135lbs + X2 = FUN!

[NoValidTitle 0]

I'm really curious about this as well. I'm 5'10" and 135 WITH all of my gear on. I'm pretty curious about what kind of vertical speeds I can get in an X/X2. When I had a handful of wingsuit jumps I was flying a rental T-Brid and holding low 30's so I really look forward to the day I try something that sized. I ordered a V4 for this coming season, one of the deciding factors was that I would float LESS in it than an X/X2 because I already out float most people at my DZ in my P2. I have a feeling I will be holding onto my P2(or ordering one to fit, not a demo suit) just to have a more "comfortable" suit to fly with the bigger guys.

Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood.

[lurch 0]

I just now got around to reading the end of this thread.
Holy Crap!!! 5 10, 135 EXIT weight?

First, um, yeah. Keep the P2. Or get another. You're going to need it. There is no, frakking, WAY you'll be able to fly the X in a flock unless the flock is made up exclusively of birds capable of 4 minutes or better. I don't think theres ten of us in the world yet.

As it is the V4 is going to be too much suit for many of your needs. Get used to flying scrunched up. And enjoy the PHENOMENAL catapult effect you'll get when you open up at the end of a flock and engage the other 90% of the suit you weren't using.

Never thought I'd be jealous, but if you can pack enough lean muscle to handle that suit onto that frame of yours you'll be untouchable.
Good luck, let us know how it works out for ya, you may become the first bird I've heard of to sustain 15mph the whole damn ride. Your muscles will be your limiting factor but you'll be in the 4:00 to 4:30 range. Maybe a bit further.
-B

Live and learn... or die, and teach by example.

[NoValidTitle 0]

And I just noticed you replied Lurch. Yeah I will likely order a P3 built for me. I already fly my P2 scrunched up to stay with most of the people I fly with. I'll have to get some video from one of them. Currently I can sustain 36ish mph in my P2. Though I don't pay much attention to my vertical speeds. I surely wont be flocking in something big. It would be quite uncomfortable I think. Needless to say I have a lot of dive/swoop practice. ;)

But you're right, my muscles are the thing I'm worried about the most on going to something like an X or Apache. I only recently started working out. I'm hoping I can pack on some lean muscle without much weight.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7049/6863454052_7bd8d842d4.jpg

Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood.

[lurch 0]

My suggestion for you is, do a lot of things that involve static strain. Hold gallon jugs of water at arms length as long as you can... that sort of thing.

I build my "workout" into activities of daily living... carrying heavy things even when I have a cart or something with wheels. I lug my groceries out to the jeep the hard way, bags slung on partially outstretched arms.

When I started jumping I was a scrawny pencilneck. Now, I still weigh the same, but my neck's almost as wide around as my skull and I look like a slightly gaunt bleached-white Bruce Lee with my shirt off. Flying really hard does wonders for making us skinny guys look buff and it'll jack your strength/weight ratio through the ROOF.

After 9 years of this I can casually pick up half my own weight with one hand, and pick up and throw objects that weigh more than I do such as 4 and 6-cylinder engine blocks as big as a 4.0 liter Jeep engine, stripped to just the block, crank and head. (about 176 lb total) Not easy, or intelligent because I do not have the bodymass to back it up, but I can do it. At work when I get bored I've taken to amusing myself by slowly tying knots in the 3/4 inch thick footlong ingot bars of solid pure tin we have lying around. Forearm workout.

It took awhile of flying an S-bird before my own frame could take the kind of a beating it delivers all the way down, you're going to find an X2 to be even more savage than THAT. Take it easy and don't hesitate to pull high if you feel like you're getting tapped out. I've pushed it too far a few times and had a few moments of extreme alarm when I realized I was blazing through 2300 feet and my arm muscles were refusing to respond and obey my command to pull. I was stuck in half-flight and couldn't move, all I could get out of my arms was a quivering action like a stalled electric motor cause I'd pushed it to actual muscle failure.

Finally half-rolled right to help flop my destroyed arm toward the handle, got a grip, tried to pull and failed because I had no strength left to tug on the handle, could barely grip it, then kept the grip and deliberately went limp, causing the wing to open and more or less pull FOR me...then when I knew the PC was at least out of the pouch I just let go of everything, flopped asymmetrically to the side to get clean air at my back and hoped for the best.

Since then I've learned where my limits are and if I've overdone it I'll pull a bit high while I still can. Being even lighter than I, you'll have even less reserves so be careful ok?
-B

Live and learn... or die, and teach by example.

[NoValidTitle 0]

Yeah safety is definitely a primary concern. I have no problem pulling high if my body can't take it. I remember flying an R-Bird on a jump in which I broke 3 minutes. It wasn't to the point of not being able to pull but boy were my arms sore after that. That was last July and from just flying I've got stronger(you wouldn't be able to tell looking at me haha). But I'm definitely working out in prep for a flying air mattress.

Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood.

[kallend 1,621]

Quote

My suggestion for you is, do a lot of things that involve static strain. Hold gallon jugs of water at arms length as long as you can... that sort of thing.

I build my "workout" into activities of daily living... carrying heavy things even when I have a cart or something with wheels. I lug my groceries out to the jeep the hard way, bags slung on partially outstretched arms.

When I started jumping I was a scrawny pencilneck. Now, I still weigh the same, but my neck's almost as wide around as my skull and I look like a slightly gaunt bleached-white Bruce Lee with my shirt off. Flying really hard does wonders for making us skinny guys look buff and it'll jack your strength/weight ratio through the ROOF.

After 9 years of this I can casually pick up half my own weight with one hand, and pick up and throw objects that weigh more than I do such as 4 and 6-cylinder engine blocks as big as a 4.0 liter Jeep engine, stripped to just the block, crank and head. (about 176 lb total) Not easy, or intelligent because I do not have the bodymass to back it up, but I can do it. At work when I get bored I've taken to amusing myself by slowly tying knots in the 3/4 inch thick footlong ingot bars of solid pure tin we have lying around. Forearm workout.

It took awhile of flying an S-bird before my own frame could take the kind of a beating it delivers all the way down, you're going to find an X2 to be even more savage than THAT. Take it easy and don't hesitate to pull high if you feel like you're getting tapped out. I've pushed it too far a few times and had a few moments of extreme alarm when I realized I was blazing through 2300 feet and my arm muscles were refusing to respond and obey my command to pull. I was stuck in half-flight and couldn't move, all I could get out of my arms was a quivering action like a stalled electric motor cause I'd pushed it to actual muscle failure.

Finally half-rolled right to help flop my destroyed arm toward the handle, got a grip, tried to pull and failed because I had no strength left to tug on the handle, could barely grip it, then kept the grip and deliberately went limp, causing the wing to open and more or less pull FOR me...then when I knew the PC was at least out of the pouch I just let go of everything, flopped asymmetrically to the side to get clean air at my back and hoped for the best.

Since then I've learned where my limits are and if I've overdone it I'll pull a bit high while I still can. Being even lighter than I, you'll have even less reserves so be careful ok?
-B

Hi Brian,

I'm not exactly muscular, and nearly as skinny as you. I haven't yet broken 4 mins but i have a bunch well over 3 mins in my S-Bird, and don't really find it all that tiring. Although I have to say that around the 3 minute mark I sometimes find myself asking "are we there yet"?

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.