If you’ve never gone parasailing before, then you may be unsure of what to wear.
Parasailing involves kiting over a large body of water.
A boat tows you across the water’s surface, and you’re able to see incredible sights from the height at which you are soaring.
Since it involves swimming and soaring, it can be difficult to know what type of clothes is appropriate.
Here’s what you need to know about what to wear when parasailing.
What To Wear Parasailing
1. Top Half
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When preparing for your parasailing adventure, you’ll need an appropriate top.
One of the best tops that you can wear when parasailing is a bathing suit top.
For ladies, this usually means an entire bathing suit.
For men, it might mean looking to buy a suit top that’s suitable for men.
The reason you might want to wear a bathing suit is that you’re likely going to get wet.
Whether you’re starting from the boat or on the beach, you’ll likely find yourself sprayed with water.
Having a bathing suit on can help ensure that your street clothes aren’t ruined.
You should also consider wearing something that covers the top of your arms and shoulders.
A quick-dry t-shirt, for example, is a perfect choice.
The quick-dry t-shirt won’t become bogged down if it gets wet.
More importantly, it will protect your skin from the harness and life jacket.
Since you’ll be wearing both the life jacket and the harness for some time, you’re likely going to get a rash or blister.
That’s because the harness is going to be rubbing on you while you’re sitting in it.
If your skin or the harness is wet, then that’s going to make the chafing even worse.
Wearing a quick-dry t-shirt can protect your skin.
You can also get away with just wearing Rash Guard if you don’t want to wear a shirt.
2. Bottom Wear
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Like your top, you should first put on a bathing suit.
Since ladies will likely already have a bathing suit on, if it’s a one-piece, then you’re good to go.
For guys, you’ll want to put on a pair of swimming shorts with a drawstring.
The drawstring allows you to ensure that your trunks are on your body tight.
The last thing you want is for loose shorts to fall down and you end up mooning the entire beach.
Ladies will also want to wear some form of shorts.
Whether you double-up with your bathing suit and get swim shorts or get a quick-dry pair of shorts, you’ll find it necessary.
Again, this is because the harness is going to rub against your skin.
It rests on the back of your thighs just below your bottom area.
If that area doesn’t have something covering it, then the harness is going to rub into your skin and cause either a rash or a blister.
Wearing some form of shorts can protect your skin.
You can also wear Rash Guard.
3. Shoes
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Footwear is another important part of parasailing.
In most cases, you’re free to go barefoot.
You may even prefer it.
However, if the sand or boat is hot, then you may want to wear something to protect your feet.
If you know that you’re not going to touch the water, then you can get away with wearing standard sneakers or other everyday shoes.
If you think you are going to touch the water, then you should consider wearing water shoes.
Not only do these fit snugly on your feet, but you also don’t have to worry about ruining them if they become exposed to the water.
You can even wear socks, but you should probably take them off after you’re done parasailing.
Since your feet will be dangling in the air, you don’t have to worry about the harness rubbing against them.
4. Headwear
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It’s not uncommon to wear some form of a hat to the beach.
You may wonder if it’s a good idea to wear a hat parasailing, too.
Hats can help protect your head and face from the sun.
As such, it’s usually a good idea to wear a parasailing hat, but it isn’t required.
If you do choose to wear a hat, then you need to ensure that it’s a hat that you can strap down to your harness.
It should have some sort of strap that will keep it secure to your lifejacket in case it comes off.
Considering that you’re going to be parasailing where there are strong winds, it’s likely that you’re going to lose your hat if it isn’t secured.
Another thing that you might want to wear is sunglasses.
Parasailing can only occur on sunny days.
The boats are not allowed to let parasailers sail if they’re unable to see a certain number of feet ahead of them.
Since you’re probably only going to be parasailing on a sunny day, then sunglasses are helpful.
This is especially true because you’ll be out over the water with the sun glaring on its surface.
If you stare at the sun’s reflection on the water too much, then it can affect your vision.
Sunglasses can help protect your eyes.
Like a hat, however, you’ll want to wear sunglasses that come with a strap.
You can secure them around your neck in the event that they blow off from the strong winds.
You can further secure them by tying them down to your lifejacket.
5. Technology
It’s common for people to want to document their parasailing experience.
You may wonder if you can bring certain types of technology like phones, Go-Pros, or even drones on a parasailing trip.
Drones are not allowed since parasailers are not allowed to sail when something is in the air with them.
Whipping out your droid and flying it around you is the fastest way to end your parasailing adventure.
Phones and Go-Pros, however, are acceptable.
Go-Pros are a popular way to record action-oriented events and sports.
You can attach it to a hat, your chest, or even to a stick.
If you plan on bringing your Go Pro on your parasailing adventure, then you’ll want to wear a strap with it.
Most telescopes and sticks have some sort of attachment that allows you to attach them to something for security.
In this case, you’ll want to attach the stick to your lifejacket.
With the Go-Pro attached to the stick and the stick attached to your jacket, you won’t lose it if you accidentally drop it or if the wind rips it out of your hand.
As for your phone, you can also bring that with you on the trip.
To avoid disaster, it’s a good idea to have a waterproof case that you can use with your phone.
Even if you’re not using it to record, the waterproof case will ensure the phone stays safe even if it gets splashed with water or falls from your pocket.
To avoid falling, you’ll also want to look for a cover that has a strap attachment on it.
Attaching your phone to your lifejacket is another great idea whether you plan to use it to record or not.
If you want to record your adventure, then your phone or a Go-Pro are great options.
6. Extras
There are a few extra things that you might want to consider wearing as well.
These are highly dependent on the conditions of your parasailing experience, however.
One additional type of gear that you might want to consider wearing is a jacket.
If you’re planning to parasail in the spring when the temperatures are still mild and the water hasn’t heated yet, then it’s going to be cold.
When you’re soaring high in the sky, it’s also cold up there.
Having a jacket can keep you warm and comfortable while you’re soaring through the air.
If you’re planning to parasail during the hottest parts of the summer, then you may not find yourself needing a jacket as much.
Children can also benefit from wearing all the clothes listed above.
However, for boys, especially, you should consider having them wear a bathing suit top or cover.
Their smaller bodies are going to have more contact with the harness than adult bodies.
The cover can keep the harness from rubbing against their skin and causing a rash or blister.
Finally, it can be helpful to have some sort of small, waterproof bag with a strap.
You can put your phone, keys, wallet, and anything else of import in there.
While you usually leave the important stuff with the boat or in a locker, it’s understandable if you want to hold onto those things yourself.
To avoid losing them in the water forever, you can store them in a waterproof bag that’s attached to your lifejacket.
The bag will items safe from potential splashing and you don’t have to worry about them falling out of your pocket.
What Not To Wear Parasailing
While knowing what to wear while parasailing is important, knowing what not to wear while parasailing is important, too.
Here are a few things you should avoid wearing when parasailing.
1. Loose Hats
One of the worst things that you can wear while parasailing is a loose hat.
It might be a larger baseball cap, a sun hat, or anything else that doesn’t sit snugly on your head.
As soon as you take off from the beach or boat, you’re going to face strong winds.
It’s inevitable that your hat is going to fly off.
No one is going to go searching the water for your hat.
If you have a loose hat, then you need to wear a strap with it, at least, to keep it connected to your life jacket or body.
2. Sunglasses Without Straps
Another thing to avoid is wearing sunglasses without a strap.
Like a loose hat, your sunglasses can fly off of your face when exposed to the wind.
You might even become so caught up in the moment that you don’t realize they’re slipping off your nose or from your ear.
Without a strap, the sunglasses will fall into the water.
If you want to wear sunglasses while you parasail, then use a strap.
3. Cotton Shirts
Not just any top will do when you go parasailing.
Since you’re dealing with water, too, you’re going to want to avoid wearing shirts made of cotton.
Cotton doesn’t do well when exposed to water.
It becomes extremely heavy and uncomfortable.
If you plan on spending the rest of the day at the beach in that shirt, then you’re going to have a miserable time.
The best solution is to avoid wearing a cotton shirt altogether.
Instead, wear a quick-dry t-shirt that doesn’t become heavy or wrinkled when wet.
You can also have a bag in your car with a spare t-shirt that you can change into when you return.
Cotton t-shirts are unpleasant to wear parasailing.
4. Denim Jeans
It’s hard to imagine that someone might want to wear jeans to the beach, but it’s happened before.
You don’t want to wear denim jeans or anything made of denim when parasailing.
Like cotton, denim becomes very heavy when wet.
If you’re wearing jeans or shorts made of denim, then there’s a chance that they might fall off.
At the very least, you might struggle to move around.
They’re also extremely uncomfortable.
You’re better off wearing bathing suit shorts than denim.
5. Sandals Or Flip Flops
Another thing to avoid wearing is sandals or flip flops.
Sandals are difficult to move in, and if you’re starting on the beach, then you’re expected to at least jog to the water’s edge.
If your sandals are giving you trouble, then you might not have a pleasant takeoff.
The other big problem with sandals, and especially flip flops, is that they can easily slip off of your feet.
With the strong winds and the fact that your feet are dangling, your flip flops are inevitably going to fall off.
They’ll drop into the water for no one to find again.
You’re out of luck if those were the only shoes you brought, too.
Instead, wear water shoes or some other athletic shoe that doesn’t mind the water.
6. Loose Items
You should also avoid wearing or carrying any loose items.
These items have a strong chance of falling and becoming lost.
There are a few steps involved with parasailing.
First, the employees have to secure the harness to you.
While they’re putting it in place, they might accidentally knock something out of your pocket.
Then, when you’re running to the edge of the water or jumping from the boat, the sudden jolt as you take up in the air might shake things loose, too.
Finally, while you’re soaring, the strong wind can whip stuff right off.
Besides being a danger to other people, you will also lose those items forever.
Anything loose should either go into a waterproof bag that’s attached to your lifejacket or be left in your car.
7. Baggy Clothes
One of the ways that some people cover themselves when wearing a bathing suit is with a baggy shirt.
You don’t want to wear this when you’re parasailing.
There are tons of straps that you have to buckle.
Straps on the harness and straps on the lifejacket all have to close.
If you’re wearing a baggy shirt, then the excess cloth can get in the way of the buckles and straps.
You might need to remove the shirt then and there or spend extra time working the cloth out of the buckles.
Either way, it’s an annoying waste of time.
Wearing clothes that are form-fitting is a better option.
8. Tight-Fitting Clothes
While you should wear form-fitting clothes, you should avoid wearing anything that’s too tight.
Tight clothes can make parasailing very uncomfortable.
That’s because you’re going to be in the same position the entire time.
That position is like if you were swinging.
If you’re wearing tight clothes, then being in that same position could become very uncomfortable.
Parasailing takes some time since everyone has to go put on their life jacket correctly, then have the workers attach the harness.
They also need to check over the equipment to ensure everything is safe and working.
Then there’s the actual time you’re in the sky sailing.
That’s a lot of time in the same position.
If your clothes are too tight, then you’re going to be uncomfortable for the entire experience.
That can negatively impact the type of experience that you have.
Instead of wearing tight-fitting clothes, you should wear form-fitting ones.
Conclusion
Because parasailing involves exposure to water and strong winds, there’s a specific type of clothing that you should wear.
To avoid losing anything, you should connect certain types of clothes or technology to your lifejacket or just keep those items in your car.
By wearing the correct clothes, you can make the most of your experience.
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