We love talking about ziplining with anyone who will listen.  Why? Because we think there’s no better place than in the trees.  

Over the past several years we’ve had the opportunity to run some of the best zipline parks in NY, MA and WI.  Having spent thousands of hours up in the trees, we’ve tried way too many clothing combinations as we zip from tree-to-tree. 

Since we know you’re looking for the perfect ziplining outfit, we set out to make this a one-stop guide.  After talking with our staff, guests and owners (they’re Adventure Park experts), we compiled a bunch of tips to give you the best shot at finding the perfect zipline outfit. 

Ultimately, choosing the right clothes to wear on a zipline adventure comes down to this: comfort.  We’ll always ensure you’re safe when you come to a Boundless Adventures Park (in NY, MA or WI), but our tips are perfect for parks everywhere. 

Please keep in mind the time of year that you’re going ziplining! If it’s projected to be cool outside, we’d skip on our shorts recommendation and wear an extra layer or two!

Best Clothing for Ziplining

We took a long hard look at our previous zipline clothing guide and found that while it was really good, we wanted it to be great.  That’s why we’re back with our revised zipline adventure clothing guide and we’ve broken it down by category. 

At the end of the day, always think about what’s most comfortable for you.  After that, consider the arguments we present below.  Ultimately, you’re the one who gets to wear your outfit in the trees, so make your zipline adventure worth it! 

In your zipline adventure clothing plan you should consider: 

• Bottoms (Pants, Shorts or Capris)
• Tops (T-Shirts, Long Sleeves, Jackets, Sweatshirts)
• Footwear 
• Weather
• Accessories (GoPros, Cell-Phones, Sunglasses, etc.)

Let’s dive into the ultimate zipline clothing guide.

Pants vs Shorts: Your Zipline Clothing Guide

The decision between pants and shorts for your next zipline adventure isn’t as simple as you think.  When you’re first deciding what to wear ziplining, pants will likely be the first thing that you’ll think about. It’s also one of the most important decisions you’ll make, because choosing the right ones can be the difference between a fun trip and a very uncomfortable one.

It’s important to keep in mind that the harness you’ll wear (required for your safety) goes underneath your legs and around your waist.  That means that if your shorts are a bit too short, they may ride up and become uncomfortable as you zip through the trees.

If shorts are a must-have, look for ones that are about knee-length.  We promise you can still look stylish with these and have an absolute blast.

While we’ll stay away from recommending a particular brand or type of shorts/pants, we personally look for ones that have: 

• Moisture wicking material
• Close-fitting fabric
• Designed for working out or hiking

Ultimately, your pants/shorts/capris will depend on your personal preference.  Just be comfortable and go have fun on your zipline adventure.

T-Shirts, Long Sleeves, Jackets & Sweatshirts

Timing is truly everything. 

Think about the time of year, the time of your zipline adventure and how long you plan to be ziplining.  

Personally, we love wearing t-shirts when we’re up in the trees.  There’s nothing like the wind on your skin as you look out into the wilderness.  However, we know that being ziplining pros may have made us a bit more tolerable to colder weather. 

You need to keep in mind that morning ziplining sessions may be cooler than later in the day.  It also may be best to consider if it’s raining, overcast or sunny and 75. 

While you’ll get some cover from the trees, you can still get sunburned, so if you typically burn please bring some sunscreen or consider long sleeves. 

While you won’t have to do any heavy hiking, climbing, or other strenuous activity to enjoy the zip line, you’ll be more comfortable in clothing that you would wear to workout or go hiking. This will give you a greater range of motion, and help to prevent chaffing or heavy sweating in the heat.

Sneakers, Boots, Flip Flops and More: Zipline Footwear

Footwear is often a part of the outfit that is overlooked when people consider their zipline adventure. 

We’ve spoken with countless guests who felt that since they weren’t hiking that flip flops would be a good choice.  While we love the feel of the wind, we’ll never give the okay on that kind of footwear. 

Unfortunately, we ONLY allow closed-toe shoes on our zipline adventures in NY, MA & WI.  It’s our rule to keep you and your feet safe.  You’ll land on platforms, climb across bridges and we can’t take a chance that you injure your feet.  

It’s possible that other parks don’t require closed-toe shoes so we recommend checking with their specific rules.  

In general we think it’s the best move for you and your feet.  Beyond that, we don’t mind if they’re sneakers, boots or some other cool shoe we don’t know of yet.

Weather

We know it feels silly to have weather listed as a category, but it truly does matter. 

Check the forecast the day before your trip and consider your zipline clothing options.  The last thing you want to do is have your legs freezing while you fly through the trees with a light mist.

Zipline Accessories

We know that no great outfit is complete until you add the accessories.  

Think about hats, sunglasses and face coverings.  Depending on the weather you may want to cover yourself up from the sun, or you may prefer some extra sunscreen for your trip. 

As far as other accessories, consider a Go-Pro or other recording device.  Obviously using your cellphone can be risky, but we’ve seen some pretty cool phone chest mounts over the past few years.  We know that our visitors love looking back at their zipline clips and sometimes even putting them on YouTube or TikTok for friends and family. Sidenote: If you decide to post, please tag us! We LOVE seeing videos of our guests having fun.  We’ll do our best to reshare them if you’re okay with it!

In one of our earlier articles we talk about capturing the perfect selfie while ziplining. This is the perfect way to get the experience, without risking holding your cell phone out in the air!

The Ultimate Zipline Outfit

The truth is…there is no ultimate outfit.  That’s actually the best part. 

Our Zipline director loves wearing long sleeves no matter the time of year, while our head guest services swears by cut-off shirts.  Sometimes, the best choices are the ones you’re most comfortable in. 

Ultimately, we’ll always look out for your safety. Which is why we say open-toed shoes aren’t allowed and why we provide harnesses for every visitor.  

Our promise to you is this: if we don’t need to require it to keep you safe, we’ll let you make the choice. 

We hope this ultimate zipline clothing guide has given you some foolproof options, but if you’re still unsure…just drop a comment below or call us at 9148934550. We’ll make sure one of our Zipline staff gives you some great ideas. 

We can’t wait to see what you pick for your next zipline adventure.  And we absolutely LOVE seeing some of the crazy outfits you guys come up with for our events and Halloween fun. 

As some of you might not be local to our NY, MA or WI parks, we want you to know that our trees are always open to you if you end up in the area.  Either way, we hope you have a BLAST on your next zipline adventure.