First thing was first, and you got the A-License, B-License, your own rig (container, reserve, canopy, AAD, cool-guy pants, etc.), some sick video for the Gram, and a sweet still shot for your Tinder profile. You decided long ago you wanted to wingsuit, and now you’re almost there. You begin to wonder, “What kind of gear do I have to buy to do this wingsuit thing?”

Trust, and be without fear my future bird friends, WSL will tell you here and now the gear you need. We’ll also throw in some stuff you might want and think you NEED to have. Whether you’re skydiving on a budget or a trust fund, you should have a good sense of what’s essential, and what’s just cool to have. You’ll find links below to places selling these things, Gold State Gear (formerly Square1) and ChutingStar are good places to buy stuff. Gold State Gear has a couple locations in Southern California and also sell online (you can meet these guys in person to get recommendations or just hang out on the couch). ChutingStar is online only but will include a pull-up cord and a starburst in the package (I really enjoy the starburst and recommend placing separate orders to get more starburst). If you tell them WSL referred you, they will still charge you full price and not give WSL any money.

Stuff you actually need includes the following:

• A Solid Container
  • By “solid” we mean, a container that isn’t ragged out, and has a Bottom-of-Container (BOC) pilot chute. The container you have is probably suitable for wingsuiting purposes. When you take your First Flight Course, your instructor will definitely let you know if yours sucks too much for wingsuiting.
  • I personally use a Javelin container. It works perfectly and has for the last 600+ jumps. I definitely have a Javelin Legacy. But mine is legacy because of age, not because of the features. Mine has a manufacture date of 1994. It hangs out day-drinking at bars on the weekdays because it’s old enough, and I’m not its real dad.
  • There are wingsuit specific containers out there, and the price will tell you they must be better. Some people will tell you they’re better (depends on if you’re talking to a sales rep or not). Javelin Aurora; UPT Vector3 with Wingsuit Options, and Mirage W-Series (this one is made for BASE jumping with a reserve). Any of these manufacturers will make you whatever you want if you pay them.
  • Let’s talk about dynamic corners for a second. These allow your container to open fully flat, and provide for a cleaner deployment bag extraction. These do help, but are not necessary. If you’re buying new gear, probably get them. If you’re buying used, don’t worry so much about not having them.
• Bigger Pilot Chute (PC) and Longer Bridle
  • These are important when wingsuiting because of the burble created by the wingsuit (think draft with race cars) and slower deployment speed.
  • If the bridle is not long enough, it could get stuck in the burble and not pull you main canopy from the bag. It is recommended to have at least an 8′ bridle (measured from the pin). It’s not necessary to have an extra long bridle. Read this article from Squirrel to know why.
  • If your PC is too small, you might not get the pull force needed to extract your main canopy. The best one, the one I use, and the only one I recommend for wingsuiting is the Squirrel SkySnatch.
• Semi-Stowless Deployment Bag (D-Bag)
  • As you hopefully already know, the D-Bag is that little bag you stuff your canopy in when you pack it. The little bag goes in the big bag, and the little parachute pulls the little bag out of the big bag that holds the big parachute, or something like that.
  • For wingsuiting, you want a semi-stowless D-bag. This will help prevent line twists on opening.
  • A stowed D-bag uses rubber bands to hold (stow) the lines, and the bag jostles back and forth as the stows are released from the lines.
  • A semi-stowless uses a couple rubber bands to keep the bag closed, but the lines are s-folded into the bag instead of being stowed with rubber bands. The lines are free to flow from the D-bag easily and smoothly without jostling back and forth, helping prevent the bag from spinning.
  • I use a FluidWings D-bag because it’s definitely the best one, but I might be biased. All the semi-stowless D-bags work well. Squirrel makes one, but I can’t find it for sale as a standalone item (maybe call them). UPT’s D-bag comes in semi-stowless. Most of the container manufacturers make one, check with whoever made your container.
  • Cool guy stuff: totally stowless D-bag. It uses magnets. I’ve never used one of these, nor do I know anyone with one, and can’t speak to how well they work.
• Automatic Activation Device (AAD)
  • You most likely have one of these already, but some DZs will let you jump without one. Some tiny canopy pilots don’t use one to avoid a two-out situation. Some people just don’t use one because they’re “old school.”
  • Whatever your reason, when you’re wingsuiting, get a damn AAD!! It could save your life one day.
  • Personal story: A friend of mine had someone else transition above him, that lost altitude and hit my friend in the face. My friend was knocked unconscious from the blow. He spiraled toward the earth unconscious until his AAD fired and deployed his reserve canopy. My friend landed unconscious and broke a lot of bones, broke his face, shattered an eye socket, and a bunch of nasty stuff. But, my friend lived because of his AAD. And he’s still damn good looking.
  • There are three brands that all work, but may have different features: Vigil (I use this one), Cypres, and M2. You can find them all sold at Gold State Gear, Chutingstar, and your local gear store might sell you one also. There are some other AADs that exist, but I have no idea about them and can’t recommend them.
• Audible Altimeter
  • This is important because you can’t look at your wrist when in a wingsuit. Make sure to reset it each time you visit a new DZ. Altitudes change between DZs, and if your audible thinks you’re at 200′ MSL and you go to 3,000′ MSL, it will be wrong in a bad way (good thing you have an AAD?).
  • Most audibles will work for this purpose. I used an L&B Quattro for a long time, and it was perfect. I now use a VOG, but that’s one of those fancy things you don’t really need.
• Chest Mounted Altimeter
  • Remember, you can’t look at your wrist. The east solution is to take that wrist altimeter, and slap that bad boy on your chest.
  • This can be accomplished using a mudflap mount or a chest strap mount.
  • I am on the fence about whether this should be a digital or an analog altimeter. The digital is more accurate. The analog is old faithful (i.e. you’ll never forget to charge it or turn it on).
  • If you’re feeling froggy, or have cash to burn, the Dekunu does some really cool stuff, but you do have to charge it every day you jump. Same with the AON X2. I’ve never personally used either one of these, but I have looked at the cool guys in envy of their fancy toys.
• Impact-Rated Helmet
  • This one is not an absolute need, but it’s a damn good idea that has nothing to do with being the cool guy. You might get kicked in the head, for real, someone could kick you in the head (but let’s be honest, you probably head-butted his foot). Read this article to learn more about impact-rated helmets. Bottom line: your brain is worthy of protection, impact-rated helmets do that, other helmets do not.
  • I use a Cookie G4. I want a Tonfly TFX, but again, that’s fancy stuff with really, really cool features (Mom, if you’re reading this, Christmas is around the corner, just saying…).
  • You can read about the helmets at the companies’ websites here: G4, TFX
  • Some people prefer the open-face helmets. That’s their choice to have the wind on their face, feel the breeze, and whatever-the-hell other reason they make up. I choose not to wear one in my wingsuit.
• Wingsuit Specific Canopy
  • This discussion is way too big for this article, and WSL will have another series about the importance of having the right canopy.
  • In short, a 7-cell canopy is the one you want. You can kinda get away with a 9-cell for the little suits. I jumped a Saffire 2 135 while I was in the Swift, and even the ATC (not recommended). When I used it in the ATC, I had my first and second cutaways (see Line Twists Article).
  • You’ll learn all about why this is important in WSL’s canopy articles.

The short version:

• A Solid Container
• Bigger Pilot Chute (PC) and Longer Bridle
• Semi-Stowless Deployment Bag (D-Bag)
• Automatic Activation Device (AAD)
• Audible Altimeter
• Chest Mounted Altimeter
• Impact-Rated Helmet
• Wingsuit Specific Canopy

You’ll also need a wingsuit, but that’s a whole other topic that will eventually have its own article.

Get the right gear my future, and current, bird friends, it will help you (1) Look Good, (2) Have Fun, and (3) ensure Rule 3 adherence.

Blue Skies,

WSL