Slow freefall suit

[nhuard 0]

I'm looking to buy a new suit to make some Aff training with small people. I'm hesitating between :
The orginal Tony Suit in 4-ply with Mega Vented Booties and Swoop Cords.
The Bev suits polycotton with Cordura booties with Majik Modification and swoop cord.
The orginal flitesuit with archFactor Cordura Booties ,Heavyweight fabric and brandibelt swoop cord system.

I'm 5'10" 190 pounds and I do AFF with a range of people from 100 pounds to 250 pounds. I want to have forward power to be able to catch a falling student or rotating students.

Does Anyone has some suggestions.

[crazydiver 0]

Get a super baggy freefly suit. An RW suit is not going to give you much slowing power even if it has swoop cords. The freefly pants with baggy legs will give you, although not quite as much as booties, lots of driving power in your legs. Try someone's out and see. Otherwise, there is no way to find an RW suit for slow fallers with booties.

Cheers,
Travis

[SuperGirl 0]

my AFF instructor had this really really baggy FF suit made by Freedom Means Choice. I'm not sure if they're still in business, since their website doesn't seem to work anymore, but I think it's worth checking out.
I remember him talking to some of the other instructors about how wonderful that suit was for flying with small students...

[imdskydiver 0]

Go with a loose fitted polycotton suit with the swoop cords and booties .

[sundevil777 93]

Quote

Get a super baggy freefly suit. An RW suit is not going to give you much slowing power even if it has swoop cords. The freefly pants with baggy legs will give you, although not quite as much as booties, lots of driving power in your legs. Try someone's out and see. Otherwise, there is no way to find an RW suit for slow fallers with booties.

I cannot understand how you make those conclusions. How is it that a freefly suit can be made to do something that an RW suit cannot? That just doesn't make sense at all to me.

I bought a Tony suit (original Tony model) with the heavy fabric, doubled material on the lower arms and legs. You can also request leg grippers like the swoop and comp model instead of the weird S shape std on the tony model. I got the optional swoop cords but never needed them.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[councilman24 36]

I love it.

The problem is that to these younger skydivers a RW suit equals spandex. To us it's the same as a baggy freefly suit. My Flite Suit from 1983 looks a whole lot like a freefly suit.

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[stratostar 5]

I'am always getting asked to sell mine to that crowd, and where did I get it,never heard of that brand, or WHY did I get grippers on my FF suit?

you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

[Tonto 1]

I'm 5'11, 165lbs. I have 2000+ AFF dives, and the last 600 odd have been in Birdman Freefly pantz and a baggy long sleeve T.

During these 600 dives, my fall rate has varied between 95mph, and 157mph, all on my belly. My students have been sub 100lbs to 250 lbs. I've never found greater range wearing anything, ever.

YMMV.

t

It's the year of the Pig.

[peek 20]

Quote

I love it. The problem is that to these younger skydivers a RW suit equals spandex. To us it's the same as a baggy freefly suit.

I was about ready to reply to the guy, but your post explains it so well.

Around these parts they at least kind of know better because they have seen me in mine.

[rehmwa 2]

Quote

I'm looking to buy a new suit to make some Aff training with small people. I'm hesitating between :
The orginal Tony Suit in 4-ply with Mega Vented Booties and Swoop Cords.
The Bev suits polycotton with Cordura booties with Majik Modification and swoop cord.
The orginal flitesuit with archFactor Cordura Booties ,Heavyweight fabric and brandibelt swoop cord system.

I'm 5'10" 190 pounds and I do AFF with a range of people from 100 pounds to 250 pounds. I want to have forward power to be able to catch a falling student or rotating students.

Does Anyone has some suggestions.

If you are just looking to slow down, you don't need another or specialized suit. 5'10"/190 is not unusual, you should have plenty of range.

1 - Throw a sweatshirt on over a normal RW suit and that'll give you more upper body drag - while you still have booties and full grippers below for performance and drag. Booties and a long flat slow fall position gives you slow fall rate and manuverability and visibility.

2 - Body position - If you haven't already learned mantis, it'll make you quicker and give you a TON of range in fall speed (both ends). You might find you don't need that sweatshirt after all. If you are still hugging a beach ball, you aren't using your body and your booties to its best advantage.

3 - Swoop cords, vents, etc - gimmicks (read "crutches") SUCK, you want control, not stuff that's inconsistent in controlling airflow. Don't you want to focus on the student rather than piss around with impotent gimmicks? An AFF instructor should have the skill to avoid those things.

4 - Last advice - Don't get low in the first place - outfly that newbie.

PM sent - my wife makes a 'Big Guy' suit for fast fallers, but you are really just looking for overall range, not just to slow down.


edit: I wonder why so many people come to the rigging forum for jumpsuit advice (I know, "Gear" and Rigging) . I'd think this would get better input in the Instructor or RW forum......

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[seal_S49 0]

Quote

my fall rate has varied between 95mph, and 157mph, all on my belly.

I think that says more about your ability than your attire. But then maybe that was your point.

[crazydiver 0]

For the record, when I said RW suit, I should have said bootie suit. It's extremely rare, if not impossible, to find a really baggy suit that also has booties. Why? Because if the legs are super baggy, there is no tension to keep the booties taut.

For the record, I've seen folks use really old RW suits and they work great...they also don't have booties...they also seem to resemble today's freefly suits.

For the record, I also never referred to spandex. When I was thinking bootie suit/RW suit I was thinking like a Tony Swoop Suit.

I guess the "problem" with today's sport IS people like me...whippersnappers.

Relax...

Cheers,
Travis

[fugozzie 0]

I am 280 out the door and was having issues staying with people on formations. I tired two different versions of tony suite and did not have any luck. I bought a bev suite that’s baggie and now I have no problems staying with the puny humans. I did get swoop cords but have not need them as of yet. What ever suite you get make sure you get measured properly, it will make all the difference in the world


JG

[popsjumper 2]

This might be what you are looking for:

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[popsjumper 2]

...and if that doesn't help, THIS should do the trick:

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[inextremis 0]

Well, THIS will probably be unpopular, but Bodysport USA sold me a suit called a crater suit about four years ago--I got it in lined supplex with "max wing at 104 MPH" and the range was unbelievable. I have since had some of the wing cut out of it and the wrist velcro replaced but it is wearing like iron, very well made. I also have a lot of Tony separates and like them, but this crater suit works great--even for tandems. I'm a fun jumper and instructor, though, not an RW competitor.

[longtall 0]

Tom; The crater suit sounds interesting. Whats your weight range?................................J....................

" 90 right, five miles then cut."---Pukin Buzzards

[SkymonkeyONE 3]

Tony "Big Boy" RW suit. It's a looser fit than the Tony "Swoop". Tony Thacker loves his.

I jump Michigan suits and I just had mike make me a looser Mega-Bootied comp suit with lots of flop in the forearm material. I got it for small, floaty AFF students and outside big-way RW slots.

[Spizzzarko 0]

"I got it for small, floaty AFF students and outside big-way RW slots."

Are you sure your not adding a pound or two there?