Alright skydivers! Are you getting excited?! The event of the year is around the corner and we’re assembling all the little details that make Summerfest awesome – more awesome than before! We’re here to help you boogie-goers prep for this hands down, do-not-miss event with the Top 6 Tips in Getting the Most out of Summerfest!
Show Up Ready
This seems so simple but you won’t believe how many people show up with their reserves out of date or have forgotten their altimeters at home! Since you’re in the moment, vibing on the stoke, we’ve put together a simple checklist to help you prep for the mega event:
SUITCASE CHECKLIST
Here’s the essentials to make sure you’re boogie ready:
- Rig
- Jumpsuit
- Altimeter (visual/audible), Helmet (does anyone wear goggles anymore?)
- Go Pro (if you have 200+ jumps – no exceptions)
- Theme Party Outfits
- Clothes for hot and humid days, and cool evenings
- Toothbrush/toothpaste, shampoo/conditioner, brush
- Sunscreen
If you forget any minor toiletries, not to worry. Walmart is only a few miles from the DZ!
DZ CHECK-IN READY
- Pre-Register! Duh!
- If you pre-register by June 23rd, not only will you be able to sign the waiver, update your deets, but you will speed up the check in process so you can get jumping faster. OH! And you get a free boogie t-shirt! DO IT. Right here -> Summerfest Registration
- Reserve in Date
o (Here’s a handy dandy calculator if you’re unsure if you’re good to go. Make sure to bookmark it, too! https://axis.tools/tool_RePack.php)
- Bring USPA card (this seems like an ancient tradition, but seriously makes lines go faster than having the rego peeps have to look up everyone’s stuff!) or you can show it from the app on your cell phone
- Be current (Skydiver Information Manual Section 5-2; pg 100 in 2021 SIM)
- Check out the landing area and procedures page: https://skydivechicago.com/experienced-jumpers/
- Put lift tickets on your account so you can jump jump jump!!
Get up Early, Jump Early
Alright – you’ve checked in, got your boogie wrist band and have a pocket full of tickets, here’s the gold of getting the most out of Summerfest.
GET UP EARLY, JUMP EARLY! I know – we said it, ‘get up early.’ You’re on vacation, you stayed up way to late, or feeling lazy. Well check this: most people are on that agenda so Summerfest mornings are generally slower. That’s the BEST time to take advantage of load organizers before they’re slammed for the rest of the day!
UTILIZE THE ORGANIZERS! One of the greatest things about Summerfest is the massive Load Organizer team. They are here for YOU!! The LO team takes licensed jumpers of ALL skill levels and disciplines (FS, VFS, Freefly, Angle, Wingsuit)! Many people are shy to walk up to an organizer. So this is your moment to build up the courage like when you did your first jump and introduce yourself! If they aren’t available, they can help introduce you to another organizer. There is also an organizer board with pictures and which disciplines they’re organizing to help you find them as well. So we encourage you, DO IT!
Other bonuses of getting up early, is it’s not as hot and sticky – it’s the summer in the Midwest, say hello to hot and humid days! Then you’ll get done earlier, can go jump in the pond, shower and be one of the first in line at the tiki hut for an extraordinary Eat Up Café dinner!
Pace Yourself
It is SO easy, in fact, way too easy to feel like you must be on every load that sounds cool and attend every party – that you may feel like you’re missing out! Does FOMO come to mind? It’s easy to go hard in the beginning and lose steam at the end of Summerfest. If you’re an experienced Summerfest-er, then you know! Let yourself slowly get into the groove, schedule in early/casual nights and pace yourself so you can enjoy every drop of what Summerfest has to offer!
Remember, Summerfest is a marathon, not a sprint!
Utilize the Vendors
Summerfest is an awesome opportunity to get one-on-one attention with the vendor of your choice! Vendors bring demos, can answer questions, and help you decide on what kind of gear is right for you! (They may or may not have cool places to hang out and free shwag!)
They too are here for you, so take a bit of your Summerfest time and check em out!
2021 vendors included:
Rock Sky Market
Kua Sky
Sun Path Products
Performance Designs
Aerodyne
Elite Rigging Academy
UPT
Tony Suits, Inc.
Option Gravity
LiquidSky Inc.
Ink Monstr
and More…
Hydration
It’s very hot and humid here in the Midwest, and the body perspires quite a bit – especially when packing. According to the Harvard Medical School:
Drinking fluids is crucial to staying healthy and maintaining the function of every system in your body, including your heart, brain, and muscles. Fluids carry nutrients to your cells, flush bacteria from your bladder, and prevent constipation
Then they go on to describe the best way to stay hydrated:
To ward off dehydration, Dr. Seifter says that healthy people should get 30 to 50 ounces of water per day (about 1 to 1.5 liters), but not all at once. “The kidneys lose some ability to eliminate water as we age. It’s important to stay hydrated gradually, throughout the day,” he says. He recommends drinking water or juices and eating water-rich foods such as salads, fruit, and applesauce. “An easy way to stay hydrated gradually is by getting fluids at meals, with medicine, and socially,” says Dr. Seifter.
Boom. Harvard doc’s say it best. Stay hydrated. Stay jumping.
Safety First
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Safety blah, blah, blah. Seriously, Summerfest isn’t just about you – remember there are DZO’s, pilots, instructors and other jumpers who come out to enjoy this event. Please take stock in the types of jumps you’re doing, continue to be mindful of doing gear checks / pin checks, know when to say no to skydives, and the weather you’re choosing to jump in.
All this seems basic, but boogie fever can catch up to you. We love it when everyone has fun, but are more stoked when everyone goes home safely. #safetyfirst
Stay updated with Summerfest details here: https://skydivechicago.com/summerfest/
And here: https://www.facebook.com/events/132158284221374/
And did we mention to PRE-REGISTER? 😉 Summerfest Registration
REFERENCES:
Harvard Health Letter. June 18, 2015.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-importance-of-staying-hydrated