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Thanx for the replys guys, well, I know I shouldn't be bothered much about that issue, but it never hurts asking! So, my Mirage will get ordered soon too:) Don't pull low, unless you are afraid of heights! Tefkros

A few weeks ago, there was a thread in Gear and Rigging section, about the most comfortable harness/container. A post in it by Skymedic, made me a bit curious (and worried): " In reply to: ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The Vector is the one that has a reserve deployment problem after a total on the main.. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- actualy I was talking to terry(Aerotech) the other day and he made me feel even better about choosing javelin over Mirage. What I am talking about in regards to the deployment problem has to do with one of the closing flaps that acts as the kicker for the reserve P/C is or was too small. Terry is not sure if they fixed it or not. He went to pop a reserve to do a repack, when he pulled it instead of shooting across the loft(like it should) it just kinda of punched up and fell over as it caught on something. he noticed that the bottom 2 or so coils had migrated since the last repack and actualy caught underneath this flap. that is a problem. this would mean a very slow reserve deployment as the P/C might not grab as much air as quickly as if it shot off of the back. he also said this is most likley what killed a belgian jumper not to long ago. Mirages response to him was "there isn't enough of a chance and it hasn't been seen on enough to warrant a fix" AKA they dont want bad press. " I mean, that's not a problem many jumpers are aware of!I'm thinking of buying a new Mirage container, and this potential problem just pops in my mind! Are any of you aware of similar not so well published problems of the Mirage and other containers?I'll probably contact Mirage Systems requiring up to date information about the issue, but I'd like to hear your opinions. Don't pull low, unless you are afraid of heights! Tefkros

Mirage Systems does the same thing, their hip rings are stainless, but not the friction adapters.I don't know if all manufacturers changed their friction adapters to non-stainless...Parachutes de France has a nice friction adapter, looks shiny, but I'll have to check whether it's polished stainless or smth else. Don't pull low, unless you are afraid of heights Tefkros

Well if I'm not mistaken, a horny gorilla is a star formation , (4-way and 8-way usually?) in which you all lock legs and start spinning it...it is a very fast falling formation, and the spin is quite radical...in other words...great fun:) Anyone who can explain better or correct me, please do so. Don't pull low, unless you are afraid of heights! Tefkros

Thanx, I didn't know about the other metal(my guess is that it's just another coating, not another metal but I may be wrong-what's shiny and strong besides s/s...ah...platinum, rhodium...cheap ones :P ), I'll make sure I get more info :) Don't pull low, unless you are afraid of heights! Tefkros

Erm,I wouldn't know, but maybe he didn't forget about safety on purpose.Probably he just became another victim of the horserace trap...I have, and I'm sure many of us have...He probably was so focused on the target that he forgot about his environment, which is dangerous! I was so focused on the target that I didn't realise that the sashays put me in a crosswind course instead of the upwind I should be!Well, I realised it when I flared and felt the canopy turning.Well, no big deal under a Raven IV (280 sq.ft) , but at least it taugh me a lesson about my canopy awareness... I just hope he learned from his mistake, I think I did from mine! Don't pull low, unless you are afraid of heights! Tefkros

Thanx Lisa :) I like the Unisyn Harness of the new Mirages, and it would be ok for me to pay the extra $300 to get it...but another $260 for stainless hardware?Sounds irrational to me! Gee...all these skydiving fashion gadgets make me desperate! :P 'Don't pull low, unless you are afraid of heights!' Tefkros

What are the of advantages of having stainless steel hardware on a rig, instead of the standard hardware?I understand all the parts are TSO'd anyway, so is it just an aesthetic asset, or are the non-stainless steel hardware inferior in any way to their stainless steel counterparts? 'Don't pull low, unless you are afraid of heights!' Tefkros

Haha, no Weid, sorry if I made it sound wrong, the surf part is one of my jokes at the drop zone...I land, go to the packing hangar, put it down and say...'Wow...I surfed it far this time!'...anyway, yes and no, I have explored quite enough my (PD says so) high performance Navigator if you take into account that people with 20 jumps fly Safires,Hornets and Sabres at 1.1:1, I believe I think more cautiously than most by considering a 1.15 Hornet in no less than 50 jumps, and if all the 'forgiveness' claims are true, a Cobalt at 1.25smth:1 at 100 jumps, ONLY if my drop zone , instructors and CCI feel comfortable with it.I don't need a canopy that will get me grounded,or worse, you know:) Oh btw...I once opened a topic in the old forums, 'Newbies and high performance parachutes ' I believe it was called...and I was happy to see many experienced people accepting the fact that a high performance canopy at a reasonable wing loading with the proper respect could be flown safely.Even my AFF instructor says that Skydive Chicago does a very good thing putting students on HP canopies, because there is a HUGE difference between LEARNING under responsible people how to handle one , and it's complications, and totally another thing jumping a normal 'safe' canopy , then going to HP and think 'ok, no problem, I have MASTERED my previous canopy, so let's discover this one...so, deploy, spiral, spiral, spiral, and why not, a little low hook or some cool front risers in turbulence...BAM!' Well, I know I had to necessarily fall in the second category,learning a lot of bad habits, and since I don't want to end up with anything broken, I believe I'm right in taking my time to downsize properly! I'm sure Lisa will beat me up just for mentioning an elliptical @ 100 jumps, but don't worry Lisa, I won't fly anything me and my instructor don't feel I'm really ready to:) I wouldn't say no to a demo, though:) PS.That Navigator 260 can surf for ~20ft in a STRAIGHT IN approach in a calm day,if you get that 2-stage flare right...not exactly pro blade running, but it should do for now , giving me the feel of the ground going by as the canopy levels out. Opinions? 'Don't pull low, unless you are afraid of heights!' Tefkros

...but what would justify for a newbie to spend ~$1500 to get one new since there are not many used ones around anyway, instead of going with a, let's say, Hornet? I currently have 32 jumps and plan on jumping my first rig no sooner than 90-100 jumps, since I started with S/L, did 22 jumps, then switched to AFF and graduated last week,and I have to downsize from the Navigators 260 I was using,which bore me quite a lot, but at least I have fun trying to explain to other students how to surf them in a no wind day:) Enough about me, let's talk about the Cobalt! So,my first canopy should be a 170 if I got a Hornet, loaded at 1.15:1 . A Cobalt, as I understand, should be loaded more heavily, a 150 probably, loaded at 1.3 for me, to have the same forward speed. So, Dan , and anyone else, what benefit would a low timer get from such a wing, instead of the traditional 1:1smth wing?In what terms will it be more dangerous, and how will it be safer?How flying a 150 cobalt will increase my skills?I'm not a conservative pilot, meaning I push my canopy and I get to know it. Are the $600 more, worth it, and if so, how exactly?Will the extra flare improve my techinque for swooping?I mean, I won't attempt anything like it before 200+ jumps, and by then I will need a new canopy!So, what will be the REAL benefits for an agressive but responsible canopy pilot? -Don't pull low, unless you are afraid of heights!- Tefkros

I've seen the Atoms in Empuriabrava, and for my taste, they look just fine.One nice thing I've noticed :A jumper I was talking to,said that the Atom with an Electra 190 in it, looked much smaller and neat that his rig which was built for a 170. Don't pull low, unless you are afraid of heights! Tefkros