Tis almost the season… already? Yup, that’s right. It’s almost time to start planning that last minute Halloween costume and carving pumpkins, and next thing you know it’ll be sleigh bells ringing. Along with the kids on Christmas night, those babies that we call our rigs will be lovingly tucked away for at least some, if not all of the winter. Inevitably for many of us, that means that the beginning of next season starts off with dusting off unused skills, recurrency jumps, and paperwork; but thankfully there’s a way around some of that!
Tops on our list of ways to keep current over the winter? Leave! That’s right… Hit the road Jack and find some sunny warm weather to keep those skills sharp. Whether it’s a full time year-round DZ in a warmer climate or one of the many amazing destination events that go on over the winter season, a little bit of travel to a different patch of blue sky is always an amazing way to do it. What events do you say? Well, from Egypt to the Seychelles, Bali to Dubai there are some incredible upcoming events that’ll keep you in the air and smiling all the way. Those year round dropzones know what winter jumpers want, and there are events from California to Florida looking to keep you in the air. From skills camps to beach landings, if you have the means, then travel will most certainly do your soul good.
Now of course, not everybody has the time or money to put into sending it over the pyramids, but that doesn’t mean your jumpsuit needs to just collect dust. With the incredible number of tunnels around the country, there’s bound to be one close enough to your front door that you’ll be able to manage some proper airtime. The greatest part about winter tunnel time? It’s the perfect opportunity to start training in a discipline that you either haven’t tried or need to work on. For most of us, the prospect of paying not only for jump tickets but tunnel time as well is just too much to manage, but when it’s too crispy outside to play, it’s a great time to throw your hard-earned cash at the windy tube and come back for the upcoming season with some tasty new skills to show off.
Believe it or not, you can even continue your skydiving progression over the winter from the comfort of your couch! We support education in our sport and it's great to see there are online courses available. Krāv has top level athletes sharing their knowledge through video lessons in multiple disciplines for the cost of less than a skydive. So if you can't make travel or tunnel happen this winter, you've got options to build on your skills no matter what!
Repairs and upgrades, the time is now! Maybe you sent it a little bit too hard on your swoop or landed off in the cornfield and your canopy could use some TLC, a new line set or you need new leg strap covers. Now is the time to get those items fixed and those orders placed! That way if you aren’t able to travel to the warmth, at least you will be ready for day one of the Midwest spring.
So as the winter closes in on us, keep in mind that snow flurries and bitter cold don’t have to mean a complete end to your season. If you want an idea of what events may be coming up both in the States and around the world or what tunnels to hit, give us a call or shoot us a DM on social media, and we’ll aim you toward the perfect place to keep you sharp and in style for next year’s season opener! Click below to find us.
