Downsizing too fast?

[Oyinko 0]

This is feasible since I weight 190 and I jump a 170 since my jump 40. However, a 190 will fly much faster than your canopy. A 170 will fly also much faster than a 190.

Ask your instructor if you can rent a 190 and do couple of jumps on it. Then when you are comfortable with it, you can try to rent a 170 and see if the canopy is right for you.

It's also mandatory to do the Canopy Downsize checklist before: http://www.dropzone.com/safety/Canopy_Control/Downsizing_Checklist_47.html

[GooniesKid 0]

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This is feasible since I weight 190 and I jump a 170 since my jump 40. However, a 190 will fly much faster than your canopy. A 170 will fly also much faster than a 190.

Sounds like the blind leading the blind...and how many jumps have you had that makes you such an expert?

[skyjumpenfool 2]

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This is feasible since I weight 190 and I jump a 170 since my jump 40. However, a 190 will fly much faster than your canopy. A 170 will fly also much faster than a 190.

Sounds like the blind leading the blind...and how many jumps have you had that makes you such an expert?

Well? His profile says 22. What does yours say? Jump #'s are a prerequisite for things like ... when to strap on a camera, when you're qualified for a D license, etc. Posting here is not a privilege and jump #’s are irrelevant. All are encouraged to join in on the fun. That's how a lot of us learn.

If someone makes a mistake and says the wrong thing, they’ll learn from that too, sometimes brutally!

Birdshit & Fools Productions

"Son, only two things fall from the sky."

[snugfit 0]

I like the idea of downsizing one size at a time. That's how I did it many years ago. Our AFF canopies were 230's and my first canopy was a 210, then a 190, 170, 150, 135, and finally a 120 and I did at least 100 jumps on each size. The larger sizes were a little on the conservative side because I'm a skinny boy, but when I retired from skydiving I had nearly 2,000 jumps with zero cutaways and no serious injuries.

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[GooniesKid 0]

Judging by the silence looks like OP pulled the trigger and bought himself a rig.

[billvon 2,380]

>Judging by the silence looks like OP pulled the trigger and bought himself a rig.

Often people who post here already have their minds made up; they just need one reply that's not a "hell no" to pull the trigger.

[jumpinjackflsh 0]

Good point Bill and thanks for all the inf you share with us.

I have to add, I recently (oct last year) got back into the sport after a long layoff and only 60 jumps.

I weigh 180 out the door and jump a 190 canopy. I've managed to log about 35 jumps in the last couple months and just when I started thinking hey, I might start looking for a 170?

Jumped last Sunday at my DZ, no wind... I was reminded in my approaches that my chute flies damn fast into landing with no wind. Suddenly I wasn't as good as I thought.

I didn't break myself but I didn't stand it up and walk it off either. Had a few slid in landings that reminded me I still have a lot to learn before I move up.

I work on all my maneuvers, damn near every skydive, like to pull high and work on everything when I can.

However, changing winds on approach can make the picture look significantly different.

I think the one guy who posted "all four of us have broken ourselves" says it all. If your willing to play, be willing to pay. If you find yourself in a hairy situation, you'll suddenly question your aggressive canopy choice that's for damn sure.

Good stuff, OP if you are still out there, don't be in any hurry, you may regret it later, or sooner and find yourself wishing you were under a little more fabric....


Blues,


Jack

[Quagmirian 40]

Nothing like a little incident to remind me that I'm not ready. I've been jumping 210's since I was a student, so I'm more than ready to downsize, right? In fact, a quick conversation with my dealer and he said I should get a 150 or a 170 for my first rig. I weigh about 160 out of the door, and there are people who have downsized much quicker than me, so that's no big deal right? Anyway, I ended up having an unexpected downwind landing in California on a Spectre 210, and I made the classic mistake of flaring too hard and too fast, luckily no injuries. I thought I could fly my canopy and I was ready to downsize ages ago, apparently not.

[popsjumper 2]

Your most sensible guiding light is Bill Von Novak's downsizing checklist linked by TK in post #23.

Read it, do it, practice it, on every canopy you jump...then and only then think about downsizing. Mad Skillz negates nothing on that list.

Is that too brusk or do we have to sugar-coat it for ya'?

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

[ChrisD 0]

What if how we are thinking about this issue is actually the issue?

Try looking at this a little differently,...

Everyone associates with being the "expert."

Being the expert is a lofty goal, a sign of all of that experience and hard work, a sign of an achivment, a measure of skill that many want to demonstrate!

Being an expert sells equipment, ever been to a golf tounement? My tennis racket has some guys name on it who I don't know, obviously someone thought it important to put that name theere?

My ski's have someones name on them as well, my brand of ski means I have arrived! That name sells to anyone and everyone that wants to be associated with being an expert. Marketing drives sales! Bruce Jenner still gets royalties that support some hoe named kardashian for selling overpriced whole wheat ceereal!

Downsizing is associated with being an expert!

What if being conservative was associated with being an expert?

Hell how many of you don't like the word conservative in the last sentance?

How many of you think conservative is wimpy and too close to the word "newbie"?

Come on,... be honest???

We are social beings, we get our information from others! This means we frequently do not understand why we do the things we do!

There is great truth in see do!

There is a cost benifit ratio here that is and has been noticably missing in all of these discussions, does anyone get what I am trying to say here???

But what do I know, "I only have one tandem jump."

[cruelpops 0]

A lot of solid advice in this thread but I will take it one step further. Practicing maneuvers under somewhat controlled conditions and becoming comfortable are one thing; executing under duress is a different animal. A lot of people won't care if you go kill yourself and it would be that "I told you so" moment. But when you get into traffic with 15 or 20 other jumpers at or near the pattern - OR - more than 40 jumpers at a boogie or a large DZ and if you don't have a solid command of those necessary skills to get yourself out of the corner, you just put other people in danger because of a false sense of confidence.

[GooniesKid 0]

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But when you get into traffic with 15 or 20 other jumpers at or near the pattern - OR - more than 40 jumpers at a boogie or a large DZ and if you don't have a solid command of those necessary skills to get yourself out of the corner, you just put other people in danger because of a false sense of confidence.

I agree with you...in my AFF i was used to being one of the last ones out the door which pretty much meant i was the last one making the landing...so i didn't have to worry too much about other traffic (other than the tandems above me which was usually about 2-3) in the air. Once Licensed I am now in the first groups out meaning on open time and landingthere was more traffic above and below me i had to deal with...totally different animal i was used to.

[snugfit 0]

In my old age I've adopted a personal policy that if I can't decide whether or not to send an email or post something on Facebook, not sending it is the better idea.

This might also be a good policy for canopy selection. If you can't decide between a 170 and a 190, go with the 190. The worst thing that can happen with a larger canopy is you won't look as cool landing it. The worst thing that can happen with a smaller canopy is...Well, you know.

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