Guidelines What to Wear Skydiving

GUIDELINES ON WHAT TO WEAR SKYDIVING

Yes!! You’ve booked your first skydive, you’re ready to experience the greatest thrill of your life – but wait, what do you wear when you go skydiving? With all the excitement surrounding your skydive, you’ll want to be sure to stay prepared and focused to get the most out of your jump. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of guidelines on what to wear when skydiving, what not to wear skydiving, and a few other skydiving tips to help you get ready for your unforgettable jump.

CAN YOU SKYDIVE IN NORMAL CLOTHES?

Yes, you can most definitely skydive in normal clothes. Honestly, you can skydive in almost anything. Patriotic leotards, unicorn onesies, Santa Claus suits, and more – we’ve seen it all! 

Some skydivers, including tandem skydivers, opt to wear a skydiving jumpsuit on top of normal clothes for several reasons. Tandem skydivers sometimes wear jumpsuits to protect their street clothes from any potential damage on landing and shield their skin from the somewhat harsh 120 mph winds during a 60 second freefall. 

Experienced skydivers will wear jumpsuits to also improve their flying ability. All clothing adds its own ‘drag’ coefficient to your bodyflight capabilities. The more ‘drag’ you have, or the baggier the clothing, the more air resistance you will add – therefore, giving yourself more ‘lift’ when flying through the air. Certain types of jumpsuits can make you more or less aerodynamic, making it easier for you to control your body and become a more efficient flyer.

WHAT TO WEAR SKYDIVING

The ideal skydiving outfit is one that is comfortable and offers full range of motion and protection. The best clothes for skydiving are usually athletic-type clothing because it is typically stretchy, snug to the body, and durable. Along with athletic clothing, we also recommend athletic shoes that have flat soles and can be laced-up tight!

You will also want to keep the weather in mind when choosing what clothes to wear skydiving – more importantly, the fact that it will be 30 to 40 degrees cooler up at altitude! It’s always best to bring extra layers with you in case you decide to layer up for your jump, even if it’s hot at ground level.

What to Wear for Skydiving:

• Snug-fit, stretchy clothing
• Long sleeves and pants
• Lace-up sneakers

WHAT NOT TO WEAR SKYDIVING

Now that you’ve got the answer to ‘what should I wear skydiving’ let’s talk about what NOT to wear skydiving. The skydiving dress code isn’t very strict but there are some clothing and shoe items that are a HUGE no-no. 

Avoid clothing items that have any kind of snag hazard such as: rhinestones, buttons, strings, metal grommets, etc – these could potentially become a danger to your skydiving instructor or snag the skydiving equipment. Also, keep in mind that whatever you wear on your skydive has the potential to come off during the freefall portion of the skydive. If it CAN fall off, it’s pretty likely that it WILL. So, just to be safe, if you don’t want to lose it, don’t wear it!

What NOT to Wear for Skydiving:

• Jewelry / accessories
• Boots
• High heels
• Cleats
• Shoes that expose any part of your foot (sandals, flip-flops, slip-ons)
• Hooded sweatshirts / jackets
• Dresses / skirts

SHOULD I WEAR SHORTS OR PANTS FOR SKYDIVING?

Shorts are permitted, however, we do recommend wearing pants for comfortability reasons. Long pants or leggings are best for your skydiving attire because they protect your skin from the 120+ mph winds, grass on landing, and sunrays. Skin flapping in the wind can be an odd and potentially uncomfortable feeling, but we wouldn’t say it’s unbearable. So, if it’s hot and you roll up in shorts and t-shirt don’t feel like you need to change – you should be perfectly fine!

CAN YOU HOLD YOUR PHONE WHILE SKYDIVING?

No, phones are not permitted on your skydive per the United States Parachute Association (USPA). Besides, it would be near impossible to hold on to your phone when you’re zooming at speeds upwards of 120 mph! The risk of losing it alone is reason enough to not bring it on your skydive. As a matter of fact, you’ll be asked to empty your pockets just before your jump to avoid losing your belongings. We have lockers on site to store your items. 

GoPros are also not permitted for tandem skydivers. Along with a few other requirements, skydivers must have at least 200 jumps to wear any kind of camera equipment. It’s best to leave the photo and video taking to the pros and purchase a media package for your skydive.

WHAT SHOULD YOU NOT DO BEFORE SKYDIVING?

While we’re here, let’s discuss some things you should not do before skydiving. Jumpers who do not eat or drink before their skydive tend to feel light-headed or dizzy, so be sure to eat a proper meal before heading to the dropzone. Although, just as jumping with an empty stomach is bad, jumping with a super full stomach can be even worse. 

Do not overindulge in alcohol the night before your jump, and don’t even think about a quick drink before your jump. Not only is it a terrible way to experience your first time skydiving, it’s also a safety risk to you and your instructor. If there is any indication of alcohol or drug use, your jump will be canceled.

Now that you know how to dress for skydiving, let’s put your skydiving ’fit to the test. Book your jump with the premier destination for skydiving in North Carolina – Skydive Paraclete XP! Blue skies.