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Damn I wish this could go back into production and get further improvements. It’s a truly amazing device and although it has a few rough edges the basics are rock solid. Very usable as is. Given how small the skydiving market is, I am amazed that anybody was able to develop something this sophisticated.  Perhaps that is why they ran out of funds. Don’t be afraid to buy a used one. The cloud server is still active and the team does respond to inquiries. I am hoping, hoping, hoping that somehow they get a second round of funding and continue to develop this amazing device. It could very easily become the perfect altimeter. It has GPS, Wi-Fi, baro sensing and a touch screen that you can read in sunlight, and a host of super useful features. Read about it here. https://help.dekunu.tech/article/211-device-faqs

There are several versions around including the old Altimaster III made by SSE. I'd recommend getting the latest Alti 2 manufactured model as the lens is FAR FAR easier to replace. They are all (SSE's and ALTI-2'S versions) good altimeters and can take a beating. I still prefer the larger Altimaster II design as ity can be read easier by you and by others in your RW formation who might glance at it. I also like the adjustment to be done with a knob (like on the Altimaster II) rather than a bezel ring (Altimaster III design) as it is less likely to get accidently re-adjusted while you are moving around on a crowded plane. These altimeters have withstood the test of time and come out shining. I just wish someone would make an altimteter with a shatter proof mineral glass lens. Look at the new I-Phone screen, you cannot scratch that thing if you try. Why should older altimeters always look like hell with cloudy scratched lenses? I guess it brings some business to the manufacturers for replacement lenses, and plastic is safer than glass, but I'd LOVE an altimeter whose lens looked great after years of service.

http://www.mpaad.com/home_en.htm

Seems like a cool idea to have everything in one unit rather than several units connected by cables and plugs. So far I have seen no reviews of any evidence of use in the USA. Can somebody give a review? Is this unit in production?

We have all been there, CYPRES 1 expiring soon, thinking about becoming a rigger so you can sign your own pack cards keep your CYPRES 1 in your rig for another decade (cause ya just know it isnt worn out), etc, etc. Sooner or later reality sets in. You bite the $1xxx ++ bullet and make a choice for a new AAD purchase. To me it isnt even a close call. I want the product made by the company with the most experience in skydiving AADs. That company is Airtec. Look at that 777 that crashed short of the runway in London a few weeks ago. The software controlled engines wouldnt respond to to pilot or autopilot commands and the 777 essentially became a glider. 777s have been flying a long time, but some new combination of events came up and a malfunction occurred. Cypres 1's have been around long enough that all the big bugs have already been worked out
(RF interference, rate gate set too low for extreme swoopers, etc). Cypres 2 is a very mature product and as an electrical engineer I REALLY like that. I also like Airtecs attitude as shown when they had misfires on a plane (C 130) used in one of the Thailand Huge Ways. The misfires or lockouts were not really the fault of the AAD (aircraft pressurization problems) but Airtec immediately dispatched a rep to Thailand with replacement AADs. No other AAD mfr was as responsive. They also (in conjunction with SSK, their US affiliate) test test and test. They are always looking for potential faults and ways to improve. When I was at WFFC one year they had black box pressure sensing recorders strapped to volunteers to investigate what happens on a high speed tumbling exit. Will a VIGIL or other cheaper AAD work OK? Yes, they will, but for my money I want the oldest most tested basic design available even if it is less than state of the art (Hey Airtec, don't you think it's time to upgrade that ancient seven segment LCD display?). I know Airtec will support the product and that they have a very solid company in the US )(SSK) so that not everything has to go to Germany for work. I talked shop with the SSK folks and I was very impressed with all the circuit and software design choices made by Airtec. Every AAD design has had misfires, but Airtec has the lowest rate in my expereince. Airtec claims that no Cypres properly set up has ever failed to fire when needed. That sounds pretty eextreme, but I am glad if it's true. Was I tempted to buy an AAD that was cheaper or had no factory maintenance requirements? Sure, but then good sense kicked in and I bought a Cypres 2. As an electrical engineer and a father with two kids I wanted an AAD that was well engineered and would deliver my kids' Dad to the ground alive if everything went wrong. I have had two cutaways but never an AAD fire. All things considered, I chose the Cypres 2 as the best AAD solution for me: mature, well designed and well supported.

APRIL 2008: Just tried to buy 2040 Lithium coin batteries for this altimeter.
Out of production permanently, no drop in substitute available. Guess I will have to make an adapter for some other sized batteries. BUMMER!!!! (a day later...) Well, making and "adapter" is not so hard, Just drop in two 2032 cells and a wad of scrunched up aluminum foil on top to make contact between the top cell and the metal screw-on cover. Mickey Mouse solution, especially for something as critical as your altimeter, but it seems to work OK.
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Ok, where to start. I bought mine used cheap so someone didnt care for it. I like it. It is very easy to interpret the LCD pie wedge display. Since it is set up like a clock you dont really need to see the numerals on the edge, since you know that up is 12, down is 6 etc, but still the numbers are very hard to see. It has a programmable alt alert function that flashes the entire display at whatever alt you set the alarm for. It is very easy to set the alarm and the flashing alert really catches your atention for breakoff or deploy or whatever. The plastic inner edge of the black part surrounding the lens is getting a bit tattered on mine, but no big deal. I like altimeters and always wear a couple. This is one that catches people's attention as few have seen one. It works well, seems accurate, doent burn up batts fast. I think it may be out of production, but they are still turning up used. Buy one, they are fun and work fine. It is not good for night jumping as it has no backlight. It is funny that the designers go from analog pressure sensing to digital LCD segment driving and then display the energized segments not as numbers but in a radial graphic manner that sort of simulates an analog dial display but in an unusual manner where they display altitude as a pie slice of changing angular dimension. Those Italians, style style style.

I have bought EVERY accessory that L&B has ever made. Their customer service is A+++++++++ (actually PERFECT) and their products are great. The non linear face on the Altitrack is a very useful feature. It doesnt require wraparound conversion to figure out your altitude if you are above 12K. It also spreads out the low altitude portion to give you good angular resolution where you need it most. They use a solid state pressure sensor, a microprocessor and a digital stepper motor to do this. The back lighting is nice, not overly bright. The hand mounting works well, although I prefer a wrist mount. The jump logging features are awesome, everything the Pro track does and more. I like to have an accurate altimeter from TO to landing and here is the one shortcoming in the current version of the product. For about the first 500 ft after TO it stays on zero then jumps up to the right reading and is fine after that. Maybe L&B will fix this in a new software version. When you consider all the work that went into the product. the amazing number of useful features and the relatively small skydiving market, it is a good value at $299. I think it is out of kindness towards the Cypres mfr that L&B does not make AADs. Clearly they have the software and most of the hardware to do it already. The Altitrack is a great device which is useful, fun and very accurate. Buy one, you will not regret it. I love knowing that if something goes wrong, even after warranty expiration, L&B will treat me right and keep me happy, just as they have always done. They truly deserve my business and set the gold standard for taking care of customers.

Falcons fly a lot like Triathlons, very stable and predictable. Falcons have a surprisingly strong flare for an F 111 canopy. Construction quality is just flat out superb, very neat sewing on every single point, even bartacks are cosmetically perfect. The quality may be one reason Falcons seem to last so long and still fly and open well. If you cannot afford a Triathlon, buy a Falcon for your first canopy. You will not be disappointed. Used Falcons in great shape regularly sell in the 300-400 dollar price range.

I have jumped a pro and a standard model. I don't see much usefulness in the 10 ft readout increment in the pro compared to 100 ft in the standard model. Both are fine altimeters, simple, easy to use, very readable even in bright sunlight. The mfr really supports the products and offers reasonably priced upgrades. Battery life is excellent if you shut it off btwn jumps. Don't rely on the LCD batery strength indicator. When you see even a tiny drop in battery strength indication, relace the AA cell now. If you are on a tight budget buy the standard model. Canopy swoopers might find the 10 ft readout in the pro model useful, but thats just a guess. I land like a Boeing 747 so I wouldnt know. Even in the day of the Neptune and other fancy expensive digital altimeters the Digitude is still a good buy. They seem to take a beating and keep on working much better than their complex and more fragile competitors.

The Fury is built like a tank. Just look at how the lines attach to the canopy. Waaay better line attach structure than most modern canopies. It flies quite a bit like a Triathlon, stable, good controllable sink in deep brakes, decent flare for an F 111. It is available really cheap used and is a great beginner canopy, no vices. It is bulky and has a lot of drag from fat lines, canopy attach structures, etc, but it still flys just fine. You can get good used Furys for well under $300 and they are good values if not worn out (check porosity before buying). I have never had a bad opening or landing in a Fury. I now fly a Triathlon which is a better all around canopy, but it cost a LOT more. If you are new jumper on a tight budget the Fury offers great value. It would also be great for water jumps or a beater canopy to jump in muddy conditions etc.

This is an old (at least 40 years old) design and it has stood the test of time. It is VERY easy to read and generally works well. Older Alti IIs sometimes suffer from movement sticking. Alti IIs, when they get sticky, usually just stick in climb and under open canopy, the vibration of freefall keeps it from sticking when you need it. Another problem which shows up less often is binding zero adjust gears. The lenses inevitably become scratched, and the adjustment stem "O ring" gets old and crack, but both are very easy to replace. Most old Alti IIs work great with zero problems. Alti 2 offers full service and support. I have jumped just about every altimeter made for skydiving including the popular Alti III, the horrible Alti V, the Northstar, Saphire, FT 50, Digitude, Irvin military, and SSE military. My favorite is the Alti II because it is light, thin, and VERY easy to read. Alti 2 has made a few internal design changes to improve mfg economics, but they are still great altimeters. One design change I would make is to recess the lens or make a protruding guard around the circumference so the lens doesn't scratch so easily. Customer support is excellent and that makes the Alti II a good choice. If you break it, Alti 2 can fix it fast. Repair charges range from free to reasonable. If you are considering the purchase of a used SSE altimeter BE SURE it is NOT an Alti V (five). They are dogs and should be scrapped. It was never designed for long life and it when failure occurs it is often a dangerous mode in which the dial spins freely. This can be way more dangerous than a stuck needle as you see needle movement, assume its OK, but it could be thousands of feet off. Don't blame Alti-2, they didnt make these, SSE did. They did serve a function, providing cheap student altimeters, but they were never made for the long haul...

How can you say anything bad about a reserve that worked perfectly and gave you a standup landing after a cutaway? Well, you can't. My PD reserve sure isn't pretty, all dull gray. Now its my favorite color That PD reserve canopy is just gorgeous to me now. I loaded it about 1.2 pounds per sq ft. Opened smooth and straight, handled just fine, and had a decent flare for a stand up landing. What more can you ask for in a reserve canopy? I have Raven IIs in other rigs but have never had to use them. Hope they do as well as my PD if I ever have to use em.

I have owned and jumped a number of rigs, Vector, Reflex, Javelin, etc but the Eclipse is BY FAR the most comfortable. Ownership of Stunts has been changed several times and product support is hard to find. Still, nothing has needed fixing yet and I have owned it for four years. It wears well and seems to be a high quality product. One issue is that some Eclipses were made with a different main web routing than others. The subject was covered in SKYDIVING magazine with photos showing the strong way and the weak way. It concerned routing around a metal fitting and would involve major work to correct. I have spoken with Bill Dause and other riggers who say that even the "weak" way is plenty strong, not a problem and I think they are right. It didn't mandate a service bulletin or recall. You really should jump an Eclipse to see what a truly comfortable rig feels like. It makes everything better, no sqirming in the plane, no pain or chafing during the canopy ride. Shooby (the original Stunts owner and designer) really figured out "fit" in a way that nobody else has really matched.

UPDATE: I jumped a PD 193R in a cutaway. PD 193R had better flare than the Raven II main I test jumped. I think a Raven II will open fine and save your life but a PD 193R makes the landing better. PDs are considerably more expensive than Ravens, even used, so buy the best you can afford.
Ravens aren't junk, they just don't flare as nicely as PDs.

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I have never had a square reserve ride. My only reserve ride was decades ago under a Navy 26 Conical that I paid $25 for while a poor college student. I have two modern rigs now and both have Raven II reserves. I chose the Raven II because it was time tested even though people urged me to get the newer Raven dash M design. Good decsion as it turned out since the Dash M had some early problems. I decided I should jump a Raven as a main to just know what to expect. I rented a rig with a Raven II main and here is what I experienced. Fine opening, decent flight characteristics, but lousy flare. Maybe it was an old canopy, but it did not look worn out at all. Is great flare all that important in a reserve? Perhaps not, but it would be nice to have a reserve that flares as well as my Triathlon. If you want a reliable reserve, the Raven is a great choice and I do not regret having bought two of them. For me a reserve is all about RELIABILITY, not so much about the ride. If you want a reserve with great flare characteristics you might want to check out something else.

Update: I have about 150 jumps on the Pitt special and two of the three zippers have come apart, the bootie soles are pretty trashed (and I dont walk on pavement in them) and the elastic wrist cuffs are frayed. The colors have run even in a cold water wash and the runs look really bad. My Michigan suit has more jumps and everything is still intact. No color runs when I wash it either.

So I email Tony Suits to get a repair estimate. I didn't even get the courtesy of a reply. No worries, I went to a local Vietnamese alterations shop and got new zippers (YKK brand and higher quality than Tony's) and some bootie repairs using high stregth nylon thread all for $50. I REALLY like the way the Pit Special suit flys but the Michigan suit has held up far better. Tony really neeeds to get his company a new attitude on customer service. Read all the reviews, you will see I am not the only person who thinks this. Still, it is a great flying suit and I do have to give him credit for a good design. Tony should copy the Laarsen and Broussard sp? (L&B, make audibles etc) customer service model. Madd and his partner treat their customers right even decades after a sale was made.
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These suits are very good in their design, but there are a few things that could be better in their construction. The zippers are not the very best, have had a few pulls break off the zipper slider. The fabric dyes have obviously not all been wash tested. I had some serious color bleeding when I first washed mine in cold water. They are really comfortable suits and fly well, at least for me. They look great and hold up well with the exception of the bootie soles (no soles really, just exposed fabric). They suggest putting shoe goop on them which is ridiculous. They should have made abrasion resistant thin elastomeric soles for them out of KRATON (like the old O'Neill wetsuit kneepads, indestructible and flexy and stretchy as well). When I brought my Tony suit with a broken zipper pull to their booth at WFFC they quoted me a pretty high price to replace the zipper. DUMB from a customer satisfaction standpoint, they should learn from Alti 2 or Larsen and Brusgaard... fix it free if it broke without abuse. I am happy with my Tony suit, but I am also happy with my Michigan suit and even my old suits from the 70s. Tony needs a little bit better customer service (its not that bad) and more attention to wear testing zippers and wash testing fabrics. It could take them from good to great.

Update Sept 20 2010: The other reviews talking about how great Tris fly in deep brakes (true) and how good they are in turbulence (also true) leads me to write this cautionary note for newbies flying Triathlons. The Tri is a GREAT canopy in turbulence, but if you encounter turbulence stay in high speed flight, dont fly with partial brakes. You don't want a collapse or stall high above the ground. You need to keep those lines tight and fly the canopy fast, way above stall speed. Save the brakes for your landing flare if you encounter turbulence. The exception is a quick stab and quick release of brakes if you feel the load lighten and the canopy start to rock forward. Buy and read Brian Germains Canopy Pilot book. It could be a lifesaver if you encounter squirrely conditions under canopy or find yourself in a jam because of something stupid you did on approach. I've been jumping for 42 years. I fly a Tri 190 and a Tri 210. The Tri is an ideal canopy for conservative experienced jumpers and new jumpers. I jumped last weekend and encountered some pretty nasty turbulence at about 500 ft. No problem, the Tri bounced around a LOT but flew right through it with no end cell collapses, surges or other nastiness. It's a good solid dependable canopy that you will not regret owning.

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I am writing this four years after my first Tri review. The first review was written when I was just getting back into jumping and learning how to handle square canopies after years of jumping rounds. I loved the Tri then, but I was green and it was a very forgiving canopy, who wouldnt like it under those circumstances? Since that time I have jumped many different canopies, but when time came for a new canopy purchase guess what I bought? Yes, A Triathlon. In my opinion the Tri is still the ideal canopy. If you load it heavy it can be pretty sporty, but it stll won't kill you unless you do something really dumb. Loaded near 1.2:1 its a fun canopy and ultra reliable. For some reason it is especially rock solid in turbulence. When you see end cell collapses on other canopies, the Tri will fly right through the same stuff fully inflated and rock solid. The Tri also has a wonderful ability to sink almost straight down in partial brakes without a scary descent rate. That could save your butt if you are landing out and trying to get into a very small spot with tall obstacles around it. The Aerodyne master rigger has continuously worked on improving the basic Tri and he has made some mods which are incorporated in the latest Tri canopies. The great thing about Aerodyne is that they will upgrade old Tris for a reasonable price. They REALLY support their products and will not try to steer you into a new purchase if your old Tri is fixable or upgradable. The latest mods give a better and more linear flare. By more linear I mean that the flare is more directly proportional to the level of brake application, no sudden changes with just a little more pull on the brakes. Its smooth and very controllable. Sure its no Stiletto, but so what? I have watched quite a few cutaways from twisted up Stilettos. I have always been able to kick out line twists in Tris. You wont win any swoop contests in a Triathlon, but you will also be walking while some of the hot shots are on crutches or in wheelchairs. The Tri is no dog though, it turns fast and can get going pretty good on front risers. But in reality its a Volvo, not a Porsche. One great thing about the Tri is that it is an evolved canopy. It gets better and better with continual design changes. The Tri of Today is DEFINITELY better than the old ones, better flare for sure. Customer support is great, prices for repairs and upgrades are reasonable too. You can get a reline for barely more than the price of a new line set. Often a canopy sent in for something minor will come back with a new slider installed or some other goodie gratis. There have been disturbing stories about Triathlons "blowing up" on opening, severe damage, ripped seams,etc.
I have concluded that these are older perhaps sun damaged canopies that just couldnt take the stress of a slammer opening. Maybe I am wrong, but thats my conclusion after asking a lot of questions. I see nothing in the Tri design or fabric that is weak. If you have a really old Tri with those tiny tiny lines, give it up and get it relined. I finally did this after three incidences of broken lines and should have done it sooner. I feared the fatter lines would degrade the speed, but its not a problem.
So, go ahead and get a Tri. You wont regret it. My advice is to get stock colors as they enhance resale value. Custom colors appeal to a smaller number of potential buyers. There is one problem though, if you tell your friends to look for your colors there are likely to be a few identical canopies on your load. There are LOTS of Tris out there and for a good reason. Its a great canopy proven over many years and still competitive. Buy one, you will never regret it.

The Super Lite is really an ingenious design. It's light, very stable when fastened down, and has a very clever cutaway system so you can jettison your camera helmet if you need to. The bad thing is that it offers little head protection. It isnt really a helmet, just a head mounted camera platform. When rigging a camera, be sure that you are not defeating the cutaway system by having a bite switch or other accessory that will not easily disconnect when the Super Lite is cut away. I had a camera switch that went into the camera through a right angle plug into a jack on the camera. It would not come loose easily in a cutaway of the Super Lite. I rigged an inline barrel mini jack connector (from Radio Shack) that would pull out easily if the Super Lite were cut away. Problem solved. You would have a hard time making the Super Lite for the retail price they ask for it. It is a very good value. Just don't count on it to protect your noggin. It isnt really a helmet.

The Digitude is a very good altimeter. It is accurate, rugged and easy to read. The mfr supports older units and offers very reasonbly priced upgrades, a BIG plus in my book. My only gripe is that you can't rely on its LCD battery indicator. If you do you may end up with a dead altimeter on a jump. No big deal, just put in a new battery when you see even the slightest decrease in indicated battery strength on the LCD. It does not eat bateries fast if you turn it off btwn jumps. The upgrade from the incandescent light to the glow panel is worth doing if you do night jumps and have the old style. The extra digit upgrade for reading out in tens of feet rather than hundreds is probably not worth doing, just not that useful.

The Pro Dytter is a great audible, loud accurate and easy to use. The clip will NOT hold it on your helmet reliably, so use gaffers tape ot tie wraps. If ANYTHING ever goes wrong, even out of warranty, L&B will likely fix it free. They have redefined customer service and taken it to a new level. L&B's customer service is the best I have ever seen in any industry for any product.

The Gath helmet was designed for surfing, not skydiving. It is cheap, good looking, but not very strong or durable. It has very little frontal protection and leaves your forhead almost competely exposed. It is a lot better than no helmet, but not nearly as good as most any made-for- skydiving helmet. I don't think a Gath will absorb much energy in a collision as there is no crushable foam, just some thin resilient padding. Still, its a lot better than no helmet. I use my Gath for surfing and bought an INVERTIGO for skydiving.

First, L&B has the BEST customer service of ANY company I have EVER dealt with. No room for improvement, they are 100% perfect in this regard.

The PRO TRACK is a fine product with features galore. Some of the more obscure features are hard to use unless you have the manual with you, but the basic features (jump logging and audible altitude alarm settings) are very easy. The Pro Track is worth every penny. The computer interface and logging software is fun and useful, but not essential.

I have bought every product L&B has made and have never regretted a single purchase. These guys set the standard for product support. You simply cannot believe how customer focused they are.

Finally CYPRES is getting some lower priced competition from AADs having comparable technology. For those on a limited budget who cannot afford a Cypres, then these new products will be potential lifesavers. However, I'll not be switching brands when my CYPRES expires even if I can save a few hundred bucks and have unlimited product life with a competing product. AIRTEC is CONSTANTLY testing, verifying and upgrading the product. They are OBSESSED with quality and ongoing reliability. I just don't think any newcomers can make an AAD that will be as reliable as the CYPRES. They just don't have the experience. Anybody can say their product has unlimited service life, but the reality is that electronic components age (especially capacitors) and at some point the age related degradation of components becomes a real issue. Will a 20 year old Cypres work if it passes the self test? Yes, it probably will. Is it as reliable as a 12 year old unit that had a complete checkout 4 years ago. Probably not. I wish AIRTEC would keep thier units serviceable indefinitely, but I don't think their decison to end the product's life at 12 years is a pure money grab either. I like to think I'd never need a CYPRES, but if I am wrong I don't want to be dead wrong. This product has saved hundreds of lives and has a very good reputation. The new Cypres 2 has some great features (eg waterproof) but still must be manually turned on. Most jumpers have at least once forgot to turn on their Cypres AADs. Hopefully the Cypres 3 will figure out a reliable way to automatically turn on the unit. Everyone has stories about AADs firing at the wrong time, but Cypres sure has BY FAR the lowest misfire rate from what I have seen.