Gear and Equipment

A Guide to Buying Your First Skydiving Gear - 2013-02-18 by Alain Bard

In this article, Alain Bard lays down some advice on how to go about choosing your first set of skydiving gear, focusing on new vs used gear and in which order to buy.
Votes: 6 | Comments: 4 | Views: 6187

Less Weight, Feels Great - 2011-08-11 by DSE

Tonfly is well known for their camera helmets. Designed in Italy, built in Slovakia, their carbon fibre helmet designs are a bit different than everyone else.
Votes: 0 | Comments: 0 | Views: 9309

Understanding your AAD - 2011-03-30 by Eric Boerger

With all the recent issues that have been brought up by the Argus AAD ban by multiple container manufacturers, I wanted to make sure that everyone knows that while most modern AAD’s have a similar...
Votes: 1 | Comment: 1 | Views: 14238

Phoenix-Fly Revamps Wingsuit Instructional Programs - 2010-09-19 by Phoenix-Fly

Phoenix-fly announces a new Coaching program to replace the Phoenix-fly Instructor Program. Rising up from out of the ashes is the Phoenix and the latest re-start at Phoenix-fly is the dismantling...
Votes: 0 | Comments: 0 | Views: 6183

Voyages of a Skydiver - 2010-02-02 by DSE

Logbooks are the basic standard of proving jump numbers in the world of skydiving. Jump numbers are a basic indicator of skydiving experience. A logbook may also be a means of keeping track of where...
Votes: 2 | Comments: 0 | Views: 10665

USPA & PIA Team to Revise FAA Repack Rule - 2008-12-18 by Jay Young

After years of effort by USPA and the Parachute Industry Association, the FAA has approved a new final rule that will lengthen the parachute repack cycle from 120 days to 180 days.
Votes: 0 | Comments: 0 | Views: 7419

Derek's Gear Tips - 2004-01-03 by Derek Vanboeschoten

Derek Vanboeschoten is a Senior Rigger, Tandem Master and AFF instructor with more than 3300 jumps. Derek also moderates the Gear & Rigging forum on Dropzone.com where he first posted this list...
Votes: 0 | Comments: 0 | Views: 18196

Do skydivers care about safety - 2003-08-17 by Bill Booth

If I've learned one thing in my 35 years in the sport, it's that it is very difficult to get most skydivers interested in safety.
Votes: 2 | Comments: 0 | Views: 13830

Top 5 RSL myths - 2003-08-17 by Bill von Novak

I keep seeing the same arguments made against RSL's, over and over. Many of them are just myths, word-of-mouth anecdotal stories passed down for so long that their original meaning has gotten lost. I ...
Votes: 3 | Comments: 0 | Views: 19010

Inspecting your Gear - 2003-08-17 by Gary Peek

The following is a list of items on your main canopy assembly that you should inspect occasionally. This inpection should never be a substitute for a periodic inspection by a rigger but should...
Votes: 0 | Comments: 0 | Views: 10939

Personal Parachutes: The Ethics of Safety - 2001-10-19 by Heather Sinclair

As daunting as it is to think of, a parachute appears to be a logical and effective means of escape from a building. Why then have we never seen this technology in use? Simply put, it is not...
Votes: 0 | Comments: 0 | Views: 8750

AirLock - 1999-11-08 by Brian Germain

Many skydivers believe that airlocked parachutes are the way of the future, while others see the introduction of this new technology as a temporary fad. In this article I will discuss the pros and...
Votes: 0 | Comments: 0 | Views: 7029

How To Select The Right Canopy For You - 1999-10-30 by Nancy LaRiviere

In this article we will explore some of the questions you might ask when you go shopping for a parachute. While this advice is intended primarily for the novice jumper--just off instruction to one...
Votes: 0 | Comments: 0 | Views: 9729

Spot Cleaning of Nylon Parachute Fabric - 1999-10-30 by Mike Turoff

Most stains can be avoided by immediately wiping the stained area with an absorbent cloth or paper towel. Always handle the fabric carefully and treat the smallest area possible. The following...
Votes: 0 | Comments: 0 | Views: 4935

Top Ten Misconceptions About Zero-P Canopies - 1997-11-17 by Bill von Novak

A while back, I overheard a bunch of people discussing therelative merits of different types of canopies and materials forlow-time jumpers. I heard some interesting misconceptions aboutwhat's...
Votes: 0 | Comments: 0 | Views: 8152

Buying your first set of Kit - 1996-12-15 by Skydive Mag

If you have just achieved category 8, whether on the category system or through AFF, you will probably have between 20 and 40 jumps, possibly all on squares or mainly on rounds. If, like most people...
Votes: 0 | Comments: 0 | Views: 7678

How To Select A Parachute Container System - 1996-10-01 by John Sherman

There have been a lot of dissertations on parachute canopies. Little has been published about the harness and container system, because, while seemingly simple, they are infinitely complex.
Votes: 0 | Comments: 0 | Views: 16972