skymama 37 #1 March 27, 2001 It's time for me to quit borrowing the stinky, ill-fitting jumpsuits at the DZ and get my own. I went to some websites, and I'm so confused! I'll probably do mostly RW. What do I need as far as fabric, what kind of grips, how many grips, etc, and do I need the other things they offer as an extra cost like extra reinforcing? Has anyone had a good experience with a particular company that offered good quality and good prices? Do I need to get one that is custom made? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stacy 0 #2 March 27, 2001 UNder the assumption that you're going to do primarily RW:1. You'll definitely want booties. Several other threads discuss the benefits. 2. Most suits come standard with the uppoer arm grips and leg grips (outer). Inner leg grips are nice to have, they are usually extra though. If you're plannign on getting into more serious RW, competition, etc I would say these are a must.3. Fabric types are going to depend on your fall characteristics. IE- less spandex if you fall faster, bigger/baggier styles if you fall fast, tighter if you are a little floaty feather. you get the idea. 4. Also with fabrics- you can get cordura knees/rear end if you think you are going to have some rough landings. that's personal choice.5. Booties can be made of several fabrics, durability and cost are the two main issues with that.6. Most other options are aesthetic- stripes on grips, etc etc. Some companies offer fat grips/square grips.. again just look at them. You'll know what you like. I personally don't like realllly thin grips, but that's just me. 7. If you are looking at options and these types of things you are probably getting one custom made. I dont' think they make stock suits. I may be wrong on that, but I've never seen them. SOme stores have consignment ones that were made not up to specifications that a customer wanted, etc... but they aren't that much different in price.I had a great experience with Bev (Bev Suits- she's in PA). No complaints, she had it done in half the time that was estimated and it was perfect. =c)hope this helps!Stacyhttp://astro.temple.edu/~sweeks Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pammi 0 #3 March 27, 2001 I have to say that I LOVE my booties. I wasn't sure about getting them because of the fact that I already spin and thought it might just make my spins faster, but it actually helps me 'feel' my legs better.Pammi Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymama 37 #4 March 28, 2001 Wow, Stacy, thanks for spending so much time on your post giving me information. It's exactly the kind of stuff I needed to help me weed down my choices. I'll have to go look for the bootie threads you mentioned after what you and Pammi wrote about them. That was one thing I was wondering if I needed or not. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tigra 0 #5 March 28, 2001 Another word of advice:The measurements are key. Make sure whoever takes them knows what they are doing. If your dz has a gear store you might want to order through them and have someone there take the measurements. It would suck to pay close to $300.00 and wait 6-8 weeks for a custom made suit that does not fit!I've got cordura on the seat and knees of my tony suits, which was great investment for me. Tony makes a really sturdy durable suit to begin with, but the extra protection sure helps. You can get a suit with knee pads, too, which is really nice when you are practicing exits in the mock up, over and over again.As cool as it is to pick out your colors and custom design your suit, buy it for how it flies first, how it looks second. Choose the fabric and cut based on your fall rate.The good thing about custom ordering is that you can do both. And have fun! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymama 37 #6 March 28, 2001 Choose the fabric and cut based on your fall rate? This may be the most stupid question of the day- how do I know if I'm a fast faller or not? The people I've jumped with have never really mentioned my fall rate one way or the other. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dutchboy 0 #7 March 28, 2001 If nobody has mentioned it you are probably in the middle somewhere if the DZ suits work well for you. Generally small women need tight slipery suits and big guys (> 200lbs) need loose draggy suits. I'm 6'3" and 205 lbs. Until I broke down and got a new suit RW was extremely difficult for me. I spent the whole dive trying to get up with everyone else. Now I have a loose polycotton Bev Suit with huge grips and cordura booties. First jump with that suit I turned 9 points on a 4-way. What a difference.Talk to some knowledgable, experience RW jumpers at your DZ who have jumped with you about your fall rate. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pammi 0 #8 March 28, 2001 QuoteIf nobody has mentioned it you are probably in the middle somewhere if the DZ suits work well for you.I agree with Dutchboy...I'm sure you'd hear about it if you were slow or fast. I tend to fall very slowly and my JM wore a huge baggy suit and still had to work to stay with me! When Merrick and I ordered our suits, I ordered mine tighter (no spandex for me tho, thank you very much..lol) and he ordered one a bit baggier with 'swoop cords' since we intend on jumping together a lot and he falls so much faster in hopes of equalling things out a bit. His material is a little thicker also then mine to catch air a bit more. Hope that helps a little :)Pammi Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hellian 0 #9 March 28, 2001 Thanx Stacy, i am probably going to get my own jumpsuit after AFF (i have a little jar in my room marked "savings" ) so this was really useful to me too!Ed Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tigra 0 #10 March 28, 2001 I fall faster than most of the guys at my dz. I'm not exactly light, and I have a good arch. After I graduated, I was on some organized "newbie" loads with the dzo. After one of them, he looked at me and said, "you need booties and swoop cords", so when I ordered my suit, I went in to the gear store and said "i need a suit with booties and swoop cords." She knew what I needed and pulled out the fabric samples and order forms, going with the heavier fabric without giving me the option. (good thing because I wouldn't have known). After I got a little more experience under my belt, I ordered a second suit with a lighter fabric, (because I was better able to control my fall rate,) but kept the booties, swoop cords and the looser cut. How are you in freefall? Do you struggle to keep up, arch super hard, that kind of thing? or do you find yourself sinking and having to cup air just to stay with the people you are jumping with? If you haven't noticed anything, then maybe you are right in the middle, or you are jumping with people like you. Try and get on some organized small loads- 3 and 4 ways with some people a little more experienced than you are, and see how they go. That should give you a better idea.Blues ones! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymama 37 #11 March 28, 2001 I'll have to ask my friends if they had any trouble with me. I jumped with all guys who were larger than me. So I'm thinking I'll just get a basic fabric (no spandex for me either!), booties, swoop cords (just in case?), and the extra fabric on my knees. I'm not sure about the inside grips. If they don't cost too much, maybe I should just add them to have them. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flyboy62000 0 #12 March 29, 2001 Skymama,I don't know what your fall rate is like, but I would consider getting spandex in the back and on the forearms of your suit. I am 5'10 and 165lbs and I have spandex on the back and in the forearms on my suit and I can fall as slow as women and as fast as the big guys. Jump with some big and small, heavy and light people to get an idea of what your normal fall rate is and get a suit that will put you in the middle. Just my two cents. I got my suit from Bev Suits in pennsylvania and am very happy with it. I have heard good things about Tony Suits and Michigan Suits as well. There are many others out there that make great suits that are worth looking at. I hope you find what you are looking for and have fun with it.Blue Skies,Adam Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TripleF 0 #13 March 29, 2001 skymama,Check out the thread under "What to buy first"...I think you will be happy with some of the suggestions there as well as the ones here, too...As far as a reputable company...Tony Suits and Jumpsuits have all my business from now on...especially Tony Suits...I colour coordinated my Tony Suit with my new javalin and wow, does it not only work like I needed (slows me down considerably) but it looks great doing it, too... just my $.02...Triple FP.S. And if ya weren't married...I could suggest..ME, in a jumpsuit...Tee-hee Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymama 37 #14 March 29, 2001 Aw, Triple F, I'll always remember you now as my first cyberspace come-on! (Sangiro doesn't count because he didn't actually want to jump me, just WITH me!)I told my husband that he had better stay in-line with me because I always had Triple F I could turn to. The bemused, "what the hell are you talking about" look on his face was priceless!Blue Skies, baby!Andrea Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TripleF 0 #15 March 30, 2001 Skymama,Tee-hee...Triple F Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
2fat2fly 0 #16 August 9, 2007 Geesh, you were so sweet back then I am not the man. But the man knows my name...and he's worried Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymama 37 #17 August 9, 2007 And I said I was mostly going to do RW too. I think I started freeflying before that suit was even ready! She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man, because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
normiss 891 #18 August 9, 2007 do you yet own an RW suit?? I have two of them if you can believe it...makes for a nice comedic value on the jumps I attempt. For some reason they always give me shit for trying to take the base on a head down exit. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymama 37 #19 August 9, 2007 Oh yeah, I had my RW suit first. I think I've used it about 20 times, it mostly just hangs in my closet. She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man, because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lekstrom10k 0 #20 August 9, 2007 I Have had Tonysuits for my last 5 .I think they are great.If your that close just have him measure you and tell him your type of jumps . He will take care of the rest. If you want booties either wear or tell him your shoe size.Us snow bunnies have to tell him whether we want to wear it over more clothes for winter jumps. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymama 37 #21 August 9, 2007 Thanks, but I have two jumpsuits. This thread is 6 years old! She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man, because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
normiss 891 #22 August 9, 2007 If you people would clean up around here once in awhile... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skinnyshrek 0 #23 August 9, 2007 does that mean you will be joinging us on the bigways in the near futurehttp://www.skydivethefarm.com do you realize that when you critisize people you dont know over the internet, you become part of a growing society of twats? ARE YOU ONE OF THEM? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymama 37 #24 August 9, 2007 Quote does that mean you will be joinging us on the bigways in the near future Yes, as long as you're talking about less than 8 people in the air with me. She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man, because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
2fat2fly 0 #25 August 10, 2007 If I'm one of the eight, it's a bigway I am not the man. But the man knows my name...and he's worried Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
