Okay, so it’s February. That means two things: that any jumping you do is likely to require a passport, and that it’s time to daydream about the boogies that will spring forth from the darling buds of May (and June, and July, straight on through the rest of “sunburn season”).
But how does one properly prepare for such an adventure? After all, there are a number of ways to kneecap a boogie before it starts. They often have something to do with your gear bag: a forgotten helmet that lands you in a beat-up student ProTec all week; a forgotten suit that leaves you all slippery and gripless; the dreaded (gasp!) out-of-date repack card.
When you’re gathering up everything you need for a week of rapid-fire skyjumpin’ in a far-off location, it’s easy to forget a (key) detail here and there. This checklist aims to give you a solid template from which to build your own adventure arsenal.
Happy packin’!
THE BASICS
Rig(s)
Helmet(s)
Suit(s) (wingsuit/tracking suit/belly suit/swoop shorts/ostentatious jersey/tunnel suit/freefly suit/sit suit/dinosaur onesie/all of the above)
Dytter(s) (because you took it out for the tunnel camp, remember?)
Altimeter
Gloves
Your preferred skydiving kicks (and lucky socks)
Your credit card (and a healthy sense of realism about how thoroughly it’s about to be abused)
PAPERWORK
Going to a new international DZ? Do yourself a huge favour and check the paperwork requirements before you buy your tickets.
In-date parachute association licence
In-date reserve repack card
Travel insurance valid for skydiving*
AAD air travel card (like this one, from CYPRES, or this one, from Vigil) so you aren’t caught off guard at any check-in you may pass through during your skydiving career)
RIG PROTECTION
Packing/drag mat, preferably with a sun cover, riser holders and at least one pocket. Bonus points if you sew your own. Extra bonus points if you sew me one. (Hot tip: a camping towel works brilliantly as a sun cover + drag mat combo.)
A sturdy, high-quality suit hanger with moulded shoulders (to hang up your suit(s) well away from the dirty hangar floor, because you’re worth it)
TOOLS
Several pull-up cords (or your trusty power tool, dolled up with a colourful piece of tape or two to differentiate it from its siblings)
Leatherman, Swiss Army knife or other sturdy multi‑tool
Line routing card
Hemostat or tweezers (for those moments when your fingers are just too big for the job)
REPLACEMENT MATERIALS
Extra closing loops and washers
Rubber bands (because not every DZ is, ahem, generous with these)
The special batteries you might need for your various devices and doodads
LOGGING AND NOTE-TAKING MATERIALS
Logbook (If you don’t keep a digital version, keep the paper book in a plastic zip-closure bag because – let’s be real – you always spill either coffee or beer on that thing.)
Ballpoint pen
Pencil/eraser
Sharpie
Notepad for sharing information with other skydivers, such as phone numbers and scrawled threats
CAMERA STUFF
Obviously, serious, like, aerial cinematographers have a much more nuanced kit than this. This is a starting point intended for folx with the jump numbers to safely use one. Label everything.
Camera(s) with all required charging cables and cases
International power adapter (if necessary)
All the memory card adapters you need
Mounts
Mount wrench(es)
Microfibre lens cleaning cloth and solution
Extra memory cards, labelled clearly with identifying numbers (Those little memory card wallets are nice, aren’t they?)
COMFORT
Buff(s)
Plenty of non-perishable snacks (at least a couple of which are small enough to fit in your suit so you have something to munch on when the innhopp logistics are interminable)
Water bottle (or rollable Platypus bottle) with flavour packets, teabags or whatever else entices you into actually sucking on the thing at regular intervals
UV-protective sunglasses (not polarised, if such a thing renders your visual altimeter invisible)
Sunscreen you’ll actually use
Clean sweat rag or fancy face wipes (if that’s your jam)
Ponytail holders
Rehydration packets (because that beer truck might well sneak up on your blind side)
Additional Tips
Label everything. Lots of skydivers at any given boogie will have exactly the same items that you do in their gear bag, from closing tools to helmets. If unlabelled items go missing from your kit, it’s almost certainly not a theft – it’s mistaken identity. Clear labelling often solves the problem before it arises.
Get an idea of what your access to the facilities is going to look like at the boogie. We’re talking food; laundry; showers. If you’ll need to carry in coins for showers and laundry – or if you’ll have to pre-buy something like laundry soap before you drive out into the hinterlands, or something along those lines – you’ll be glad you knew about it and planned accordingly.
Ask around about the experience you can expect at the boogie you’re planning to attend. Skydivers who have been there before will be glad to run down the highlights and challenges for you. Even better: you might end up convincing them to join you for a reprise.
Want to read more? Download the official Skydive the Mag app on either apple or android. Don’t want to download? Don’t worry. You can read the online version here.
