Weight Loss and Downsizing

[Nataly 38]

At just over 20 jumps, I bought myself a Sabre1 135. I weighed less than 100 lbs at the time because I had been quite ill and lost a bunch of weight. The rig was a tad on the large side, even. On the whole, it seemed a reasonable idea until I started playing around under canopy. Fuck me, it scared me senseless.

Over the years, I have gained and lost weight again, and all I can say to someone is this... Good work for losing the weight, but DO NOT base your canopy size on a weight that is not your "natural" (or sustainable) weight.

Like many have said, I can personally attest to the FACT that a 135 is very responsive at any wingloading. Even more so when you gain back the weight you lost. And it goes without saying that you may one day end up gaining MORE weight than you lost.

Do yourself a favour: base your decision on your skill level, not your diet achievements. I was very lucky - many have been a lot less lucky.

"There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse."
- Chris Hadfield
« Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. »
- my boss

[danornan 64]

I'm not replying to anyone in particular, and maybe it's my age, .... I just don't understand why after the canopy opens, anyone would want to get down to the ground quicker. I love flying my canopy and if it didn't cut into my free-fall time, I'd prefer to open higher for a longer canopy ride.

I don't swoop and try to be in a predictable landing pattern, so maybe that's the reason?

Dano

[Nataly 38]

danornan

I'm not replying to anyone in particular, and maybe it's my age, .... I just don't understand why after the canopy opens, anyone would want to get down to the ground quicker. I love flying my canopy and if it didn't cut into my free-fall time, I'd prefer to open higher for a longer canopy ride.

I don't swoop and try to be in a predictable landing pattern, so maybe that's the reason?

For me, I had a lot of reasons for wanting something smaller - not all of them good reasons...

One big problem I had as a light jumper was being at the mercy of the winds and not being able to control my big student canopy. On almost every jump I was landing backwards and then once on the ground I would get dragged back by the canopy... I also had an extremely hard time flaring... Riser turns?? Forget it - I lifted *myself* up, rather than pulling down the risers... Not to mention the rental rigs were big. I was scared to fall out of it!! Maybe an unreasonable fear, but nonetheless, I felt uncomfortable with the equipment. I went too small, but I did need to downsize in order to get a reasonable amount of control when flying my canopy.

Aside from this, I will not deny that "peer pressure" is out there to get something smaller... As a newby, it's easy to get tempted. The same way it's tempting to get a more powerful bike when everyone makes fun of your dinky little 250cc. The same way when you're new to running you get sucked into the excitement of everyone around you in a race and forget to pace yourself and run WAAAAY faster than you ought to. It's easy to get ahead of yourself...

As you are not susceptible to peer-pressure and not interested in swooping, down-sizing has very little interest. Because like you said: the purpose of your canopy is to land your ass safely. Some people use their canopy for more than that (like trying to prove they have testicles).

"There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse."
- Chris Hadfield
« Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. »
- my boss

[mattjw916 2]

It's not about "go big or go home", swooping, or dick measuring to everyone though... a moderately loaded elliptical is just a lot more fun to fly for someone who knows what they're doing (without really incurring that much more risk).

Jumping my elliptical 150 and mellow hybrid 170 back to back reminded me how much nicer it was to have a canopy where the front risers were actually useable and was more sensitive to toggle input with a much finer degree of control on landing. I'll probably add a 135 to my stable next year but that doesn't mean I be hucking 270s under it the day after I hook it up.

For now the 170 is back on so I can dial it in perfectly before night jumps and have nice boring openings.

NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

[DrDom 0]

danornan

I'm not replying to anyone in particular, and maybe it's my age, .... I just don't understand why after the canopy opens, anyone would want to get down to the ground quicker. I love flying my canopy and if it didn't cut into my free-fall time, I'd prefer to open higher for a longer canopy ride.

I don't swoop and try to be in a predictable landing pattern, so maybe that's the reason?

I guess its why some people buy luxury SUV's and some buy sports cars. You can still enjoy the ride, one because its so comfortable and controlled; the other becuase its on the brink of control and inherently more dangerous.

I only have 7 jumps thus far, but I feel like the speed in freefall is awesome... but I ALWAYS wish I had more time to fly around under canopy.

You are not the contents of your wallet.