Favorite Reserves

[fred 0]

I've been following dz.com for nearly a year now, and I've got a decent grasp of people's opinions on the various main canopies that are available. But while fantasy shopping for gear today, I realize that I know nothing about the various reserves that are available.

So, what kind of reserve do you bring along for the ride, and why/how did you choose it? Did you ever test jump your reserve, or did you wait for an actual emergency before you flew it?

[fasterfaller 0]

I jump a pd reserve . They are the best built reserves on the market . I have not seen a pd reserve blow apart on opening but I have seen and heard of others blowing up . The only downside to a pd reserve is that they pack larger and cost a little more . I have had a few reserve rides in the past with the reserve loaded at up to 1.5 without incidence on pd reserves . Right now I am loading at about 1.3 on a pd reserve . I chose the pd reserve because in my opinion they are the best there are . I have test jumped most of the reserves out there and the pd by far had the best landings of all of them . Just my opinion on reserves .

[nws01 0]

PD Reserve for me as well. Loaded at 1.5. I purchased a PD because I had heard a lot of great things about them and the fact that they are extremely dependable and will last a long time. I have a friend who base jumps his PD Reserve. I have had 2 reserve rides and it opened perfectly and I felt very safe under it.

[skybytch 259]

PD. I've seen construction specs that assure me that they are built to handle some pretty hard openings. I've been told by people I respect who've used them that they open pretty soft and land nice; hoping not to use mine any time soon to prove that for myself though!

[Viking 0]

if your looking for opinions on reserves, the gear section has a TON of them.
As to what reserve i jump? What ever is in the rental gear

I swear you must have footprints on the back of your helmet - chicagoskydiver
My God has a bigger dick than your god -George Carlin

[Kirils 1]

That's a tough one.... Reserve rides are fairly infrequent and not too many of us take time to evaluate one as a main. I had 4 rides on a Raven and thought it was a good flying canopy. I still perfer
a Tempo just because of the great praise my rigger has has for it. (He has had over 30 chops and I trust the voice of experience)

"Slow down! You are too young
to be moving that fast!"

Old Man Crawfish

[Jimbo 0]

Earlier this year I had a ride on a Raven II.
Today I bought a PD 176. I could have bought a Raven for less.

-
Jim

"Like" - The modern day comma
Good bye, my friends. You are missed.

[JDBoston 0]

My favorite reserve is one that opens and flies. But coincidentally, I also have a PD Reserve. One ride so far, which was fine. Terminal opening at 0.85 wing loading was pretty uncomfortable, but not enough to cause any injuries beyond a sore back.

Joe

[SkymonkeyONE 3]

Personally, while I think PD makes a very nice reserve (I have owned two), I won't spend the extra money for one anymore. I have had Tempo reserves in my last three rigs and see no reason whatsoever to replace them. They pack small, are well built, you don't hear about them blowing up, and they are reasonably priced. Yes, I have taken a ride on my Tempo 120, and yes, it landed me fine.

Chuck

[fred 0]

Don't PD Reserves have a built-in expiration? That is, don't they need to be retired after x repacks or deployments, even if they're in excellent shape? This was my rigger's complaint about them. Said they make nice BASE rigs afterward, though.

[Jimbo 0]

Quote

Don't PD Reserves have a built-in expiration? That is, don't they need to be retired after x repacks or deployments, even if they're in excellent shape? This was my rigger's complaint about them. Said they make nice BASE rigs afterward, though.

I believe that PD reserves need to be returned to the factory after 40 repacks. The factory tests the reserve to make sure it's still airworthy, if it is they send it back to the customer. Do you expect you'll be flying the same reserve for 13 years? I don't.

-
Jim

"Like" - The modern day comma
Good bye, my friends. You are missed.

[f1freak 0]

I tell you what...
My favorite brand is the one i used to save my life...
Tempo...

HAVE FUN...
...JUST DONT DIE

[billvon 2,446]

>Don't PD Reserves have a built-in expiration? That is, don't they
> need to be retired after x repacks or deployments, even if they're in
> excellent shape?

No, just returned to the factory for inspection. I see this as a benefit - it's a good thing to know your reserve has 13, and not 60, repacks on it - or 3 vs 14 deployments.

[faulknerwn 37]

I prefer Tempo's myself. Being a CRWdog I've used mine quite a few times and I love how it lands. I've owned several Ravens which I've never figured out how to land well. I like PD's but they pack large and are much more expensive.

W

[MrHixxx 0]

I use PD reserves and recommend them for anyone doing high speed stuff(for a little added security). For folks doing CRW and belly flying only, I recommend the the Tempo, which is also a great reserve with a great price and they are wonderful to pack...

-Hixxx

death,as men call him, ends what they call men
-but beauty is more now than dying’s when

[PhreeZone 15]

PD is in my rig, but I'll jump a Tempo, Amigo, Raven or PD with no fear. The FlightConcepts stuff holds its own too, but if I was to get another canopy... its going to be PD. They are bombproof almost.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[nws01 0]

Quote

They are bombproof almost.

I wonder if we can get HooknSwoop to bomb one on his cutaway rig to see if it lasts?

[billvon 2,446]

>I use PD reserves and recommend them for anyone doing high
> speed stuff . . .

I agree, and would also recommend the Amigo to freeflyers. I saw the high speed tests and they were pretty impressive.

[TomAiello 25]

Quote

PD Reserves ... make nice BASE rigs afterward, though.

I know it was just an offhand comment, and I originally PM'd this to fred, then posted at his suggestion.

"Why would you use a retired canopy as your only life saving device?

BASE jumps should be made on real, purpose-built BASE gear. The criteria for which reserves (or any skydiving canopy) are built is different from the criteria for which BASE gear is built (for example, a 180 on a reserve ride is no big deal).

I sure wouldn't try to save a few bucks (by, say jumping a retired reserve canopy) when picking out equipment for a parachuting discipline which has little or no margin for error.

Retired reserves were retired for a reason. The do make good shade cloths, though. And I hear there's a company that makes clothes out of them, too.

I hate to make a big deal out of what was probably an off hand comment. But, I've seen way too many people get hurt, maimed and killed by taking the wrong gear into the BASE environment. And way too many expert skydivers think that automatically makes them BASE gurus too, and end up leading beginner skydivers into serious BASE mistakes.

Apologies for the lecture. Feel free to flame back at me. "

Oh, gosh. I'm becoming the BASE Nazi of DZ.com.

-- Tom Aiello

[email protected]
SnakeRiverBASE.com

[ernokaikkonen 0]

> I have had Tempo reserves in my last three rigs and see no
>reason whatsoever to replace them. They pack small, are well built,
> you don't hear about them blowing up, and they are reasonably
> priced.

...And, if it matters to anyone, PISA is the only parachute manufacturer to be ISO 9001 quality certified.(AFAIK)

Erno

[ernokaikkonen 0]

>Oh, gosh. I'm becoming the BASE Nazi of DZ.com.

I hereby name you DZcom Base Nazi #1.

Seriously, I think it's great to have you on the forums, there aren't too many basejumpers here handing out proper information on the discipline.

Erno

[fasterfaller 0]

I agree with TomAiello and his comments on using retired reserves as base canopies . It is a bad idea . If you are going to do base jumping use base specific gear .

[pchapman 262]

Two things people don't often seem to look at when choosing a reserve:

1) Certification speed.
Typical values for the max deployment speed are 130 or 150 kts depending on the standard the manufacturer used. It looks like only the older TSO-C23 / AS8015 standards allowed the 130 kts. Newer chutes should all be 150 kts minimum.

Eg: PD-126R: 150
Super Raven, Microraven: 130.
Amigo: 150
(I don't have numbers on the Raven-M, but I bet it's 150 since it's a relatively new design. Anyone got the numbers on the Tempo??)

2) Certification weight

The manufacturer may recommend certain weights based on ability to land the canopy reasonably well, but the actual certification weight may be higher.

One reason I like the PD-126 over the 113 is that from the PD-253 on downwards to the PD-126, the certification weight is 254 lb. For the PD-113 and 106, that weight was reduced to 220 lb. Who knows, both might be fine during tests at 254 lb due to similar construction, but I like the idea of having that extra bit of actual demonstrated strength.

Part of the reason jumpers don't look at this stuff much is that it can be hard to find on manufacturers' web sites, and is sometimes only found in owner's manuals or TSO placards.

For example, Precision's web site mentions the Absolute Max Load for the 120-M as 168 lb at sea level. It might be implied that this is not actually the certification limit, but if so, the certification limit isn't shown.

I'm not saying that designs without the highest values are in any way not safe; just that these are additional pieces of evidence about the product involved. (The only reserve ride I've had in 600 jumps was under my Phantom 24 a few weeks back after a CRW wrap...)

Peter Chapman
Toronto, Canada

[Spy38W 0]

Quote

Anyone got the numbers on the Tempo??)

Fisrt page of the owners manual for my Tempo says....

This parachute is approved under FAA TSO C-23c and although the FAA required placard states:
"CATEGORY B: This parachute is limited to use by persons up to 115kg (254 lb) fully equipped, and up to 150 knots"

2. To lower the risk of death, serious bodily injury, canopy damage and hard openings never exceed the following limitations:

MAX DEPLOYMENT SPEED 130 Knots
MAX GROSS WEIGHT (Jumper + Clothing + Equipment) -Blank- LBS

Then at the top of page 2, Specifications
SIZE - MAX SUS WEIGHT
120 132
150 165
170 200
210 223
250 250

--
Hook high, flare on time

[Jimbo 0]

Quote

For example, Precision's web site mentions the Absolute Max Load for the 120-M as 168 lb at sea level. It might be implied that this is not actually the certification limit, but if so, the certification limit isn't shown.

The certification weight limit is also covered in the TSO. I believe that TSO-23C is 254lbs and TSO-23D is 300. Search the site for reserve and tso - the information is out there.

-
Jim

"Like" - The modern day comma
Good bye, my friends. You are missed.