Choosing The Right Skydiving Suits

Experienced skydivers know that their skydiving suits are just as important to their jump as the parachutes. No two skydivers are built alike, so skydiving suits must typically be made to order, and tailored specifically to your particular body type. Without the right fit of suit, your freefall jump could be seriously affected.

Because skydiving suits should be tailored to the individual differences of each skydiver, it is generally not a wise idea to purchase these suits through online mass producers, unless you have a local shop that can tailor it to your body. Generally, online suppliers that specialize in skydiving suits offer specific ordering guidelines, so as to ensure a good fit.

Materials

Different skydiving suits are made up of different types of materials. The types of jumping you do will greatly affect the type of material you will want to have for your suit. Each different type of fabric used will create different air drag on the suit, and will affect the type of jumping you are doing accordingly. The most common materials used in skydiving suits are nylon, spandex, polyester, and cotton.

Types Of Suits

There are two basic categories of skydiving suits: freeflying suits, and RW (formation flying) jumping suits. Freeflying suits are typically used by more experienced jumpers who are advanced enough to attempt aerial acrobatics, sit flying (sitting down cross-legged in mid air), or head down flying (pointed headfirst toward the ground). Recreational style suits are used by recreational and competition jumpers, who spend more time belly flying (flat falling on your stomach) than freeflying.

Freeflying suits are typically made of lighter materials, so as to create less drag, and allow for more freedom of movement. Freeflying skydiving suits tend to consist of mostly cotton and polyester blends. RW suits, on the other hand, generally consist of denser fabrics, such as spandex and nylon, so as to allow for greater drag and lift, as well as for durability where grips are attached.

There’s no one-size fit all when it comes to skydiving suits. Each jumper must use his or her own judgment and experience to find the best suit for their particular style of jumping. Just remember to always try on your suit before you jump, so that you can ensure a proper fit. Jumping without the proper suit could be just as dangerous as jumping without a proper parachute. If you are new to skydiving, ask the advice of an experienced jumper to learn which of the skydiving suits would be best for you.