Canopy Wear and Skydiving

[skreamer 1]

Tom, regarding what Earl said about skydiving with BASE canopy. Is it bad for a BASE canopy to do lots of skydives with it? Everybody keeps stressing how different the two sports are, I was just wondering if doing a lot of skydives with a BASE canopy might be bad for the gear. Perhaps stick to sub terminal openings (hop n pops) if you are going to use it for skydiving?

Will

Note: I moved this out of the "Words" thread, since it appears to be a good discussion to have separately. - Tom Aiello

[Faber 0]

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Perhaps stick to sub terminal openings (hop n pops) if you are going to use it for skydiving?

If im not wrong(please correct me if so),you should put on a sail slider,instead of the mesh slider.Then i would think that you would stress the canopi like a normal skydive canopi.

I onse saw a "fomel for how much you stess the canopi(on Blink i think,but cant find it).Somthing about howmuch you chould expekt of your canopi.
Somthing like:
1 salt water jump takes as much as 50 normal jumps
1 freshwater jump takes 25
Would like to finde this again.Also how many jumps can a BASE canopi take in its carrie(aprox)

Thanks

Stay safe
Stefan Faber

[TomAiello 26]

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Is it bad for a BASE canopy to do lots of skydives with it?

Not really. Skydiving is much nicer to your gear, and BASE canopies are built much beefier than skydiving canopies. The only real issue is UV exposure (canopies spend a lot of time flying around in direct sunlight while skydiving).

I once bought a used Mojo with a few hundred skydives on it, and it was in fine shape (certainly nothing like a canopy with a few hundred BASE jumps).

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Perhaps stick to sub terminal openings (hop n pops) if you are going to use it for skydiving?

I really think that the added benefit of one skydiving canopy flight is going to be greater than the negatives associated with canopy wear. If you can handle having that huge load on your back, it's great skydiving a BASE canopy every time--even if it's your only one.

I know that Mick bought a separate Raven to skydive with, and that seems like a pretty good idea too.

As Faber notes, it's probably a good idea to switch to a sail slider (and use your bag, etc) for skydives--it'll just be kinder to your body that way.

-- Tom Aiello

Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com
SnakeRiverBASE.com

[Faber 0]

I have 2 skydives on my Fox,both times i only went 5 sek,but it felt like bungey a long but hard pull.I did use the mesh slider.and putted into a studentrig,whith a bag on it.

Stay safe
Stefan Faber