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Mostly_Harmless

Jumpsuit->No Jumpsuit

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Last Sunday(7-24-05) I did my 25th jump and recieved my "A" Lic. Since I was student I have always been jumping with a jump suit on. But now that I have my A I am free to go without one. Is it a big change jumping without a suit on? Am I going to find anything more difficult to do? My next jump will be my first jump with my own gear (My gear doesn't have an RSL and they wouldn't let me jump it until I got my lic) and I would really like to go out in just plain clothes if its no big deal.
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www.myspace.com/termvelocity

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RSL on your gear. This is smart thing for all new jumpers.



Here's a can of worms to open.

...
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

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I had my first jumpsuitless jumps recently, including a few wearing just shorts and a T-Shirt (only when there were clearly winds, since I sometimes fall to my knees during zero winders ;) ) Always shoes though, I'm not comfortable with sandals or barefeet yet.

It is a slight additional risk because you feel more unstable -- especially if your shirt slips out of your pants and gets pulled up by the 120mph wind. Loose flapping clothes have a tendancy to "fly you" around a bit. You CANNOT tuck your shirt in freefall (I tried). :D Needless to say, I immediately did a pratice pull to make sure I could pull stable, and all went fine with the real pull at the correct altitude.

Based on this unexpected inconvenience, I am glad I jumped with a jumpsuit on my test jump with my own rig. Stability did feel very squirrelly with my T-Shirt blown up to chest level and flapping, but I managed.

Arch hard, be stable, do one or two pratice pulls early in the jump as a test...

And TIGHTEN the belt a couple extra notches!

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Also, be very aware of what a flapping street clothes can do. A flapping shirt can blow up and cover one or even all of your handles! Imagine going for your hackey at pull time only to find it covered in shirt material, then going for silver to find the same problem :S

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Mark,
I am not a big fan of wearing shorts :)



Um also make sure that what you are wearing isnt going to blow apart in freefall :ph34r:
She is not a "Dumb Blonde" - She is a "Light-Haired Detour Off The Information Superhighway."
eeneR
TF#72, FB#4130, Incauto

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I recently debated this myself. I have chosen to wear my jumpsuit for a while (until I have many more jumps) since my canopy control still needs some work and, based on the damage I've done to my jumpsuit on landing, I can only imagine what would happen to bare skin.

By the way, I bought my first rig used, without an RSL and sent it back to Mirage to have the RSL installed. They did it in no time and for very little cost.

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The moment I got my A-licence I went out in shorts and tshirt, being very careful to tuck in my tshirt in a way that wouldn't come out and start flapping everywhere or getting in the way of handles.

Was great fun .. major shock on the old control front - you forget just how quickly you adapt to flying in certain dress. I was flapping round like a looney (and no I don't normally - at least not anymore!)

However. My mate did the same, on the same load and managed to his first ever accidental down-winder on the runway of all things. Yikes. Didn't hurt himself seriously .. but had some amazing gravel grazes.

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The moment I got my A-licence I went out in shorts and tshirt, being very careful to tuck in my tshirt in a way that wouldn't come out and start flapping everywhere or getting in the way of handles.

Was great fun .. major shock on the old control front - you forget just how quickly you adapt to flying in certain dress. I was flapping round like a looney (and no I don't normally - at least not anymore!)

However. My mate did the same, on the same load and managed to his first ever accidental down-winder on the runway of all things. Yikes. Didn't hurt himself seriously .. but had some amazing gravel grazes.



Anecdote for you: about two years ago now, I did a few jumps during the summer sans suit (it was hot and didn't want to get all sweaty and stuff). They went fine, except for the last one. On final, the wind decided to switch directions on my <100 ft above the ground and I downwinded it and ate it - didn't really PLF and rolled a few times. I slightly tore my right rotator cuff (took about 3 weeks or so until I could throw a softball or frisbee again), swollen left ankle (sprain) and some nice cuts - mainly from ripping open scabs from prior softball injuries. My left knee was also rather swollen for a week or so. Fast forward to last weekend, I did my first jump sans suit since then. That was at least 30 jumps ago and now with my own gear (and same canopy) for the past 13 jumps. My landing was fine, but I still was a little apprehensive of course.

It's nice to have that 'free' feeling with shirt flapping or just a t-shirt, but there are risks as others have said, both in freefall and landing. Probably many of my cuts and scrapes from that bad landing could have been prevented if I would've just worn a suit.

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no suit - watch for buttons, zippers, zipper slides, collars, etc - things that flap in regular wind can really buzz up your neck/face/cheeks at 120MPH. Empty pockets - dropped keys and change can do a bit of damage and you don't want to lose your keys or wallet or anything.

...
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

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If you are doing a solo belly jump, you don't need to wear a jumpsuit really. If you are doing a 2 way, that jumpsuit will probably help you fall more constant with the other person. I personally get like 0 forward drive in a track without something on my legs...but I'm a noob so that could just be my bad technique (then again they make tracking pantz for a reason).

If you are trying to head up freefly you might be better off in shorts and a long sleeve T...less drag on your legs to mess with you.

I almost always jump in shorts and a long sleeve t. I grabbed a couple double XL T's so they are super long to tuck in...also gives me a little more drag in the arms while I learn head up flying. You need to pay close attention to whatever you wear that it doesn't have loops or snag points...especially those key holder loops they sew into cargo shorts and board shorts. Someone on here had their hackey go through a loop on their waist, giving them a pc in tow...and eventually a cutaway main in tow while under reserve...no good.
Get in - Get off - Get away....repeat as neccessary

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I dislike wearing jumpsuits, especially in the summer heat. I do not wear a jumpsuit when freeflying or tracking (although I plan on trying a wingsuit in the near future.) Lately I have been having success convincing some of the serious RW guys at my local DZ to jump without suits when they invite me for a fun jump. It makes the plane ride and jump more comfortable, and fun since everyone seems less serious without suits on! I personally believe that jumpsuits should not be worn for the sole purpose of compensating for poor freefall technique. Just don't get hurt landing your canopy trying to keep your clothes clean!

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Also, be very aware of what a flapping street clothes can do. A flapping shirt can blow up and cover one or even all of your handles! Imagine going for your hackey at pull time only to find it covered in shirt material, then going for silver to find the same problem :S



I've seen the results of clothing covering handles (not mine)...not something you would want to happen to you.
My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

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Jumping without a jumpsuit is no different than jumping with one. In the end, it all comes down to body position, not apparel. Wearing baggy cotton pants might slow your fall rate, for instance, and you will probably take a second to figure out what to modify control wise, but other than that- as long as you can fall stable, you're set. My first plainclothes jump was right after getting my solo- it was from 13.5 and I didn't notice a thing... until my goggles slipped up at 10.5... but that's a different story.

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Last Sunday(7-24-05) I did my 25th jump and recieved my "A" Lic. Since I was student I have always been jumping with a jump suit on. But now that I have my A I am free to go without one. Is it a big change jumping without a suit on? Am I going to find anything more difficult to do? My next jump will be my first jump with my own gear (My gear doesn't have an RSL and they wouldn't let me jump it until I got my lic) and I would really like to go out in just plain clothes if its no big deal.


One tip from experience on jumping in regular clothes: TUCK THE BOTTOM OF YOUR TOP INTO YOUR PANTS/UNDER YOUR LEG STRAPS. I did a jump once in T-shirt and regular pants, did not tuck my T-Shirt in. On opening, the shirt flipped back up and was covering my handles. I fixed it on my next jump, which was a good idea, as it ended up in a cutaway!:S

"For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return."

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Thanks guys!!! I really wanted to just jump in plain clothes from day one, I dont know why but it just seems cool (plus the jumpsuit is very hot). I appeciate everyones advice and I will make sure I tuck everything in nice and tight, last thing I need is my handles covered. I'll let you guys know how it goes. Thanks again!
_________________________________________
www.myspace.com/termvelocity

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...I dont know why but it just seems cool...


Be careful...



Took the words right out of my mouth, Frenchy, the moment I saw that phrase. Cool headgear, extra-cool video shot angles, cool-looking hackey handles, a cool-colored cutaway handle, cool looking mini-rings, etc., etc. In skydiving, coolness can sometimes (more often than you think) be incompatible with safety.
Sorry if that sounds uncool...

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It's too hot to jump in a jumpsuit. I'm much more comfortable jumping in shorts and T-shirt. I don't own my own jumpsuit so the stuff I borrow from the dz is usually dirty and hot and uncomfortable. I do own a pair of birdman pantz but I trying to learn more technique before I use them on regular basis.

They are fun though.
Inveniam Viam aut Faciam
I'm back biatches!

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no suit - watch for buttons, zippers, zipper slides, collars, etc - things that flap in regular wind can really buzz up your neck/face/cheeks at 120MPH. Empty pockets - dropped keys and change can do a bit of damage and you don't want to lose your keys or wallet or anything.

And TIE YOUR SHOES TIGHT...

I lost a shoe in freefall once. Never again!

Sometime this fall, some farmer will discover it stuck in their combine, or a cow tries to munch on it. It's fortunately sparsely populated surrounding the dropzone.

I was embarassed, to say, the least. Everyone seeing me walk back to the hangar with just one shoe.

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