Why Your Skydiving Altimeter is Your Most Important Gear
Altitude awareness isn't just a basic skill; it is the golden rule that keeps you alive in skydiving. Whether you are an AFF student staring at your wrist every three seconds or a seasoned swooper dialing in a 270-degree turn, your skydiving altimeter is your lifeline. But walk into any gear store or ask around the packing mat at your local dropzone, and you'll quickly realise the sheer number of choices can feel overwhelming.
From traditional glow-in-the-dark analog faces to smart altimeters with GPS tracking and digital logbooks, the market has exploded. So, what skydiving altimeter should you get? In this guide, we break down everything you need to know to make the right choice for your experience level, flying style, and budget.
Analog vs. Digital Skydiving Altimeters: What's the Difference?
Before looking at specific brands, you need to understand the two main categories of visual altimeters, which are analog and digital.
The Classic Analog Altimeter
Analog altimeters use an aneroid barometer mechanism. As air pressure changes, a mechanical linkage moves a physical needle across a dial. If you've done a tandem or started your AFF course, chances are you wore a bulky, glow-in-the-dark dial on your wrist or chest strap.
- Pros: They are incredibly durable, require no batteries, and the visual feedback (seeing the needle approach the red zone) is intuitively easy for the human brain to process in a split second. They are also highly readable in direct sunlight.
- Cons: They lack precision. An analog dial will show you are around 4,000 feet, whereas a digital unit will tell you that you are at exactly 4,120 feet. They are also bulkier and prone to mechanical damage if you slam them into the door frame of a Twin Otter.
The Modern Digital Altimeter
Digital altimeters use highly sensitive electronic pressure sensors to display a numerical altitude on an LCD or OLED screen. They have become the standard for licensed skydivers.
- Pros: Pinpoint accuracy, sleek and low-profile designs, backlighting for night jumps, and built-in jump counters and logbooks that track freefall time and speed.
- Cons: They rely on batteries (either replaceable or rechargeable). If you forget to charge your altimeter, you are grounded. Some screens can also be harder to read with polarized goggles.
Best Altimeters for AFF Students and Beginners
When you are fresh off student status, you need reliability and simplicity. At this stage, your brain is already working in overdrive dealing with exits, heading control, and deployment procedures. You don't need a screen flashing complex data at you.
Pro Tip: Always check your national governing body's regulations. Organizations like the USPA (United States Parachute Association) and British Skydiving have specific altitude awareness requirements for students and A-license jumpers.
For your first purchase, the Alti-2 Galaxy is the undisputed king of analog altimeters. It has been the workhorse of dropzones worldwide for decades. It's tough, doesn't need batteries, and holds its resale value incredibly well. When you eventually upgrade to a digital unit, you can keep the Galaxy as a backup or sell it easily.
If you are determined to go digital straight away, the Larsen & Brusgaard (L&B) Viso II+ is an excellent entry point. It's simple, rugged, has a high-contrast screen, and is arguably the most common digital altimeter you'll see on the dropzone.
Best Skydiving Altimeters for Experienced Jumpers
Once you start exploring different disciplines like freeflying, wingsuiting, or angle flying, your needs change. You want a low-profile device that won't snag on lines and provides detailed post-jump data.
- L&B Ares II: The big brother to the Viso II+. It features an aerospace-grade aluminum casing and a thicker glass screen, making it incredibly resistant to cracks and scratches. It's perfect for freeflyers who tend to bash their gear around in the wind tunnel or the plane.
- Alti-2 Atlas II: A brilliant piece of kit that combines a visual altimeter, an audible altimeter, and a digital logbook into one waterproof unit. It features a USB-rechargeable battery and a rugged aluminum case.
- Dekunu One: If you are a data nerd, this is for you. The Dekunu One is a smart altimeter with GPS, bluetooth, and Wi-Fi. It logs 3D flight paths, glide ratios, and jump metrics, which you can analyze on a web dashboard post-jump. It's particularly popular with wingsuiters and tracking enthusiasts.
The Power of Audibles (Audible Altimeters)
An audible altimeter is a small device that fits inside your helmet and beeps at pre-set altitudes. As you progress in the sport, an audible goes from being a nice bonus to a mandatory piece of gear.
Why? Because during dynamic jumps (like head-down freeflying or complex formations), you cannot always safely look at your wrist. An audible provides essential altitude warnings without breaking your focus. High-performance canopy pilots also rely on specific audibles to time their swoops with exact precision.
Top contenders include the L&B Optima II (great for freefall and canopy), the L&B Quattro (which offers four freefall and three canopy alarms), and the FDS SonoAlti (which actually speaks your altitude to you via Bluetooth to earbuds).
Comparison of Top Skydiving Altimeters
To help you decide, here is a quick breakdown of the most popular altimeters currently found on dropzones worldwide.
| Brand & Model | Type | Best For | Key Feature | Est. Price (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alti-2 Galaxy | Visual / Analog | Students / Beginners | No batteries required | $180 - $200 |
| L&B Viso II+ | Visual / Digital | All Levels | High-contrast LCD | $290 - $310 |
| L&B Ares II | Visual / Digital | Experienced / Freefly | Heavy-duty metal casing | $350 - $380 |
| Dekunu One | Visual / Smart | Wingsuit / Data Lovers | GPS 3D logging | $450 - $480 |
| L&B Optima II | Audible | All Levels | Freefall & canopy alarms | $300 - $320 |
Practical Tips for Maintaining Your Altimeter
Buying the altimeter is only step one; looking after it ensures it will look after you.
- Zeroing: Always check your altimeter is zeroed to the ground elevation before takeoff. Analog altimeters might need manual adjustment, while digital ones usually zero themselves when turned on (but always verify!).
- Battery Management: For digital units, replace coin batteries annually before they die, or keep a strict charging routine for USB models. Never let your altimeter sit dead for months over the winter.
- Temperature Control: Avoid leaving your digital altimeter in a roasting hot car or baking in direct sunlight on the packing mat. Extreme heat can permanently damage LCD screens and degrade battery life.
- Mounting Options: Invest in a good mount. Elastic wrist mounts are great, but many jumpers prefer custom mudflap mounts (attaching the altimeter to the chest strap) for a better viewing angle during tracking and wingsuiting.
Ready to Jump?
The right skydiving altimeter depends heavily on where you are in your progression. If you are just off student status, pick up a reliable Alti-2 Galaxy or L&B Viso II+ and master the basics of altitude awareness. If you are starting to freefly or wingsuit, it is time to invest in a rugged L&B Ares II or a GPS-enabled Dekunu, alongside a dependable audible altimeter for your helmet.
Remember, gear is only as good as the skydiver using it. Stay aware, pull at your assigned altitude, and look out for your friends in the sky.
Got your gear sorted and ready to log some jumps? Head over to the DZSpotter Directory to find dropzones near you, check their aircraft, and plan your next skydiving adventure!
