Field notes
The blog
Gear, guides, and the occasional war story — from people who jump.
Things to Do in Niagara Falls NY: Skydive Over the Falls Instead of a Helicopter Tour
Looking for things to do in Niagara Falls NY? Skydive The Falls is the only dropzone that circles over Niagara Falls — an aerial tour AND a skydive in one. Save $20 with code JS2026.
Read →Your Rig Got Stolen — Here's Exactly What to Do (and Where to Report It)
A step-by-step playbook for skydivers whose gear has been stolen: who to call, where to post it, and how to actually get it back. Plus the 10-minute prep that makes recovery possible.
Read →Skydiving in Niagara Falls: Every Dropzone Compared
Three tandem dropzones within reach of Niagara Falls — two in Western New York, one in Ontario. Compared on altitude, price, and views from people who actually jump. Tandem skydive Niagara Falls, side by side.
Read →Is Skydiving Safe? An Honest Answer
The question almost everyone asks before their first jump — answered straight, with current USPA data, by working skydivers who won't sugarcoat it or scare you. Here's the real risk, and the real context.
Read →Your First Tandem Skydive: What to Actually Expect
Nervous about your first jump? Here's exactly what happens — from the moment you arrive to your feet back on the ground — written by working skydivers, not a booking page. No hype, no mystery.
Read →Reading METAR for Skydivers
A METAR tells you what the surface station saw an hour ago — clouds, ceiling, surface wind. Here's how to decode one, and where it stops being useful for a jumper.
Read →Opening Winds vs. Surface Winds: The Two-Arrow Logic
The wind that drifts your canopy after opening and the wind you land in are two different winds. That's why the spotting tool draws two arrows — and why planning a spot off the surface wind alone puts you on the wrong side of the field.
Read →Skydiving Niagara Falls: The Only Drop Zone That Circles the Falls
One of the seven natural wonders of the world, seen from altitude on the way to a jump. Here's what jumping at Skydive the Falls in Youngstown, NY actually involves — two locations, the scenic pattern, the conditions, and why it's a bucket-list exit.
Read →When to Downsize Your Canopy (and When Not To)
The honest signals you're ready for a smaller canopy — and the ones that just feel like readiness. Downsizing changes more than your wingloading; here's what it actually changes, and the questions your CI and canopy coach are going to ask before they sign off.
Read →The Downsizing Checklist
A pre-downsize checklist you go through honestly before you order. Logbook-verified landings, currency, coaching, CI sign-off, full canopy range — the questions that decide whether your next canopy makes you a better pilot or sends you to the ER.
Read →How to Set Up the Jump Slut Board on Your DZ's TV
A five-step guide to putting a live conditions board on a TV at your dropzone. Free, no app, no install — works with any browser-capable TV. For DZOs, manifest, and anyone with a spare screen.
Read →Bucket-List Skydiving Trips: The World's Best Destination Boogies & Dropzones
Jumping the Pyramids of Giza from a C-130, beach landings on the Costa Brava, Europe's highest skydive in Denmark — a guide to the international boogies and dropzones worth crossing an ocean for.
Read →The Best US Skydiving Boogies of 2026
From Summerfest in Illinois to New Year's on a Florida beach, here's a rundown of the best US skydiving boogies in 2026 — what each one is known for, who it's for, and when to be there.
Read →Why Regular Jerseys Fail in Freefall
Most apparel was never designed to fall at 120 mph. Here's exactly what goes wrong with off-the-rack jerseys in the sky — and what a jersey built for skydiving does differently.
Read →What to Wear Skydiving: A Practical Guide
From your first tandem to your hundredth fun jump, what you wear matters more than you'd think. A practical, season-by-season guide to dressing for the drop zone and the sky.
Read →Designing a Custom Skydiving Team Jersey
Outfitting a team or a whole drop zone? Here's how to design a custom skydiving jersey that looks sharp, flies clean, and actually gets made — from concept to finished gear.
Read →Skydiving Gear Explained: What's Actually in a Complete Rig
New to the sport and wondering what all that equipment does? A plain-English breakdown of every part of a skydiving rig — main, reserve, AAD, container, and the gear you wear with it.
Read →Dressing for the Season: Skydiving Apparel Through the Year
Altitude is always colder than the ground — and the right freefall apparel changes with the seasons. A practical guide to what to wear skydiving in summer, shoulder seasons, and winter.
Read →Understanding the Relative Wind (and Why It Decides What You Wear)
The relative wind is the invisible force that shapes everything in freefall — your stability, your fall rate, and why your clothing behaves the way it does. Here's what it is and why it matters.
Read →Your First Skydive: What to Expect on a Tandem Jump
Booked your first tandem skydive — or thinking about it? Here's an honest, step-by-step walkthrough of what the day actually looks like, from arrival to landing, so you know exactly what you're in for.
Read →How to Get Your Skydiving License: The Path to an A-License
Ready to go from passenger to pilot? Here's how the skydiving license journey works — student training, the A-license requirements, what it costs in time and jumps, and what comes after.
Read →How Much Does Skydiving Cost? Tandem, License, and Gear
From a one-time tandem to becoming a fully-equipped licensed jumper — a clear, honest breakdown of what skydiving costs at every stage, and where the money actually goes.
Read →From Student to Licensed: What Changes After Your A-License
Getting your A-license is a milestone — but it's also the start of a new phase. Here's what actually changes once you're a licensed skydiver, and how to make the most of it.
Read →Joining a Skydiving Team: What to Know Before You Commit
Thinking about joining or forming a skydiving team? Here's what team life actually involves — the disciplines, the commitment, the costs, and how to set your crew up to succeed.
Read →Why Fit Matters: How Your Clothing Affects Your Freefall
Your clothing isn't just what you wear to the drop zone — in freefall it becomes an aerodynamic surface that affects your stability, fall rate, and focus. Here's how, and what to do about it.
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