Too early to buy jumpsuit?

[skylawgirl84 0]

Hi all! I just finished my AFF Level 4 (fail, ). I am really itching to get my own jumpsuit, but I think it may be too soon. When did everyone get their own suit? Should I wait to get my A license, or just wait until I finish my AFF? I don't want to be the nerd who's still a student with her own jumpsuit! Thanks so much!!

Elise

[missbrz 0]

IMO, it's too early. Your suit is an important piece of equipment and can affect how you fly. How loose or baggy it is can affect your fall rate. Personally, I would wait till at least off of AFF to get a better feel for your fall rate. Also, talk to the instructors that you jumped with to find out if you need a certain kind of suit. For instance, if you fall like a rock & they have to arch like a mo' fo' to keep up or wear weights, they'll probably recommend a baggy suit to slow you down. Or if they have to cup air like crazy or wear a giant suit themselves, they may suggest a tight suit to speed you up. Either way, talk to them to get a feel for your fall rate before buying a suit.

[theonlyski 3]

Suits are expensive, and a couple bad landings can really tear them up

I would use the student jumpsuits for as long as they would let me, or till I was consitently having nice stand up landings.

"I may be a dirty pirate hooker...but I'm not about to go stand on the corner." iluvtofly
DPH -7, TDS 578, Muff 5153, SCR 14890
I'm an asshole, and I approve this message

[SRI85 0]

Why does everyone want a jumpsuit first? You can skydive without one, you can't skydive without a rig. I would get the rig first.

[Andy9o8 0]

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AFF Level 4 (fail, ).

Apologies for the digression, but please don't think of needing to perform an AFF level jump jump more than once as a "failed" jump. And please ignore anyone else who uses that term within your earshot. Even though it's expensive, each AFF jump is training; it is not a quiz. However long it takes to practice a given skill set (i.e., an AFF level) until you're ready to move on to the next skill set (the next AFF level), is how long it takes. Nothing more, nothing less.

[rehmwa 2]

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Why does everyone want a jumpsuit first? You can skydive without one, you can't skydive without a rig. I would get the rig first.

I instruct, my wife builds and sells jumpsuits.

On the issue of buying suits - we tell them to wait until about 20 jumps or so - get off AFF and do a few dives. Once they are doing 2 and 3-ways, then they can talk about suits. Maybe we'd sell more suits if we took advantage of them early and sold that first one without booties and fitted for their still immature fall rate - but that's not ethical. they should wait until the suit is advanced (that's pretty early), and their fallrate is a bit more understood. When someone insists...fine, they can have one built, but they get taught by both of us why it's advisable to wait just a little longer.

On the issue buying rigs - I advise them to wait much longer. They need to downsize through the rentals so they don't waste money early. But shopping early for what they'll need later helps them find better deals.

As for buying helmets, suits, altis,...first. It's much cheaper than a rig. As for the suit? new ones are custom and people seem to want to establish their identities through color - jumpsuits early seems to satisfy that need fairly inexpensively.

...
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

[rehmwa 2]

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AFF Level 4 (fail, ).

Apologies for the digression, but please don't think of needing to perform an AFF level jump jump more than once as a "failed" jump.

I'll join that digression.

I don't much care if the student calls it a 'fail' or a 'practice' or a 'bunny' provided they take that jump as a practice or a repetition and wants to learn from it and that the term they personally choose to use doesn't affect them negatively.

I'm NOT a fan of any instructor using that term even when it's clear it's a comfort zone for the student. I wouldn't use that wording anyway - that flavor of student has sufficient self motivation that I can focus on positive reinforcement in my role.

Only if the student is completely turned off by me avoiding the term (semantics arguments with students are pointless) and it obstructs his learning as such - then I'd consider entering his comfort zone that way just to keep it moving. I'd think this would be a ridiculously rare scenario.

I'll leave your digression here too, now.

...
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

[DrewEckhardt 0]

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Why does everyone want a jumpsuit first? You can skydive without one, you can't skydive without a rig. I would get the rig first.

Skydiving by yourself is like masturbating. While solos are more fun than not jumping, it's better with a partner or two.

You can't skydive with other people without matching their fall rate, and you'll have a lot more left to maneuver when you wear a jump suit that gives you the same fall rate in a neutral body position. This is especially true for people with more extreme body types, like petite women who don't weigh much over 100 pounds and guys whose nickname starts with "Big".

Used jumpsuits are harder to come by than used rigs. While rigs can fit lots of people with the same difference between height and inseam, a jumpsuit needs to match all your measurements.

The wait to get a new jumpsuit built and delivered is also going to be a lot longer than a used rig which just gets shipped and inspected + packed.

Getting any more than a log book and goggles (especially if you have glasses) before you graduate AFF is premature, but a RW jump suit before (or at the same time) as a rig isn't a bad idea.

[skylawgirl84 0]

I like not thinking of it as "failed"

[Ron 7]

Wait.... There is zero reason to not abuse the student jumpsuits till you are off student status.

Better things to buy would be goggles or a helmet (but I may not let you jump it), or an alti (which was MY first purchase).

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

[guineapiggie101 0]

At my DZ, I was told to wait till I got my "A" license before getting my own jumpsuit. Like you, I wanted to get a jumpsuit too (mainly because the jumpsuits at the school were too long on me), since I am really short.

I think my first purchase will be goggles though. I like having my own pair of goggles.

[FastRon 0]

Re: some of the comments- I have to agree. Haven't jumped in decades, and there was no such thing as AFF or tandems then. I've learned a few things about training since- I'll suggest that motivated students don't usually "fail". Oddly, my best trainers have have had most of the better students... Since the students were all selected in same fashion- same tests, by the same people- I kind of think the trainers are the difference. Listen to them carefully. Sounds like you're doing fine.

[faulk04 0]

I think I ordered my tony suit after 10 jumps and thought I would be able to get quite a few more jumps in before it came in. I think I had 14-15 jumps when it came in. I got it with the booties on it and was told I couldn't jump it until I learned a little more about control in freefall(went through the static line training) so we tucked the booties in and taped them so they couldn't come lose. 2 jumps later I put on the booties and it was quite a different experience. Should you buy a jumpsuit early on? I would leave it up to your instructors to decide that, they know how you are doing. I was just itching to buy gear and I bought a helmet and altimeter for my first purchase then came the jumpsuit. Bought a rig about 2 months ago but haven't been able to jump it due to weather and work, so hopefully I can change that tomorrow!

[jumpsalot-2 2]

If you feel you need to contribute now to your future in jumping, get a wrist Altimeter first. Order it today. Make it your new best friend. Give it a name. It will be your friend for life. Even if you jump naked, your Altimeter will be there for the fun.........Buy an Altimeter NOW.

Life is short ... jump often.

[davelepka 4]

The advice so far has been generally good. However, if you are a smaller person, you will need a tight fitting suit for RW jumps, and you'll need one 'right away'.

What I mean by that is very soon off student status, if you intend to jump with anyone who is not also smaller (or just skinny), you're going to have to arch uncomfortably hard to stay down with them, or they will not be able to stay up with you. Unlike your AFF instructor, not everyone has a selection of suits for different fall rates or the skills to use them.

Depending on your size, you may even need to wear weight. This is worn in a belt type device, and consists or little pouches filled with lead shot, generally 1 lb each. The pouches fit into pockets on the belt, and you add or subtract pouches depending on how fast you want to go. Wearing the weight and the right suit can have you falling much faster without having to arch harder.

In terms of the suit and the possible weight, enlist the help of the instructors you jump with to help guide you. They can make reccomendations for the type of suit, the fabric, and what options to consider as well as when to actaully start jumping it.

Use them to help you get started with the weights if needed. You want to start off with too little, and work your way up to what works for you. Keep in mind that the weight will make your canopy fly (and land) faster, and you'll need to adjust to that, and running out a landing with more weight on your legs than just you and the rig.