ST0RMTROOP3R

20 hours ago, dudeman17 said:

Actually, if your profile is correct you shouldn't be concerning yourself with cameras or mounts at all. I believe 200 is the recommended number of jumps you should have before you start thinking about that.

Oh totally! I am just an avid researcher and like to know as much as possible before making a decision. I agree that waiting until I have the skills and knowledge before jumping a camera are more important! 

Thank you all for the replies. I think I will be able to deal with the lower angle for my first camera. Maybe once I get some more jumps under my belt I can add a top mount also. 

Anyone that has had any experience with this product have any positives or negatives about it? I have heard that the footage can be not as great compared to a top of the head mount? I have also heard the opposite. If anyone has some footage taken from this perspective I would love to see it! I like the idea of a chin mount compared to a top of the head style but I wanted to get some more input before I make a decision one way or another...Thank you for any info you can provide.

Epic! Thank you for sharing.

Just wanted to update this post to say I found a local jumper that had a Viso II+ for sale and jumped on it. It will do well for me as my first digital Altimeter. Maybe in the coming years if the FFDS DigiAlti becomes the "one to have" I can upgrade then but for now a tried and true L&B alti will be what I use. Thanks again for all the replies.

18 minutes ago, nwt said:

Just make sure you understand the packages though. You don't want to pay for a single video and then also pay for a package that includes the video you already bought. Brian and Laura were nice enough to give me a coupon code to rectify that because I asked, but I would have just bought the package from the start if I had known about it.

I just went with the $99 full package that you linked because it came with the one I was looking at and all the other great videos also! Can't wait to get home from work and download them all!

1 hour ago, nwt said:

I bought his "how to survive swooping" video and liked it so much that I bought his ultimate package with almost all his videos. I haven't gotten into this series yet but what I've seen so far has been excellent. For $100 I don't think you can go wrong: https://www.adventurewisdom.com/store/Ultimate-Video-Package-Download-Streaming-p63409589

Ok I figured this would be some good info. I am pretty sure I am going to purchase this one tonight and see how it goes. The reviews are great and I like his teaching style so if anything I am sure I will learn some good tips etc. Thanks for the reply!

Hello I have been watching Brian's YouTube videos and have been thinking about purchasing his video series that is pretty much a canopy course on the ground. Has anyone had any experience with it or any reason it would be good or not so good to get? Just FYI I am still very new with only 36 jumps and have yet to be able to take an actual canopy course.

Thanks in advance for any input!

Here is what the series is about for anyone that isn't familiar: 

19 hours ago, mbohu said:

From my own experience as a big flyer, I would add one more thing:
I would not overdo it with the "slowing down". The problem is, that if you get used to constantly flying near the minimum fall rate you are capable of, you will develop a style that you will later have to unlearn, because it is not the most efficient and flexible style of flying, especially if you get into more competitive formation skydiving, such as 4-way or 8-way. Now, some of that may be unavoidable, and there will probably be multiple times, when you have to unlearn some things and update your flying style.
Nevertheless I think it's best if you mostly try to fly somewhere near the middle of your range and, if anything, try to increase your range in BOTH directions--which, as others have pointed out, is best achieved in a tunnel: For example, if you are currently most comfortable flying at 74% speed in the tunnel, but can fly between 72% and 76%: Don't just try to get to 64%. Instead try to increase your range to be able to fly between 68% and 80%, etc.
That way, when you DO fly with really slow fallers, you can match them, but you'll be aware that you are flying on the low end of your speed--rather than just unconsciously adopting an extra-slow flying style.
Ultimately, in teams, the slower fallers will wear weights. The only way the faster fallers should probably adjust to the slower ones is by loosing weight! 
...but for beginners, wearing weights is not a good idea, because of canopy loading--so don't ask them to do it...yet!

Suits will definitely help. A little bit of extra fabric between the upper arms and body can greatly help. I got my first RW suit, by talking to Bev from BEV Suits, and 400 jumps later it still works great. tony suits is a bit more expensive and takes much longer to get, but everyone says they are absolutely excellent.

Anyway, just wanted to add that.

Thank you for that point of view. I agree that if I really want to "get good" I need to spend some time in the tunnel...now how to convince the wife to up my allowance haha J/K

I was wondering why most people that jump with a gopro have it mounted on the top of their helmet instead of a chin mount system such as a V-Mag style mount? Is it safer or just camera angle? Thanks in advance for any insight!

Hello I added my youtube link to my profile and it shows up when I look at my profile that I have youtube linked but when you click the link it just redirects you back to the profile page and not to the youtube link I have provided? Not sure if this is just not working correctly? Thought I would let you all know just in case.

Just tried it for instagram and the same issue...

6 hours ago, tstar said:

Storm - Thank you for that, sounds perfect for what I intend it for!! I'm planning on a KISS helmet to mount it in, I've read one negative experience with that combo. You have a G4 with no issues right??

Tim

Correct I have a Cookie G4 and it fits just fine!

If it hasn't been suggested before it would be great if we could get the VOG audible alti added to the Gear section? It is fantastic and I think a lot of people would agree and write reviews. 

Here is the site for it if you wanted to check it out: https://vog.ee/

Disregard this! I didn't look at the sticky post before writing this! Sorry....

Hello I was wondering what the process would be to get something added to the Gear section of the site? I have a VOG altimeter and there are a lot of people that love them and ask all the time about it but there isn't many places with good reviews so it would be great if we could get it added here possibly? If not no worries...Blue Skies.

1 hour ago, tstar said:

How accurate is the VOG? I have an Altitrack for gross altitude and logging but I would love an audible that is accurate for canopy landings at lower altitudes 1,000', 600', 300' etc...

Edit - Not for swooping...

Tim

I have stared at my Stella Analog alti for almost a whole skydive and the VOG was dead on the whole time! During landing patterns it makes it a no brainer what altitude I am at, it clearly says one thousand...six hundred etc. so I know exactly how high I am without having to take my eyes off the landing. I would recommend it to anyone...just an fyi it ships from overseas so it takes a bit to get to the US but they were quick to reply to my emails when I got worried it might not have made it to me. The picture is what the app looks like. You can choose what altitudes you want it to say. I just keep them all on.

P.S. I don't swoop either lol

3 minutes ago, sundevil777 said:

With a VOG audible, there is especially no reason to be looking at your visual alti while jumping with others. Your eyes should be able to confirm that your audible isn't crazy, even at break-off time, you don't need to look at your alti nearly as often as you likely are. It is a big time waster when you should be concentrating on flying with others.

Good point. I think really the only reason I want a good digital alti is to have it track my jumps so I can get more accurate exit height and free fall times in my log book. Right now I have a STELLA analog alti that works great it just doesn't do any of the fancy tracking that I wish I had. Some day the VOG is supposed to support it but not as of yet.

18 hours ago, BMAC615 said:

Watch Kinesthesia, The Art of Body Flight by Norman Kent and Guy Manos. It gives a progression of skills necessary to acquire before jumping with another new jumper. As mentioned by @wmw999, you can acquire these skills in a wind tunnel faster than you can making individual skydives.

Unlinked exits are particularly tricky and I recommend you exit as shown in the video, but, only AFTER going through the program with an experienced skydiver mentor/coach/instructor.

I love how this sport has some parts of it that just work! The fact this video is still 100% relevant today is great. I have added it to my favorites to keep reviewing later. Thank you for your response.

15 minutes ago, SpeakerMonkey said:

Why did you go with the VOG audible over others on the market? I'm looking to get an audible soon but am unsure which one to go with.

I loved the idea of the speaking audible. It has rave reviews from anyone that has tried it. There are a few people at Kpow that have them and when I asked they all said it was amazing to have the spoken altitudes in your ear. Most of them are wingsuit guys too so they have a ton of experience and figured I would go with it. It doesn't track your jumps yet but I figured that if I get a good digital alti then it will do that for me and the audible will do just what it is meant to...keep me aware of my altitude while I don't have my wrist in view. They are still continually working on updates for more features in the future. If you want to try mine out sometime I would be happy to let you. We can do a trade for a jump or two if you like? I can try your digital alti and you can try my VOG. I added you on insta so I will let you know next time I am headed to the DZ.

Thank you all for your replies. These were all pretty much exactly how my thought process was going. I will definitely look into a baggier suit and try to talk through who will be the base and all the other great tips that were posted above. 

Hello I am a newer skydiver with only 36 jumps...my exit weight is 200lbs and I fall pretty fast compared to most of the other people I jump with. The question I have is say we exit the aircraft with a dive exit (not linked) and are going to try to dock in the air. I have already fallen further than the other jumper but am doing my best to get big and slow my fall rate. Is it the job of the other jumper to get down to me or is there some skill I might not have yet that will help me get back up to the slower falling jumpers? When I jump with a coach or someone with quite a bit more skill we have no issue getting together and making the dock but with the other newer jumpers I am having a hell of a time making it happen. Any input would be great!

3 hours ago, SpeakerMonkey said:

If you're going for a digital altimeter I'd go with either the Dekunu One or the AON2 X2. You can also find them on ChutingStar. Skydive Vibes has a video comparing the two altimeters:

I have the Dekunu One SmartAlti. https://dekunu.tech/dekunu-one

It's more expensive than the altimeter you posted, but I think it's worth it. The display is great, it has a bar at the top that changes colors based on altitude. Plus the cloud features are fantastic, and the customer support is quick and responsive.

I can let you borrow it to test it out before you buy. Let me know next time you're going to Kpow.

Edit: This is Rob from Kpow by the way (blue G4 helmet).

 

That would be great! At least to take a look at it. I have heard mixed reviews on these altimeters because they are so new also. I would love to take a look if we can ever find each other haha. I have a lime green G4 with the blue tinted visor and STORMTROOPER on the side. Thanks for the input!

23 hours ago, sundevil777 said:

I like the supposedly tough glass and aluminum case, as the original version of the sonoalti felt cheaply designed and made.  I like the font shape, which is similar to the Neptune/Atlas, much better than the awful font of the Viso/Ares.

Expect low resale value.

My advice is to not increase your altitude awareness with lights on your visual altimeter.  If you really like the idea of lights, wouldn't one of the systems to have lights visible in the helmet be better?  Don't be the guy wasting precious freefall time looking at your fancy lightshow of a visual alti before breakoff. Consider what audible altimeter(s) would work to obtain the altitude awareness you seek.  There are lots of interesting audible products.

Some very good points. I didn't really think of it as almost a distraction. I already have a VOG audible alti that I LOVE. Thank you for your input!

Has anyone used the new Digialti from Freefall Data Systems? I am looking at it as my first digital alti and want to know if there are any positives or negatives I should know about before making my purchase. Any info or insight would be appreciated. ✌

Here is a link to the alti on chutingstar.com for reference: https://www.chutingstar.com/skydive/altimeters/digital-altimeters/digialti-digital-altimeter-led-lightbar