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packing_jarrett

returning wingsuit flyer

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Aloha. warning this post may sound a little ignorant. I've been out of the wingsuit loop for about a year and am wanting to hit it hard again in the upcoming months. I'm looking for a new wingsuit and am overwhelmed with all the new data, styles, manuf, models, etc. Its not like it was a couple years ago or even several months ago with all the new shtuff popping up.

My main focus would be just solo performance jumps but something that isn't so ridiculous that I couldn't flock with. My previous suit was an S-fly expert that I liked but it seems with the current trend that if you're not a complete bad ass then the s-fly just can't hold up.

I'm about 175 out the door and stand at a tall 5'9'' and don't need the "fatboy help" to stay up as i do have experience flying the wang suits (about 200 jumps)

I guess i'm looking forward to some links to some models that people are happy with and are reputable (not some shady or small manuf).

Thanks in advance, jarrett
Na' Cho' Cheese

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Or just get another S-Fly Expert. If you liked it, you're probably good enough in it to keep up with the Joneses (not to say you might just be bad-ass without knowing it.)

Or get a 2nd-hand S6 or Blade or something. If you can really fly that, you can keep up with most anything.

But the rigging on the PF suits, oh, the rigging .. :)

Johan.
I am. I think.

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If your looking for an easy suit to fly, with great performance the T-Bird from Tonysuits is it. It has more range than the Phantom 2 with the easy flying style and pull. Inflation on our suits is unmatched, and delivery times are VERY short. If your interested contact me for a Demo. The attached photo is of Dan Mayer flying his T-Bird. Maybe he will chime in on the performance difference between the Phantom 2 and T-Bird. He had a new Phantom 2 in may, flew the T-Bird and ordered one. He KILLS it in that suit. :-)

Justin
Wingsuit organizing, first flight courses and coaching
Flock University
Tonysuits

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He had a new Phantom 2 in may, flew the T-Bird and ordered one. He KILLS it in that suit.


I fetch some popcorn and beer and someone calls for Birdman representatives and the Frenchies to make the brand war perfect? ;)


For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong.

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Two observations. First, whoever took that picture must be an awesome guy, and no doubt great in the sack. (But not so good with the whole ISO setting thing - grainy picture is grainy.)

Second and less importantly, my recommendation to you would be to try as many demos from as many manufacturers as you can. There are a lot of great products out there these days, but the best suit you're going to find is the suit that's perfect for you and what you want to do with it. Otherwise, it's like saying, "I want to buy a car - which Honda should I get?" You'll likely be amazed at how many improvements some of the manufacturers have come up with since you were last flying wingsuits regularly.
Skwrl Productions - Wingsuit Photography

Northeast Bird School - Chief Logistics Guy and Video Dork

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At z flock 6 people who demo-ed the T bird ended up buying phantoms on the spot due to the bigger forward speed they experienced on that one. Less fabric more speed and lift was one heard phrase ;)
I also remember a certain backflying 5 way turned 4 way due to a mr J. Shorb going low trying to backfly his Tbird ;)

Killing the Phantom my ass hahaha:P

JC
FlyLikeBrick
I'm an Athlete?

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Nice picture btw.

A Tbird doing draggy floating, but lacking the forward drive to catch up:P
Exactly my impression of the suit;).

Killing it, bang, blamf, kazoom and stuff!!
Weeeeeeee......

See how much this sucks? Its possible to advertise a product without doing the hyped/empty non-objective comparison quotes naming of competitors models...;)

JC
FlyLikeBrick
I'm an Athlete?

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Inflation on our suits is unmatched, and delivery times are VERY short.



I have to agree. My R-Bird totally outperforms my Phantom2 at both end of the range. It was delivered so quickly that I can count the days on just one hand.

You should try you one.

Simon

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PF currently has 3 to 4 week delivery times on all models besides the V3.
Inflationwise all tonysuits recently made seem to share the same inletdesign Robert pioneered with the V3 and Phantom2z....again...unmatched my ass hehe...

Putting down the keyboard and handing the thread back over to the Tony marketing dept:P
Boogietime!

JC
FlyLikeBrick
I'm an Athlete?

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Definately look into getting a phantom2.
Performancewise its all you'll ever need, and more.
Front/Backfly inlets, quick rigging and production/fit from al Phoenix-Fly suits just rocks...



well looky who woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Dude I could care less what suit people buy. The point is BUY. The phantom 2 is a KICKASS suit. This is a fact. The tbird is too. (new improvments on the whole line since f&d) I mean come on in Tonysuits time that was fucking ages ago. Have made the suit MUCH faster.

Jarno, send him a suit. I will too. And he can judge it. And buy what he likes. IMO suit preference comes down to pilot skill and flying style. They are all really good suits now. (YOU LUCKY CONSUMERS:)
I will pass on the obligitory personal attack here. ;)

JSHO
Wingsuit organizing, first flight courses and coaching
Flock University
Tonysuits

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No wrong side of the bed here mr grumpy, just stating and showing it Is possible to praise your product striaght into heaven without doing the whole sad comparison thing..

You dont see me saying buy a phantom as its 10x the suit a Tbird is.
Just say 'buy my suit' and state its features and stats...
You're funny acting all hurt. Even though all I did was the exact thing you stated on the Phantom...

Objective comparisons are hard, if not impossible....so dont use em as marketing examples unless you want to hear the same things stated about your own stuffz;)

laterzzz

JC
FlyLikeBrick
I'm an Athlete?

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No hurt here buddy. I forgot the ever so important smiley face after that one. After all I'm typing this on my iPhone 3gs. Which btw is Soo totally better than your phone Jarno. But sometimes I forget the smileys. ;)

is the winky eye appropriate there?

JB|

Wingsuit organizing, first flight courses and coaching
Flock University
Tonysuits

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are you guys fuckin serious??
chill, we're talking about suids, not penis sizes
I think you two have a little crush on each other and need to come out of the closet...

Phantom2?? Tbird/Rbird??
naaah... there is one suit that beats all of them... Lurch's Hard Case :P:P:P

cmon, let's go easy on the pissing contest, otherwise we'll just scare people away from both manufacturers

demo demo demo! that's the way to go and the only proper way to choose!

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I will throw in my hopefully non-bias opinion. Currently I fly an S-6, but am looking at a Ghost 2.

As far as Tonysuits are concerned, they are effortless to fly, and the ergonomics are very well thought out. They are durable due to the use of Parapc. Inflation is very solid. Good manufacturer backing them up.

As far as Phoenix-Fly is concerned, they are very intuitive to fly, and their design is very well thought out. They feel very light in the air and the performance is very good. Inflation is solid, but not overdone. Good manufacturer backing them up.

As far as Bird-man is concerned, well the S-6 is the left overs of what Robi built so it is a good suit. It is mostly intuitive to fly. Feels light in the air and has very good forward speed. Slow flocking takes some practice, but can be done. Inflation is good, but no back-fly vents.


BIAS opinion - After demoing some Tony-suits and Phoenix-Fly suits I have decided I more completely align with Phoenix-fly suits. That is not to say I didn't like aspects of Tonysuits. However, I liked how the Ghost 2 felt. It felt lighter in the air and more connected to my entire body. I didn't prefer how the all Parapac felt as though it weighed me down. I prefer the level of inflation of the Phoenix-Fly suits as the Tonysuits seemed a bit much for me. While the Tonysuits were less work to fly, I don't mind having to put forth a little physical effort in order to better fit my flying style.

Ultimately do as others have said and demo as much as you can.

Good Luck
Sky Canyon Wingsuiters

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I also remember a certain backflying 5 way turned 4 way due to a mr J. Shorb going low trying to backfly his Tbird ;)



really, Jarno??? really??? of all possible arguments you could bring, you mention a failed BACKFLYING 5WAY???
you know as much as I do that it's a fuckin hard formation to accomplish, and let me remind you that there is video of YOU going low on your back as well, or Mike (wearing phantom) taking out Chuck on his back and other bloopers which all have NOTHING to do with the suit and everything to do with the flying...
Do you honestly think JSho would've been in his slot better in that particular moment in a Phantom2?
I seriously doubt it.
And he's one badass motherfucker when it comes to backflying. Shit happens when you try a back-5-way. It's not like we do that every day...
You couldn't have chosen a worse example to point out suit features.

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alright having flown both suits heres my attempt at a comparision.

Both suits are great suits, after flying both there are things about each that I like in their flying capabilities. Overal I like the tbird better, but I guess each to his own.

Personally I feel where the phantom is better is in acro. Because the inflation is a little looser its easier to shut down for really snappy barrel rolls (its not flappy, it just not as solid an airlock, which helps acro) I can bust out a super straight crisp barrel roll easier in the phantom.

Its still a great suit and there is no flock I couldn't keep up with in that suit, its also hella fun for twisting turning down the side of a puffy.

At breakoff (which is a funny name considering its usually when people actually get closer to fuckaround) I dont feel I get the same lift or drive from the phantom that I do with the tbird. I dont have gps numbers, just have been busting past good flyers more often in the tbird than I did with the phantom. (I do know I get slower downward speeds in the tbird, and yeah here goes the 'thats cause its a draggy mattress blah blah, but I'm hitting those numbers while passing flyers maxed out in the air, so to me it feels like it has plenty of forward speed)

For the tbird, it feels like a lighter wing (maybe due to the stronger airlock?) and settles really stable into a flock.

Theres a few ease of use features I really like, like the time to put on a rig, and long booty zippers. and the beer stash pouch/zippers.

For flying when 5 grand comes around and everyone goes to smack around purple mike before proving what a ninja they are, I feel I get an easier time busting it out in the tbird.

In the end each to his own, I'd reccomend flying the suits. Personally I felt like the tbird was a kind of phantom + 1 which was a great balance in what I was looking for. Its super easy to flock or puffy surf with, but at breakoff I can laugh a little harder when I fly past other people bustin it out. I'm tall and skinny so I could flock in an acro, its the end of the flock max flight that I'm loving in the tbird (phew, now that internet text has proven my in the air badass ninja skills we can move on)

I still throw on the phantom and bust it out, but with the whole super precise formation flying we do if you want to be on the records, you kind of have to find one suit you like the best and get good at it, for me thats the tbird.

take it how you will

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Nice picture btw.

A Tbird doing draggy floating, but lacking the forward drive to catch up.



In fairness to Dan (the wingsuit pilot in the picture), that picture was taken moments after exit, when Dan was the second to last out of the plane (not including me - I was on camera step). It was a loooooooooong separation, since people weren't exactly too fast getting out the door. I think it was about 18 seconds from first floater off to Dan; I could check the video to confirm (but I won't because I'm lazy and really don't care).

For what it's worth, Dan caught up with that formation very, very fast.

Now, with that background, you whiny bitches can snipe back and forth as to whether that's because of the suit, or that Dan is a kick ass pilot, or some combo plate. ;) But you can't really assume anything about the suit's performance just from that one photo...
Skwrl Productions - Wingsuit Photography

Northeast Bird School - Chief Logistics Guy and Video Dork

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