brbjumping

Forgive me if it's been said already (I tried to skim I really did), but if/when you start jumping with weight remember that it will have an affect on your canopy flight. That's part of the reason why people will suggest you start with small amounts and gradually add on more. I know it's not always an option, but if you can, jump with small groups of people who are more experienced than you and they should be able to match your fall rate without weights.

I've got around 500 jumps on a Pilot 188 and 250 or so on a Sabre2 170. Out of the two, the pilot has better openings. The pilot had smoother/more consistent openings and flew like a dream. With its flatter glide I was able to get back from some pretty bad spots that left my buddies out in the fields :) I've been jumping the Sabre2 since late last season and it has slammed me pretty good once or twice putting me out of commission for the day. Also, like others have said, it has a tendency to have off-heading openings ... but I personally find that to be manageable. Both are good canopies and you wont go wrong with either, but if openings are your priority then I would go with the Pilot.

My original plan was to hit the 1000 jump mark with only an A license until I realized that I needed to have at least a B license to compete at nationals I had already done everything needed for the license except for the test, so around the 500 jump mark I got my B license. Ah well, might as well finish it off with the C and D now...

I love my G3, it really helps block out a lot of the wind noise and seals up nice. It comes with 2 different padding for the front section, one that blocks your mouth (to keep your breath from going up onto the face-shield) to help with fogging issues in the cold and another one that is a bit more open for when its warmer out. Also, you can buy anti-fog wipes that really eliminate any fogging problems (It's what I do and it works wonders)

Mine was around 100 jumps ago... It was one of those unusually calm days where there isn't much wind. I don't even remember the actual jump that well other than that it was a 2way that went uneventful... Coming in to land on final, at about 40 feet, I felt a sharp tug and my canopy violently hooked to the left. I remember seeing 2 people who had landed before me, just in front of where I was about to land, staring back up at me with alarm. I also remember in that split second after it happened thinking "Oh shit, I'm about to die". I immediately countered with my right toggle... I basically just pulled it for all I was worth and managed to get the canopy directly over my head again. I managed to get a little bit of a flare in at the end which let me do a pretty soft landing on my feet. Later the ST&A let me know that it had been an invisible dust devil that had caused my canopy to hook and that I had done a good job not freezing up and trying to fly the canopy all the way to the ground. I still get a bit nervous the first jump of the day if I haven't jumped in a week. I have a terrible memory and most trips to alt. I'm so busy going over the jump repeatedly so I don't brain-lock that I don't have time to be nervous. I also obsessively check my gear on every jump on the ride to altitude and that usually helps quell my fears. The thing that really scares me is turbulence under canopy. I hate hate hate it, and flying the big 188 Pilot that I do I almost always have turbulence.

I own the book, and its largely geared toward the new jumper. The rest of the information in there can be found in the SIM. Unfortunately the only other skydiving books I've read are either the Parachute and It's Pilot or non-technical (Above All Else, No ETA etc) so I won't be able to suggest any alternatives.

haha take it easy, I already said I was going to go see a doctor :D Just curious if anyone else had a similar problem

If you are jumping with a bunch of people also wearing the same color g3's then getting different color locking plates can help with knowing who is who. Just my 2 cents :)

Not really sure where to post this... After making 7 jumps this weekend I found that when I blow my nose, it has a lot of blood in it. I'm going to go to the doctor and get it checked out, but in the meantime I'm wondering if anyone has had a similar issue and what it might be. I've done a bit of searching and found stuff about flying and nosebleeds, but not having blood in the mucus a day later.

"I missed getting him cutting his chute away as I had continued falling down so there was enough space for him to release his chute and open the reserve, or he would probably fall down onto my deploying canopy. Then we would have both been in trouble." I'm curious, is it common to not track away or did the article not explain everything?

Thanks for the video Brian! Been wanting to practice stalls for a while now, but have been a bit intimidated. You went over some great points and now I can't wait to give it a try.

Hey Guys, I'm looking to buy some new gear and looking for some tips regarding harness sizing. I've heard from people who tried to measure themselves following the tips from Mirage... and when they got sized by a local dealer they came at very different numbers. (Measuring Guide here: http://miragesys.com/support/instructions/harness-measuring-guide/) I'd like to get measured by a dealer, but since it's winter up here all the DZ's I know about are closed. Are there any special considerations that need to be made while sizing, or is following the mirage measuring guide good?

I was going through a similar choice recently, so here's what I ended up deciding. The wait time on a new vector 3 is over half a year currently... While I would like the options that are provided etc, I am not quite at the point where I want to wait that long. So in the end, I decided on a rig that I would be comfortable with and get much faster... I want to actually be able to jump it in the springs :) Just a note, this only really matters if you are looking at new rigs (obviously) :D

First off, thanks everyone for posting your thoughts. It looks like I jumbled up some of my questions :D I wanted to find out about being able to extend the use of the container through multiple sizes, and also wanted to find out about going from a container meant to hold a 190 to a 170. Since there will be less volume, I didn't know if that would have any negative affects? You know what you know You know what you don't know and you don't know what you don't know I was looking to find out what my options are and I think you guys helped lay some of them out for me. Again, thanks to everyone.

Hey Guys, I'm looking for a bit of friendly input about purchasing a rig. A little background info first... On student status I was jumping a 200. Ever since getting my license, I have been jumping a Sabre 2 190 and been having a good time on it (I weigh 160). At first I was looking for used rigs, but I am finding it hard to find one to fit someone of my size (I'm 6'4 and skinny) and would rather pay more for a container that will be comfortable and fit me properly. In addition I never got good at packing, and would really like the opportunity to practice throughout the winter so that I don't have to keep waiting for packers on busy days along with.. having to pay for a pack .. and being worried that they rushed the pack to get another done blah blah. I'm in no rush to downsize and have no problem continuing to fly a 190 for quite some time yet, but everyone keeps telling me that I will want to be downsizing soon to a 170. So, while I plan on sticking with the 190 for a long time yet I figure I should at least see what the possibilities are for downsizing in the distant future. I've heard that containers can sometimes hold up to 3 different sizes of canopies. If I look at a container where it's meant to hold a 190, will it be easy to pack in a 170 or does that really mean that it can fit it... but it's going to take quite a bit of working to get it in there. Is it no big deal to get one of those off-sizes in, or should I plan on buying a rig and only using that particular size canopy?

I just completed my first 2 AFF jumps on Sunday, so I definitely know what you are talking about. I was able to do a tandem back in June, and that gave me an idea for what I was in for. When it came time to actually do the jump I was quite nervous, but you just have to do everything you learned in the class and you will be alright. For the half hour leading up to my first jump I pretty much just sat in silence going over all of the steps over and over in my head. Getting prepared at the door I got pretty nervous again, but once I got into my exit routine I was so busy trying not to forget anything that I forgot about being nervous. If you are worried and haven't done a tandem, I highly recommend doing one (though its not necessary) just to see what you are in for and to ease some of those worries. Otherwise, take your time and jump whenever you are ready.