bliston

another option is to buy an old rig, fill it with foam and weight, and then seal it up through the main and reserve grommets using dacron and fat knots. Safe, easy, and relatively cheap. Mass Defiance 4-wayFS website sticks!

Looking forward to these! I hope you guys can do segments on each of the major manufactures like you did a couple of years ago. Thanks in advance for the efforts. Ben Mass Defiance 4-wayFS website sticks!

I (and some of my teammates) switched to Argus units and have been really happy with them. Batteries are easy to find and cheap to replace, waterproof, they pack up very nice in the reserve tray, user friendly interface.... I have zero complaints. Ben Mass Defiance 4-wayFS website sticks!

Does anyone know if the retro fit kit requires a master rigger (I'm assuming to install a second grommet on flap 1 and doing the sewing on the RSL lanyard)? Or does the kit stage the reserve in a different way or using only the existing grommets? I'd call them but figure they're swamped with communication and thought someone here might know. Thanks, Ben Mass Defiance 4-wayFS website sticks!

There seems to be a misconception about line dump. If I understand it correctly, actually line-dump is when the canopy starts to inflate (it literally needs to be out of the bag) before the lines are at full extension. This causes a brutally hard opening. As long a a bag has locking stows or the equivalent to keep the canopy in the bag until there is tension on the lines, that won't happen. The lazy bag (the one with the thick spectra or dacron "prongs" that go through grommets and then back in to "slots" on the bag) should theoretically take care of this. The other bag from one of the links that is just held closed with magnets makes me a bit more nervous than the one with the cord closure system that is tucked through grommets. It's not much different that a reserve free-bag (most designs anyone) which has two locking stows (made out of one safety stow) and then the rest of the line free stowed in a velcro pouch. Ben Mass Defiance 4-wayFS website sticks!

Funny that you posted this today - I just took this one out of service yeseterday... The first bent pin I've seen in years. Mass Defiance 4-wayFS website sticks!

The LSZ-1 also comes tapped for binders. I bought a swing away 3/4" binder that is awesome, I'd recommend springing for one if you go with the sailrite. Even with multiple layers is binds cleanly with even stitch length. I've made backpacks, gear bags, packing mats, weight belts, etc. with it and they come out nice. Ben Mass Defiance 4-wayFS website sticks!

I've had it for 3 years, I think the warranty is a year, but I've never had a problem with it. After hundreds of hours of use, I haven't even had to adjust the timing. Give them a call if you have some questions, they're good on the phone. Ben Mass Defiance 4-wayFS website sticks!

I've used a Sailrite LSZ-1 for years. It's been awesome... It's industrial strength, has a walking foot, it's portable, powerful and does very clean work. It's also designed to be used with 69 and larger threads. I think their website is www.sailrite.com I still use an old singer strait stitch for canopy work because the strait stitch is a little bit cleaner, but for everything else (including linesets, since I don't have a bartack machine) I use the Sailrite. Ben Mass Defiance 4-wayFS website sticks!

I've found that a near perfect meassure of fit is to lie flat on your belly on the floor, stretch your arms out at full extention above your head and stretch your legs out and point your toes. If you are just able to get your toes to full extension - without restriction and without extra fabric left over - they're perfect. Most people have booties that are too tight (toes at 90 degrees or so) and they're unable to effectively move backwards. Ben Mass Defiance 4-wayFS website sticks!

I respectfully disagree. Some of my teammates have Optimum 143s packed up in V306 Microns (which are sized for PD113 reserves). In fact I packed one of them a month or two ago and didn't have any problem bagging it or closing the container. I really think that it should be fine. In this pic, one of the V306s w/ an Optimum 143 is the video guy and the other is the guy in the bottom right of the formation. Ben Mass Defiance 4-wayFS website sticks!

Meet was a huge success! 12 teams competed 10 rounds each... more news, photos, and hopefully video on the event to follow on the NSL website, PD blog, etc. Here are scores from the top three teams in each division: Open/AAA: 1. MD Fooza - 26.1 average 2. Centerline XP - 20.8 average 3. Ranch Fallout - 19.1 average Intermediate/AA: 1. West Point Autobots - 21.7 average 2. Ranch Vortex - 18.6 average 3. West Point Globetrotters - 17.4 average Thanks everyone for their participation. Thanks to Jim Rees, Brian Stephens, Rodney Cruce, and Brian Smith for judging and Sara LaWare for coordinating all the on site meet logistics. Thanks to SkyVenture NH for providing discounted time for the event and "prize-time," t-shirts, and DVDs for all the teams. And a huge thanks to PD, UPT, Ouragan Suits, and Bonehead Composites for supporting the event and donating prizes. Please email tunnelmeet08@gmail.com with your contact info if you'd like to be on the mailing list for info about the future 4-way events (tunnel and freefall) in New England. Ben Mass Defiance 4-wayFS website sticks!

The official registration deadline has now passed. Contact me to inquire about space if you get a last minute team together. We have 12 teams (48 competitors!) registered with folks from CT, NY, MA, NH, ME, and FL coming out for the meet. Many thanks to Performance Designs, United Parachute Technologies, and Bonehead Composites for supporting the event. For anyone interested in coming to check things out, official practice time will begin at 12:50PM, the 10 meet rounds will be flown between 2:30PM - 7:40PM, and a brief awards ceremony will happen at 8:30PM (or earlier if the judges finish up quickly). Spectators are more than welcome. I'll post results here after the meet and the NSL news will have additional info and video after the event. Blues, Ben Mass Defiance 4-wayFS website sticks!

I've got about a 1000 jumps and 100 hours of tunnel time with a Mamba, and have no complaints. The chin-strap closure system is bomber, the flip up lens is easy to operate and secure, it's lighter weight than other full-face helmets I have used (because of the carbon fiber), and the liner system, which is bake-able and comes with extra shim inserts, makes it easy to get a perfect custom fit regardless of the shape of your head. Sorry for the run-on sentence. My teammates have all been equally happy with the helmets. Ben Mass Defiance 4-wayFS website sticks!

Eleven full teams are registered so far, with one other looking for a 4th. There will be teams from New York, New Jersey, Conn., Mass., and Maine attending the event, as well as a couple folks from Florida. Spectators are more than welcome to come out and see the action. If you are a team or individual interested in participating, please remember that the Dec. 5th deadline is coming up. Thanks, Ben Mass Defiance 4-wayFS website sticks!

We currently have eleven 4-way teams registered for the event (with a 12th looking for a 4th member)... Eight AA/Intermediate teams and three AAA/Open teams. If you have a team or are an individual looking to participate please get in touch ASAP, the Dec. 5 deadline is coming up. Spectators are more than welcome. While the volunteer staff and judges are pretty organized at this point, one or two more bodies wouldn't hurt. Drop me an email or a PM if you'd like to help out. Thanks, Ben Mass Defiance 4-wayFS website sticks!

I charge by size for reserve repacks in central america: Q300 - if 150 square feet or less Q350 - if 150- 210 square feet Q400 - if over 210 square feet Q450 - Tandem At 7.5Q to the dollar that's $60 for a tandem - used to charge $50 for a sport rig and $70 for a tandem in the states. With the total time difference between inspecting and packing a sub 150 reserve and a tandem reserve the tandem rig owners are getting off easy. Ben Mass Defiance 4-wayFS website sticks!

The Dolphin manual does give a clear indication of how the long cutaway cable housing should be routed (the wearer's left). Should it be routed to the outside or inside? If to the inside, does it get routed under the interior harness webbing or just under the reserve risers? I'll call them on Monday, but if anyone knows and can post back today or tomorrow it would help me out. Thanks, Ben Mass Defiance 4-wayFS website sticks!

It looks we may have more teams interested in participating than I originally anticipated. If you are in the process of getting a team together or have your line-up sorted out - please contact me ASAP. I want everyone who'd like to participate be able to, but I may have to cap it at 14 teams because of tunnel time availability. If it comes down to it, teams will be registered on a first come first serve basis. Email tunnelmeet08@gmail.com with the team members, your team name, and the division you'll like to register for. Thanks, Ben Mass Defiance 4-wayFS website sticks!

I'll clear up the confusion - there are potentially two things going on over the same weekend. There is a NSL style tunnel meet going on from 1PM - 8PM on Dec. 13, and the opportunity to schedule additional time to work with coaches in the morning - at least one private "camp" will be happening Saturday morning. There also may be a separate Canadian organized camp going on that weekend. I hope that the events can have some overlap, it would be great to have some Canadian teams participate in the 4-way Comp as well. More details about the meet and the cost are listed in a separate post. Ben Mass Defiance 4-wayFS website sticks!

There's going to be a 10-round 4-way FS meet at SkyVenture New Hampshire on Dec. 13. It's going to be run like an NSL meet (run by volunteers), and there's no cost to any participants besides the tunnel time. Here's a link to the thread in the wind tunnel forum SkyVenture NH 4-way Meet details Mass Defiance 4-wayFS website sticks!

Ben Liston and Skyventure New Hampshire will be hosting a 10-round 4-way formation skydiving tunnel competition on December 13, 2008. Our goal is to have a fun meet and give 4-way junkies in the North East something to hold them over until the snow melts - teams from other parts of the country and Canada are of course encouraged to come out for the event as well. There will not be any cash purses, but prizes will likely include tunnel time and donated prizes from manufactures. The event will be preceded by a FS skills camp for individuals or teams who want to improve their skills. Warm-up flights (which are included in the registration fee) will begin at 1:00PM and the awards ceremony will be completed by 9:00PM. Nationally rated judges will score each round based on the tunnel video. Teams will be required to pre-register by email by Dec. 5. The registration fee, which can be paid on site, will be $140 per team (just $35/person), and will include 2 minutes of warm-up time. Teams should try to arrive by 12:00PM to fill out waivers, pay, and prep their warm-up time. The meet will be modeled in NSL fashion and have two divisions of 4-way: The open/AAA division will use a modified dive pool for the meet (all random formation plus blocks 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, 14, 15, and 17) and the Intermediate/AA division will consist of random formations and blocks 7, 9, and 14. Both classes will complete 10 rounds. Practice time will be flown before the competition briefing between 1:00 - 1:30PM. The meet briefing will happen at 1:45, teams will have the draw by 2:00, and round 1 will begin at 3PM. Registered teams will be able to purchase training time from Friday December 5th through Friday December 12th at a discounted rate of $360 per half hour. Following is an overview of the format, specific questions and more detailed information will be provided during the competition briefing. Up to three teams will enter the tunnel chamber at the same time and each team will complete two rounds during the tunnel session. Airspeed will be adjusted and recorded during the team's practice time and adjusted before each team enters the air column and their time begins. Teams will be given one minute to complete 35 seconds of working time. Intermediate/ AA teams will begin from a star (which will only be the starting position and not repeated during the course of the dive) with time starting once the first grip is broken. Open class/AAA teams will have the option of launching from a standing position on the net or have two team members enter from the door (time starting when the first person crosses the plane of the door, or when the first person's feet leave the net). Teams will have about 50 minutes between each of the five competition flight sessions. To register for the meet, all you need to do is email Ben Liston at tunnelmeet08@gmail.com by December 5 with the full names of all four team members, your team name, and the division you'd like to be in. If your team needs an additional member or two, or you are an individual looking for a team, contact us and we'll do what we can to connect you with folks (some information about your or your team's skill level would be helpful). Members of Mass Defiance may be able to fill out teams who are short a person. We look forward to your participation! Please contact us a tunnelmeet08@gmail.com if you have any questions about the event. Mass Defiance 4-wayFS website sticks!

I'm organizing the event with SkyVenture New Hampshire, and will post the more specific details within the next day or two. It's a 4-way FS event with "intermediate" (randoms and solo flying blocks only) and "open" (randoms and about 8 blocks) divisions. Registration is $140 per team (just $35/person) and includes 10 rounds and 2 minutes of warm up time. The meet briefing will begin at 1PM on Dec. 13th and awards will be done by 9PM. There won't be any cash purses - just a low cost, good times, and whatever donations come our way from industry manufactures. Thanks, Ben Mass Defiance 4-wayFS website sticks!

I have an Optimum 113 in a V304, which I'm almost positive has the same size reserve container and freebag as a V303. Mine packs up really nice, even easier than a PR-113 in a V306. You should be fine... Have a good one, Ben Mass Defiance 4-wayFS website sticks!

Spoke to PD, they recommended (after being sure that all their other packing guidelines like PC type, line stows were met and trim was checked) to move to a 26"x31" slider - original size was 19x31 and they changed to 23x31 in later models. I imagine that keeping the span dimension consistent prevents harder openings with a bigger slider - if the canopy was allowed to expand laterally right out of the bag with the slider up, it would make sense that the nose of more cells would be exposed and inflation would speed up. While I made a handful of them years ago, I'm going to hold of on making one for this guy in light of Mel's reminder that it's an alteration (and there's no Master rigger in country to sign off on it). Mass Defiance 4-wayFS website sticks!