Gear Fear vs. Valid Gear issues

[BlindBrick 0]

I'm a heavy guy with a bellyfly speed that surpasses the average freefly speed. Because of this, my DZO placed a requirement that I had to find a way to slow down to ~120 mph if I wanted to do anything besides a hop and pop. The only thing that works for me is a massive hybrid suit that's an extra baggy cut freefly suit with a swoop-corded camera wing that extends to just below my knees.

Because the wing needs to get my rig on with a wing that goes to the knee; the wing is sewn to my hip and then attaches with a velcro sandwhich and heavy-duty buckle. The gap between the end of the stitching and the velcro is about 10 inches. Every since I've got the suit, I've been thinking about the possibility of creating an irrcoverable horseshoe mal by reaching through the gap when I go to throw out the PC.

I've modified my throw out so that I reach up and touch the back of the rig before going for the PC, but even with this modification ot my routine, I've felt the wing fabric in my hand two of the last three jumps on the suit.

It's gotten to the point that the suit has me so fustrated/scared that I'd rather go do a hop and pop than mess with it. Is this just a case of gear fear or do do I really have a gear issue?

-Blind

"If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it."

[billvon 2,465]

>Is htis just a case of gear fear or do do I really have a gear issue?

Arrangements such as this have caused problems in the past. I'd be suprised if you really needed a wing to your knees, a basic elbow-to-waist wing should easily get you below 120 mph. There are literally dozens of tricks to slow yourself down, including:

-inflatable suits (like the birdman pantz) that 'blow up' in freefall
-high drag add-ons like sweatshirts (I used one for the 108mph 300-way)
-webbed gloves
-swoop cords/spandex sided suit (I have one for bigways that works well)
-additional sleeves
-rig design (wide rigs have more drag)
-booties (can slow you down once you know how to use them)
-body position (often neglected in the quest for slower speeds)

[BlindBrick 0]

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>Is htis just a case of gear fear or do do I really have a gear issue?

I'd be suprised if you really needed a wing to your knees, a basic elbow-to-waist wing should easily get you below 120 mph.

Right now I am getting down to the low 130's in the suit. It's doubled lined, denim, has sleeves with more fabric than a pair of bell-bottom pants, swoop cords, and a triple layer wing(inner layer is ZP). I also have the biggest size container Mirage makes. The truth is that there's only so much that can be done when you're 5'11 and ~320 out the door.

-Blind

"If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it."

[FlyinseivLP2 0]

Bill is right, you can learn to slow your body down. I jumped with a guy many times that was 6'0" 350. He had no problem staying with us in RW. Don't know what the speeds were as there were no pro tracks back then, but I was about 6'0" 165 at the time. He had a baggy suit and just learned to slow himself down. He did blow up several canopies though and finally quit jumping, due to fear of blowing up his reserve or harness failure.

[nael 0]

Are you pure muscle or could you stand to lose some of that weight? Losing some weight may be the simplest answer to your problem.

www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

[Tonto 1]

Even if he IS pure muscle... That sounds like a lot of it is not nessesary. Loosing weight is step 1. Working on range is the next step.

t

It's the year of the Pig.

[Anvilbrother 0]

How tight are your cords? I put about 75 jumps on my suit before I realized that they were not tight enough. I made them tighter, where I can still reach toggles, E.P correctly, and doing that slowed me down another 5-8 mph.

Postes r made from an iPad or iPhone. Spelling and gramhair mistakes guaranteed move along,

[skybum1 0]

Just go belly fly with the freefliers

"Remember to be nice to people on your way up cause you meet them on your way down." Jimmy D.

[BlindBrick 0]

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How tight are your cords?

I have them set where I just barely have to reach to get them at full extension..

-Blind

"If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it."

[BlindBrick 0]

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Just go belly fly with the freefliers

That's what got me grounded. No one really believed me when I told them I average 179 on my belly, but once I got video of me docking with a freeflyer, it was hard to argue. That made my
DZO realize I was also deploying at those speeds, and it was bye bye freefall. Which I really can understand from his position as both a friend and DZO. It's just that while I knew deploying at those speeds was dicey, it didn't have the same "imminent death" feeling I get every time I wear my suit.

-Blind

"If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it."

[atsaubrey 0]

179 on your belly!!! holy crap!! I am 6'1" and about 350 otd and avg 145. without the suit it is still under 150 and usually still about 145. Come to Cali we could have some fun. Good luck brother.

"GOT LEAD?"

[riggerrob 561]

You could learn heaps by just doing hop and pops: precision landing, canopy formations and pond swooping.

[BlindBrick 0]

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You could learn heaps by just doing hop and pops: precision landing, canopy formations and pond swooping.

I've been doing a ton of hp & pops(~95% of my jumps) and using the oppertunity to work on canopy control skills. I'm saving up for a set of CRW Assist risers so that I can get some more experience with front riser turns (269 zp ellipitical loaded at 1.2 means unGodly front riser pressure).

-Blind

"If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it."