Your First Jumpsuit: Rental, Purchase, Sizing, and Model

Reaching 200 jumps still wearing the DZ's loaner suit is a bit like doing all your gym training in shoes borrowed from the front desk. It works, but you're building habits on equipment that isn't yours, that doesn't respond exactly the way you want, and that probably doesn't even fit properly. Every season at Cumiana I see it: skydivers with 200, 300 jumps who keep renting because "it's fine for now." Then the moment comes when they want to do their first serious 4-way FS, or they start working on sit-fly, and they realize the suit has been holding them back for months without them even noticing. This guide is for anyone who wants to break out of that loop.

The case for renting: when it still makes sense

Be honest with yourself: do you already know what your discipline is? If the answer is "more or less" or "I'm still figuring it out," then renting still makes sense. FS and freefly suits are physically different objects — different silhouettes, different amounts of fabric, different grippers — and buying one before you have clarity means risking 400–700 euros on something you might not use six months from now.

Renting makes sense in these scenarios:

You're still experimenting between FS and freefly: you've done a few jumps of each and haven't decided yet. Stay flexible for another 30–50 jumps.

You're about to start a specific course: many freefly or angle coaches prefer students to use the school's suit during the course, so they can address fit issues without the student having already spent money.

You're waiting on a custom order: made-to-measure suits have production lead times ranging from 6 to 14 weeks depending on the manufacturer. In the meantime, you rent.

Outside of these three scenarios, renting is simply a monthly tax on equipment you never truly get to know.

The case for buying: why sooner is better

A good-quality used suit in decent condition costs roughly between 150 and 350 euros, though prices vary — always check with retailers. A new entry-level FS suit such as a Tony Suits Classic or an entry-level Velocity Suits model starts at approximately 300–400 euros, but it's worth checking current pricing directly with the brands. Rental fees at many Italian DZs run, as a rough guide, between 10 and 20 euros per jump, or between 50 and 100 euros per month for regular jumpers — check with your own DZ, as prices vary by facility and season.

Do the math: if you jump 20 times a month and rent at 15 euros a jump, in three months you've spent 900 euros. You could have bought a new suit and still had money left over.

But the financial argument is the second reason. The first is proprioception. A suit you always wear, that conforms to your body, that you know inside out — how the fabric responds in head-down, exactly where the grippers are, how the leg wing behaves in tracking — is a piece of equipment that directly influences your progression. This isn't philosophy: it's physics. The amount of fabric between your legs, the position of the cuffs, the cut of the shoulders all change your body position in the air in measurable ways.

Sizing: the mistake that costs more than the wrong model

I'll say it plainly: wrong sizing is the number one problem I see in skydivers with fewer than 500 jumps. A suit that's too baggy on a freefly student creates instability in head-down because the excess fabric acts as an uncontrolled surface. A suit that's too tight on an FS skydiver limits range of motion and makes certain grippers impossible to take without contorting yourself.

The measurements that matter, in order of importance:

Torso length (shoulder to waist): determines where the suit's waistband sits and how much fabric is left loose across the chest.

Inseam length (crotch to ankle): critical for bootie fit and fabric tension in flight.

Shoulder width: often underestimated, but critical for FS — shoulders that are too narrow restrict the boxman position.

Waist and hip circumference: affects comfort but also the distribution of extra fabric in suits with a leg wing.

Every manufacturer has its own size chart — and sizes are not standardized across brands. A Tonfly L is not the same as a Parasport L or an Atair L. If you're buying online without trying it on, always ask for measurements in centimeters and compare them against your own.

How to take your measurements correctly

Have someone measure you — don't do it alone in front of a mirror. The measurements you need:

Total height (bare feet)

Torso: from the bony prominence of the shoulder (acromion) to the iliac crest, standing upright

Inseam: from the crotch to the ankle bone, standing upright in flat shoes

Shoulder width: from acromion to acromion, measured across the back

Weight: affects the extra fabric in suits with grippers and in versions with a leg wing

If you're ordering custom, send these measurements to the manufacturer and ask them to confirm the recommended size. Reputable brands — Tony Suits, Velocity Suits, Tonfly, Parasport — have technical teams that respond to these questions by email within a few days.

Models by discipline: the practical guide

There's no such thing as a universal suit. There's only the right suit for what you do. Here's how to navigate the options by discipline.

Formation Skydiving (FS / RW)

The classic FS suit has grippers on the chest, legs, and feet (booties). The fabric is calibrated to provide a certain amount of aerodynamic drag without being excessive. Key points to evaluate:

Grippers: how many, where, and what type (loop vs. handle). For competitive 4-way, fabric grippers are preferred over rigid plastic ones because they give more feel.

Booties: essential for FS. They need to be stiff enough to allow teammates to take a grip, but not so stiff that they limit canopy control.

Fabric: cordura is durable but heavy; supplex is lighter and more common in modern suits.

Reference models: Tony Suits Classic (solid, conservative, excellent for getting started), Velocity Suits FS (good value for money), Parasport Italia (Italian-made, excellent local support).

Avoid suits with a pronounced leg wing if you only do FS: the extra fabric between your legs serves no purpose and interferes with certain movements.

Freefly (head-down, sit-fly, back-fly)

A freefly suit is designed to minimize surfaces that create uncontrolled drag. Basic versions are close-fitting suits without a leg wing, with stretch fabric at the joints for range of motion. More advanced versions feature technical fabric panels that allow you to modulate drag in specific positions.

For those just starting freefly, a close-fitting suit without frills is the right choice. Overly technical suits in the hands of someone still learning head-down just add noise: you already have enough variables to manage.

Reference models: Tonfly TF (very popular in Europe, excellent finish), Velocity Suits FF. If you're on a tight budget, a used lycra suit bought from a more experienced skydiver is a smart choice for your first 100 freefly jumps.

A note on grippers in freefly suits: some hybrid FS/FF suits have reduced grippers that let you do both disciplines without changing suits. Do they work? Yes. Are they optimal for either? Also yes — they're not. If you already know you'll be doing primarily freefly, don't buy a hybrid.

Tracking, Angle, and Atmonauti

Tracking and angle flying require suits that allow you to create controlled drag in an inclined body position. Suits with a light leg wing — not a wingsuit, but a fabric panel between the legs — help stabilize your body position and generate horizontal lift.

For angle flying in particular, many skydivers use suits with both an arm wing (a panel under the arms) and a leg wing combined, which allow you to modulate vertical speed without losing axis control. The risk for beginners is buying too much: a suit with excessive wing in inexperienced hands is unstable and difficult to manage.

Atmonauti — a discipline born in Italy, so you should know it better than anyone — uses suits similar to angle suits, often with custom configurations that practitioners have built to their exact specifications once they've figured out precisely what they want. This is not a suit to buy on your first approach to the discipline.

Reference models: Squirrel (best known for wingsuits and advanced tracking suits, with a continuously evolving range), Tony Suits (check the current name of the tracking model on the brand's official website before publication, generally more accessible), custom configurations from Italian manufacturers such as Parasport.

Canopy Piloting and CRW

Canopy piloting (swooping) doesn't require a technically specific suit for freefall, but it does require a suit that won't interfere with flight under canopy — no panels that inflate, no leg wing that alters your profile during the approach. A close-fitting suit or a standard FS suit both work well.

For CRW (canopy relative work), the suit must allow maximum limb mobility for taking grips on the lines or the leading edge of a teammate's canopy. Overly stiff suits or those with structured panels are not recommended.

Used vs. new: a rigger's perspective

Suits, unlike containers and canopies, have no regulatory life cycle. There is no jump limit after which a suit "expires." What matters is the physical condition of the fabric, the stitching, and the grippers.

When buying used, check:

Seams: open the suit and look at the internal seams. Loose stitching or fraying thread in high-stress areas (armpits, crotch, wrists) are red flags.

Grippers: test every gripper. They should be firm and show no signs of deformation or tearing at the attachment seams.

Zippers: zippers on freefly suits that close at the chest or back must run smoothly without resistance. A stuck zipper at altitude is a problem.

Fabric: hold it up to the light. Holes, thinning areas, and previous repairs (fabric patches sewn over damage) are signs of advanced wear.

Booties: on FS suits, booties wear out quickly on the underside. They can be repaired, but a suit with completely worn-out booties is worth less than it appears.

A used suit in good condition from a reputable manufacturer is often a better choice than a new suit from an unknown brand. The quality of the stitching matters more than the mileage.

Budget and realistic timelines

Here are indicative price ranges (always verify with retailers, as prices vary with exchange rates and seasons):

Used FS suit, good condition: €150–300

New FS suit, entry-level: €300–500

New FS suit, custom/competition: €500–900

Used freefly suit: €100–250

New freefly suit, entry-level: €250–450

New angle/tracking suit with wing: €400–700

Custom suit with advanced configuration: €600–1,200

Production times for custom suits vary considerably — check directly with the brand at the time of ordering. Order before the season starts, not in May when everyone orders at once.

If you're waiting on a suit, plan to rent for that specific period and stop renting the day your suit arrives. There's no reason to keep renting "just to be safe" once you have your own.

In summary: the practical rules

After years of experience at the dropzone and watching newer skydivers make poor equipment choices, here are the rules I stand by:

If you've already chosen your discipline, buy. Renting is an excuse to put off a decision you're already ready to make.

Sizing comes before model. A perfect suit in the wrong size is worse than a mediocre suit that fits you well.

Used from a reputable manufacturer beats new from an unknown brand. The stitching matters more than the logo.

Don't buy a hybrid if you're not a hybrid jumper. If you do FS, buy an FS suit. If you do freefly, buy a freefly suit. "Does everything" suits do nothing particularly well.

Order ahead of time. Custom lead times are real. Don't wait until April to order a suit you need for May.

Have someone else take your measurements. Poorly taken measurements are the number one cause of custom suits that don't fit.

The suit is the least expensive piece of equipment in your complete system, but it's the one you wear on every single jump. It's worth choosing carefully.