propilot

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Posts posted by propilot

  1. Well. Norway was on the list because I want to get into Base and Base Wingsuit. Seems like the place to be for that.

    However, I think if I am going to relocate to a non english speaking country, I would want to learn the language and since that requires a lot of time and energy, it would have to be a language that is valuable on a wider scale (Spanish, German, Mandarin, etc). I think the Scandinavian countries are out.

    Switzerland is awesome, but jebus after two months there I never did get used to the costs. If I could offset that with working jumps it would be tolerable. I wouldn't need to do them to survive, just to feel better about my 5 dollar coffee.

    My french is at the beginner level, so at least I wouldn't be starting from scratch (not far from it though!)

    Where is the best place to fun jump in Switzerland?

  2. I visited Switzerland for 2 months last Fall. I loved it! I am big in to skiing and mountaineering ...felt like home.


    My only concern about Switzerland is $. I traveled as cheaply as possible there and I felt like I got raped. I didn't know the meaning of expensive until I saw how much a medium drip coffee costs at a McDonalds in Geneva. I think it was like 4.75? USD. Jesus.

    I do not have a right to work in the EU. However some of the people I met were from Latvia and had no trouble finding work. Could I work as a skydiver there?

    I make ok money but I think I might need to supplement if I were to try and live there.

    Jump tickets there are like 40-50 USD!

  3. Hello all,

    I do contract work and can live anywhere and want to relocate. I am trying to decide where to move to. I am a US Citizen and I speak English (no other languages..well un petite francais but not conversant).

    I do want to learn a new language but on the other hand definitely think moving to an English speaking country would help me assimilate much faster.

    I'm looking for somewhere with reasonable jump prices (about 30 USD or less).

    I am currently considering Norway, Sweden, Germany, Australia, and Spain.

    Australia seems to be the current front runner, but really I am just at the beginning stages of this.

    I will be moving on October 3rd. This makes me think perhaps I should rule out the European countries since it will be winter there.

    The most important thing to me is the people..the more welcoming the better! Second is DZ facilities/atmosphere.

    So, with that information, anyone got comments, suggestions, ideas?

    Would anyone here from Australia like to comment on the jump scene there or recommend specific drop zones? Is there much base jumping in Australia?

    Thanks for reading! ;]

  4. On the off chance anyone cares..

    I ended up ordering a Freak N Suits FF suit. I have one of their camera suits and a seamstress friend was amazed at the strong construction.

    Its not a Sonic V3 but it should work for me for quite some time.

  5. Im looking for any information about the skydive scene in Lake Tahoe. I've looked through the old threads and searched google and it seems as if, currently, there is no Dropzone in lake Tahoe. I think the old one got kicked off the airport?

    If your a local skydiver and could fill me in please PM me. Send your phone number if you don't mind chatting. Also if anyone could point me to some contact info for the former DZO that would be great.

    Thanks!

    Allen

  6. Just want to say I got my suit and its great. Very well put together. Not as technical as some of the more expensive suits out there but for a basic suit for a good price that is well built I think you cant go wrong.

    ;]

  7. Quote

    Quote

    What is the problem with buying a top of the line jumpsuit if you can afford it?



    Because the people building "top of the line" jump suits

    1) Aren't familiar with the average fall rate at your home dropzone where a suit built for that neutral speed will leave more range for movement.

    2) Aren't the ones measuring you which makes time consuming finger pointing probable if anything is wrong.

    3) Will have a longer delivery time from their backlog.

    4) Will charge you much more to cover overhead and because they can.

    Quote


    I am in a similar boat. Why should I pay 200 dollars for a used jumpsuit that someone has farted in for 2 years, that doesn't quite fit me, and that I will want to replace soon anyway.



    There's no reason to do that either.

    I paid $250 for my last brand new jumpsuit in 2005 made to measure with the stripes sewn in as panels instead of done as apliques which also offsets the seams so they're not on top where your rig hangs.

    That one came from a local rigger with suit making experience and abilities just like the two before it.





    Well I would say you are probably on to something. Not everyone has someone local that will do it though.

  9. What is the problem with buying a top of the line jumpsuit if you can afford it? Its not like we are talking canopies here. A 600 dollar jumpsuit isnt going to hurt.

    I am in a similar boat. Why should I pay 200 dollars for a used jumpsuit that someone has farted in for 2 years, that doesn't quite fit me, and that I will want to replace soon anyway.

    Id rather pay twice as much and not waste 200 dollars. Get something that fits. Has stretchy areas for increased range of motion (not common on even slightly older used suits), and that I will use for a long time to come.

    This isnt like reccomending a new rider buy a less powerful sportbike because 20K ducati will hurt him. Its a suit.

  11. Quote

    Quote

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    Yea, the cookie helmet I have has both (chin cup and a under chin strap).



    Both? So how does the cutaway work?
    ]


    Both chin cup strap and buckle strap are on the same attachment point, the cutaway releases that point.



    That.

    Actually the helmet didn't come with a cutaway system (retarded if you ask me, 400 dollars for a camera helmet with no cutaway). But I am planning on rigging one up before I jump it and it does have a single attachment point, so shouldnt be too hard to do.


    Sounds like I'll be getting a FTP. Was trying to make sure I wasnt spending more than I have to.


    Thanks guys

  12. Yea, the cookie helmet I have has both (chin cup and a under chin strap). I bought it after loosing the similarly designed bonehead camera helmet that only had a chin cup...which during a stand, slipped off my chin (towards my nose) followed rapidly by the helmet disappearing completely from my head like magic. One of two very expensive skydives I've made. Luckily I had taken the video camera off just before, so I only lost the helmet and hypeye.


    Anyway.

    So, chincup vs solid chin. Yay? Nay? Any stability issues?

  13. I'm planning on flying a DSLR with 10-22MM canon EF lens + sony CX150. Eventually, in the future, I want to be able to use my 580EX in freefall as well.

    I already own a previous version of the cookie MXV cam helmet that I paid way too much for.

    I was thinking about getting a Wes Pro but am wondering if I really need it at this stage.

    What are your thoughts about the stability of a chinstrap based helmet vs a solid chin such as the wes pro considering a DSLR + 10-22 + sony video?

    Need some help deciding if I should drop the 750 on the wes. Keep in mind if I use the Cookie that I already have for a camera helmet I would need to get another helmet for general use.

    I was thinking of using the cookie for now and upgrading when I can tell for myself that I need to. The problem with this strategy is that by the time I mod out the cookie with an articulated post, and plates, etc, I'm spending a lot of money to cut up a helmet that I will eventually rip off all that stuff from and put on a wes pro. In the mean time I will need to purchase yet another helmet to fly with when I dont want to fly with a camera. Ending up spending even more money in the long run (3 helemts) plus having a cut up cookie helmet that I paid 400 bucks for just sitting there (once I migrate to the wes pro).

    In the past ive always regretted not just getting what I want from the start. It always seems to cost more in the end.

    Then again. I see many many tandem camera guys with nothing but chin strap based helmets.

    I dont have a home DZ so...im asking here.


    Thoughts?

  15. I'm a lowtime jumper planning on eventually doing mostly tandem videos and freeflying. I want to also get some basic RW skills to round out my flying ability. I don't want to buy a 3rd suit (Camera, FF, RW).

    Is there any problem with using a freefly suit with flat grippers on RW jumps?

    I got on a load recently with just a regular FF suit and people freaked that I didn't have any grippers. At my older small dropzone no one cared but at the turbine DZ it was like I slapped them in the face. They couldn't believe I would get on a RW load without an RW jumpsuit.

    I'm in the market for a new FF suit and am wondering if having flat grippers would be good enough for most people.

    I plan on working on just freefly and camera for a good while but want to eventually get some 4 way belly experience just to be more well rounded. Will a freefly suit with flat grippers be ok for this?


    Thanks

  17. So I have a Sabre 2 150 loaded at 1.33

    I had my brake lines lengthened as long as advisable (I can get the canopy to stall if I pull toggles down as far as possible).

    Problem is I can only pull front risers down about 1 inch before canopy starts bucking (brake lines at this point are taught).

    I'm thinking maybe a riser length issue? What am I missing?

    I want to be able to play with front risers up high.


    Thanks

    Allen

  18. Which one is better and why?

    I tried on a Vapor narrow and it fit me like a glove but I like the tonflys externally accessible audibles and (looks like) easier accessible cutaway system.

    On the other hand, the tonfly is a chincup/strap design. I really liked the one piece rigidity of the vapor. Anyone that has a Shark, does it move around? Do you have to clamp down the strap?

    Also, the vapor is just choose your size where as the tonfly is custom made requiring A - a wait and B - cant try one on before plunking down 750$.


    Thoughts? Anyone switch to one or the other? Quality of the tonfly?

    Any comments appreciated.

  19. Anybody got a pic of themselves in a recently manufactured Freak N Suits FF Suit?

    I have one from many years ago but wondering if the latest ones are updated to current design trends. (more form fitting, less baggy, strategic use of spandex, etc).

    Yes I have contacted FnS but want to see some pics other people have of themselves in their suit.

    Anyone?

    Thanks!

  20. Quote



    Fun. Freedom. Who the heck are you to tell other experienced capable jumpers what they can jump?



    A good point, but a new jumpers decision can affect the sport for all of us.

    Its the classic problem of regulation. A good example is the seatbelt law. What do you car if I kill myself by not wearing a seatbelt. Except, as a country, if we loose hundreds of thousands of people in car crashes, it affects our (yours, or mine) GDP, insurance rates, medical car costs, etc etc etc.

    As a low time jumper, I am in favor of limiting downsizing, in theory, at least for low time jumpers (say, 500 jumps or less?).

  22. Just wanted to get some praise out to Roy and Rigs and Things and especially Sunrise Rigging. I ordered a Wings from them on a rush order and despite me forgetting to tell them the canopies were the thin frabic kind (causing them to have to start over), they got it to me a week early (12 days from when they started working on it til it was finished, and 13 days early from estimate.).

    The rig fits perfect! Looks great, and I love it.

    ;]

    Pics here http://flic.kr/s/aHsjyZnSEV

  23. I am also possibly relocating to Seattle. I just visited on a 2 week scouting trip. Is the jumping there as cloudy and rained out as I am imagining? This is possibly a dumb question. I know I visited during the worst season as far as sunshine goes.

    I am also considering Vancouver BC.