Newbie- WHICH JUMPSUIT!?!?

[bealiverpoolsky 0]

As a newbie student just progressing thru' freefall, I want to get myself a jumpsuit but... no-one gives you any kinda guidance on this, and theres so many different types, materials etc etc. CAN ANYONE HELP?? Where do I go to find one? What designs/companies can I trust?

Any help will be most greatfully appreciated :)


Becki - Liverpool Student Skydivers (CARK)

[bigway 4]

you need to speak to maddy at sales@dzsports.com, she is fantastic with helping you find your needs.

.Karnage Krew Gear Store
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[Peej 0]

Use the student jumpsuits provided by your DZ until you are off student progression. Then speak to your instructors/ other experienced flyers on your DZ about what types of suits they like. An RW suit is a good place to start, then once you have a few jumps under your belt you can think about freefly and getting a freefly jumpsuit.

Advertisio Rodriguez / Sky

[rehmwa 2]

Here's a link to RW suit info (links within links - this question has been asked so many times by so many people)

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=2135482#2135482

Don't go cheap on either a RW or freefly suit. But good to see how you fly with people to get each made for your fallrate as best as possible. FF suits are easier to make, but the fit and materials are very important to your comfort fall rate. RW suits also to a lesser extent, although much harder to build, fall rate is more handled with weight belts.

There's a few discussions on the FF forum about FF suit makers.

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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

[bigway 4]

First suit you need in the UK is an RW suit.
Do not even think about getting a Freefly suit as you must past different levels of qualifications before you can even atempt to freefly.

You need to get all your WARP in or at least to a level where you can pass your 4 point 4 way to be able to jump with other jumpes who do not have FS1. You can then after usually 100 jumps at some dropzones buy an FF suit and move on to sit fly coaching so you can then pass your FF1 to be able to sit fly with others.

RW suit is more or less a must. As i said speak to maddy, she owns pointzero and dz sports and is an AFF instructor.

.Karnage Krew Gear Store
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[skybytch 273]

You may find some of the information here helpful.

[GravityGirl 0]

Don't forget your local gear dealer. That is the service they are meant to provide. Consult, materials, designs, manufacturers, color, etc.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peace and Blue Skies!
Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

[bealiverpoolsky 0]

Cheers for all the help, so an RW suit it is- what are the necessities with these suits, and how do I judge a good one? I've read referenced info but I'm still not entirely clued up on why I would need booties or what they are for, and what the benefits of having inner leg grippers?

Although some info has helped tremendously, theres obviously a lot more to this stuff than I had ever imagined!!

I'm guessing as a 5"8 female just under average weight I'd be best with a fitted suit- is this right?

Blue Skies

Bea

*** "There's more to the world than the earth"

[bigway 4]

the rest of the questions you are asking need to be answered by your instructor.
You will need grippers for your warp and fs1..

booties are no essential.

.Karnage Krew Gear Store
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[rehmwa 2]

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booties are no essential.

now are you just trying to start a fight?

Honestly, the only people I've known that don't recommend booties are people repping suits and then they come back 6 months later and try to sell the student a 2nd suit "now that they realize they want booties now. A retrofit of booties is usually not a sturdy and takes a bit of time.

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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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Cheers for all the help, so an RW suit it is- what are the necessities with these suits, and how do I judge a good one? I've read referenced info but I'm still not entirely clued up on why I would need booties or what they are for, and what the benefits of having inner leg grippers?

Although some info has helped tremendously, theres obviously a lot more to this stuff than I had ever imagined!!

I'm guessing as a 5"8 female just under average weight I'd be best with a fitted suit- is this right?

Any RW suit you buy new will be 'fitted'. Don't settle on fit if you are looking at used suits - that way lies madness. But even there, your size you should find something that fits well.

If you read the links I posted and the ones prior to that, you'll see all the arguments for inner leg grippers and booties, and other options. Also opinions against. My position is pretty obvious in those as are those of many experienced people.

It's hard to tell what options you need until it's too late. And your instructors may not really know either unless they are strongly in the discipline you choose. They want you safe and on a learning curve, beyond that, you might want to find a mentor in your discipline instead to advise you. What I can say, is a $20 (inner grippers) to $40 (booties) option now is cheaper and better and stronger than a crappy $100 modification to the suit in 6 months - or an entirely new suit if you get serious.

Booties are the greatest tool you can get in an RW suit.

...
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

[Katherine 0]

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I'm guessing as a 5"8 female just under average weight I'd be best with a fitted suit- is this right?

Not necessarily, I am a 5''9 girl about average/just under weight and I found a 2nd hand RW suit that fits perfectly, although I did try on quite a few and was looking for a while. Start looking now, ask around at the dz if people have any old ones they want to sell, it won't hurt to try them on.

Leeds University Skydiving Club
www.skydiveleeds.co.uk

[bigway 4]

Well i am talking about a person here that starts WARP training on 25 jumps. Dont you thin she should get use to the sky and the feel on her own body before she goes and covers more up?
A person with 25 jumps putting booties on straight away can not be the greatest idea.
Let the student get use to jumping before changing things on them.

You must know a student can only jump with a coach in this country until they have completed a 4point 4 way.

Or they can jump with others as long as every person on that dive has passed the set 4 point 4 way with them being the main worker.

If i what i am saying says to you that they should have booties on i say they should learn to track without the aid and learn to feel the optimum body position before giving them selves boosters.

.Karnage Krew Gear Store
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[bigway 4]

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What I can say, is a $20 (inner grippers) to $40 (booties) option now is cheaper and better and stronger than a crappy $100 modification to the suit in 6 months - or an entirely new suit if you get serious.

A suit in the uk will cost you around £300 if you go for the inner leg grippers etc.
I think you should go for the booties and tuck them up for a while maybe.

People in the states need to realise if you import a suit to the UK you pay for the suit, then you pay for shipping, then you pay VAT.

Suits here will cost you about £300. If you just want to get through the levels of flying that boring rw to get you up to being allowed to freefly, dont waste £300 on a RW suit, get a second hand one for £100 and buy yourself a protrack with the rest of the money.

If RW is the disciplin you want to get in, spend your cash on a top quality suit with all the bells and whistles as this suit will last you.

I said speak to Maddy at dzsports.com cause she is a dealer, she is also one of the most trusted dealers in the UK, is an avid 4-way flyer and will hook you up with exactly what you need. I imagine she will recommend you to have booties as she will want you too to become a 4-way flyer.
Figure out the sort of disciplin you want to be involved in. If it is freeflay, once you have 100 jumps you will start that in the uk and have to spend another £250 on a freefly suit.

Don't be affraid to ask people what you need but ask someone who enjoys your company and gives you the time of day, then speak to the dealer about what you want and ask for discounts on the options.


we are all on the same page here, one way or another you must have an rw suit to skydive in the uk at most dropzones as you will not be allowed to freefly yet.
You must pass your FS1, and for that you need a suit.

.Karnage Krew Gear Store
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[rehmwa 2]

Nice post - we're on the exact same page now. "Get the stuff if you plan to go learn good RW. Tuck up the booties until you're ready to use them"

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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

[bob.dino 1]

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Well i am talking about a person here that starts WARP training on 25 jumps. Dont you thin she should get use to the sky and the feel on her own body before she goes and covers more up?

No. She should get booties.

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You must know a student can only jump with a coach in this country until they have completed a 4point 4 way.

It's similar here - they must have completed a significant number of RW jumps with a coach.

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If i what i am saying says to you that they should have booties on i say they should learn to track without the aid and learn to feel the optimum body position before giving them selves boosters.

Body position changes once you put boosters on. Much better to get used to them early.

Inner leg grippers are really handy for cat grips (one person behind the other). Jumping with a big guy a couple of weekends ago, I bust us in a Snowflake - Box (think cut-down Snowflake-Offset) because he had no inside grippers, flies wide, and just didn't have enough material to hold onto .


When choosing RW suits, listen to people that have done lots of RW like rehmwa: Get booties, get inside leg grippers.

[jakee 1,594]

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You must know a student can only jump with a coach in this country until they have completed a 4point 4 way.

Mate, why do you keep repeating this, it's just wrong! Hell you even contradicted yourself in the very next sentance!

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A suit in the uk will cost you around £300 if you go for the inner leg grippers etc.
I think you should go for the booties and tuck them up for a while maybe.

Have a look on the Symbiosis website. Booties, chunky grips, inner leg, padded knees etc will set you back ~£180.

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[bigway 4]

I stand corrected then.

I have seen RW jumpsuits (such as Tony suits go through the gear shop here in the UK i was working part time at for £300 after importing and tax.


I never contradicted myself, I changed my opinion after reading someone elses posts but still felt the same way, that is why I suggested tucking the booties away unti she was feeling familiar with the sky.
Surely you can respect that I listened to someone else and changed my opinion due to costs and spenditure towards jumpsuits??

.Karnage Krew Gear Store
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[bigway 4]

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Mate, why do you keep repeating this, it's just wrong!

If this wrong, please tell me how as with my time in this country it is what I have learnt.

to my understanding...
You are not allowed to jump with any person who does not have an FS1 endorsement unless you yourself has one.
If you jump with a group of people, everybody must have an FS1 endorsement apart from yourself.
No two people without an FS1 endorsement can jump with a singular person who does have one at once.
To obtain a FS1 endorsement you must pull of a 'set' 4 point 4-way.

Once you have a FS1 endorsement you may jump with another person who does not.....hence, you are more or less coaching.

Is this incorrect? if so please explain how.
These are the requirements that i understand from Dave emmerson at Hinton.

Is this not BPA rules, do i not understand this correctly.

For you just to say that this is wrong is not teaching me anything. For you to post that statement please back it up with an explanation to how it is wrong.

.Karnage Krew Gear Store
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[jakee 1,594]

You specifically wrote that a non FS1 can only jump with a coach. That is wrong, and also what you contradicted yourself on in the next paragraph.

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Once you have a FS1 endorsement you may jump with another person who does not.....hence, you are more or less coaching.

Is a 50 jump FS1 going to be coaching a 50 jump non FS1? You are right in saying that 2 or more non FS1's cannot be on the same dive, but that has nothing to do with coaching. Having FS1 does not make you a coach. The FS coach rating is completely seperate, requires you to demonstrate better flying skills and teaching skills and you do not need it just to make fun jumps with non-FS1 people.

I'm no great fan of the FS1 system but you are making it out to be more restrictive than it really is.

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[bigway 4]

What you are saying is the way i thought it was.

I had said it wrong, i was meaning 'coach' as in WARP coach, i was going at it like if you have FS1 you would be taking someone up and helping them with their skills, not so much as a 'coach' but they are going to learn from you.

I find it hard to imagine many people would have FS1 after 50 jumps though. It is not an easy thing for alot of people, hell i know one poor bastard that has spent more money on trying to get FS1 than i have spent on gear! Big boy, feel really bad for him but that's how it is.

The way i think and thought others would is if you don't have FS1 and jump withsomeone that does you will look up to them as a coach as you are wanting to get to that level real bad without having to pay for so many WARP COACH jumps.

I was wrong in my wording but think you know what i am saying now.

.Karnage Krew Gear Store
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[Joellercoaster 6]

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Once you have a FS1 endorsement you may jump with another person who does not

Technically this is the BPA rule

However, my DZ doesn't allow me to jump with A licenses anyway despite my FS1, and still requires the presence of a coach. Dunno how strict other places are about that one, but this *is* a very conservative country. Your original statement, for a lot of us, was true.

--
"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?

[jakee 1,594]

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However, my DZ doesn't allow me to jump with A licenses anyway despite my FS1, and still requires the presence of a coach.

That sucks, but it's your CCIs problem, not the BPAs problem. Tell him to lighten up.

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[bigway 4]

Where i come from this can be the case as well with your experience next to theirs. I can understand it and it is shit in some ways but good in others.
If you found a person on 30 jumps no FS1 but their instructors thought they had some natural skill and were safe in the sky and they thought the same about you with 60 odd jumps then there should be no reason.

However I can see the safety aspect of it all but it does suck when one of your mates gets a license so they can jump with you and then you need to wait for 70 odd jumps.

I hate the BPA rules personally but at the same time I see why they are in place, they are very safe and conservitive but not alot of us got in the sport thinking it would be this safe. It is a dangerous sport and they make it safer but how safe does it need to be?

People are in this country need to spend a minimum of gear plus 100 jumps before they can start to have the 'real' fun, sure you will enjoy your first 100 but in this country i imagine people with under 100 jumps must really feel like they are treated like kids.

But you know, as much as it sucks, it is safe!

Enjoy your jumping, practise your tracking, it is very important and i do not think students spend enough time learning it in this country. Too many students tracking towards me under canopy or not tracking at all.
Have fun!

.Karnage Krew Gear Store
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[Joellercoaster 6]

Oh, I know. I'm not complaining particularly... I know the reasons for it, and it is indeed up to the CCI to adjust behaviour at his DZ to his own personal comfort level.

I was more just pointing out that you were right

--
"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?