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Bodhisattva420

Anyone freeflying a Dolphin container?

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I just bought an older (supposedly a 2002) Dolphin container with velcro riser covers and a velcro reserve flap. After calling Altico about possibly having the container modified to make it freefly friendly, they said they would install tuck tabs for the riser covers and reserve flap for $260. This sounds like a great deal but some people at the DZ keep insisting that the Dolphin is not safe to freefly, even with modifications from the manufacturer. So . . . Anyone out there freeflying a Dolphin with tuck tabs?

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Why wouldn't you freefly with someone jumping a dolphin with tuck tabs? I haven't heard an actual reason from anyone as to why they wouldn't jump a dolphin with tucktabs besides the reserve flap having a dolphin stitched on it. If anyone could inform me why a dolphin with tuck tabs is not freefly friendly, or is different in any way from a javelin or a wings, please educate me. And yes, my container has bridle protection.

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If anyone could inform me why a dolphin with tuck tabs is not freefly friendly, or is different in any way from a javelin or a wings, please educate me. And yes, my container has bridle protection.



Thats a bit like saying ' a skodas just like a bmw'
they are both cars with 4 wheels....

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I think your analogy is poor considering the person who designed the Javelin also designed the Dolphin. You know, I bet you wouldn't even be able to tell the difference between a Dolphin and a Javelin if it weren't for the dolphin logo on the reserve flap. My rigger even packed it like a Javelin, probably out of habit.

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LMFAO

you're funny bro...if you know all this shit then what the fuck are you on dz.com asking questions for seriously...what are you trying to get the answer you want to hear???

dolphins fucking rock from coast to coast like butter and toast!!!

there you go fella.....make sure your handles, pins, bridle and risers are secure and get to jumping.....have someone you're
freeflying with check your gear....
if you want a friend feed any animal
Perry Farrell

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I just want a straight forward answer as to why people believe a Dolphin with tuck tabs isn't freefly friendly. Every argument I've heard at the DZ and on DZ.com has had to do with a logo, not with any specific aspect of the design. I'm still trying to decide whether or not I should spend the money to modify my container. The manufacturer has assured me that the container is safe to freefly with modifications, while my rigger and fellow jumpers insist that it isn't. If people were responding with posts about the design I would take their opinion into consideration when deciding what types of jumps I'm going to do. But I haven't received a single response, positive or negative, regarding the design of the container. So far the only responses I've received are, "A dolphin? I wouldn't jump that piece of shit. Throw it back in the ocean!" But hey your probably right. I just shouldn't listen to people if they don't give any reasons to support their opinions. Wait, I forgot, they did give a reason, it has a shitty logo.

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Hmm, exposed bridle from pin to PC pouch, flaps that come open easily because of inferior design, exposed risers, hmm can't think of any other reasons why you wouldn't want to freefly with it. Personally I wouldn't jump one, you can smack your gear on the door and have a premie too.

You don't want to risk a mal because of inferior gear, this game is dangerous enough already.
Life is ez
On the dz
Every jumper's dream
3 rigs and an airstream

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buddy of mine had a premie 3 wks ago, got lucky i was low man, watched him go form sit to saddle in 3 seconds, had bruises on his thighs for 2 weeks. if you are ever in skydive south florida ask Billy why he flies an icon, theres a reason peope say "catch and relesase"
Flock University FWC / ZFlock
B.A.S.E. 1580
Aussie BASE 121

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cmon dude...[:/] you really think some gay ass dolphin on a flap is the reason some people are telling you the thing is unsafe for freeflying...

pack a few rigs look at and examine some gear for your self notice the riser, pin, and bridle protection. look at the same things on your rig compare and then think about it ......

forget about the word freefly friendly for a minute and think about this....if altico can make your rig safer over all by installing tabs, embroidering a big cock and balls on the dolphin or whatever they're going to do.....then why the fuck didn't they just do it before they sold the rig to begin with

be safe out there, pay attention, and think about it

if you want a friend feed any animal
Perry Farrell

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There are actually 1 or 2 people at my dz that have a Dolphin and they say to other jumpers that they don't freefly due to the container design and potential premature openings. They tend to stick with RW and Hop n Pops.

Not trying to kill your buzz or anything but riggers at my dz agree and say not to freefly with dolphins either.....on a positive note you can focus a lot of your attention on canopy piloting and RW!
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well according to him altico told him they can make it freefly safe for 250 bones.....

dudes thinking hes gonna send them a piece of shit dolphin and miraculously get back a bullet proof rig for only 250.99 for a limited time only order today....

as seen on you tube...:S

if you want a friend feed any animal
Perry Farrell

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I just bought an older (supposedly a 2002) Dolphin container with velcro riser covers and a velcro reserve flap. After calling Altico about possibly having the container modified to make it freefly friendly, they said they would install tuck tabs for the riser covers and reserve flap for $260. This sounds like a great deal but some people at the DZ keep insisting that the Dolphin is not safe to freefly, even with modifications from the manufacturer. So . . . Anyone out there freeflying a Dolphin with tuck tabs?



I just bought a new dolphin container. The new ones come with the mods you are talking about. Tuck tab risers and bridle protection come on it.

I was also concerned because I am fix in to start free flying. I checked with my rigger and he says as long as the velcro is in good condition it is VERY safe for free flying.

Dolphin has stepped up their game and if someone won't jump with you because you don't have an expensive flashy rig, then you don't want to jump with those people anyway.

I haven't gotten any negative comments about my dolphin.
"Never grow a wishbone, where your backbone ought to be."

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My first rig was a dolphin. It was an air-worthy rig. Nothing special. No extras, no bells and whistles whatsoever. Lots of velcro, lots of exposed bridle. I was scared shitless of being in any orientation other than belly to earth in that rig. It was also quite uncomfortable. I did a horny gorilla in that rig ONCE and had the fear of a premie in the back of my mind the whole time.

If you added the tucktabs to the rig it would certainly be _better_ for freeflying, but still not _good_ for freeflying. As far as I know modified dolphins still have no secondary riser protection like most rigs on the market, the main pin protection would be like that of an older javelin which is not very impressive, especially in a sit. The reserve flap might be OK once modified.. But, one has to wonder-- what quality of materials is Altico going to use to modify your rig for only $250 dollars? Will the tabs have stiffeners that will hold, or ones that will warp and take shape after a few jumps?

After a while I got sick of jumping a rig that really limited what kinds of jumps I could safely try and bought a vector3. When I got the V3 I was amazed at the difference in quality between it and my old Dolphin. The two are incomparable. The good thing about the dolphin was that it got me in the air CHEAP when I got off student status, and it was perfectly fine for hop and pops and bellyflying-- which is really all that I (me, not anyone else) needed to be doing during that time anyway.

Maybe Altico could supply you with some pictures of modified Dolphins so that we all would have a better idea of how much and in what areas it is strengthened.

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I still have my dolphin that I learned to freefly with. It was the second container that I bought and I sent it to Mike at Altico to have the mods done to the container. I had the riser covers replaced with the tuck tabs, reserve cover replaced with the tuck tabs and the BOC replaced with a new one that had a bridle cover. I think I spent about $350 for the mods and it was like getting a near new container back. I was freeflying for over two and a half years and about 250 jumps with no problems flying head up, head down, back flying or tracking. I have since bought a Javelin container since I down sized and use my dolphin only for CRW now. Before I got the Javelin I didn't see the problem with the Dolphin and jumped with a few other people who had Dolphins and were good freeflyers. I can see a WORLD of difference between the two containers and not to say that I now feel unsafe to freefly the dolphin but I feel so much better about the Javelin. The advice that I can give is that you better fill up your dolphin with the reserve and the main canopy, you do not want any slack material. When I downsized my main canopy the main canopy tray was now loose and did not hold enough pressure on the bridle cover to hold in the bridle in a sit fly. I did one jump with the smaller main and a friend told me that my bridle was loose in the air behind me while I was sitflying, but it did not deploy. That was my last freefly jump with the dolphin and I bought the Javelin the following day. I did enjoy freeflying my dolphin and I learned a lot but I feel even better now know that it is only my CRW container. FYI, I had about 57 jumps when I bought the Dolphin so I can understand what the OP is thinking right now with his decision. Good luck with it and if you can't afford a higher end container then send the Dolphin back to Altico and get the mods done.

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I just want a straight forward answer



On a solo jump, jump out and then rollover on your back. Stay there a while and then roll forward into a sit... That flapping on the side of your head/helmet will be the risers...

Next, flip over into head down. That yanking you feel, which will probably make it hard to walk for a while, is your bridle/pilotchute deploying and the main is hot on it's heels.

Now, while you are on the ground wondering what went wrong dealing with whatever injuries you have, imagine two or three friends in the air with you that you easily could have taken out...

Is that straight forward enough for you?

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You also need a butt bungee on the leg straps.

Pm'ed you some info.

And in my other post I mention the Velcro on the main tuck flap.



First off neither one of you should even be thinking about free flying.... you need a lot more belly jumps and second of all you may just may be okay with a Dolphin but what everyone else is telling you is more probable ...... they are not the best choice for free flying. Strike that..... they are one of the worst choices. It has nothing to do with flash it has to do with protection. Make whatever choice you want to but I would not free fly with someone who was jumping a dolphin nor would I free fly with someone that has yours or the OP's jump numbers if they are accurate. I am not trying to be a dick here just being honest.
Life is all about ass....either you're kicking it, kissing it, working it off, or trying to get a piece of it.
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he says as long as the velcro is in good condition it is VERY safe for free flying.



Don't believe it!!



When I said that about the Velcro, I mention the Velcro holding the main pin cover. New dolphins have tuck tab risers.

I toggle hanging out is some scary shit.
"Never grow a wishbone, where your backbone ought to be."

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