bdrake529 0 #1 May 15, 2009 It's been a while since anyone's posted pictures of their new V3 (zing!), so rather than tack on to some long, forgotten thread... The fit is very snug, and at first, I was worried I wouldn't be able to wear it (since my right foot does not yet fully bend towards my shin - dorsi flexion). But I put my feet in first, zipped up the legs, and then was able to get my arms in (I usually don a suit the opposite order). The snug fit will probably be just perfect, as the material will stretch slightly and I'll have the right amount of tension. The construction and design of this suit is top notch. I can't wait to fly it (tomorrow, Insh'Allah)! You'll see from the pic, I'm as hardcore a PF supporter as anyone (got my PF color scheme shoes, wingsuit, BASE rig, camera helmet, sunglasses...). The wait WAS worth it. I'm a little confused by the cutaway system. I had a flash of deja-vu when I explained to my coworker the purpose of the cutaway system, then proceeded to demonstrate it with.... unsuccessful results (deja-vu because I never could get the Tony-Suit velcro down the arm system on my first-gen SM1 to work, and I embarrassed myself several times in similar, failed demonstrations). Not only was the cable a tough pull, but even with the cable out, my arms still couldn't reach up since the thumb loops don't come off with the cutaway. I was expecting a system like the Pro-Fly, where the thumb loop comes undone when the cable is pulled. Perhaps I can mod the loop myself to achieve this. I've never worried about arm cutaways before, but now that I'm taking this to the BASE environment, I'm a little overly cautious and this system doesn't completely convince me, yet. Anyway, I'll hopefully have some footage of it in flight (and maybe some GPS tracks) to share on Monday. Peace all, BrianBrian Drake Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bdrake529 0 #2 May 15, 2009 Anyone have any tips for packing/storing/transporting this suit? I'm specifically referring to the mylar in the legs. Is there an "approved" way to fold it so it doesn't break the mylar?Brian Drake Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tommyh 0 #3 May 16, 2009 Hey man, It sounds like you have the cutaway set up incorrectly. make sure you have the cable routed through the right channel. It's not the "loop" that sticks out past the suit, but the channel directly inferior to it. Sorry if that didn't make sense, but it sounds like you did the exact same thing that I did when I first set up my suit. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tr027 0 #4 May 16, 2009 For transporting the suit I ensure the arm sleeves and leg ribs are straight. Also it may help to have the velcro cover closed to prevent sticking to nearby fabrics."The evil of the world is made possible by nothing but the sanction you give it. " -John Galt from Atlas Shrugged, 1957 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zeemax 0 #5 May 16, 2009 Did you lube the cables up with a very small amount of silicone spray before lacing them in?Phoenix Fly - High performance wingsuits for skydiving and BASE Performance Designs - Simply brilliant canopies Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
baldas 0 #6 May 18, 2009 v3 gps track http://www.trackingderby.com/en/trace_view_5249_meters.php Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bdrake529 0 #7 May 18, 2009 The "hard" pull was with the lacing that came from the factory. After re-lacing myself, I found that a "down and out, then up", motion worked better than the "out and up" motion I tried first.Brian Drake Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mccordia 73 #8 May 18, 2009 Also note that the cables only have to be pulled out the first 2/3d to free the arms. The remaining laces/tabs keep the cables in, which saves looking for them after a cutaway (though in an actual situation where you need to use the cutaway, thats the least of your worries..)JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bdrake529 0 #9 May 18, 2009 Quotethough in an actual situation where you need to use the cutaway, thats the least of your worries.. Yeah, at a few hundred feet above the ground, I don't think I'll be aiming for 2/3 of a pull...Brian Drake Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mccordia 73 #10 May 18, 2009 QuoteQuotethough in an actual situation where you need to use the cutaway, thats the least of your worries.. Yeah, at a few hundred feet above the ground, I don't think I'll be aiming for 2/3 of a pull... Actually the opposite...it means you dont have to stress pulling them out fully. Just pull down and out untill you're at half an arm stretch, and then go for the risers and/or toggles..JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Butters 0 #11 July 30, 2009 Look what I got ... "That looks dangerous." Leopold Stotch Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lurch 0 #12 July 30, 2009 Drake, that is the most Ninja wingsuit I have ever seen. I can't actually see it. I can only infer your presence in the photo by eyeballs and a couple of stripes. Its addition by subtraction, like deleting a chunk of reality. The nothing left behind is something, itself. That suit is actually darker than black. In flight, you're going to be paradoxically extremely visible because the eye is drawn to the yawning empty black void surrounding you wherever you fly it. From now on, every photo with you in it is going to look photoshopped. Like the bugs bunny run-through-the-wall schtick, you'll leave behind a Drake-shaped hole in reality. That thing is so dark I bet its even got its own gravity field and probably runs on Antibatteries. Wicked. -BLive and learn... or die, and teach by example. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bodypilot1 0 #13 July 30, 2009 Quote Drake, that is the most Ninja wingsuit I have ever seen. I can't actually see it. I can only infer your presence in the photo by eyeballs and a couple of stripes. Its addition by subtraction, like deleting a chunk of reality. The nothing left behind is something, itself. That suit is actually darker than black. In flight, you're going to be paradoxically extremely visible because the eye is drawn to the yawning empty black void surrounding you wherever you fly it. From now on, every photo with you in it is going to look photoshopped. Like the bugs bunny run-through-the-wall schtick, you'll leave behind a Drake-shaped hole in reality. That thing is so dark I bet its even got its own gravity field and probably runs on Antibatteries. Wicked. -B Lurch, Put down the pipe, Buddy..... www.WestCoastWingsuits.com www.PrecisionSkydiving.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sdctlc 0 #14 July 30, 2009 I liked the photo that Drake put up! "He who Hesitates Shall Inherit the Earth!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bdrake529 0 #15 July 30, 2009 Hey, let's stay on topic here boys. Lookin' sharp Butters!Brian Drake Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sdctlc 0 #16 July 30, 2009 Quote Hey, let's stay on topic here boys. Lookin' sharp Butters! FINE....... nice suit Butters... "He who Hesitates Shall Inherit the Earth!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zeemax 0 #17 July 30, 2009 nice suit, but it's missing both confused workers, and a campos. Saying that, what's happened to him? Haven't seen him post in a very long time?Phoenix Fly - High performance wingsuits for skydiving and BASE Performance Designs - Simply brilliant canopies Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Butters 0 #18 July 30, 2009 QuoteHey, let's stay on topic here boys. Lookin' sharp Butters! Thanks. Have you put a few flights on yours? I'm always looking for tips and tricks ... PS: I guess that looking at my wingsuit is like staring at the sun while looking at your wingsuit is like staring at a black hole."That looks dangerous." Leopold Stotch Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Skwrl 56 #19 July 30, 2009 "It's like, how much more black could it be? And the answer is none. None more black..."Skwrl Productions - Wingsuit Photography Northeast Bird School - Chief Logistics Guy and Video Dork Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bdrake529 0 #20 July 30, 2009 QuoteThanks. Have you put a few flights on yours? I'm always looking for tips and tricks ... A few... http://www.vimeo.com/5455490 http://www.vimeo.com/5454846 I was a bit surprised how steep the learning curve was for me on this suit. While I'm very comfortable with it, I still haven't got it 100% nailed. Tips: Don't overtension the arm wing. Light grip on the grippers, yet keep them pulled out to shape the wing. Roll your shoulders and lead with your elbows (like the V2). Put some outward (wide) tension on your feet. That's what's working for me, but I'm still learning.Brian Drake Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lurch 0 #21 July 30, 2009 Aw come on, Ed, I even spelled "paradoxically" correctly, something half the population couldn't do without computer support. Besides, I was moved to wax lyrical by the sheer awesome deletedness of the suit. The void moved with it, like the Tiny Plaid Ninjas. Its like a portable hole, you can hang it on a wall and it becomes a Drake-shaped hole in the wall you can step through. I just sort of wonder, if you step through it, can you reach back through the wall and pull the suit through after you? Reminds me of a thermometer display at a bank I saw on a cold day once, it was so cold it read "-0" which I thought was awesome... it wasn't just zero, it was so fucking cold it was -Negative Zero-. Seriously Brian, its a sharp looking suit... hows it fly? Whats it roughly equivalent to performancewise? And do the grippers flap when you let go of em? -B Live and learn... or die, and teach by example. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Butters 0 #22 July 30, 2009 QuoteI was a bit surprised how steep the learning curve was for me on this suit. While I'm very comfortable with it, I still haven't got it 100% nailed. While I still need many more flights to really figure it out I already feel comfortable flying it and throwing it around the air. What do you think about the arm pressure? I can find more relaxing positions but when I'm trying to push the wingsuit I feel lots of pressure and am wondering if I have the wrong position. QuoteTips: Don't overtension the arm wing. Light grip on the grippers, yet keep them pulled out to shape the wing. Roll your shoulders and lead with your elbows (like the V2). Put some outward (wide) tension on your feet. That's what's working for me, but I'm still learning. I guess the reason the learning curve doesn't seem so steep to me is because these are things I did when flying my Phantom 2 and am continuing to do when flying my Vampire 3."That looks dangerous." Leopold Stotch Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bdrake529 0 #23 July 30, 2009 QuoteI guess the reason the learning curve doesn't seem so steep to me is because these are things I did when flying my Phantom 2 and am continuing to do when flying my Vampire 3. Fair enough. I was coming from the last 250 jumps on a SuperMach 1 and found the flying position different enough to give me some learning issues. Arm pressure hasn't been an issue for me. Perhaps someone better acquainted with the suit (I've only got around 50 flights on it) could answer this. Or you could just do some pushups...Brian Drake Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
arai 0 #24 July 30, 2009 haha you turn in the direction you twitch your moustache (1:46 in the first vid) QuoteQuoteThanks. Have you put a few flights on yours? I'm always looking for tips and tricks ... A few... http://www.vimeo.com/5455490 http://www.vimeo.com/5454846 I was a bit surprised how steep the learning curve was for me on this suit. While I'm very comfortable with it, I still haven't got it 100% nailed. Tips: Don't overtension the arm wing. Light grip on the grippers, yet keep them pulled out to shape the wing. Roll your shoulders and lead with your elbows (like the V2). Put some outward (wide) tension on your feet. That's what's working for me, but I'm still learning. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bdrake529 0 #25 July 30, 2009 Quotehaha you turn in the direction you twitch your moustache (1:46 in the first vid) Yeah, it's an advanced form of navigation that I was experimenting with.Brian Drake Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
