bliston

Case in point - just got a used reserve that came across the country with "okay" looking trapped and tacked brake lines. Can't unpick the stitching without tearing up the lines, so, I'm left with the call to make to pack it up, send it PD to fix (probably $50 with inspection and shipping) or find a master rigger to replace it. Looks airworthy, so I'll probablly pack it up, but the zig-zag stitches they used (NOT bartacks) are shorter than the PD factory ones... yeah, it's not load bearing on opening and, yeah, I'm probably too anal.... but come on. It's crappy that I'm stuck with even the smallest bit of doubt - that could have been avoided if someone just followed the instructions. It takes me less than five minutes to tie the knots to the proper lengths (so it's snug it the toggle grommet) and trap the line. I guess I'm just saying this: If you're a master rigger and have the right equipment, fine, tack away. But if you're newer to rigging and just have a household machine, take the couple extra minutes to tie the knot and same the next rigger the hassle... Ben Mass Defiance 4-wayFS website sticks!

looks strangley familiar. great minds.... Ben Mass Defiance 4-wayFS website sticks!

post it to prove it....

Speaking just for Vector's w/ skyhooks... There is a break (about and inch) in the housings on the right side of the yolk for the long cable. The yellow cable is threaded through a loop in the rsl that lines up with the gap. Basicly, with the skyhook, you have three components to that make up the lanyard assembly: the black webbing with velco that connects to the riser - this has an eye-let at the end (and this is what the yellow cable goes through), next you have a white piece of dacron that has the reserve pin at one end and is also connected to the eye-let, and lastly you have the red skyhook lanyard that loops throw the skyhook on one end and connects to the black RSL webbing (side by side w/ the "pin" lanyard) on the other. So, if the right riser breaks, as it pulls away, it'll extract the long yellow cable. If you're having a hard time picturing this, imagine hooking your finger under your main pc kill-line at the window. If the end that connects with your main was sewn down and the other end at the pilot chute wasn't actually connected to the top of the pc, you could see how yanking on it would pull the loose end of the kill line out of the bridle. This is basically what would happy with the long yellow cable. Pretty cool design - it also covers prevents the possibility of an entanglement if a jumper's cable's were the wrong length and he/she only pulled the cutaway handle enough to release the right side. Kinda hard to explain in words, but if you can find one to take a look at, it makes perfect sense. Hope the long winded post sheds some light on it for you. Ben Mass Defiance 4-wayFS website sticks!

ours don't look bad either.... Ben Mass Defiance 4-wayFS website sticks!

Nice eye on the bartack (or lack there of). I didn't catch it, but agree that something looks off now that you've pointed it out. I think that that's the only place the ring cover is attached to the harness, so it could hypothetically slide over the 3-ring assembly...yikes. Definately worth a look... Ben Mass Defiance 4-wayFS website sticks!

Both my rigs have skyhooks, and maybe I can shed a little personal experience on this one. I've had four rides, two skyhook saves and two non-rsl deployments on Javelins. My skyhook rides were both from spinning mals and my reserves deployed horizontally (as if I did a hop and pop). I was at lin stretch in about 20 feet, or less if you were measuring vertically. Until you've had one w/ a skyhook, you won't believe it. There is no way a pop top can compare to that. Just go find a local base jumper and ask them how drastic the distance is between a direct bag and using a pilot chute (consider, too, the acceleration away from a fixed object or your bad main that it takes to build up drag). Then add in the fact that for most mals, besides maybe a line-over, it's going to take the average jumper some time (maybe 100-200ft) to get stable and find there reserve handle... I trust myself to do everything right, and have proven myself by getting my reserve out fast after a having a bag lock in the basement. I say this because I'm not someone that relies ont an RSL out of fear that I might not handle myself under pressure. My understanding as a rigger and personal experiences has led me to jump only skyhook equiped vectors. They're built well, they're comfortable, and I think they're the safest rig money can buy. And yes, I've owned a racer, too. It was comfortable but given the choice, I'd jump/buy/pick a vector any day of the week. Mass Defiance 4-wayFS website sticks!

If he gets it packed according to his own country's regs, can't he just bring it over and jump? I remember seeing Aussies jump in the US on a 6th month cycle and with no lead seals. Visiting teams for example, don't need to have their gear repacked in by and FAA rigger before using it. Ben Mass Defiance 4-wayFS website sticks!

A wise man once told me to wear four. b/c: 1. You won't be able to reach the first one... 2. You'll be so ampted, you'll drop the second one... 3. You'll need the third to save your life... "why the fourth?" I asked... "dude, you gotta have a backup" was his reply To answer the original question, back of the legstrap is standard location for RWS, but if you get the one piece leg pad design (w/ or w/o hip rings) you can have the knife placed on the front rather than the back. Which might make sense for visability and I've found it less likely to get knocked loose from moving around the plane. Ben Mass Defiance 4-wayFS website sticks!

Is that for Nationals footage or for World Cup video? I know Fast Trax put together one for 2004 Nats, anybody know if they're doing something 2005, maybe earlier than for next year's comp.? Mass Defiance 4-wayFS website sticks!

Fast and interesting draw, 20-P-G-L for round 1 (funky and cheated randoms could make for quick builds) and 1-10-17 (many engineering options..) in round nine. O-C-15-M and A-Q-7-J (rounds 2 and 4) should be pretty zippy... wish my team was there... Ben Mass Defiance 4-wayFS website sticks!

yup, just got a similar one from "tuns". I hate these crap eaters. Ben Mass Defiance 4-wayFS website sticks!

just make sure booties aren't so tight that you can't pull you feet to your ass while your arms are all the way streched in front of you. This will limit how agressive you can move backwards. Ben Mass Defiance 4-wayFS website sticks!

Bring it! Mass Defiance 4-wayFS website sticks!

I see your point. Maybe you're right that it's hard to effect change. When it boils down to it, I think we're on the same page, the "quite bitchin' and just train/compete hard" page. The Beyer/Hamo vs. Mass Defiance example carries weight, but then again when is the last time that 2 player coaches were on the same team in Int. or Adv.? I just think that we can all use the reminder that it's important to voice concerns to the right people - so, write letters to USPA folk and keep doing it. Let em know if they want you vote for next year they had better at least voice your concern to the powers that be. Ben Mass Defiance 4-wayFS website sticks!

I had a sabre 135 in an NJ at one point, but it was a brick. Brutal to pack. Ben Mass Defiance 4-wayFS website sticks!

Relative Workshop's design hasn't been brought up yet? No ring, no slink, just a little elbow grease to get it in. I'm a big fan of them, not only for the elimination of the link, but there quality design and long life. With the pin off to the side (rather than in the middle of the bridle, main flaps also seem to lay flatter than with after market PCs. Ben Mass Defiance 4-wayFS website sticks!

are you saying that there really is no such thing as sandbaggers in Intermediate and Advanced (PC issue aside)? In otherwords, are you saying "Rules are rules, if you're eligible, jump where you want and do so without being held up to "politcal" standards? (I'm not judging here, just trying to better understand your point to foster debate). If that is your point its certainly a legitimate one. Its the conclusion I've reached with respect to Advanced. Having given up on the PC fight, I've adopted a more positive attitude. Bring your best and let me see if I can beat you. This year - it didn't finish exactly like I had in mind, but the two-season long race sure was fun and I made some great friends in the process. Steve GT That's exactly what I'm saying, if you're eligible, jump where you want. I think most people will move up after getting any medal and but I certainly won't think any less of teams that decide to stay back for a gold. I'd say to people that take issue with teams staying somewhere 'til they win, take your concerns to Mary Lou or your local USPA rep, not the members of the team. There will always be hypothetical exceptions to the rule. Taking top members of a few 2nd place teams over the last few years (pick a category), and putting them together just to kick the snot out of the rest of the field, yeah, I might not feel great about it - but even then, I'd keep my opinions to myself - the rules themselves should govern things, not an amalgomation of different people's ethical interpretations of "fair play." If you disagree with how things are, use your voice as a USPA member. Or just channel your bitterness to train you ass off, believing that no other team, PC or your defination of "sandbagger," will stand in your way. Ben edit to add: By the way, I have no problem with player coaches. Some people want to spend money to learn faster or simply can't find a fourth - go for it. There's something cool about "finding your own way" with three other people who are all part of the learning process, but I know I'm lucky to have found three other guys who all get along well (normal team yelling aside), each bring a valued skill set to the team, and have the same level of commitment and drive. Mass Defiance 4-wayFS website sticks!

Mass Defiance didn't even consider going open because: 1. We worked our butts off last year and went home with nothing (4th place). Talk about a crappy feeling... 2. No player coach 3. Only one guy had an advanced medal before (the rest of us never had a 4-way medal from any category from any Nats 4. Our video guy had 2 video jumps at the start of our season and about 175 jumps total. He's a frikken rock star and is also the most natural "in the formation" jumper I've ever seem - watch out! Lastly, we peaked at nationals - round 1 was by far the best 2 block and one random jump we've every done by 3 points! And, there's no way we would have even been where we were without getting pushed by other great advanced class teams, GT, Katalyst, and Gravity to name a few. Were we in the high 13 range at the beginning of August, and it took seeing what some other teams were doing to push us to the next level. I'll say it again, pressuring any team out of the glory of competeing for a medal is they're eligible for is a crappy thing to do. There's nothing like having a spot on the podium on the line, it's the best and most exciting part of competing. Sure going for an average is fun and all, but it's not the same. Anyone that's been under the pressure knows what I mean, and I hope that anybody that loves competing gets to be in that unique spot, where you really find out what your made of, sometime in your skydiving career. Ben ps. this isn't a pissy response to Ron, just our thought process (right or wrong!) to share with other people who might be in the same boat Mass Defiance 4-wayFS website sticks!

From personal experience, there will always be people that criticize success. The rules state, after you win you go up. People can bitch all they want, but until the rules change, I think people should compete where they are eligible. Sure if a team that gets silver or bronze decides to move up the next year, more power to them, but nobody should be talking shit if they say where they're eligible. Sure there are extreme cases where I'd say jumping in a lowere category is not in the spirit of competition(people that medal in advanced going down to win intermediate, for example), but for most cases, I'd stand by my words. I disagree with anyone who says, "medals don't mean anything." You'll never know what your team is really made of until you have a medal to win or lose on the line. To me, that's the most exciting part of it all. Ben Mass Defiance 4-wayFS website sticks!

no you ahhhhh Mass Defiance 4-wayFS website sticks!

We did camps about every other weekend for April May, then took June and July totally off (I was out of the country) and then we did a kick ass August of 14 total training days which entailed two five day camps and two 2-day camps with a few days off inbetween. We also did three tunnel camps total, one of which was in February. 300+ jumps with up to 17 a day. Ben Mass Defiance 4-wayFS website sticks!

Our team only trains from April on due to New England weather. Way more important than length of training year, in my mind, is length of camps. We amost exclusively had 3 and 4 day camps and even a few 5 day camps. You get so much more out of three day camp than just a weekend. String a five day camp together and I'll bet your team would see at least twice the improvements that you would by adding 4 two day camps over the course of a couple months. Live my the model: train smarter, not harder. Also drives me nuts to hear of teams that throw down the cash for 200 or 300 jumps but aren't willing to butch up for some good coaching. If two "equal" teams competed against each other, one doing 300 jumps on their own and one doing 150 w/ solid coaching, the coached team would spend less money, argue less, and go faster... just my two cents Ben Mass Defiance 4-wayFS website sticks!

My teammates and I have been really happy with the comfort in freefall and under canopy, craftsmanship, and durability of our Vector 3s. I've owned a wings as well, by the way. I preffer Vectors, but you should really jump (not just try on) both to get a feel for how their harness designs work with your body type. Here are some pics of my vectors... Ben Mass Defiance 4-wayFS website sticks!

their policy is 30 day money back guarantee (less shipping, of course). I've been using a houshold machine, but it doesn't handle e-thread that well (thread tension issues), doesn't have the power to get through multiple layers of cordura, webbing and binding tape, and doesn't do well with new z-p fabric. Thanks for your thoughts those about the reverse mechanism - I'll check into it. Ben Mass Defiance 4-wayFS website sticks!