autoset

I don't have my own rig yet but I'm almost there, college sucks money wise, I'm jumping rented gear right now Anyway I was thinking about buying one of those removable Velcro seatbelt paddings and somehow configurate it (adding even more cushion material) to use it over my leg straps, those huge bruises and pain in my thighs from the ocassional hard opening have to stop I just got this idea yesterday and won't be able to go to the DZ until next weekend, if some of you could just measure the thickness of your leg straps real quick and report back that would be great, I suppose all leg straps should have similar thickness regardless of the manufacturer I will make the extra-padding according to the measures you guys give me, will try it out when I jump next weekend and report back if it worked or not in case anyone is interested in making their own extra-padding Some pics of what I'm talking about attached.

I have heard/read all kind of stuff related to this, like: -your eardrums will explode because of the pressure change. -the ear plugs will get stuck deep inside your ear canal because of the pressure too. -you should make a hole in the ear plugs to allow pressurization of the ear canal with the outside air, etc, etc. I have read old posts about this and everyone seems to have a different opinion, let's clear everything up right here right now. Does anyone here actually have jumped with ear plugs? It doesn't damage your hearing ability or anything right? Is it ok to wear them all the way from take off to finally being under canopy? Is there any truth to these myths about air pressure and ear plugs or what? (talking about a healthy jumper, no sinus infection or cold or anything) I would like to use the foam ones that completely seal the ear canal from the outside, Is it ok or it's better to make a tiny hole for pressurization? Some pics of different ear plug models to choose from attached.

I have talked about this with other jumpers, some tell me they do feel this and some not, just like some base jumpers feel the acceleration in their bellys just like in a rollercoaster and some not. Do anyone of you actually feel like instead of falling faster and faster, you are actually being slowed down by the wind? despite the fact that we are falling circa 120mph. After terminal velocity it's all about the floating feeling unless you get too low to experience ground rush. well?

Autoset: this may prevent you from using the Dainese armour as a student in a skydiving environment. My opinion, as a non-instructor, is that you'd be better served practicing your PLRs. I don't think I will experience any problems because of the thickness of the back protector, thickness is 2 or 2.5 inches at most, when properly adjusted it feels a little weird until you get used to it like any other new stuff you try. It's the same as if you had overdeveloped back muscles or too much fat. I have wore it at home with a backpack acting as a rig (don't have my own yet) and it's just comfortable. I will be jumping with it tomorrow, see how it goes.

How do the doctors fix a broken rib? do they to cut thru the skin, muscle,etc and put everything back together with screws and stuff or they just make you wear a brace?

Dude whatever, this started as a simple Fashion vs Safety thing and now it's about risks? Of course there are risks, and you must accept them or you shouldn't be jumping, but in anyone's eyes wuffo or not, sacrifying safety for fashion is a stupid thing to do anywhere not just skydiving, and my mama says stupid is as stupid does I always quote bill booth because the guy knows his shit, he's been in the sport more time than any of us and still alive, he's older, he's got more experience and he's the owner of a top rig manufactury company, if you come up with something to minimize the risks and improve safety in the sport...if it doesn't look cool...people won't buy it. Extreme Examples: -"Wow I feel like riding my Ducati 999 on the highway to impress the chicks, but I only have my sisters pink helmet, I think I won't wear a helmet this time." -"NASA engineer: Bob we need those ceramic plates to protect the astronauts in the space shuttle cockpit from the fatal heat" -Bob: Eeewww no way, they are too ugly!, look at their color! BTW I could give 2 shits about people judging me, big fucking deal.

With mini-3-rings there has to be a superior pull force on the cutaway cable by the jumper in order to breakaway, that can be a problem if you are spinning fast with line twists, can you imagine all the forces working on the system, cable, housings, etc? you do the math. With standard 3-rings you don't have to pull with as much force as with mini to cutaway, that in my book is good for you. that's why I will keep jumping standard and won't get fancy with my gear, maybe change the color of the rig/canopy and that's it. I just don't care if it looks cool or not as long as I'm having fun which is all that matters. People can do whatever they want with their gear I don't care, I just call the ones who keep fashion over safety in their standard stupid because that's the only way they can be described, if you put yourself in danger that's completely ok, no problem, we are all doing it by jumping out of a plane/cliff/whatever, it was your decision and everybody must respect that, just don't be a danger to others too. This makes me remember that TI in Chicagoland skydiving(?) who kept doing stupid stuff for the video like sitflying to the side of the passenger, and with the connections points completely loose. There's a thread in the Instructors forum I think.

You didn't catch my point, I said most people are stupid because they choose fashion over safety not because of wearing body armor or not, there have been a lot of inventions over the years that can improve safety but people won't buy it because it doesn't look cool. that's what I meant. (i.e: buying mini 3-rings for the release system instead of bigger rings, choosing something over other just because of smaller packing volume) BTW I also bought myself a pair of dainese protection shorts, they don't do much but hey something is something. Too bad I couldn't find the pants with knee protectors already added.

Navigator 190, WL 0.9. I know I know, but canopy has nothing to do, any canopy can give hard openings, in fact my problem is not the hard openings, it's the landings, just thought the jacket would protect my ribs from getting smashed too in case of a hard op. which is a nice bonus protection.

I don't know what the people at the DZ will think when they see me skydiving with bodyarmor but hey, fuck it!, most people are so stupid they prefer fashion over safety and it's been proven again and again, damn...bill booth was right! Reason why I'm skydiving with body armor is because I'm still not that confident about my landings (still on student gear, sucks). Plus the armor will come handy in case of a PLF, you never know. (About the shoulder protectors, I took them off, they didn't let me lift my arms up comfortably at all)

Very comfortable, but the chest protectors make me look like I have tits under my shirt lol, seriously now... I want to use it for skydiving (I posted this here because I know you guys are the most concerned jumpers when it comes to body armor gear), I bought the Dainese jacket mainly because of the spine protection, but the first time I put it on I noticed how good the chest protectors are and was thinking that they may protect your ribs from getting smashed in pieces by the chest strap in a hard opening. In your honest opinion do you think they could help prevent broken ribs too? Pic of the jacket attached.

To tell you the truth I've never had a major injury in my life (knock on wood), maybe luck I don't know and don't think it will last forever either, I have friends who have broken their legs or arms and they say it specially hurts when the weather turns cold or it's going to rain. (?) Other friends have fucked up their joints and say it's a pain in the ass waiting for them to heal, and sometimes it never goes back to normal. I seriously don't know because I don't have the experience, that's why I'm asking the veterans here. Please, before voting, take in account everything that goes with the injury: Pain, Time required for healing, Flexibility, loss of strength, etc...and choose which one is worse in your opinion.

I have reconsidered using boots for skydiving despite them being excellent for ankle support, I just watched a couple of malfunction videos on skydivingmovies with some jumpers getting their lines caught with their foot and the only reason they came out alive is because they were able to remove the shoe easily in free-fall, if they had been wearing boots that would of been impossible and deploying your reserve while on your back and the lines of your main caught on your foot....well your chances of survival would of been lower for sure. I think I will stick to jumping with tennis shoes and a good ankle brace not connected to the shoe. Pic attached, what do you think of this brace?

I think I need some ankle protection, my landings have been a little rough lately and I was thinking about jumping with my good ol' army boots but I'm worried they may affect my ability to track or freefly in general? I really don't know. I've heard good things about the Hangwags too, but it looks to me that both the boots and the hangwags pretty much protect the ankle in the same way. Don't know why but the hangwag look a lot bulkier (heavier??) to me for some reason. Need your opinion plz. Pics attached.

I'm laughing myself to death right now, unbelievable. http://theflatearthsociety.org/forum//

If I remember correctly some company started producing these rigs somewhere in 2002 I think, I was very young at the time I don't even know if it was a dream or I actually saw it on TV. Anyone have any info about that rig system? What company produced them? Are they still on the market? A pic of one of those would be interesting.

From lowest to highest? .... 3.jump master 2.coach 1.instructor ???? Also what would be the equivalent to the Riggers? master rigger, senior rigger.....etc Never was interested in the order of ratings before because i jump for fun and don't intend to be an instructor or anything, but would like to get this info straightened in my head and avoid this confusion between terms when talking to DZ staff.

I found her profile the other day on youtube, and it says she started BASE jumping at 16 if i remember correctly, now, one should skydive first for obvious reasons and it's recommended that you have a few hundred skydives before even thinking about getting into BASE, Does this mean she started skydiving at what? 15? 14? That is just wow, which DZ would let a 14yr old girl jump by herself? Hey tell me! I will take my children there for their first jump, lol. If Jimmy or Clair are reading this, or someone who knows her, can you explain that a little bit? Another possibility is that she started BASE straight away without any skydiving experience which I doubt but hey it's possible.

Very good replies thanks everyone. At the end of the day it always comes down to having fun, and when you get tired of one thing the only solution is to mix things up a bit. That's why there are so many disciplines to choose from. One of the things that made me ask this question is because the other day I was watching some BASE videos and there was this really fun one (most of the recordings were from handycams) where these guys were jumping from a cliff making all kind of funny faces to the cam and there even was one guy jumping with sunglasses and smoking a cigar from exit to right before deployment, they looked as relaxed as when you are going shopping to Walmart, "jumping from a cliff smoking a cigar?*Yawn*...everyday stuff". Lol funny stuff, got to find the link for you all to see. EDIT: couldn't find the video on skydivingmovies but found it on youtube, hilarious stuff! http://youtube.com/watch?v=17PyzpgRMl4

Air force. You will jump there till you say 'noo mooore pleaase!', lol.

Exactly, the question is specially for the jumpers who have easy/free access to the DZ/plane and get free rides,etc. DZOs, instructors, staff, or just jumpers who happen to live 5min away from the DZ and have enough time in their hands to jump whenever they want.

I would like to hear from the experienced jumpers here, Is it possible that after 'X' number of jumps skydiving just becomes routine for you and gets less exciting than before? Don't get me wrong, I'm not exactly asking if skydiving gets boring after a while (does it?), I think there's plenty of disciplines to choose from and get plenty of fun trying them all. What I'm asking is if after jumping out of a plane so much you just get used to it and take it as normal? No more "heart pumping out of your throat like the first jump"? EXAMPLE: [1st jump] -Friend: Wow dude why don't we go try skydiving this weekend? -John: HOLY SHIT DUDE yeah!!! jumping out of a perfectly good airplane holy crap we gotta be insane!!! [1500 jumps later...] -Friend: Hey what do you think if we train some 4-ways tomorrow? -John: I don't know man, I have to pick up my sister from school and then want to play some Xbox. For those who have felt like that, Which jump# did you start feeling "complacent" at? (but not too complacent! that will kill you in the end)

Maybe he's jumping a with a spring loaded PC and the 2 ripcord handles make it easier for any of the two AFFIs at his sides to activate the PC? Never seen a rig like that before. http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/7182/twohandlesnj9.png

Can anyone attach a pic of a Flexpin please? i didn't know this thing existed and would be interested in seeing one. I googled it but nothing came up.

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