What to Wear Skydiving in the Summer

Published: June 29, 2022

There are so many questions to consider in the days leading up to jumping out of a plane, and one of them is inevitably what to wear skydiving. It might seem like a trivial question when taking into account that there are many important things to think about before jumping out of a plane, but what to wear skydiving can actually affect your experience. What to wear skydiving in summer is very different from what you would wear in winter, so let's get you prepared for your time with us in Ocean City this summer!

Summer in Maryland

If you're a Maryland local, then you already know what the summer weather here is like - and if you're not from around here, then we'll tell you what you can expect! Maryland has similar summer weather to other states on the East Coast. Our dropzone is located on the shore right below Delaware, so summers here are pretty hot and humid. There's also an increased chance of clouds in the warmer months, and it rains pretty frequently here during the summer. Clouds and rain sometimes keep us from skydiving, but summer showers often pass fairly quickly.

Skydiving 'Fit

You know it's hot outside when you leave your house, but you probably don't know how it's going to feel 10,000 ft up! You might be wondering "what should I wear skydiving"? Well, it does in fact get a little cooler as you go higher up in the sky, even so whatever clothing you're comfortable wearing on the ground is usually fine for your jump too. You might feel a bit chilly, but you will not be up at 10,000 ft for very long - and you'll be falling through increasingly warmer temperatures with each passing second! Plus, the adrenaline coursing through you will help keep you warm.

Your skydiving outfit should primarily consist of clothes that will be comfortable for you to wear under a harness, like a T-shirt, shorts, or yoga pants. You want fabric between your skin and the harness, so tank tops, low-cut shirts, and sleeveless tees are not the best option. It's common to slide in on the grass when you land under the parachute, so extremely short shorts are not ideal either. Also avoid anything you wouldn't want potential grass stains on.

These Shoes Are Made for Falling

Summer vibes mean sandal time, but not when it comes to skydiving. For your jump, you're going to want to wear sneakers or tennis shoes. The best shoes for skydiving are closed-toe shoes with laces that don't have a steel toe or grippy soles. It's important to wear footwear that will stay on for your entire jump, because if a shoe fell off it could hit something or someone below you!

Closed-toe shoes are important in order to protect your toes on the plane and on the ground, and non-grippy soles can help make sure that your feet don't catch on the ground when you slide in your landing. Note, in addition to sandals, shoes with a heel or hooks are not permitted, and neither are boots.

Accessorize For the Skies

It's typically hot in the summer, so your hair will probably already be up (which is how to wear hair skydiving). If you have long hair, it is recommended that you pull it back into braids, a bun, or a ponytail. Putting your hair up helps contain it while you're falling at 120mph. Leaving your hair down would result in some seriously crazy hair, and you also don't want to be whipping your tandem instructor in the face with your hair for the entire freefall.

As for jewelry, watches, and any other accessories, it's best to take them all off before your jump and leave them on the ground with friends and family. There's a decent chance they wouldn't fly off into the sky, but why take the risk? It's a good idea to not take anything up on your skydive that you don't want to lose.

Make Sure You Can See the Sea

Your glasses were probably not at the top of your mind when you booked your skydive, but now you're wondering if your glasses might be an issue? The views at Skydive OC are amazing, so you're definitely going to want to see them! Plus, you don't get to see the Earth from 10,000 ft everyday, and you are going to want to be able to look around.

If you have contact lenses, wear those instead as they are preferable to glasses. We will give you goggles to wear on your jump so you can keep your eyes open with your contact lenses unaffected. Your glasses will most likely be fine under the goggles too, but there is a chance that your goggles could shift ... and your glasses take off. Eyeglass straps (aka eyewear retainers aka chums aka croakies) might be helpful in keeping your glasses on as well. Just make sure that you wear what you need to in order to see the gorgeous ocean views!!

And now you know what to wear when skydiving for the first time! Skydiving is much more about the experience than what you're wearing, of course, but you do want to be comfortable for your best day ever! All that's left to do is book your jump! We can't wait to get sky high with you!