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balloonZP vs. Atomex

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I'm getting ready to order a new GTI, first suit, and was wanting some feedback on the body material. Which one is more popular and why. I will be jumping year round and it gets damn cold in the winter...and equally as hot and humid in the summer. Also, how do you want the suit to fit (I'll ask Jari what he reccomends of course), if I wear a couple of layers in the winter will I still be comfortable or shoule I have it made a little loose for extra layers??? Thanks in advance!!!!
BSBD!

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Balloon ZP is the hot ticket nowadays and it is the only thing they sew SkyFlyers out of. My GTi is balloon ZP. As far as measurements: the key ones are the lengths. The whole suit must be very close to exact for you to be able to get it tight when you point your toes. Torso length might be ordered an inch long in your instance to make room for an added layer of clothes. Circumfrence of thighs and wrist would also be key; especially wrist. If you don't want your wrist zippers to creep up on you, then you will need to have sufficient room for a long-sleeve poly-pro top. My suit is too tight at the wrist to have an additional layer that goes down that far, so I would measure it a tad large at that point. get measured with your wrist mount on also! If you suit is fitted properly, the cuff of the suit will ride over the wrist strap of your alti 3-type altimeter. If it is too tight, your zipper will creep unless you put a snap on it as many people do. Zipper blowouts happen on occasion and they are generally caused by a suit being too tight (like jumping your buddy's suit, or an ill-fitting demo).
Jari just got back from Finland the other day (visiting friends and family), so call down to Deland and talk with him.
Chuck
My webpage HERE

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I think BallonZP is more popular because this is the one BirdMan recommend "for a more continuous wing" (or words to that effect). Some unscrupulous people I have jumped with speculate that it's a cheaper material and increases their margins :-P I have no idea if there is any truth in that!
My suit is the ZP but if I was to order another GTi I would be seriously tempted to get it in Atmotex. My suit is on the tight side (I don't know if it was measured wrong, if I've put on weight or whether they are cut for a tight fit) but some of my seams are showing signs of distress (no funny comments Fordy!). Because it's ripstop, the material hasn't torn, but it is 'stretched'. It's difficult to describe. I'll see if I can get a digital still of it to upload. Anyone seem something similar? The original Classic wingsuits were incredibly well-made and robust. The sheer number around and the condition they are in is testament to that. I'm not sure my suit will survive so well. The GTis I've seen made of Atmotex seem to have a similiar durability tot he original Classics. They are generally a lot tougher and hold up better to the abuse, which, to me, may outweigh the slight (anyone have any practical observations?) performance gained from having a suit made out of ZP.
Being ZP, the suit is a good windstop and since there isn't a lot of room in my suit I've tended to only wear a single layer of thermals underneath, and even during fairly cold British winter (albeit in a heated planes) this has been adequate.
My friends and I have noticed that the wrist measurement is quite tight on our suits and would add an inch to be more generous with that. I'd also take and inch of the arm length and add an in round the thighs but that just may be me :-)

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Yep Craig,
my front-of-leg wing seams where they attach to the legs look "stretched" when I am in the suit also. I don't think it's a big deal right now, but if it ever tears out it looks like it would be a complete pain to patch.
Also, you seconded all of my recommended measurement tips, so anyone out there considering the purchase of a suit please make sure you are wearing what you will skydive in when you are measured (especially on the alit-side wrist).
Chuck
My webpage HERE

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Thank you for your comments, I guess I should have stated this earlier but I forgot....is it safe to assume the ONLY material you would want the wings made out of is the B ZP??? That is what I was picturing, and with above comments, I guess for durability a Atomex body and ZP wings is what I'd want?? Anything further is very helpful!!!

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Just ordered an atmotex GTi with BalloonZP wings. BalloonZP is lighter and supposedly wears more easily. Living in the Northwest, where some skydives happen at well below freezing temperatures for much of the year, I went with the thicker Atmotex.
- Mac

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That is a very good point. I wear a wrist mount altimeter on my left hand. definitely get measured with the altimeter and whatever you think might be your thickest jump clothing on or you will pay the price with your arm zippers creeping up on you. I am going to put snaps on the wrists of my GTi to stop this from happening. It has never blown out or come unzipped that far, but still, it's disconcerting, so I am going to take preventative action. My SkyFlyer is sufficiently loose in the wrist over my strap that I don't worry about it.
I personally have never experienced zipper blow-out, but have witnessed it twice in one day at a boogie; one arm and one leg. As a result of watching it happen, I am very cognizant of how they are secured on every flight.
Chuck
My webpage HERE

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