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bubaskydiver

COLD...COLD....

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HELLO TO EVERYBODY !!!

I NEED SOME ADVICE...

I´M TO CARRY OUT SOME JUMPS TO SOME TEMPERATURES VERY, BUT VERY LOW :S AND THE TRUTH THAT I DON´T HAVE NEITHER THE SMALLEST IDEA THAT I EQUIP I SHOULD BE USE TO MINIMIZE THEIR EFFECTS....AS LIKEWISE TO MAINTAIN THE LIFE OF MY BATTERY INSIDE OF MY D-BOX UNDER CONDITIONS OF USE, OR IF IT IS NECESSARY TO TAKE SOME CAUTIONS WITH THE VIDEO CAMERA, THE ANGULAR LENS, OR THE CAMERA... .IF SOMEBODY CAN SEEK ADVICE, I APPRECIATED THAT BEFOREHAND.

ENJOY THE LIFE !!!B|

BUBA
be safe and intrepid...
HISPA # 20

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It'd be far easier to answer your question if we knew how cold it was going to be.



aye. And what is the more typical temp and dress for the jumper.

When I get on Load 1 in LA, I briefly get worried when I see people putting on neck warmers and the tandems customers are in gloves...and then I go have a nice jump.

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I've jumped uppers around -10C or more. It's near freezing at ground level. Any exposed skin... well... isn't a real good idea. Your camera should survive the trip but beware condensation on the lense if it's a humid/moist day by opening time. I've seen cameras survive full nights of -15C in car trunks... after they warmed up alittle. It's only the actual temp on the camera that has any effect (wind does nothing to it, only your skin). And wear a sweater under your jumpsuit :P

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Ya we'll rape the local objects, and maybe do some jumps too!"

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IMHO the most important for subzero jumps is a proper gloves (until I bought ones with windstopper(tm) and put thin woolen gloves under my fingers were stuck ufter frefall and it was not easy to grab the toggles) which should be thin and keep the warm at the same time
Why drink and drive, if you can smoke and fly?

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(Gananoque, Canada)

I jumped an early April tandem before my PFF program. Second open weekend. It was really chilly at altitude, but nothing as cold as you were saying. Probably closer to 0C, or maybe a few degrees negative.

On one of my PFF jumps (early morning jump), it was cold at altitude again and my hands got a little numb despite wearing gloves. Just slightly. It did not help that I was outdoors waiting around, and my hands were already cold before I went into the plane. So it is a good idea to warm up your hands before you jump, or before getting in the plane. ;) Like make sure you put on your gloves early, get them to warm up first...

I did not bring longjohns, but I was OK with two layers down there (sweatpants and jumpsuit). My hands really needed the warmth more at 0C. Any colder like -15C at altitude and I definitely recommend longjohns.

Edit: About the camera, I assume you're using an enclosure around your equipment. Always a good idea, and avoids rapid cooling when it's suddenly subjected to sub-0C winds at 120mph. Not familiar with the D-Box, but if it's an enclosure then you should be OK. Most of my electronics work just fine outdoors in good old Canadian winters... LCD screens become hard to read sometimes (darker and slow), but everything else works fine.

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You're camera should be fine depending on how long it will be exposed to the cold and if it will be subjected to fluctuations i.e. warm and humid in the plane to freezing outside. Fluctuations may do more harm than anything and unless you have insulated the D-box, there isn't much you can do about that that I am aware of other than keep it as dry as possible.

The cold can / will drain your batteries so if possible you may want to look at keeping them warm / up against your body until just prior to the jump. If it is only one jump or short periods of cold, I don't see much of a problem.

I don't use any type of box on my video or still, and have not yet had any adverse affects due to jumping in cold (have hit temps of -20 celcius). I also take my cameras snowmobiling and have been in -40 celcius again with no adverse affect on the camera. Only shorter battery life.

As for clothing - my only advice would be layers, gortex is always nice, beleclava, neck warmer etc.

All of the above is said while not knowing what sort of temps you are looking at. I've worn shorts and t-shirt while others have sweaters, so.......:P

Fuzzy
Ambition / Ability: Know the difference.

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Well I can agree at about -15°C at altitude (and plus on a ground) it's not a big deal, but when it's -10 -15 at groung and about -30 at altitude I find out that I defenetly need good gloves more than everything else to be comfortable:)When it's become colder I wear more stuff on myselfB|
Why drink and drive, if you can smoke and fly?

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Edit: About the camera, I assume you're using an enclosure around your equipment. Always a good idea, and avoids rapid cooling when it's suddenly subjected to sub-0C winds at 120mph. Not familiar with the D-Box, but if it's an enclosure then you should be OK. Most of my electronics work just fine outdoors in good old Canadian winters... LCD screens become hard to read sometimes (darker and slow), but everything else works fine.

Just to clarify, this is only based on my NON-skydiving experience using gadgets outdoor in cold weather. As a deaf guy, I own a huge amount of gadgets, and have found cold weather generally don't affect them.

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I had fogging issues, but for me, fogging was only a problem during ascent in the plane. The freefall clears the fogging rather quickly. :D Actually, just opening the plane door pretty much solved it.

(May vary from goggle to goggle. Experienced skydivers will have to fill in about whether fogging is a danger on certain kinds of goggles in certain conditions)

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any fogging issues/techniques needed for the goggles?


There were some fogging issues in the plane and after deployment, antifog helps a little bit, but since during freefall goggles were clear (however some of my friend have some issues with their fullface helmets during freefall) I just put 'em over my helmet in plane (forgot to put 'em back few times:$) and after deployment...
Once when I applyed an antifog on to my googles they become foggy just a little bit after deployment so I didn't take 'em off but on my approach they become really foggy (only thin bottom zone was relatively clear) barely seeing the ground I making a flare, stoping the canopy, plant my feet on the groung...but there wasn't a ground:$ there was ~1m more to itB|. So now I always take googles off under canopy...
Why drink and drive, if you can smoke and fly?

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Is that a tube scarf ur wearing?

Just wondering how it worked for you? because I, personally, will never wear one on a jump again. Did some winter (-20ish C) jumps, and had my tube scarf blow up over my eyes in freefall. (it was a solo, just had to pull it back down to my neck. and all was good.)

I'll stick to my belaclava from now on :)

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Is that a tube scarf ur wearing?

Just wondering how it worked for you? because I, personally, will never wear one on a jump again. Did some winter (-20ish C) jumps, and had my tube scarf blow up over my eyes in freefall. (it was a solo, just had to pull it back down to my neck. and all was good.)

I'll stick to my belaclava from now on :)



I am not quite sure what exacltly "tube scarf" is...
On photo - simple mask, it's designed similar to balaclava mask but material just thin woolen knitted fabric, I used it only couple of times when it was really cold at the ground (-15°C -17°C) and it works just fine (wich actually amazing for me since this mask very light and blowing through very easily)
Why drink and drive, if you can smoke and fly?

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any fogging issues/techniques needed for the goggles?



If you think fog is a problem you haven't jumped in cold weather! Fog that turns into ice IS a problem!
One winter I spend an entire jump without seeing the 4 people I jumped with. Couldn't see my altimeter either even when it was pressed against the full face helmet. And no I couldn't get the helmet open.

Jacques

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One winter I spend an entire jump without seeing the 4 people I jumped with. Couldn't see my altimeter either even when it was pressed against the full face helmet. And no I couldn't get the helmet open.


This close to what I've heard from few guys about fullface helmet's problems, never heard/noticed the same about googles...
Why drink and drive, if you can smoke and fly?

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I made a few cold weather camera jumps (12 F out the door, that's about -10C). Goggles fogged a bit in freefall, camera had a couple of "haze" patterns that formed and went away (but it was noticable in the film) the camera battery was fine and I had kept it on my helmet from the ground up. The worst thing was my hands, they were pretty much numb and keeping them in the toggles on the way down got painful. Good, thin gloves with a windproof barrier (Gore-Tex or similar) would be a smart choice. Those kinds of temperatures you have a chance of freezing your ears/nose/face/fingers, which would be painful and dangerous. I really didn't notice my body being too cold, but I'm also not sure what type of temperature you're looking at jumping into, it might become a factor.

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If you think fog is a problem you haven't jumped in cold weather! Fog that turns into ice IS a problem!



That's exactly why I was asking. I've had some fogging problems that go away as soon as I can get my head in the door. But I'm doing a high alt load this weekend @24k where it might be more trouble than I've had at 16-18, should it lead to ice.

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If you think fog is a problem you haven't jumped in cold weather! Fog that turns into ice IS a problem!



That's exactly why I was asking. I've had some fogging problems that go away as soon as I can get my head in the door. But I'm doing a high alt load this weekend @24k where it might be more trouble than I've had at 16-18, should it lead to ice.



I got my ice experience at -30 C, if you will get to the same temperature be careful not to let the helmet fog up. Instead of the usual clearing of the fog the ice appeared when I exited. Just make sure you exhale through the mouth hole in the helmet. I have done several jumps at comparable temperatures without problems by doing this.
The ice is milky white and you can see nothing through it! Sure taught me a lesson. It is no fun to be skydiving blind.

Jacques

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I made a few cold weather camera jumps (12 F out the door, that's about -10C). Goggles fogged a bit in freefall, camera had a couple of "haze" patterns that formed and went away (but it was noticable in the film) the camera battery was fine and I had kept it on my helmet from the ground up. The worst thing was my hands, they were pretty much numb and keeping them in the toggles on the way down got painful. Good, thin gloves with a windproof barrier (Gore-Tex or similar) would be a smart choice. Those kinds of temperatures you have a chance of freezing your ears/nose/face/fingers, which would be painful and dangerous. I really didn't notice my body being too cold, but I'm also not sure what type of temperature you're looking at jumping into, it might become a factor.



You do mean it was -10 C on the ground right? If it was in 13000 ft is was not cold. Rather comfy actually. (and no I am not kidding).

Jacques

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You do mean it was -10 C on the ground right?


No, out the door. It was above freezing on the ground (barely). As I said, my hands got cold, the rest was fine. I did see some fogging problems, though, so I was making the point you can get fogging even when it's "rather comfy".

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All problems with full-face helmet lens fogging is due to the wrong lens. Get a good one (anti-fog for Italian ParaSport Z1) and breathe carefully. You'll never see any ice on your lens. I changed my lens last winter and was amazed how things may change.


Can only agree with advise related to breath since
the guy who landed with frozed lens was in original Z1 another guy (who argued with him about fullfase's pros/cons) was in "local version" of Z1 (but with lens from the original Z1) and didn't have such troubles...
Why drink and drive, if you can smoke and fly?

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