sonicboy

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Posts posted by sonicboy

  3. Hi there!

    Another thread about MDV or not... but since it's more and more in my mind, here it is....

    I am now jumping a Troll DW 245 with no MDV (manufactured in october 2005).

    That choice was made following advice from swiss/european friends, and although i do not have that many jumps, i am very happy with it. Basically jumping from 350ft HH or terminal, i have not had any worries.

    But reading this forum, i am getting the impression the general consensus over the pond is MDV brings serious advantages, either when jumping low stuff, or when needing better inflation (low pulls maybe, but especially in case of cliff hit...).

    Tom mentionned he had his Troll retrofitted with MDV (that was long ago from what i gathered), and Robi recently advised someone to buy the MDV version 'without hesitating'.

    Therefore my question... : is it still technically possible to retrofit a Troll DW with MDVs ? is it advisable, what are the issues ? has someone done that recently ?

    Thanks for your inputs!
    david

  4. Quote

    Given your experience I'd pick a Phantom or the S-fly. Both the V2 and the S6 are very demanding suits that will only slow down your WS progression. Also, in SD many get OVERALL better performance with suits like the Phantom because maxing out a V2 or S6 for almost 3 minutes is very hard physically.




    yeps...


    Quote

    And Loic with an S-fly by the way kicked everyone's asses including people with V2 and S6.



    yeah, that did put an end to lots of vain discussions... even if it still "is loïc" .

  6. if i were you ? my 2 cents : put 50 - 100 jumps on your gti... that'll give you time to try out other stuff and decide what you want.

    V2 and SFly are two very different wings, so try them and try others, it's nothing comparable.

    have fun

  7. Quote

    I know everyone has questions about this incident that they are itching to have answered.



    yes, and for the first fatality (saturday at the nose) i am sure HELLvetic will give us a full complete total accurate extensive and detailled account once he has cleared the story with the friends who were there. lets just say, wait a few days? thanks.


    Quote

    Given that he was jumping slider down off a wall that I believe (not sure) is commonly done slider up, I'm wondering about his brake setting. I am a new to BASE and I'm not sure if the brake setting for slider up vs. slider down jumps is different. .



    yes, the brake setting is different. Do a search for 'brake settings'. Lately, i found this thread by JaapSuter quite useful.


    Quote

    If it is different, could it be possible that he was jumping a canopy that he had been packing slider up with a shallow brake setting



    yes, it is possible.

    but very doubtful for the first fatality (saturday at the nose), he was a master rigger and very meticoulous. again, the detailled report will cover that, i am sure.


    Quote

    whereby this contributed to the quick 180?



    i dont know about that. wouldnt think so - but dont take my word for it. it would have contributed for sure to a faster forward speed, thus hitting the wall quicker and faster.


    peace,
    david

  8. Please find here under a summary of the available comments* (crossposted because of both threads):

    LAUTERBRUNNEN BE - two base jumpers were killed over saturday and sunday in Lauterbrunnen. Both men lost control of their jump and hit the wall before falling to the ground.

    The first victim (34 years old) was jumping saturday with 4 other persons, the swiss police indicated. At the second jump, the man hit the cliff after a 180 degrees rotation and fell 150 meters (~500feet).

    Sunday, a 40 year old man died while jumping with two other persons. He hit the cliff after his parachute opening.

    ---

    The first jumper, Stephane, was very well known in switzerland, being a rigger and active jumper.

    I am sure more accurate information will come in appropriate time, and would appreciate speculation being left aside.

    Condolences to his family and all those close to him. Didnt know him well, but a great guy he was, that is for sure.



    *from the french base jump association and swiss sky dive*

  9. special packjob then ? or is it standard pro pack ? ... or maybe do you just drive over the whole thing with your car once finished?! :P

    edited to add i really DO need packing lessons ;)

  10. Quote

    My only landing area now is below the famous swiss span, and it's like landing in a huge garden.



    just wait untill the corn grows and they put cows in the other part of the garden :P

  14. Hi there,
    Very interesting thread, thanks to all for sharing!

    Johnny, read on the 'super mushroom' webpage :"I recommend only using pilot chutes WITHOUT a handle for the Super Mushroom. I only use handles for smaller PCs intended for longer delays in which case I should not need the Super Mushroom anyway"

    so if i get it right, the super mushroom would only be used on a 'big' pc without handle ? ... that would mean you use super mushroom on what ? 42 - 48 ? (admitting you go stowed with 46 & 48 of course)

    Thanks for the info, havent got much experience in-between sizes jumps.
    well, actually, not much experience at all :P

  18. hi there...

    Well, i got the latest version of the Zak (www.adrenalinbase.com), delivered in october. Got the simplest and lightest version, i.e. absolutely no options, no L-bar or hip rings. just extra pockets on the legs.

    here's my beginner's review...

    - product - highly well finished, very good materials used - they will resist, great riser covering system, dynamic corners of course and all the know-how of Jean-No's for ergonomy, and aerodynamic. really nicely done. fits perfectly too, and is most comfortable to move around in.

    - customer service - more than perfect, professional advice and forthcoming. and great instructions to use.

    - price - great pack : Zak + Troll 245dw + 2 Pc's + Packing video + transport bag + clamps + loads_of_stuff for 2'375USD (actually, i got it at just 2'000USD because living in switzerland allowed me to buy it VAT-free)

    - shipping - got it straight from adrenalinbase, checked, mounted and packed. Got it 2 months after ordering, that's because there was the canopy too, and because there were holidays in between. Fits perfectly, got the colours i chose and not problem what-so-ever.

    - aftersales - always been answering the phone and the mail, so i'd say good ;)


    All in all, i'd like to thank the friends around here who unanimousely pointed me towards the adrenalinbase pack, it's great.
    d.
    no comparaison whatsoever with any other manufacturer is being made in this review

  19. oh yeah, cool, thanks guys!


    Skyhumper's ideas should therefore be directed to the ABP then...? there's even a 'donation' option in the website! edited after having checked Alliance of Backcountry Parachutists website

  21. try http://www.ign.fr

    great things. a bit more static unfortunately :P

    (seriousely, no, dont know anything as good as googlearth... but would be interested. Switzerland's got a great 3D DVD where you can fly around the valleys. still better than googlearth, but only on dvd...)

    regards,
    david

  22. Funny reading this discussion. I was actually looking forward to hearing the opinions, and i was wondering which would end up to be the elected best equipment for base : hard-high or soft-low ?

    As i gather, of course, pros and cons in both cases.

    So just my thought here...

    Years ago, to go walking around in the mountains, to approach climbing spots, or for trekks, we all used hard leather shoes - 'moutain shoes', quite comparable to the Hanwags mentionned.

    Then, slowly, we drifted. From hard-leather boots to soft-leather boots (sort of like the Salomon's mentionned). Then to High-ankeled-soft-no-leather, then to soft-low-ankeld-no-leather.

    Ended up walking the alps trails to approach climbing spots in Teva's (i.e. tongs with heel-cup attach). So much, that at one point, the trend was even to climb the warm-up routes with your tongs and run down the access trails for the laugh!

    So finally, i suppose it's, again, the question of the balance... what are you ready to loose compared to what you gain? Do you want to favour 'react-roll-run flexibility' or 'support against shock' ? favour 'lateral protection against impact', or 'movement-heat inconvenience during the approach' ? and so on, and so on...

    Choose your odds, choose your balance... but anyway : have a pair of each, take each of them with you in your luggage, and choose appropriately regarding the precise expidition you're going to do : last thing to do is consider one equipment is better than the other whatever the external situation. And that is probably why every answer in this thread is correct, even if they are in opposition !

    who says, 'just my 2 cents'? same here ;)

  25. hi all! talking about welsh freaks? often go up to see my family south wales (camarthen area).... anybody there or around ? cheers! david

    edited for spelling