flyingwallop 5 #1 January 28, 2016 I have not jumped yet and am already worrying severely about the dubious fashion. It seems it all went wrong after the Freefly Clowns in the 90's. Can one jump with his own clothes as a freshly licensed beginner?? What to avoid?? Or when is it safe to style oneself? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gowlerk 1,905 #2 January 28, 2016 flyingwallop I have not jumped yet and am already worrying severely about the dubious fashion. It seems it all went wrong after the Freefly Clowns in the 90's. Can one jump with his own clothes as a freshly licensed beginner?? What to avoid?? Or when is it safe to style oneself? Find a DZ where you can jump naked. Of course appropriate headgear is mandatory, and good shoes are highly recommended. No reason at all you should humiliate yourself by following the current trends in fashion. Be a leader, not a follower.Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flyingwallop 5 #3 January 28, 2016 oh this is music to my ears. I was fearing an extended reply starting with tshirts flapping over your handles and all sorts of fall rate issues. Although I am very much interested in knowing what the issues might be. Can anyone elaborate to educate?? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mr2mk1g 10 #4 January 28, 2016 Fashion in skydiving is largely related to colour schemes. Cut as well perhaps but that's driven by current thinking as to how to get the most out of the suit rather than fashion for fashion's sake. The jumpsuits people wear are worn for a reason. As a student you will be required to wear the dropzone's student jumpsuit. There are safety reasons for requiring this and it otherwise ensures their stuff gets dirty rather than yours. Once you're licenced you can, essentially, wear what the hell you want. There are significant performance gains to be had in wearing the correct clothing for the type of skydiving you're doing however. There are also safety issues which, while they can be managed, are only really completely removed by wearing the right suit for the job. You mention flapping T-shirts covering handles - that is a very real issue which must be considered. Hoodies and drawstrings can also be potential sources of difficulties. OK, people get away with tucking things in tightly but the best prevention is wearing a jumpsuit. You also mention fall rate - that too may be an issue. If you're an average sort of size and build then you may neutrally fly at the same fall rate as most others. If you're not then fall rate issues can be largely cured by wearing the right suit. What specifically about the 'fashion' are you worried about? Suits are custom made items - you can specify virtually everything about it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wasatchrider 0 #5 January 28, 2016 in the US I don't think you are required to have a jump suit after aff I never used one and never got my A licenseBASE 1519 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jumpsalot-2 2 #6 January 28, 2016 flyingwallop I have not jumped yet and am already worrying severely about the dubious fashion. It seems it all went wrong after the Freefly Clowns in the 90's. Can one jump with his own clothes as a freshly licensed beginner?? What to avoid?? Or when is it safe to style oneself? Well .... following the 3 Rules of Skydiving .... 1) Go Fast 2) Look Good 3) Be Safe You might conclude, at least a clean, properly fitting jumpsuit would be in order ..... Life is short ... jump often. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggerrob 558 #7 January 28, 2016 Like Gowlerk said: fewer clothes mean fewer fashion problems. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yoink 321 #8 January 29, 2016 But can give other problems... I've landed out in the desert sans shoes after a minor miscalculation on exit. Never have I been wishing to be wearing shoes more than on that final. It took me weeks to pick the various prickles out of my feet. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
radical_flyer 0 #9 January 29, 2016 mr2mk1gOnce you're licenced you can, essentially, wear what the hell you want Apart from a full face helmet. Thanks BPA. What's your opinion on that by the way? I saw in the STC minutes from back in 2008 that someone suggested changing the requirement from a B license to only a 50 jump minimum, but the proposal was not carried, 6-6. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolfriverjoe 1,340 #10 January 29, 2016 flyingwallop I have not jumped yet and am already worrying severely about the dubious fashion. It seems it all went wrong after the Freefly Clowns in the 90's. Can one jump with his own clothes as a freshly licensed beginner?? What to avoid?? Or when is it safe to style oneself? What in particular is "wrong" with the fashion? Keep in mind that new jumpsuits are custom made and can be (and are) made with any color combination that the buyer wants. Used is kind of a "you get what the last guy got" and can be... Questionable. I have a Tony with neon green (or at least it used to be) grippers on the arms and legs. Not the most stylish, but easy to spot in the formation and I can pick myself out in pics with minimal effort. Keep in mind that form follows function. They allow a jumper to adjust fall rate (tight & slick goes fast, baggy & rough fabric goes slower), they provide places to grab onto (grippers), they give a significantly higher amount of control in the air and they offer a lot more protection in case of bad landings (more than you will believe until you find out personally). Some of the "goofy" color combinations make seeing someone in freefall a lot easier. That's a plus when you are going for a slot in a larger formation (as opposed to everyone in all black) and they make collision avoidance at breakoff easier (as opposed to "bounce & blend" camo). The level of control is a lot more than some people realize. I'm not talking about booties, which give a hell of a lot more drive when used properly. I'm talking about basic ability to fly. SDC Summerfest is a fairly big boogie outside Chicago. One of the more interesting jumps is the "Sunset, no jumpsuit BFR (Big Fucking Round)". Sounds simple, right? 20 or so out of the plane, build one point. Rob offers beer for the load if it completes. He's never had to buy. God Save the Queen. Video of one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9hGpChVogc"There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flyingwallop 5 #11 January 30, 2016 I suppose at core of the issue is the fact that the jumpsuit , mostly, saps any individuality from the characters. I watch modern footage and I see a homogenous group of playmobil figures. If instead I watch something from the Crosswind days I see some magical characters sky riding. Perhaps the evolution into technical gear has sapped some style. But certainly some inspiration from snow rags is due. I am superficial. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GoneCodFishing 23 #12 January 30, 2016 There's plenty other options for the discerning fashionistas like you out there. For example, this jumpsuit offers plenty of individuality and enhanced power and control at the feet with an alternative to booties Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jonstark 8 #13 January 30, 2016 That is why you should buy one with all the sponsorship patches and embroidery. Oh, and those handles help us lift you out of the crater. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolfriverjoe 1,340 #14 January 30, 2016 flyingwallop I suppose at core of the issue is the fact that the jumpsuit , mostly, saps any individuality from the characters. I watch modern footage and I see a homogenous group of playmobil figures. If instead I watch something from the Crosswind days I see some magical characters sky riding. Perhaps the evolution into technical gear has sapped some style. But certainly some inspiration from snow rags is due. I am superficial. I'm not following you. Teams usually have identical suits because they are a "team." Bigway stuff will often have specific colors for specific areas in the formation. Black is stupid popular. The style (design and construction, not colors) is dictated by the environment. Belly suits are all similar (as are FF suits) because they need to do specific things in the air. At freefall speeds (and especially at FF speeds) having extraneous "dangly" stuff will cause issues. But beyond that, it's a free for all. The colors & patterns are whatever anyone wants. Simon "Bones" has his skeleton suit. Chris Goller (gearless Chris) has his checkered flag suit (or at least used to), Roberta Mancino had a pretty cool black suit with green red & yellow trim (and a rig to match). Bright colors and goofy patterns make spotting your formation slot easier (unlike when everyone around you is wearing black). DaKine Rags made some suits out of some really unique and interesting fabric patterns."There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GoHuskers 0 #15 January 31, 2016 Buy a sewing machine. Use the right thread. Skydive and be happy. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Joellercoaster 6 #16 January 31, 2016 yoink I've landed out in the desert sans shoes after a minor miscalculation on exit. For me, a skydive needs: rig, helmet, shoes, gloves, altimeter (and the last one mostly because it's the law). Everything else is optional.-- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
