new jumper wants rw jumpsuit....suggestions

[DARK 0]

so iv only got 12 jumps but im working at a dz for the next 3 months so will hopefully get that number up as much as i possibly can in the mean time

iv talked to my instructors here(over a beer or two) about gear etc and while i was going to buy all 2nd hand gear one thing they said was to buy a good new jumpsuit as it will last a long long time.

i want to concentrate on belly down rw with the view of being as best prepared to fly camera as i can be when the time comes and iv gotten advice off some of the flyers who post here that the best way to do that is rw

i think i want a tonysuit as one of the instructors here has one and besides everything else they look great but iv been told they have a massive waiting list and i need to have it at the latest the middle of august so are there other suits i should be considering and why?

thanks in advance,
mark

[gemini 0]

Look at the team jumpers at your dz. What are they wearing? Ours wear BevSuits mostly. I have one (my second suit) and it has worn well and still looks great. Bev replaces the booties upon request at a reasonable cost too. Suits come in three fit types: Slow for the big jumper, Average for most jumpers, and Fast for the competitors and small jumper.

Blue skies,

Jim

[StreetScooby 5]

I jump Tony Suits. Get big grippers, because they come in handy when turning pieces. Get booties. Wear largish tennis shoes with the booties (and point your toes), otherwise the booties may end up flying you. You can expedite shipping with a small fee

We are all engines of karma

[elightle 8]

Before you order a jumpsuit, see if you can borrow an RW suit with booties from somebody around your size. Do some simple 4-way randoms (when you get to that level) and see how it goes. If you find yourself fighting to stay up with everybody, you might need a slower suit. If you're floating, a slicker suit might be in order.

But before you do 4-way, make sure you can do 360's, fall slow and fast, fly no contact and stay put, and track.

The jumpsuit is just a tool to help you maneuver more efficiently. Discover your natural fall rate before you order one then it will be easier to get one that works.

Blue Skies!
Ed

[StreetScooby 5]

I agree with elightle. A good 4-way suit is going to run you over $300. If you can try someone elses, it'll give you more idea on the options that'll be available.

We are all engines of karma

[SHem 0]

Great idea to try someone else's suit first. And if it fits you good, try to buy it. Seriously, if it fits good, offer to buy it. When you get to the point where other belly flyers ask you to join a team, you'll probably have to buy a new team suit. And if you're like a lot of the people who buy new suits, you'll have to send it back to get adjusted (rest assured, the manufacturer DID build it to the measurements on the order form). You'll then realize that spending a little bit (relatively) for a used suit is not such a bad idea after all...oh, yeah, one more thing, be sure to shoe-goo the booties before they get too ragged out. Oh, one more thing, do your piece partner a favor and be sure that you have inside leg grippers on your suit.

Scott

>>
"Here's how you cure cancer: make it more cool for a kid to grow up to be a scientist than it is for him or her to be an athlete or a Pop Star. That's how you cure cancer."

[siddacious 0]

Quote

Before you order a jumpsuit, see if you can borrow an RW suit with booties from somebody around your size. Do some simple 4-way randoms (when you get to that level) and see how it goes. If you find yourself fighting to stay up with everybody, you might need a slower suit. If you're floating, a slicker suit might be in order.

But before you do 4-way, make sure you can do 360's, fall slow and fast, fly no contact and stay put, and track.

The jumpsuit is just a tool to help you maneuver more efficiently. Discover your natural fall rate before you order one then it will be easier to get one that works.

Blue Skies!
Ed

Ditto! You need to know what you need before you buy it! I spend a while going low before I realized that I bought an inappropriate suit. My ability to fly with the formation improved by leaps and bounds when I borrowed a suit from a friend (thanks Dave!)

As for manufacturers, I can whole heartedly endorse Michigan Suits (www.michigan-suits.com). I got a Tetris from Mike (the owner) and it is fabulous. Awesome booties, and bomb-proof construction. My next suit will be from them for sure. Oh, and it took 6 weeks to get to me. Not next week fast, but quite manageable.

A dolor netus non dui aliquet, sagittis felis sodales, dolor sociis mauris, vel eu libero cras. Interdum at. Eget habitasse elementum est.

[jmpwme 0]

I was a 4-way team guy for 8 years, jumped Michigan, Tony and Bev during that time. While not a huge Michigan fan, I don't think you can go wrong with either Tony or Bev (we were sponsored by bev by way of disclosure).

I'm not sure about your home dz, but Perris and Elsinore have a fair number of team jumpers that trade in RW suits on a regular basis. Its not unusual to find used jumpsuits in great condition at a reasonable price. Best thing - you can demo them. If your home DZ has this available, it might be a better way to go on your first RW suit than buying new.

One more suggestion - if you seriously want to fly video at some point, learn to fly well on your belly without booties before moving to a jumpsuit with booties.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Steve
GT

[DARK 0]

thanks for the advice guys

has anyone any experience with eg suits http://www.egsky.com . they are going to be at my dz in the near future so if they have a good reputation it would be good to get measured up properly while they are here

[Hausse 0]

Check out skimmer suits!

http://www.skimmersuits.com/

I got mine right after I had my A and I love it. The big booties are great and give you an awesome track.
I wouldn't trade it for any other suit I've seen out there.

[flr169 0]

I'll have to second Hausse on the SKIMMER SUITS ..

they are awesome....and u won't wait long either for her suits...

Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting - "fcuk me what a ride!"

[rehmwa 2]

Look at features available.

Another thing to try is to do a search here and read the 8.2 BILLION threads on this exact same subject.

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[JustChuteMeNow 0]

Quote

Another thing to try is to do a search here and read the 8.2 BILLION threads on this exact same subject.

hahahahaha That was a great suggestion although possibly not what the OP wanted. Although I would second this suggestion.

FWIW I have had a Hawk suit, a Bev suit, and a Merlin suit for RW and I have liked them all. They were all quality suits. Good luck with your search.

Think of how stupid the average person is and realize that statistically half of them are stupider than that.

[rehmwa 2]

Features - if he was to go RW seriously - then full and big grippers, full sized booties, cordura where needed, no zippers on the booties (weak points), the heavier weave nylons, lately the leather toe cups on the big vendors have been tiny - I don't like that. I also look at where the seams lie - I hate it when the bootie seam is across my knee (comfort) or below the knee (performance).

I've had 3 flavors:

Hawk (great craftsmanship, flattering pattern, wimpy booties) - She doesn't make them anymore, too bad. Marsha is terrific

Michigan - nice suit, good features, no nonsense approach in the Tetris. Another really decent maker - Mike took good care of us and handle mods and fixes as priorities

Skimmer - my favorite suit (I'm partial for very biased reasons) - but built well, good design, no gimmicks, fast turnaround, big toe cup, good bootie design and fit. I'll get another this winter. (disclaimer, this is my wife's business)

I've not had a Bev, but I like how they fit

I've not had a Tony, but I like the leather they use on the booties - it just seems to last and last.....



If I had to recommend to someone, buy from someone you know. Most of the suits are pretty much the same, but I'd take a hard look at the booties and how they fit and fly. A local builder, if the suit is good, it always better than sending away - you get a custom fitting, and they are there to talk to and respond to issues - and usually you get the suit in less that a couple months or more.

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[DARK 0]

thanks fr all the replies i ordered a michigan tetris suit should in theory arrive tomoorow

[rehmwa 2]

Nice choice - excellent suit, and the Tetris (define the suit with the necessary options up front) is EXACTLY the right way to market a good comp suit. Mike's a great guy.

Since you are out of country - measure everything twice, do it per the instructions exactly, give him notes on the fit you prefer, if any measurement is not absolutely clear to you, call them and make sure. Rebuilds suck for both the customer and the suitmake.

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants