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stevemeg

heads up display for wingsuiters--question

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This heads up display looks interesting.

http://www.dropzone.com/news/Press_Releases/In-Flight_HUD_to_Assist_Wingsuit_Pilots_824.html

But I don't get it. It seems like the display is too close to the eye to focus on. When I wear ski goggles, I can't focus on the foam on the bottom edge of the goggle. You can see how it fits in the goggle about half way through the video (at 1:52 in the demo video here: http://labs.reconinstruments.com/). I'm reluctant to drop $400 on it and find out I can't see it. Anybody know how this is supposed to work?

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Have you ever tried looking into a viewfinder of a camera? Or into a microscope or binocular? Optical systems can create light rays that seem to a human eye as coming from infinite distance (like clouds on the horizon), you don't need to try hard to focus on them, you just relax your vision and it will be ok.

I want to point out that this HUD is created by recon labs, and they has some background creating these HUDs for skiing, so the concept is working, it's just the application of it to skydiving that is new.

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I've owned their first and second version. First gen units were ok at best. The screen was not adequetly adjustable and if positioned slightly off or if the goggles were moved, you would have difficulty in seeing the screen or anything at all. This is not a major issue for their intended purpose - but for wingsuiting from an aircraft it's not good.

Gen II came along with improvements and different issues. Eyepiece monocular was vastly improved and fully adjustable - problem solved, good job. New problem is they loose capture in the plane and most of the time are of little use with no sat lock or freezing up when skyjumping. If you get a lock, there is another problem with the unit not keeping up at high speed apparently.

So, this brings us to the currently offered third version. Hope it works. I have high hopes they will and even so with over 500 ordered already, my guess. is even if they work flawlessly, you will likely see them for sale used shortly after after they come out as well as plenty of reviews.

Do you currently fly a wingsuit or track and use anything for performance info?

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I tried the ski version this last weekend at an Oakley store and there is no problem seeing it.

I actually think it will be distracting

They played a demo on it that was a video and it looked great

The Oakley version is $600 bucks.

Just go to an Oakley store they all seem to have them to demo now

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