freeatlast

Excellent thread this - potentially very useful for my next trip

Who me?

Yes - same user name on uks. Alternatively if you have any questions you can always get me via the smartrigs.com website ;0)

I don't know those ones specifically but if they're UV400 and they fit you properly and you like them - then i'd say get them

Hi there How dark is the tint in the goggles and when do you mainly plan to use them? It's important to use a goggle that has a decent UV block and a good quality tint. I personally wouldn't use blue as a colour as it may increase glare in some situations - people often use a yellow low light contrast filter specifically because it blocks blue light ... Brown / Gray / Green are the main sunglass tints followed by yellow / orange as contrast filters (think skiing goggles) some sunglasses have a blue mirror coating but this is not the same as a blue tint ... Either way find a pair that you like and that fit you well - unless you have a specific need or are spending a lot of time jumping in bright sunshine your choice of tint colour will probably have little effect - just make sure that the goggles block out the UV etc ... Regards James

Very true indeed ... If you buy first and try later then you take your chances with what you get. I had someone who was currently flying a 220 ask me if it was ok to buy a rig with a 155 reserve in it the other day! Sometimes you will get away with it (I have) but sometimes it will bite you! The best decisions are usually the ones that you make with as many of the facts as you can reasonably determine...

Morning Tom ...

Hi Nic Welcome to jumping in the UK. You might want to take a look at the UK boards as well www.ukskydiver.co.uk and www.justskydivers.com (i think) BTW - you are right it will be expensive - but worth it! Regards James

I would also suggest demoing as much suitable gear as you can before making a decision - it's often tempting to jump right in and grab the first "BARGAIN" that comes along. I once bought a snowboard whilst i was on holiday - they didn't have a demo available - so i paid my £400 (about $600 at the time) as i had read every review and it sounded perfect ... Well safe to say that it was sold off within a few weeks as it STANK! - it wasn't the boards fault - 100's of great reviews - I JUST DIDN'T LIKE IT Unfortunately i couldn't get a refund and ended up selling it second hand and loosing a whole heap of $$$'s. So nothing replaces trying the gear first ... If you really can't demo one - then listen to those who know you and the canopy (your rigger or instructor). But remember everyone's taste is different ...

That sounds familiar Smartrigs will already do this for new jumpers plus we have program where you can plan your first downsize for a fixed price

And another vote from me

I'm really sorry to hear that it has ended this way, forget the haters - they are just bitter and twisted individuals ... I am pleased that he has been found and it is nice to see that the many individuals that make up the BASE community went above and beyond to bring him back to his family ... That is what makes BASE different ... They say a man is judged by the standard of his friends ... Leroy was a giant ...

I am very sorry to hear about this incident ... Leroy is a good, funny guy Best wishes to all that are helping or that are involved in any way... Lets hope that he comes home safely ...

Oh thank F*ck for that - and i thought starting such a patronising post with a title like "A Message To All Skydivers" was going to be something important ... Thanks for wasting several seconds of my precious life reading your meaningless drivel ... Next time use a title like that when you have discovered a cure for cancer or something suitably important !!!

Nothing but praise for L&B ... Six / Seven years ago Lost a camera helmet with two pro tracks and bought the replacements (It really hurt!) ... A friend throws (puts) my camera helmet into his trunk and one of the new pro tracks comes out and gets trapped in the latch - that's pro track number 3 in three months !!! Send the bits to L&B - they sent me a new pro track FOC !!! This Year Pro track playing up - can't work it out - sent back to L&B - they return it saying that the last place i purchased batteries from used non-standard batteries - they fit a new set and send me a spare set again FOC ... That's why i will always use L&B ... Because that's customer service !!!

I'd personally go for the Mirage - but to be fair i've never jumped the atom so i cannot comment on how good the container is. My reasons for choosing the Mirage:- I've jumped a few Mirages G3 and G4 - they've been comfortable and seem well made. They aren't the cheapest but they seem to be good quality and reliable (and they look pretty good too!). It seems to be fair to say that the recent issue's with delivery and PdF's attitude to those that had to wait were not exactly brilliant. I've worked for many companies and we all screw up - but it's what we do once we've screwed things up that sorts the good companies from the bad, and judging by the many replies on a few of the forums (just do a search on some of the BB's) it seems that PdF didn't really do much to help out those that were adversely affected. So whilst the container may be good, when you purchase a rig you are also (hopefully) purchasing something that comes with the backing of a good company behind it as well! To quote another poster on this thread "Good Luck" if you choose to go for the Atom...

Thanks for that! To be fair I did follow several links including the ones from the GEAR section of DZ.com and none of them worked. I then googled it and couldn't find a link in the first few pages under terms such as 'parachutes de france' 'atom legend' and other random things that i thought of! I even followed a link to the main aerazur site but couldn't find the link to the rigs! (I must be getting senile!)

But looking online i cannot even find a website for them! Do you have contact details? If so could you pm them to me?

It's probably not the time to try swooping for the first time after your first cutaway!!! Ps why the fascination with the Atom?

I would probably put the guy's name up on my website and label him an a**hole! But seriously the only real solution is to take a large deposit - we used to ask for at least 50% when i used to sell handmade suits because it would not fit anyone else properly ... The flip-side of this issue is that Gary is a really nice guy and tends to do his very best to help out a fellow jumper which unfortunately means he risks his own money when he sells gear to an idiot like this guy ... Maybe if everyone Gary's ever helped - did Gary a favour and made sure that this guy is not welcome wherever he's currently jumping !!!

Thanks guys but i think that this is now sorted ... unless someone wants to pick my rig up from aerodyne on monday !!! Cheers to all who sent pm's etc ... Drop in to claim your free beer next time you're over here ;-)

PM sent ...

N/A

Hey is anyone heading over the pond who can do me a favour? Drop me a PM or leave me a message here... Beer etc will be provided in return

It is when they start shooting at you ...