gear choice

[leroydb 0]

After reading the getting into base and my first abse rig articles many times I am Looking at getting a Fox 225 V-Tec. with Approx. 200 jumps (90% slider-up). V-Tec mod installed and BR inspected about 20 jumps ago. New tailpocket velcro/flaps and lower control lines. No damage, patches or such. Colors: shades of Blue. Container: Wizard, Approx. 200 jumps, Black. BR risers + BR big grab toggles. All in good shape. I am about 145-165 lbs, From what I have learned I think this would be a good setup, but am looking for experianced peoples opinions...

Leroy


..I knew I was an unwanted baby when I saw my bath toys were a toaster and a radio...

[DexterBase 0]

It's really sounds like a cool rig but your exit weight with pads, helmet, camera, thick pants, long sleeves.... is going to be over 180.

You may want to consider going up a size into the 240 range (245 fox, 242 for Flik, etc.)

[leroydb 0]

are yuo baseing the size on 165 as my weight? i am doing alot of cardio atthe moment to lose fat and will be down to 140-145.. i am usually 145, but have been working out and eating alot,....

Leroy


..I knew I was an unwanted baby when I saw my bath toys were a toaster and a radio...

[Faber 0]

Quote

i am doing alot of cardio atthe moment to lose fat and will be down to 140-145.. i am usually 145, but have been working out and eating alot,....

Dont fool your self.In BASE Bigger is better(canopi)i were also about to say you should take an 245 or so.Think of it as you want a canopi you want to land evrywere,not only your weigth(even while its a big isue).As D#### said youl probaly wear camera,pad and oter bodyarmor it will make your weigth higher aswell.
and a 245 range canopi is easyer to sell when that day comes
good luck stay safe out there

Stay safe
Stefan Faber

[hookitt 0]

There was this lovely post on Blinc magazine that explained in very simple terms a good method to choose canopy size. It came down to this: Take your naked weight and add 100 square feet..

If you're 145 then a 240 245 is about the right size. Or one size bigger a 260.

If I had it to start over I would have never bought a 220. I put about 30 jumps on it and learned real quick that it's too small. I now jump a pair of 240's (1 ACE and 1 BlackJack) and would gladly trade for 260's. I currently weigh between 150 and 155.

That VTEC you describe would be too small. Manageble if you always have a big open area with out obstacles to land in. But in real BASE life, it's more likely to get in in a world of hurt. Also if the canopy is Not valved but only vented, It will be happy to get you into trouble even quicker.

The trend in BASE is to go with larger parachutes as you gain experience. funny how that works. I found myself following that trend right away.

I'm certainly no expert and am pretty new to BASE myself, but found all that stuff I've read, and heard in conversation with BASE jumpers with way more experience than I, to be true.

Hope that helps.

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[TomAiello 25]

Quote

...Fox 225 V-Tec. with Approx. 200 jumps (90% slider-up). V-Tec mod installed and BR inspected about 20 jumps ago. New tailpocket velcro/flaps and lower control lines. No damage, patches or such. Container: Wizard, Approx. 200 jumps, Black. BR risers + BR big grab toggles.

It looks like a good setup to me, especially for beginner BASE.

However, knowing your devotion to wingsuits out of planes, I wonder how soon you will be jumping wingsuits from objects.

I'd definitely recommend against this rig (or any velcro rig) for wingsuit flights. I'd also probably ditch the Vtec for wingsuit jumps, since object strike is unlikely to be a consideration, and you'll want minimal bulk (and lower cost) which comes with standard (non-Vtec) canopy.

-- Tom Aiello

[email protected]
SnakeRiverBASE.com