Hello, my name is Emily and I have a weight problem

[Evelyn 0]

I have the same problem as you. Tall and slender (5'6", 120 lb.). I started wearing weights while still in AFF. I usually wear 13 lbs. of lead (belt). Although I am told my body position/arch is good, I still need to wear weights. The way someone explained it to me is if you are tall and thin you have a lot of surface area, even in a good arch, without the weight behind it, so to compensate it is necessary to wear lead. When I am jumping with someone for the first time they look at me and say "I hope you're wearing lead". It's pretty easy to get used to when you wear it all the time.

Life is either a daring adventure or nothing ~ Helen Keller

[AdamSee 0]

Hi, first post and I'm going to be getting into the sport within the next month.

One thing I though about weight is that it doesn't increase your acceleration (up until a certain point nearing terminal velocity), but only your top speed. Is that right?

[rickjump1 0]

My new jump suit with booties and extra leg holds has slowed me way down. I switched from a frap hat to a Myto-Switch ski helmet that I believe has slowed me down too. Thinking of returning the jump suit for a mod and returning to the frap. Do wear lead and do jump with some heavies. I'm 5'5" and weigh 130 lbs. This fall rate thing has been a challenge for me for a long time; very frustrating at times.

Do your part for global warming: ban beans and hold all popcorn farts.

[billvon 2,476]

>Belts are great.

I think women sometimes benefit from weight higher on their bodies; it brings their arms out more than a weight belt does, and a lot of women, due to their weight distribution, have to fly with their arms farther back. If that's the case "rig weights" (in the mudflaps) are ideal; most rig manufacturers offer these. A vest is the next best solution in those cases. Belts are easy to use, though, and it's easier to ditch them if a water landing is imminent.

[dgskydive 0]

That is strange. I think it may have more to do with your body position changing in some way then the addition of booties.

Either that or the dives you got on where just falling slower then you are used to.

Dom

[kallend 1,683]

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That is strange. I think it may have more to do with your body position changing in some way then the addition of booties.

Either that or the dives you got on where just falling slower then you are used to.

Why is it strange? Well designed booties provide forward drive more efficiently (that is, with less TOTAL drag) than non-booties, then this would be expected. And if your lower legs are straight up in your neutral position, booties provide better streamlining to your foot.

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The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[PrairieDoug 0]

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One thing I though about weight is that it doesn't increase your acceleration (up until a certain point nearing terminal velocity), but only your top speed. Is that right?

I'm not sure if your statement is accurate or not, but keep in mind that terminal velocity is reached within about 10 seconds. Therefore, the acceleration period is pretty short relative to total freefall time on each jump. So it is the "top speed" (i.e., terminal velocity) during the rest of the skydive that matters most as far as maintaining vertical proximity to other jumpers.

[kallend 1,683]

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One thing I though about weight is that it doesn't increase your acceleration (up until a certain point nearing terminal velocity), but only your top speed. Is that right?

I'm not sure if your statement is accurate or not, but keep in mind that terminal velocity is reached within about 10 seconds. Therefore, the acceleration period is pretty short relative to total freefall time on each jump. So it is the "top speed" (i.e., terminal velocity) during the rest of the skydive that matters most as far as maintaining vertical proximity to other jumpers.

Weights (or more accurately, the ratio of inertial to drag forces) will affect acceleration, and not just near terminal, on a normal skydive from an airplane, because there's a lot of drag from the horizontal component of velocity immediately you leave the plane. Different situation for a balloon jump.

Of course, body position has a dramatic effect too. Compare someone doing an forward exit into a flat track with someone doing a rearward diving exit.

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The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[diablopilot 2]

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Well designed booties provide forward drive more efficiently (that is, with less TOTAL drag) than non-booties, then this would be expected.

Incorrect. Booties increase the surface area of the lower extremities signifigantly. That is what provides the drive. They slow fallrate. Ask bigway organizers why they have the base remove their booties.

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You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[dgskydive 0]

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Why is it strange? Well designed booties provide forward drive more efficiently (that is, with less TOTAL drag) than non-booties, then this would be expected. And if your lower legs are straight up in your neutral position, booties provide better streamlining to your foot.

Not really. Booties work because they have more material which gives you more surface area and more drag. Thus the extra power when you drive forward, turn, and de-arch to slow down.

Bottom line is that they will slow down your fall rate. I never really thought about that until I noticed Kate, Dan and Tony telling folks to take off their booties to help reduce drag and help them fall faster during bigways. I think htey may no a bit more then you and I put together. Plus I checked with a jump suit manufacutre to get there opinion on it. They agree with this.

Dom

[kallend 1,683]

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Why is it strange? Well designed booties provide forward drive more efficiently (that is, with less TOTAL drag) than non-booties, then this would be expected. And if your lower legs are straight up in your neutral position, booties provide better streamlining to your foot.

Not really. Booties work because they have more material which gives you more surface area and more drag. Thus the extra power when you drive forward, turn, and de-arch to slow down.

Bottom line is that they will slow down your fall rate. I never really thought about that until I noticed Kate, Dan and Tony telling folks to take off their booties to help reduce drag and help them fall faster during bigways. I think htey may no a bit more then you and I put together. Plus I checked with a jump suit manufacutre to get there opinion on it. They agree with this.

Depends on the bootie orientation with respect to the relative wind. If you stick your legs out to drive forwards, I agree with you (and Kate, Dan and Tony who are always preaching LEGS LEGS LEGS). If the booties are simply in trail you'd get a different effect.

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The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[kallend 1,683]

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Well designed booties provide forward drive more efficiently (that is, with less TOTAL drag) than non-booties, then this would be expected.

Incorrect. Booties increase the surface area of the lower extremities signifigantly. That is what provides the drive. They slow fallrate. Ask bigway organizers why they have the base remove their booties.

Wheel pants increase the total surface area of airplanes, but still reduce total drag. It all depends on how they are designed and their orientation with respect to the airflow.

To get the SAME FORWARD DRIVE with booties as without booties, why would you require more drag? Now, to get MORE forward drive (which booties provide and is generally not needed in the base of a big way), you'd need more drag, I don't disagree there.

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The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[diablopilot 2]

In my yeasr working for a major jumpsuit manufacture it has been my experience that over all adding booties to a jumpsuit with out changing any other aspect (cut, material, etc.) booties slow the average fallrate by 1 to 2 miles per hour. Not a huge problem, and it's usually adjusted for by a cut or material selection, but can be a problem when fitting smaller lightweight persons. One of the reason the company I worked for offered optional materials for booties. Cordura for durability, Parapack if you REALLY had a fallrate issue.

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You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[321seeya 0]

If you find yourself needing weights for RW...Try freeflying, you will be surprised at how fast you can go in other body positions.....

BASE 3:16 - Even if you are about to land on a cop - DONT FORGET TO FLARE!
Free the soul -- DJ

[kallend 1,683]

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In my yeasr working for a major jumpsuit manufacture it has been my experience that over all adding booties to a jumpsuit with out changing any other aspect (cut, material, etc.) booties slow the average fallrate by 1 to 2 miles per hour. Not a huge problem, and it's usually adjusted for by a cut or material selection, but can be a problem when fitting smaller lightweight persons. One of the reason the company I worked for offered optional materials for booties. Cordura for durability, Parapack if you REALLY had a fallrate issue.

Well, pilotdave and I both seem to have the opposite experience. I attribute it, in a nutshell, to having more efficient body position in the bootie suit.

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The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.