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6185

Altimeter Combos

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I mainly use a digital wrist mount. I recently added an audible and an analog on a mudflap mount for backup. I didn't like being surprised how much altitude I lost when tracking away at break off, because I can't see my arm. The audible definitely helps with that. The mudflap mount I think I'm giving up on. I've found that it moves around too much in freefall and sits too high under canopy. I would have to stretch my neck or rotate it with my hand to read it under canopy. Maybe that's just unique to how my rig fits me, or the brand mount I got. I think I'll swap it for a chest strap pillow mount.

In theory I like analog for being easier to see in freefall and digital for more precision under canopy. But in practice I trained with a hand digital and that's what I'm still used to. I barely think to look at my analog. But its peace of mind knowing I have a 2nd visual alti if something were messed up with my primary (battery/electrical failure, cracked screen or knocked off in a collision, whatever). Altis are cheap. Might as well get multiple.
Max Peck
What's the point of having top secret code names, fellas, if we ain't gonna use 'em?

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Alright, admittedly I'm a dinosaur, but here's my nickel's worth.

The best altimeter on the planet is - the planet. I jumped for years without any altimeter, because a good visual sense of altitude is the one altimeter that will never break down and lie to you. Get a good visual sense of altitude, and not by looking down at the ground or objects, but more in the periphery at a 45 or so, where the 'shelf' is. That way it's not dependent on familiar topography or a definitive look, it's just the 'shelf' gets to a point where you know it's time to go, then from there it's just degrees of urgency. It even transcends putting a number to it. Here's a drill: On your ride to altitude, at points when it occurs to you, look out the window, not at specific objects, but just the lay of the land around, and guess your altitude, then check your altimeters to see how accurate you are.

I started wearing an altimeter again when I got instructor ratings. I wear an analog, because that's what I've always had, they're easy to see, and they never need batteries. I've never worn an audible, 'cause I just can't fathom the idea that I ought to need one.

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Digital on the wrist and an audible in the helmet. Digital is far more precise and accurate than analog and you dont have to deal with zeroing it. Also, digital altimeters provide a jump log that can tell you useful information about your jump that an an analog cannot. For sure, digital is the technological superior option.

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I like analog. It's a clock face so you just need to catch a glimpse out if you periphery and you know where it is.



I think many are convinced an analog alti will result in less time wasted staring at it compared to a digital alti. I can understand that it seems logical to make that conclusion. I think it is usually incorrect.

If you're looking at your alti only long enough to realize it is a long way from breakoff time, you should have been able to tell that from the ground. If you're wanting to know if it is 6 or 5k, I think it takes longer than people usually want to admit to themselves.

I have noticed some videos recently where people spend an awful lot of time staring at their analog alti each time they "glance" at it. Real people in freefall might not match up with what seems intuitive.
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

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6185

I am interested to hear about what type of Alti combos they use and what they like/ don't like about it.

Do you wear two?
Audible/Digital/ Analog?
What do you like? What do you not like?



I wear a chest mounted MA2-30 as my primary altimeter. I also have a Neptune 3 wrist mounted. I half jokingly refer to it as my toy. I like the information it gathers and sometimes its handy when under canopy to have an altimeter that I can see when looking up and another when looking down.
But I wouldn't run out and buy one just for this but since I have it I put it to use.

And on a side note, have any of you jumped with the Titanium model of basically a Alti-3 that they sold years ago. It was limited edition and I keep trying to find info about it but no luck. If anyone has pointers to information like how many made, that sort of thing I'd really appreciate it.

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carvai

An analog always on the wrist. Nowadays a digital in front of the eyes mounted on the helmet.Always visible in any type of jump.



What kind of helmet mount? I've heard of the color-light based altis but I get the impression you are talking about something else.
Max Peck
What's the point of having top secret code names, fellas, if we ain't gonna use 'em?

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AtrusBatleth

*** An analog always on the wrist. Nowadays a digital in front of the eyes mounted on the helmet.Always visible in any type of jump.



What kind of helmet mount? I've heard of the color-light based altis but I get the impression you are talking about something else.

Take a look at the attachment.

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Digital on the wrist, mostly for under canopy

Audible in my helmet because as much as you shouldn't it is easy to loose altitude awareness in a fast 4 way jump. Having something tell you you are nearing breakoff is not a bad thing

Analogue on my mudflap for wingsuiting and it also works for sitflying

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Pro-Track in my helmet, mechanical analog on my wrist, two eyeballs in my head.

Pro-Track is nice, although my hearing is going to the point that I don't always hear the beep. I use it more for the data logging than anything else. Its nice to be able to see approximations of speeds, mainly high and low.

I prefer an analog to look at. I wear an analog watch too. I prefer mechanical, because batteries usually follow Murphy's protocols.

But most of all, I use my eyes. I know how 'big' the ground and stuff on it looks at various altitudes. I can't call it to less than a hundred feet, but within 300 or 400 is not difficult. I can't see my wrist when I'm tracking, so I use a combination of time and sight picture and audible to figure out when to flare up out of my track and pull.

Also, both the audible and the wrist alti can fail (Haven't yet, but Murphy is always along for the jump). Knowing what breakoff and pull altitudes look like is a good thing in that sort of case.
"There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy

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AtrusBatleth

The mudflap mount I think I'm giving up on. I've found that it moves around too much in freefall and sits too high under canopy. I would have to stretch my neck or rotate it with my hand to read it under canopy. Maybe that's just unique to how my rig fits me, or the brand mount I got. I think I'll swap it for a chest strap pillow mount.
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I just went from a cushion mount to mudflap mount. Under canopy it flops around when the chest strap loosens. The mudflap stays tight regardless.

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benlangfeld

****** An analog always on the wrist. Nowadays a digital in front of the eyes mounted on the helmet.Always visible in any type of jump.



What kind of helmet mount? I've heard of the color-light based altis but I get the impression you are talking about something else.

Take a look at the attachment.

Thanks, I didn't see the attachment until I looked with my computer. Interesting, I had not seen a mount like that before.
Max Peck
What's the point of having top secret code names, fellas, if we ain't gonna use 'em?

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