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vanessalh

Lowest pack volume and lightest reserve for it's size

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Hey folks,

I'm looking to get another rig, and I'm considering which reserve I should get.

Do you have recommendations for the lowest pack volume and lightest reserve (for a given sq ft)?

I've heard that the PD Optimum was the lowest vol/smallest, are there others that come close?

Is the difference that large compared with say a PD reserve or Icarus reserve?

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I'm going to assume that any reserve on the market will open when called upon (otherwise it wouldn't be on the market). And I'd expect an excellent track record from all the major manufacturers in terms of safety.

Given that, I'm going to be carrying this around with me on every jump. Being smaller and lighter (within the sq ft that I am able to land safely) will make each skydive more comfortable, for the same amount of reserve protection.

(FWIW I also like the reports showing the optimum has a good flare, and lands more similarly to a main than other reserves)

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vanessalh

I'm going to assume that any reserve on the market will open when called upon (otherwise it wouldn't be on the market).



You need to do some research. Your comment speaks volume on your lack of knowledge.I will get bashed (and will not reply) but they do not all open the same. Some canopies will snivel and there is your hint. Also, I am a PD fan, just disagree with some canopy performance characteristics.

Edited for grammer

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Your only options that I know of in the US are the Optimum and the Nano. They are both tested to TSO C23D, they both passed, they are both legal to jump, and they both pack smaller. The reason you want one is kind of backwards from what most people do. You're looking for the smallest and lightest for the sake of it being the smallest and lightest. Most people want them so they can put a slightly larger reserve in their rig. PD is larger and sell more and there is a reason for that. They also test their stuff a lot and are trusted by almost everybody.

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This is not only to the OP, so please don't take this the wrong way. This is actually aimed at everyone reading this.

***********************************

As has been said, the OP is a low bulk reserve which allows you to put a larger reserve into a pack tray for a smaller, normal material reserve. It is also completely different from the PDR reserve - a different plan form and flight and landing characteristics.

Having been around for a few years I've witnessed people break their backs while flaring to land what they thought was a good reserve canopy - more than one model from more than one company. These canopies were actually very popular because people didn't know it would kick their ass, until they actually jumped it and it "kicked their ass".

TSOs say very little, if anything, about the flight or landing characteristics of a reserve.

When PD first started touring and allowed people to demo their reserves it always amazed me, and does to this day, the number of people who passed on trying the reserve in favor of trying the newest and hottest main canopy.

Don't get me wrong, I absolutely think it's smart to demo your main canopy before you decide on which to buy. I know the money that PD spends on their demo program and I give them kudos for continue to do so.

I also know that few people ever ask to demo the Optimum while PD is at the DZ.

Why is that?

Why would you want to open your reserve at a time when obviously shit isn't going all that well for you, only to realize you've never actually flown a 7 cell - F 111 type canopy?

You have no idea how they fly, how they get back from a bad spot, which, according to Murphy, you will naturally have or how they flare for landing.

Over the years, I've developed a pretty good ability to steel my nerves when shit hits the fan and I still have a lot of pucker factor when landing my reserve off the DZ in a pasture full of high trees. And that's after having made almost 20 demo jumps on my Optimum in normal conditions (as a demo).

How about you?

What is your reason for not demoing your reserve before you buy it? Is it the $7.00 they charge you for the last pack job after you've made a few jumps on it?

Is it the fact that you may not look cool to all your friends who are demoing everything else?

Are you concerned you may not actually know how to fly and land that type of canopy?

Please don't let these things deter you from putting a few jumps on the canopy you expect to save your life. Just because it opens does not mean your safe.

Don't be like the multiples of people I've seen leave the sport, with a limp, because their reserve saved their life- it just didn't save their "lifestyle".


Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

.
Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

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Optimum reserves weigh about he same as older reserves made by Performance Designs. The only significant difference is the Optimum's smaller pack volume.

For example, I once packed an Optimum 28? into a Softie designed for a 210 reserve. The Optimum just "fell" into that container.

To the critics, I have packed hundreds of Softies and thousands of sport reserves .....

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vanessalh

Guess I shouldn't have expected anything less than trolling on dropzone.com.

It still shocks me how aggressive and juvenile people are on this forum.

We are all in this sport together. I can only hope people don't judge our sport by what goes on here.




No one is trolling. Not getting the answer you want and throwing a tantrum is juvenile. They are giving you good sound advice because your post makes it look like your knowledge of gear is lacking.
You say you want the lightest canopies you can buy. In the range of canopies suitable for any given jumper will be within 2+ pounds. Your profile says your are jumping a 170 Smart reserve. (they don’t make a 170). Their 175 weighs 4.84 lb. If you downsize down to a 120 at 3.96 lb. you will save .88 lb. If the extra weight bothers you that much maybe you should join a gym.

As you said in another thread.
Quote

I don't take comments personally - after all, this is the Internet, if I took every comment personally I would have serious psychological issues within a few months ;)



Sparky
My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

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jhh166

***I'm going to assume that any reserve on the market will open when called upon (otherwise it wouldn't be on the market).



You need to do some research. Your comment speaks volume on your lack of knowledge.I will get bashed (and will not reply) but they do not all open the same. Some canopies will snivel and there is your hint. Also, I am a PD fan, just disagree with some canopy performance characteristics.

Edited for grammer

LOL, Clearly not.
"Better to have a short life that is full of what you like doing than a long life spent in a miserable way." -Alan Watts

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riggerrob

Optimum reserves weigh about he same as older reserves made by Performance Designs. The only significant difference is the Optimum's smaller pack volume.

For example, I once packed an Optimum 28? into a Softie designed for a 210 reserve. The Optimum just "fell" into that container.

To the critics, I have packed hundreds of Softies and thousands of sport reserves .....



The website shows the largest one they make is a 253.

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BigMark

***Optimum reserves weigh about he same as older reserves made by Performance Designs. The only significant difference is the Optimum's smaller pack volume.

For example, I once packed an Optimum 28? into a Softie designed for a 210 reserve. The Optimum just "fell" into that container.

To the critics, I have packed hundreds of Softies and thousands of sport reserves .....



The website shows the largest one they make is a 253.

................................................................................

First, John LeBlanc loaned me a large Optimum prototype.

Secondly, it was larger than PD was selling at the time, so it was a 250 or 280 square foot reserve.

Thirdly, that was during the 2009 PIA Symposium, (5 years ago) so may I claim a "senior moment" for my poor memory.

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