By: Skydive Orange
A frosty feeling is nipping at your nose and toes, and you have the itch for an adventure. Winter skydiving might just be what you need to satisfy your hankering, but trust us, you’ve got to come prepared! If you want a bit of simple math to help, you need to read up on the ways to maximize comfort on a cold weather skydive. Consider that the temperature drops about 3 degrees per every thousand feet! So, aside from the wind chill factor of falling at terminal velocity, a skydive on a 30 °F day would have you sitting at altitude in temperatures BELOW 0 °F. Thankfully, here in Dallas, Texas there are plenty of warmer winter weekends to take advantage of! And even if the temperatures are a little bit chilly, there are plenty of things that can be done to keep the cold at bay. Here are our top tips for skydiving in the winter!
PRETEND YOU ARE A PARFAIT
It’s a silly way to put it, but what we mean is come prepared by wearing layers! The frigid wind will whip right through a single layer of fabric, but several close-fitting layers can keep that from happening. Be sure to wear base layers on both the top and bottom of your body. Your legs don’t want to be forgotten! We recommend a thermal layer because it tends to be a specialty fabric that helps with moisture wicking to keep you warm and dry. If the layers are thin enough, top it all off with your favorite cozy fleece. The soft, fuzzy fabric of a fleece provides warmth without bulk, and a fleece sets you up perfectly to follow up with our second tip—
DRESS FOR SUCCESS
Every sport comes with a certain attire. In skydiving, this is called a jump suit. The key to being cozy is pairing your layers with one of our wind resistant sturdy jumpsuits.
DON’T FORGET YOUR FINGERS AND TOES
These digits need protection too! You don’t want to land and feel like you’ve got ice blocks below your ankles! A pair of thick warm socks can make all the difference in free fall. The same logic applies to your fingers, it helps if you bring a pair of tested and true gloves with you. You probably have a pair you use regularly, and if they are thin enough, you might want to bring them along to use as liners beneath the gloves the drop zone provides.
CHOOSE THE RIGHT SHOES
Sandals and slip-ons may be perfect for the beach, but they are far from suitable for skydiving, especially, when the temperature dips. With the right amount of relative wind in free-fall, you might land with no shoes at all! Rather than loose shoes, choose sturdy sneakers or snug fitting lace-up athletic trainers
Say Thank-You to Science for Making Use of the Exothermic Oxidation of Iron When Exposed to Air
In particular, you might want to thank Japanese inventor Niichi Matoba and his handy (pun intended) invention: the handwarmer! When skydiving in the winter, consider bringing along a set of Hot Hands or Toasty Toes. If you have room, these can be slipped between your hands and gloves or socks and shoes. These relatively cheap air-activated warmers are little life-savers and can help keep you from feeling the chill while you experience the most exhilarating thrill of your life!
Are you ready for your next COLD adventure? Contact us today to schedule your winter skydive!
