What to Wear Skydiving in Summer

Summer in the South is always a sweltering affair. If you’ve got a skydive on your vacation agenda, or are looking to beat the heat with the chill of 13,500 feet, you might be wondering what warm weather attire is suitable. So, without further ado, here’s what to wear skydiving in the summer!

Though the temperatures on the ground may be brutal, at altitude it may still be quite chilly. You should also consider that you will be wearing a harness which, if you are more scantily clad, has the potential to rub against your skin.

When it comes to what to wear skydiving in the summer, you don’t have to sacrifice coverage for comfort. UV cooling shirts are a great option to keep you cool while keeping your skin protected both from the harness and any dust you kick upon landing. Many athletic-wear brands also offer clothing that is known as moisture-wicking. The type of fabric used in these garments moves sweat away from the body and disperses it throughout the fabric which allows it to evaporate quickly. This rapid evaporation helps the body to regulate temperature, keeping you cool even when the temperatures are rising.

If you don’t have the items above a regular t-shirt or tank top and a pair of shorts are fine to skydive in. You don’t need to purchase an entirely new ensemble for your inaugural skydive. And, as always, you can also request to wear one of our jumpsuits, which are provided free of charge.

Ultimately, whether you choose a jumpsuit or a t-shirt and shorts, it’s all about your level of comfort.

Even in the summer, the best shoes for skydiving are going to be sneakers or tennis shoes. If your toes need a little extra ventilation, closed-toe athletic sandals are also suitable. Regardless of the weather, the shoes you choose need to be able to remain securely on your feet throughout the entire skydiving experience. A shoe lost during freefall has enough velocity to injure a bystander on the ground or damage property. Trust us, we’ve seen a wayward shoe crack a windshield!

You are not permitted to wear flip-flops on a skydive. Closed-toe shoes are required to protect your foot fingers. The plane can be crowded with nervous shuffling legs and dancing feet, and we don’t want someone to accidentally crush your tootsies!

There are athletic tank/crop tops that are fine to skydive in. However, be aware that the harness may rub against your skin causing a friction burn. Depending on your level of discretion, you could choose to skydive in a bikini top–however, we are a family-friendly dropzone, and clothing items in freefall tend to shift quite a bit (if you catch our drift). When deciding what to wear skydiving in the summer, it’s better to stick to the clothing items we mentioned above.

Licensed skydivers may choose to lose the jumpsuit during the summer months. Though, for some disciplines in skydiving, like wingsuiting or competitive formation skydiving, a jumpsuit is necessary. Some licensed skydivers even have “summer” versions of their skydiving jumpsuits, which are often referred to as “shorty suits” because they are either cropped at the leg or have short sleeves.

With over 30 years of experience, we’ve learned a thing or two about what to wear skydiving in the summer and how to stay cool on a sultry summer day.

• Hydrate

We cannot stress this enough: drink water and plenty of it! Being extra sweaty comes with the territory of summer skydiving, and with all that sweating you’ll need to replenish your body’s fluids. Bring along water or Gatorade to the dropzone with you. If you forget, no worries, our gear store has a fridge stocked with ice-cold drinks.

• Cooling Towel

These particular synthetic-fabric marvels have really changed the summer skydiving game. Simply dip one of these bad boys in some water, toss it over your head or around your neck, and get ready to chill. Seriously. These things are amazing.

• Personal Pocket Fan

Personal pocket fans are handy little devices that help mitigate even the most humid of days. As the name suggests, it’s a small personal fan that can help keep the air circulating around you and provide a bit of relief on those summer days when the air hangs heavy.

Now that you know what to wear skydiving in the summer, are you ready to get your warm-weather skydiving on? Call or click to book your first jump today!

Related Article: 9 Tips for Your First Time Skydiving