Swooping gear is very similar to the gear that you will need if you are planning on doing any skydiving. However, there are a few differences that you should keep in mind. Essentially, before you decide to start swooping, you should make sure that you do a lot of research and find out everything that you can about your gear of choice. That way, you can also figure out what gear will be best for your skill level.
The jumpsuit
The first thing that you will need, no matter what type of skydiving you’re planning on doing, is a jumpsuit. This suit will help streamline you while you’re in freefall, and can have a major effect on how well you can control where you are going. Since you’re in the air and in freefall, you need to have as much control as you can get – the last thing you want is to be in a bad orientation when you go to open your parachute.
If you can find a jumpsuit that is specially designed for swooping, then that is probably the best jumpsuit for you. You should also pay attention to how well it fits you. Your suit should fit you perfectly – so you should never, ever buy a suit unless you can try it on first.
The parachute
Your parachute is going to be very important. You should always make sure that you learn as much about the parachute you’re looking for as is possible. You should also consider the fabric that you’re going to be buying – some fabrics are better than others.
Some people find that zero porosity fabric, or “Zp” is a good idea. The benefits of this fabric are that the parachute will last longer, and that it will have a higher resale value. However, if you’re not very experienced at packing a parachute, then this is probably not the type of parachute you want to buy – it’s generally a lot harder to actually pack.
Swooping parachutes are usually F-111 fabric because they are more accurate and can sink in the air much easier.
Finally, when you make the move to swooping, you’re probably going to want to look at smaller canopies for your parachutes. Make sure that you pay attention to the other features that these parachutes have to offer before you make your final decision.
The best way to find out more about the right swooping gear for you is just to hang around after you’ve gone skydiving, and talk to people who have been swooping for a while – they should be able to help point you in the right direction.