tennis shoes ??

[Kal]

I thought it was mainly to stop jumpers from knocking themselves out on the doorway when they leap...

[VermilionX]

I thought it was mainly to stop jumpers from knocking themselves out on the doorway when they leap...

that's so funny and yet it totally makes sense.

free falling when you're knocked the F%@&%#'ed out doesn't sound good.

[Kal]

A lot of those shoots don't open themselves...

[Sev]

There are but two possible outcomes to skydiving, either you have the thrill of your life or you die.

Which brings up an interesting point. When you go skydiving, you have to wear some cheesy-looking helmet that looks like it has less protection than a kids bicycle helmet. I never understood the point of it. If your chute doesn't open, that little pumpkin lid isn't going to make the slightest difference.

It's to stop you from knocking yourself silly getting out of the plane, OR from a mid air collision from another jumper. Not to mention birds and assorted space turds.

[FlyerPhil]

I'll never understand why some spend thousands of dollars on a bike, which can be replaced, and then skimp on gear that will protect their one and only body.

For the same reason people jump out of perfectly good airplanes with giant round blankets on their back, climb mountains with no safety rope, scuba dive in shark-infested waters, race cars around at 200mph, jump off bridges with bungie cords tied to their ankles, or ride motorcycles to begin with...for the thrill of it. Not your cup of tea? Then, by all means, suit up. There are but two possible outcomes to skydiving, either you have the thrill of your life or you die. Yet I could be an avid skydiver and come on this forum and be harrassed for not always wearing a helmet on my motorcycle. We're all thrill-seekers by virtue of the fact that we ride on two wheels. So why, then, must you create some imaginary line between people who dress like you and people who do not, and insist that like-minded individuals are rational and everyone else is irrational? What say you to the people who wish to ban motorcycles all together? I'd be willing to bet your argument would sound similar.

I understand and agree with your sentiment, but:

I'm a skydiver. You are less likely to die skydiving than driving a CAR on the freeway.

In reality: it just isn't a good comparison though it does feel like one.

And no, I usually don't wear a helmet to jump, though I always do on the bike.

[Sledneck27]

Right now I wear a pair of DC's "skater" shoes while riding. BUt I've only had a bike for a week and I plan on buying a pair of these ASAP. After reading about peoples laces hanging up on brakes/shifters, it's got me a little nervous.

[The Grinch]

+1 on boots with no laces. Laces are a hazard and can cause you to crash, or drop the bike in several different ways. They're just not worth it.

I almost had an incident on my bicycle involving laces. I normally wear Sidi bike shoes with ratchet straps when I ride, but one day I was working on my bike in the garage and decided to go on a test ride wearing sneakers. My laces wrapped around both pedals to the point where I couldn't put a foot down. Fortunately, I was able to stop by riding along side a wall and holding myself up by leaning against the wall until I could disentangle my laces.

That was bad enough on a 16 pound bicycle. I don't want to think what can happen if my laces get caught up on something on a 450 pound motorcycle.

[Z (fka Sweet Tooth)]

+1 on laces also...

They've gotten caught a couple of times. So now I have to tie my laces and tuck my loops into the side of the boot... that gets annoying real fast, especially if the little plastic thing at the end of the lace starts to big into your leg..

[NorthernPete]

I've allways had a thing for lace up boots.... I wonder if you get laces that are short enough would they be a problem?

oh and

There are but two possible outcomes to skydiving, either you have the thrill of your life or you die.

Which brings up an interesting point. When you go skydiving, you have to wear some cheesy-looking helmet that looks like it has less protection than a kids bicycle helmet. I never understood the point of it. If your chute doesn't open, that little pumpkin lid isn't going to make the slightest difference.

Also could do with the landings these guys make when the chute DOES open... sometimes they tumble good.

[FlyerPhil]

It's to stop you from knocking yourself silly getting out of the plane, OR from a mid air collision from another jumper. Not to mention birds and assorted space turds.

I've never heard of anyone getting KTFO on the top of the door on exit. Plenty of people hit the "procreating" tail with their ankle all the time though, ow.

Yeah, its a good idea to wear a helmet for any kind of formation skydiving but if you're jumping solo I don't think a helmet is a big deal. Its MUCH less likely to save your life than a bike lid.

Oh, and those flap hats don't have any protection whatsoever.