What To Wear For Skydiving

Yee haw!!! If you’ve found yourself on this page, chances are you’ve committed to doing a full-send from a perfectly good airplane – AKA, you’re going skydiving. We know that the excitement and pre-jump anxiety has the potential to be a bit overwhelming. Let us help you check one thing off your preparation list by going over what good skydiving apparel is and what to not wear. If this is you: what will I do with my glasses, will my skydiving outfit be cool enough and, can I wear jewelry when skydiving, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Keep reading! 

Why does it even matter? 

Like everything skydiving, safety is also at the forefront of our fashion guidelines. What to wear when skydiving is a critical question to ask to ensure you have a comfortable and more importantly, safe, skydive. When we skydive, our bodies are put in positions that they’re not exactly accustomed to. Not only will you need to wear something that is unrestrictive to your flexibility, but something that doesn’t create a snag hazard. It’s necessary to wear something that hits these three points: comfortable, practical, and weather-appropriate. 

• What in the world is a snag hazard? 

You know when you’re walking by a door while carrying a purse or some shopping bags and it catches on the door handle? So annoying! That extra baggage is a snag hazard. In skydiving terms, it’s anything that could catch on someone or something unwanted, like the door of the airplane or a part of the skydiving equipment. Uhh, no thanks. 

What to wear for skydiving 

We recommend pants (leggings and sweats are good!) and long sleeves, or at least something that covers your underarms – you don’t want the harness rubbing them raw! Anything that allows you to have a full range of motion while also not being too baggy is ideal. If you’re wondering if your ‘fit is too restricting, try doing a few jumping jacks. Did you almost rip your shirt while whipping your arms above your head? Try a different outfit! Skydiving is an extreme sport, and while it’s totally incomparable to any other sport out there, we can get a pretty good idea of what the best skydiving attire will be based on some ev ground activities. Think: something you can run, jump, and squat in, and you don’t mind getting a few scuff marks on! 

• Wait? Am I going to get super dirty? 

Noooo. The only reason we mention the scuff marks is that you may have to slide in your landing and endure the infamous grassy butt stains. Don’t worry, you can choose to don one of our super fashionable jumpsuits for an added layer of protection. 

What should I not wear? 

Do not wear something you’re uncomfortable in. If you love jeans and hate leggings or stretchier pants, go for the denim. If you’re not comfortable you won’t feel confident, and that’s a critical ingredient to a good jump day! Don’t wear anything too far on either side of the spectrum: nothing too baggy, nothing too restricting. 

• Can I wear boots? No — due to the limited ankle flexibility, leave your boots at home.
• Can I wear sandals? No — toe thongs also need to stay home … no exposed piggies over here, please. This includes shoes that easily slip off, too –  Birks, Chacos, Crocs, and slides. 
• Can I wear heels? No way! No twisted ankles or stiletto impalements, please!
• Can I wear anything with zippers? Besides a zipper on the front of your pants, zippers are not recommended as they’re begging for something to snag on them.

Layer up!

Here at Skydive Orange, the temperature is typically 30-40 degrees F cooler at altitude than it is on the ground. The temperature won’t be the first thing on your mind while you’re in freefall, but again, comfort is key. In the summertime, bring a snug pullover. For winter skydiving, bring some warm underlayers. Skydivers are pros at layering their clothing. Remember: no hoodies. A big, floppy hood flapping into your instructor’s face will obstruct their vision and that’s far and away from a fun time – this is also one reason we recommend tying your hair back!

• Can I wear a hat? Nope, it’ll definitely fly off into the unknown. 
• Can I wear a scarf? Nah. Scarves classify as vision-obstructors and choke hazards, and will probably fly off to join your hat.  

What’s the deal with jewelry? 

The only jewelry we generally allow keeping on (or in) are stud earrings or anything that’s pretty permanently in there. Necklaces, bracelets, rings, all that good stuff, we pretty much require leaving on the ground. Why? It’s a snag hazard! And on a more sentimental note, we don’t want your keepsakes flying off into the abyss of the big blue sky! You’ll be trucking through the sky at around 120 miles per hour, so that dainty gold necklace you swear will stay on may decide to leap off. Leave it or (maybe) lose it! 

Can I wear glasses? 

Prescription glasses that you need to see clearly, yes, by all means, keep them on! We don’t want you to miss out on these sick views. We have some roomier goggles for those who wear glasses to keep them protected. Sunglasses are a no, as they’re not a necessity and your instructor needs to see your peepers.

Feeling ready to send it? Book now! If you have any other attire questions, or any concerns at all, reach out to us! We would love to hear from you.