, student tickets from dispatch loads, whatever.

In winter the coveralls are baggy enough to allow sufficient layers underneath so it doesn't matter if cuffs aren't sealed.

[matthewcline 0]

Yep the Tetris has booties.
I like the booties since they can help over power a bad student body position with them when I need too. In my freefly suit I have lots of drag and I can right things 99% of the time with my skill and experience, but I have little control over the fabric.

Try it and if it works go with it, it is about what helps you do your job right.

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

[steveorino 7]

I wear FF pants and tee-shirt (even in Winter). If it is really hot, I wear shorts, but I like the stability baggy FF pants give me on the "wild" ones.

steveOrino

[tetra316 0]

Surplus cameo pants(very durable ) and t-shirt.

[livendive 8]

I've previously worn a two-piece freefly suit with cordura knees/butt, ditching the top on hot days. I bought a new 5-piece suit this winter (FF and RW pants, FF, RW, and camera tops) thinking it would make it easier to switch pieces for back to back to back vidiot-AFF-tandem slots. Now I'm not sure I want to subject it to routine tandem abuse, so I might buy an additional pair of FF pants specifically for the days when I know I'll be mostly doing those.

Blues,
Dave

"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!"
(drink Mountain Dew)

[AggieDave 6]

Quote

Now I'm not sure I want to subject it to routine tandem abuse,

That's why I typically wear over the boot style baggy motorcross pants and a t-shirt (in the summer) or a sweathshirt (in the winter). Especially since I buy them on sale and they typically last for about 400-500 tandems and even new they cost under $100. That's a lot better then $300+ for a jumpsuit that won't last a season doing tandems with.

Similar to this, but not these exact pants http://www.ridegear.com/rg/item/F-54193/Shift/Recon-Pants.html?intcmp=clvrst

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

[livendive 8]

Quote

Similar to this, but not these exact pants http://www.ridegear.com/rg/item/F-54193/Shift/Recon-Pants.html?intcmp=clvrst

Do those things breathe at all or do you sweat like crazy? And am I correct that the bottom pieces are removable?

Blues,
Dave

"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!"
(drink Mountain Dew)

[AggieDave 6]

They really don't breath that much, but since they're baggy and open on the cuff its not the pants I wear for swooping that make me sweat horribly.

That kind will zip off into shorts. The pair that I use now don't zip off, the previous pair I had did. That's what did them in, though, is that they came unzipped and came unzipped and came unzipped...I guess some supertack would have fixed that, but I just kept on keeping on until they ripped up and I ended up trashing them.

I've had this last pair for three years of tandems and only have had to fix a seam in the butt. The fabric has withstood all the abuse very well.

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

[SkymonkeyONE 4]

Yes. I do all of my tandems in an RW bootie suit. I really like the leg power And I dont like flailing arms in tandem videos. The booties work exceptionally well when shooting handycam (which I do most of the time).

Chuck

[Kimblair13 0]

Black shorts and grey shirt (uniform). Extra drag on your arms makes hand cam footage look shaky, which we do on 95% of our jumps. It's too hot here for pants.
If I'm jumping somewhere that's cold I'll wear my FF pants and a long sleeve shirt, but prefer shorts and t-shirt.

[rhys 0]

when I am in the tropics i do not use one, in a temperate climate I use one.

Though I do think a jumpsuit/pants give more control, I don't think the extra control is vital for safe operations.

"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, then the world will see peace." - 'Jimi' Hendrix

[diablopilot 2]

Quote

Though I do think a jumpsuit/pants give more control, I don't think the extra control is vital for safe operations.

Agreed, although I would recommend to any low time TI to keep the jumpsuit for the first 100 to 200 jumps. Might as well stack the deck in their favor.

During the winter I wear my old freefly suit (going on 10 years old) and if it's real cold, my tunnel warm suit top and bottom, and during the summer Motocross shorts, and t-shirt, which lets me switch to shooting video easily by simply adding a camera top.

----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[popsjumper 2]

I didn't vote in the poll because I'm not a TI but I would like to say...

Wearing a jumpsuit of some sort on tandem jumps seems to be one of those small things that one could do to enhance the experience for the student.

It gives the aura of actually skydiving as opposed to taking a joyride, I would think.

I think it's awsome that you guys are apparently willing to buy new stuff all the time after taking on so much wear and tear from everyday tandem jumping.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[Canadianfella 0]

I wear a hemp freefly suit.. very baggy and provides great control... I've done 3 jumps with swoop shorts and a t shirt on.... They worked out quite well, but definately prefer the jumpsuit... especially because the butt of the suit holds up well!

[des 2]

we only do beach landings,so none of the ti's or the pax wear jumpsuits.there is just no need for them.

[Squeak 17]

Our TMs wear either a Staff Jumpsuit, or Staff freefly pants, with Staff T shirt.
Staff clothing is unifom in colour, with company name and company logo

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[yarak 0]

ff pants in summer

fleece cargos in winter

I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll burn your fucking packing tent down.

[taffclarke 0]

i,m a short guy so i have a suit specialy made for me, nice and baggy and hard wearing as well. no booties though. i am not sure if it is more for comfort or just something i have always done but i realy like a baggy jump suit on tandem,

use it regardless of weather, hot cold very stinking hot i still use it ( just means washing more often hehehe)

safety enjoyment learning, sel the sport. dont kill it.

[tonyhays 86]

I wear FF suit when its cold, FF pants and a t-shirt when its warm. Only do the shorts/t-shirt on the hottest days. I prefer the drag, especially when doing handi-cam.

“That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence.”

[toolbox 0]

I agree. All that floppy crap makes everything shake.
I dress for the temperature. If its cold I wear jeans and a jacket,and if it's bitter cold then everything I can get on and still move.
I've found that I fly best in shorts and a T shirt though.
I always hear poeple say they want the extra drag for more control,but the only reason I would wear more fabric other than temperature would be to slow down the fall rate for the camera flyer if needed.