General downsizing...

[ianmdrennan 2]

Ok Folks,

This comes from reading thread after thread about "gee I can't get good swoops from my X wing cause it's *only a 135*" etc.

For those of you who are serious about swooping, have you considered that once you feel that you've maxed out your performance on you X wing loaded at 1.3 that adding WEIGHT SLOWLY would be a better way to increase your speed rather than downsizing too soon?

I'd like to hear opinions from seasoned pro's on this as well. Should this be something that's encouraged rather than downsizing too soon, or do you feel it's just as dangerous?

Something to think about.

Blues,
Ian

Performance Designs Factory Team

[speedy 0]

Adding weight does start to put your bones and muscles under more pressure than they are used to. (i.e. just your body weight)

Just my 2 cents worth.

Dave

Fallschirmsport Marl

[Rdutch 0]

Its a lot cheaper for one, and it keeps you from buying a smaller canopy and then finding out your not ready for it (lots of sub 100 sq ft used canopies out there with only 10 jumps on them for sale). I think try adding weight is a good idea, especially if your not close to the optimal wing loading of the canopy your jumping. Just remember folks optimal is different with every canopy you jump, just because a Velocity likes to be loaded 2.1 doesn't mean your stilletto will.

Ray
Small and fast what every girl dreams of!

[marks 0]

i want to upsize my canopy, but the problem with that for me is i HATE wearing weights.

[ianmdrennan 2]

Quote

Adding weight does start to put your bones and muscles under more pressure than they are used to. (i.e. just your body weight)

I've been using a belly band ALL SEASON with 10 pounds for 500+ jumps. Had it been a vest my back would have been screwed, honestly I don't notice any physical difference at the end of the day with the lead belly.

Anyone had different experiences?

Blues,
Ian

Performance Designs Factory Team

[ianmdrennan 2]

Quote

Just remember folks optimal is different with every canopy you jump, just because a Velocity likes to be loaded 2.1 doesn't mean your stilletto will.

Good point to bring up.

Blues,
Ian

Performance Designs Factory Team

[SkymonkeyONE 3]

I would just like to say that in today's swoop meets you are not going to win jack shit under a 75 square foot canopy. A larger wing loaded to it's optimal wingload is a far more useful canopy, both in meets at that wingload and day to day at a far more manageable wingload. My 79 is too small a wing to be competitive these days and I would be much better off with an 84 and a 90; maybe even a 96 as the larger one for use in distance rounds. It's not that I am overloading the 79 by any means, just that it's the wrong tool for meets.

FWIW, Luis "Luigi" Cani now wears FIFTY pounds of lead in competition under a canopy a full twenty feet larger than his old competition wing.

Chuck

[melstarr 0]

Quote

FWIW, Luis "Luigi" Cani now wears FIFTY pounds of lead in competition under a canopy a full twenty feet larger than his old competition wing.

WHOA-Baby!! that's a serious Weight-Belt !!

to weight-belt-wearers... do you skydive with your weight-belt/vest or do you just wear it for hop-n-pops/competitions?

~ meL* Pink Mafia / Tunnel Mafia Sister

[ianmdrennan 2]

Quote

do you skydive with your weight-belt/vest or do you just wear it for hop-n-pops/competitions?

Me personally, I wear it every single skydive as I treat each jump as a swoop training jump. Most people don't though.

Blues Mel :)
Ian

Performance Designs Factory Team

[SkymonkeyONE 3]

Most people do not wear their belts for "fun" or "work" jumps, strictly training and competition. Personally, I don't wear any lead at all in meets due to my already high 2.23 wingload.

[RTB 0]

Quote

Quote

Adding weight does start to put your bones and muscles under more pressure than they are used to. (i.e. just your body weight)

I've been using a belly band ALL SEASON with 10 pounds for 500+ jumps. Had it been a vest my back would have been screwed, honestly I don't notice any physical difference at the end of the day with the lead belly.

Anyone had different experiences?

Blues,
Ian

I broke my fibula (or tibula?) wearing about 18 lbs.
It can have been the difference between wearing a cast or getting away with it. A lot of other things affected the situation though, like uneven surface, not holding me feet together etc.
I do usually wear the weight belt, even on hop and pops and otherwise for fall rate.

[Spizzzarko 0]

Ian,

I rarely wear weight because I'm a fat kid. I also thought of the performance gains of a few pounds of weight (IE less than 10 LBS) in RW was fairly mental. Although 10 lbs can be a rather different story under canopy. I did wear 8 lbs the other day on a camera jump, videoing another fat kid, and it plus camera gear plus tha giant sandwhich I had for lunch really made a difference in how the VELo performed. I would really recommend wearing weight instead of buying another canopy. Good point.

[DrewEckhardt 0]

Quote

For those of you who are serious about swooping, have you considered that once you feel that you've maxed out your performance on you X wing loaded at 1.3 that adding WEIGHT SLOWLY would be a better way to increase your speed rather than downsizing too soon?

I'd need 18 pounds of lead to equal the speed I get from the next stock canopy size and would have 10% more kinetic energy at the same speed.

The weight would get uncomfortable.

The extra kinetic energy may be a problem. Little guys seem to get hurt less than big guys when they do screw up at similar wing loadings.

[ianmdrennan 2]

Quote

It can have been the difference between wearing a cast or getting away with it.

Absolutely. However I'm trying to weigh the perceived alternative, downsizing. To use your example, if you had been under a smaller canopy without the weightbelt, do you think you'd have fared better (honest question here)?

Blues,
Ian

Performance Designs Factory Team

[RTB 0]

Well the situation was really turbulent and it was a straight in landing. My canopy just kind of stopped flying. It did not respond to flaring. A smaller canopy "might" have had more speed and therefore lift. But of course if you screw up under a smaller canopy you are in more trouble.
I think people should be careful with downsizing but if you are wearing 18lbs or more it will put extra stress on you body in a hard landing.

[towerrat 0]

Quote

I'd need 18 pounds of lead to equal the speed I get from the next stock canopy size and would have 10% more kinetic energy at the same speed.
------------------------------------------------------------

I think ( I could be mistaken) that is the point. You can up your wingload slowly without having to

A) buy a new parachute, and

B) take such a large step in wingload.

I think it would be safer to add a few pounds at a time than to jump 10 or 15 square feet all at once.

I also have seen some of the local swoopers here getting removable d-bag and pilot chute setups to reduce drag. Never jumped one but I hear there is an amazing improvement in performance.

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes!

• Quote

[LoudDan 0]

Is this because they think a 135 is big?? Big canopies can be swooped (I'll prove it to ya). For what it's worth, the path I was put on was slow, at times frustrating, but now my learning curve is on the rise.

A good question to ask yourself when your when considering downsizing: If I can't set up, and control my 135X the way I want / need to, how will I be able to control a sub 100X when the dive is steeper, the speed faster, and margin for error much smaller?

Just my two cents.

Coming soon to a bowl of Wheaties near you!!