Will_Evo

I don't fully understand your reasoning behind finishing your EP's with a reserve above my head. If my RSL beats me to the punch, and there is a reserve above my head, at this point I am more worried about the three s's, where I am, how high I am etc, not pulling a hanging silver handle that literally is connected to nothing. Anyways, seems like yet another thing people are stressing to much about, an RSL did its job, great, you didn't pull silver, who cares, your alive, the piece of safety equipment you are using worked properly. Good, now get your ass to the ground without getting hurt. Seems like backwards reasoning with a reserve above your head to grab silver with both hands and pull hard, THEN check your already open canopy. -Evo Zoo Crew

On the blod point, make sure you are watching the person who taught you how to pack. Just learning, it will totally screw you up watching someone else, because not everyone packs the same exact way and not everyone does all the steps you were taught. Other than that, follow your instructors guidance and if it makes you feel better, open a little higher. I opened at 4500 on my first pack job, just to ease my mind. GL! -Evo Zoo Crew

Well of course not, but with the RSL there are way more variations of elements that can be factored in. My RSL beat me to the punch, so what, doesn't mean next time I cutaway I am going to wait on the RSL because it worked so grandly this time(even though I wasn't waiting on it, just so happened it deployed VERY fast), especially if the situation is different and I am at a much lower altitude. I actually talked to someone this last weekend who had a cut away and said she experienced the same exact thing I did, in that the RSL deployed her reserve before she pulled silver, doesn't mean she was waiting on it, just means it beat her, which is a good thing, and doesn't require ridicule, it just means the RSL did its job. -Evo Zoo Crew

Talk to your local instructor or DZO about finding some used gear. I got extremely lucky when I bought my gear, in that I told me DZO I was looking for some gear and the next day a perfect rig came in for sale. Just keep your eyes open, and definitely talk to your instructor to finding out what size canopy will suite you best. Good Luck -Evo Zoo Crew

I can share my experience. I had a cutaway on jump 30, with a decent toggle induced turn that knotted up. I knew my altitude and upon trying 2 times to fix the mal decided it was time to cutaway, I had the clear head to pull the cutaway and wait very briefly(1-2 sec) to pull silver(BTW I would not have waited if I wasn't where I was in altitude, I was still new and opening at about 4 so I knew I had time), just to be sure I was clear of the main, anyways, before I even had a chance to pull silver, the reserve was up above my head, and opening leaving my silver just hanging there. I am not ashamed of it, I am very thankful for it. Would I rely on the RSL? Hell no, but I wouldn't ridicule someone who it worked for....that is why we have them. -Evo Edit to add sentence Zoo Crew

FML...I hate spiders. I'll kill that bitch next next weekend when I come up! -Evo Zoo Crew

Awesome time in Lebanon this weekend. Absolutely amazing facilities and awesome staff. Looking forward to it next year. -Evo Zoo Crew

So you think remarks like that are just used in general term? They are not directed? Just said to be said? Like I said before I am not stupid, I didnt "act out of joint" for no reason. I am not the type of person to sit back and take it. I do not get emotionally abused by remarks like that, but I did find it annoying to be spoken to or even replied to in a manner that implies stupidity. So I acted out first with the experience card? What post are you getting your information from? Clearly it is implied in those messages that a new jumper doesn't know anything and should refrain from giving advice. I still stand by my example for a reason why someone shouldn't buy a new container for their first rig. It was told to me, by more than one person as a reason, and I didn't ever say it was the only reason. It is a valid point, clear and true. -Evo Zoo Crew

lol 250! Thats sick!! Plane leaves tonight! Cya there! -Evo Zoo Crew

A couple suggestions for ya then: 1) "maybe reading the post fully and not jumping to conclusions would be a good start." Take your own advice. Grow a thicker skin. Don't assume that the words you read here are meant in the way you take them. In all likelihood, they were not. 2) You're new to the sport. This is the time to be asking questions about skydiving, not answering them. You'll gain much respect from other more experienced jumpers by doing so, and refraining from telling the world what someone else told you just may keep incorrect information from spreading. That is so funny because it is so true. New jumpers (under 200?) do seem to regurgitate information they hear as true whether it's true or not because they don't know what they don't know. It seems a bit more prevalent here on (anonymous) DZ.com than in person. Ok so your saying that maneuvering leg straps to be more comfortable under canopy is bad information and is wrong? I mean that is what this post was all about, and I gave very sound advice that was given to me, which I used and found it worked perfectly. What about that did I "not know"? I don't step in a and give people advice about wingsuiting, or base jumping, or piloting skills, because I dont know, and don't have enough experience, but when it is something I DO know, then I see no reason for not helping. My little tid bit about not getting a new rig for your first, was derived from 1. Advice that was given to me by many experienced jumpers, and 2. The advice I see many experienced jumpers giving people on these forums, again what about what I said did I "not know"? Man, the more I spend time on these forums, the more it just gets annoying. People just make it absolutely terrible to be a low jump number skydiver, and discount any and everything you know to nothing. What is it you have against new jumpers? You think low jump number has something to do with overall intellect? I may be new in skydiving, but I have great common sense, and a good head on my shoulders. I know when it would be inappropriate for me to give advice, many times I read a topic, digest it and move on, but when there are topics I can help out in, I do give some of the little info I DO know. Somehow though you've managed to find a problem with that.... -Evo Zoo Crew

?? Most rigs out there that were built for a 190 will hold a 150 just fine. Not every jumper is going to want to downsize rapidly. Some people choose to actually learn to fly a canopy at 1.0-ish before going smaller. This process, when done with an eye toward safety and not with an "I'm that fucking good" attitude, will take at least a couple hundred jumps. If a newbie can't get 500 jumps out of their first rig, they are either downsizing way too fast or they bought a real P.O.S... Why do people assume everything, and respond so rudely? I do not know for every rig, but I know mine, and a few others I have seen are usually built to be able to hold the largest size, like say 190, and one "normal" size down like 170. At least that is what manufacturers recommend. I never said every jumper wants to downsize rapidly, that is why i said EVENTUALLY***. Regardless if someone takes 500 or 1000 jumps to downsize, buying a new container for your first rig, can be a slight waste of money in the long run, but it is up to a personal preference. Also, I dont appreciate the assumptions and rude remarks of your post. I am still new, and have no plans on downsizing. I am loaded at 1.0ish. I don't have a "Im that fucking good" attitude. maybe reading the post fully and not jumping to conclusions would be a good start. I am not trying to be mean, but you havn't downsized slowly at all if your at 50 jumps, same goes for me. I went from jumping a 200 student rig to a 170 personal rig. Very fast downsize(in retrospect), but not at all out of my limits, considering I am loaded at 1.07ish. I am not giving you downsize advice what so ever, I did not give you a single piece of advice as to when and how fast to downsize, I simply said that its likely you will want to downsize eventually(I know this because your exact question is asked almost every week, and the same information is given every time) and that it might be a better idea to buy used. -Evo Zoo Crew

Click Me for full article Thoughts? Could it ruin the marvel comic series by Disney limiting funds to the Marvel section of their already huge enterprise? Or is this a good thing, and now Marvel has a bigger funding thus they will produce more, with better quality movies, games, etc..? What do you think? -Evo Zoo Crew

First off, are you sure getting a new container is a good idea? Most people would advise you to buy used, only because this is a rig your still learning on, and undoubtedly will downsize with time. If you are starting on a 190, and buy a container to fit it, you'll be up a creek when you get down to 150 and will be needed to spend more money. Second, just like the above poster said, while you are under canopy, lift one knee up towards your chest at a time, doing this will release all the pressure of your weight from that leg strap, then just slid it down a few inches towards your knee. Puts you in more of a sit than a hang. -Evo Zoo Crew

If you faxed your license request in, then I would call and ask them. I had my B number within a week after I sent it in(because I called) and had the actual card a little later. -Evo Zoo Crew

Noone is saying your bad for staying on your belly. What I am saying is quit undermining people who's goal is to get to something else, and making it seem like their first 200-500 jumps are going to be useless. I personally do everything I can within my limits right now, Ive done freefly, up to 8 way RW, CReW docking and downplane, and a few for fun jumps. I am still learning doing this, I am still gaining invaluable experience, just because I am not staying on my belly doesn't mean I am wasting my jumps Someone here said they knew someone who did 200 hop n pops to get to 500 so they could do tandem. Ok and? They still have 300 normal jumps, and in this case, if he/she passes the tandem proficiency requirements, then they is qualified for the job, end of story. Find me one person who did 500 hop n pops and then got their tandem rating. Find me one person who did 200 hop n pops and got their coach rating. Your taking things to an extreme here. Hop off the high horse. -Evo Zoo Crew

What I am saying is you are over analyzing this. There is a requirement to do wingsuiting for a reason, 200 jumps. From what you are saying, the person in question is going to fork over 20 dollars per jump, do nothing in freefall by himself, and land his canopy, then repeat 200 times. People are going to enjoy their jumps, all 200 of them, participate in group jumps, etc.. because its fun, it is worth the money. So no I don't think basic skydiving is an obstacle for anyone. It just seems like your over analyzing a situation, and creating a concern out of nothing. Just like someone said, usually the people saying they want to do get into wingsuiting or whatever have 0-1 jump(s). Just because they are eager to try something, doesn't mean they are going to waste the 200 jumps before that goal. As long as the requirements are being held steady and not wavering, all will work out. -Evo Zoo Crew

So your saying progression is a bad thing? So what if someone's ultimate goal is to wingsuit or base jump, as long as they get to that goal safely it shouldn't matter. The fact is, during those 200 or whatever the number is to get to their goal, they are undoubtedly going to be learning, pulling stable, and developing belly skills, its just bound to happen. The old saying "practice makes perfect" comes to mind. Granted, because I am low jump number, nothing I say here is taken seriously, but I feel like alot of common sense is being left out in a ton of these threads and things are being over analyzed. -Evo Zoo Crew

? Wouldn't those 2 people in essence be spending the same amount of physical time at the DZ? Assuming of course it takes each of them say 45 min(just a way to measure) to do 1 jump? -Evo Zoo Crew

>Exactly! It's time IN SPORT that matters, not time on the couch So then wouldn't you agree that jump number is directly related to time IN SPORT? Therefore making jump number an accurate measurement of experience? -Evo Zoo Crew

Fair? This isn't about fair or unfair, this is about what would be safe and prudent. There's nothing fair about going in. Let's be real though, not everyone will do 260 jumps per year. Jumpers with seasonal DZs are lucky if they can get 100 jumps per year between the winter, weather in the summer, and other life obligations. Even then, if you are doing 260 jumps per year, so what? Keep it up, you're making alot of jumps. Don't whine about what you can't do, how about get better at what you can do. Rushing into anything in skydiving has never worked out well. I remember being a newbie, and wanting to do it all. 200 jumps seemed like a mountain, and three years of jumping sounded like an eternity. 15 years later I'm still at it, and can easily see that 200 jumps isn't that much at all, and three years of skydiving is a damn good time. Shut up and jump. Whoa whoa, that was uncalled for. The point is some people will do that many jumps per year, but you would discount their experience because of time!? That is ass backwards in a sport that tells people they don't know shit because they have never jumped, but then will tell someone who has done it, 700 times, that their experience is not real? Cmon man, it has jack shit to with time, spending 2 years on your couch at home with a license in hand qualifies you for nothing. On the other hand, someone who is at the DZ every weekend, making an effort, learning, jumping, experiencing malfunctions, seeing them happen, talking to people in person, THOSE are the people gaining true experience, time has nothing to do with it. And I have no obligation to "shut up". Just because you don't like what I have to say doesn't make it ok to be an asshole. -Evo Zoo Crew

5 jumps a weekend=260 a year. So then if you make the requirement 3 years and 200 jumps for a discipline, then your taking some motivation out of it, because in 3 years, that guy is going to have over 700 jumps. Not very fair to him right? -Evo PS. Peace to all, I'm not meaning to make anyone angry

Nice post. I agree with the above...I am still new and still learning a ton, but the amount of information I take in at the DZ greatly outnumbers what I learn at home. There are some people on these forums with 50 jumps and 6 years in the sport...but you wouldn't treat them any differently than a 50 jump 1 year. 50 jumps is 50 exits, 50 freefalls, 50 canopy rides, and 50 landings..you can't gain that experience by just spending time with a license in hand. Anyways, I know I am low jump number and only 1 year in, but its makes logical sense Plus, you old timers are crusty and crazy! lol JP! Blue Skies everyone ! -Evo Zoo Crew

You bring up some excellent points. You don't need religion to do good things. But by the same argument, you don't need religion to do bad things either. Religious people on the whole are out there volunteering & doing a lot more good than bad, but the ones who are doing good don't get much press. When confronted with this fact, you argue that religion isn't an important factor when the religious do what is good, but you turn around and claim that religion IS an important factor when other "religious" people do what is bad. That is inconsistent. Good point, but you seem to be assuming I am again only speaking about Christianity. Muslim extremist don't do those good things, and they certainly don't have the same sense of morality we do. So then how does your point about the good apply? Point is, people are going to do good without religion, but they are not going to become religious martyrs for their god if religion doesn't exist. Nor will they oppose scientific research because their god says its immoral. -Evo Zoo Crew

Awesome stuff! Big formations sound like a blast, am working my way to it slowly. Should be participating in 10-20 ways next weekend, so pumped about it! Rock on guys! -Evo Zoo Crew

BAHHH! How awesome is that! I hope someday I am filthy rich and have super children. -Evo Zoo Crew