Flat weights...

[lisamariewillbe 1]

Okay so the question is already in to my rigger but I would like an array of advice. I recieved my weight belt today that takes flat weights. I am going to be making the weights myself with lead shot pellets (unless someone has another idea that will work better) I have been recommended to use 10 to 12 lbs of weights to start with then work down.

So questions are. What weight should each packet be? Id like to be down to no weights within the next 60 jumps to 100 jumps if I can.

What material should I use to make the pouch for the lead shot?

Adding this weight belt and the weights will still have me at a modest .8425 to 1 WL on the safire.

Thank you for your time.

Sudsy Fist: i don't think i'd ever say this
Sudsy Fist: but you're looking damn sudsydoable in this

[councilman24 37]

My wife's 1/2 1 pound weights made out of tubular nylon. Available from Paragear or local climbing store. But, I think Cordura, which is coated, would be better. Less ability for lead dust to migrate out and contaminate you and whatever else. Or coated 1.5 ounce or heavier ripstop nylon for less bulking material. Cordura or coated ripstop nylon is available from you local fabric store. In a home machine you can use upholstery thread #69 which is equivalent to e thread. Use a #18/110 needle. Hot knife the material or sear in a candle flame to prevent raveling.

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[masterrig 1]

I've made a ton of weights for weightbelts. I've found that, #6 shot works best. For material, depending on the size of the pockets for the weights on the belt, I've found 2"-reserve bridle material works well. That, or para-pack material. A small funnel works great for putting the lead-shot into the pouches.
edit to add: Average weight for each finished weight ranges 2 - 6lbs.


Chuck

[monkycndo 0]

I saw someone make them in 1 and 2 lb sizes. That way he could dial in the right amount for each jump. He used an old pair of jeans for the fabric. Easy to sew and durable.

50 donations so far. Give it a try.

You know you want to spank it
Jump an Infinity

[nicknitro71 0]

Being at least 20lb lighter than the average for my height I find wearing a weight belt indispensable in RW.

I made mine out of 500 Cordura. It has 12 pockets.

Each pocket takes a 1LB shot bag also made from the same cordura.

I jump with 10Lbs and love it.

Memento Audere Semper

903

[John4455 0]

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Id like to be down to no weights within the next 60 jumps to 100 jumps if I can.

I don't understand. Do you plan on gaining weight?

How do ya like it Johnny?

[riggerrob 643]

I vote for Para-Pack and make each shot packet weigh one or two pounds.

[lisamariewillbe 1]

No I just plan on learning to fly my body better.... I still fly box man and am underweight for my height ... (to tall to slim) Also I do not plan to always be on my belly.

Sudsy Fist: i don't think i'd ever say this
Sudsy Fist: but you're looking damn sudsydoable in this

[Remster 30]

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Id like to be down to no weights within the next 60 jumps to 100 jumps if I can.

I don't understand. Do you plan on gaining weight?

Its probably the same old prejudice that lots of women get: you dont need weights! Just arch!

LM: if you need them, use them. Dont worry about if you are suppose too use em or not based on what someone told you. You need to be in the middle of your range when jumping with a group (and yes, a 2 way is a group).

You need to be able to move, take grips, adjust your position while keeping your fall rate. If you are maxing out, you probably cant.

Remster

[lisamariewillbe 1]

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I vote for Para-Pack and make each shot packet weigh one or two pounds.

Thanks all, so it seems that the lead shots are the best filler.

Sudsy Fist: i don't think i'd ever say this
Sudsy Fist: but you're looking damn sudsydoable in this

[nicknitro71 0]

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I vote for Para-Pack and make each shot packet weigh one or two pounds.

I thought Para-Pack was for metrosexuals

Memento Audere Semper

903

[lisamariewillbe 1]

[diablopilot 2]

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Okay so the question is already in to my rigger but I would like an array of advice. I recieved my weight belt today that takes flat weights. I am going to be making the weights myself with lead shot pellets (unless someone has another idea that will work better) I have been recommended to use 10 to 12 lbs of weights to start with then work down.

Unless you've jumped weight before, please don't. Start with 4 to 6 and then increase from there. It's not freefall I'm thinking of, but canopy flight. 12 lbs will dramaticly change the way your canopy flys and lands. Trust me, I have worn up to 30 for performance landings and weight makes a huge difference.

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So questions are. What weight should each packet be?

1lbs and 2lbs packets work together well to let you hit the desired weight easily.

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Id like to be down to no weights within the next 60 jumps to 100 jumps if I can.

Wearing weight will not help you with this goal.

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What material should I use to make the pouch for the lead shot?

Tubular nylon works well. Or just make cordura pouches. If you're worried about the lead, steel shot is avaliable. If you want to save some money and are not worried about the lead, ask a skeet range about reclaimed shot. It's ALOT cheeper.

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Adding this weight belt and the weights will still have me at a modest .8425 to 1 WL on the safire.

Still a huge jump. Make it in stages.

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Ive been told that since I did AFF in a tunnel before I did it in the air that it can be a contributing factor in my speed. I dont know enough about this sport to agree or disagree with that notion.

Nonsense.

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You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[lisamariewillbe 1]

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but canopy flight. 12 lbs will dramaticly change the way your canopy flys and lands

Im 20 lbs lighter then when I started on this canopy, thats why I was thinking it would be okay, since I didnt downsize when I lost the weight. However you make a valid point and I will start off lower and add to it. Is there an amount of jumps I should min do with the half before I could considering going to the whole?

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Wearing weight will not help you with this goal.

Even if I learn to fly mantis and stop the AFF position (yes 60 jumps and I still fly in that AFF frame, just now learning to create less drag)? Also I plan, once I get my jump numbers up get into FF.

Thank you for the advice. I know this is adding something to my skydives and I really dont want to jump the gun and move to fast with it, I just want to be able to dive out and get to people without them having to work twice as hard to stay up there with me. At this point Id jump with cans of corn stuck in my socks if it would help me fall at 125 ish

Sudsy Fist: i don't think i'd ever say this
Sudsy Fist: but you're looking damn sudsydoable in this

[diablopilot 2]

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but canopy flight. 12 lbs will dramaticly change the way your canopy flys and lands

Im 20 lbs lighter then when I started on this canopy, thats why I was thinking it would be okay, since I didnt downsize when I lost the weight. However you make a valid point and I will start off lower and add to it. Is there an amount of jumps I should min do with the half before I could considering going to the whole?

I was wondering if you had jumped that canopy at a higher wingloading. It seemed pretty light. I'd say make a jump or two with 6 and then add a few. See how that goes and how your comfort level is.

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Wearing weight will not help you with this goal.

Even if I learn to fly mantis and stop the AFF position (yes 60 jumps and I still fly in that AFF frame, just now learning to create less drag)? Also I plan, once I get my jump numbers up get into FF.

Thank you for the advice. I know this is adding something to my skydives and I really dont want to jump the gun and move to fast with it, I just want to be able to dive out and get to people without them having to work twice as hard to stay up there with me. At this point Id jump with cans of corn stuck in my socks if it would help me fall at 125 ish

Remi is right, if you need weights, you need weights. Nothing wrong with that. 12 may be a bit much. You can make sure you have the right jumpsuit for your body (i.e. low drag), and work on body position (easy to do in the tunnel), but you still may need weight to do RW.

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You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[lisamariewillbe 1]

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I was wondering if you had jumped that canopy at a higher wingloading. It seemed pretty light. I'd say make a jump or two with 6 and then add a few. See how that goes and how your comfort level is

Yea, plus because of being so tall I started out in a big boy rig (nav 260) with a WL .57 and I refuse to downsize until I have Billvons checklist complete. I still want one more planned down wind landing on the current size.

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Remi is right, if you need weights, you need weights. Nothing wrong with that. 12 may be a bit much. You can make sure you have the right jumpsuit for your body (i.e. low drag), and work on body position (easy to do in the tunnel), but you still may need weight to do RW

I was hoping that wouldnt be the case. I do not have a proper jump suit to help with less drag yet and think that it will help a bit. That being said when I did the lingere jump, I went slower then normal, which I am sure had more to do with not paying attention to a strong arch and my intense concentration on the landing that was going to follow free fall.

Im excited to try this out. I think I will start with 6 lbs as you suggested and see how it feels. Also going to see if my rigger can jump with me this weekend and give me some additional advice on body position and such.

You all have been very helpful, thank you.

Sudsy Fist: i don't think i'd ever say this
Sudsy Fist: but you're looking damn sudsydoable in this

[lisamariewillbe 1]

Okay slightly off topic, but will learning mantis help in speeding up? Ive tried it in the tunnel, but did not have enough time to get it stable as I spent alot of time with the over and unders thingy and turns.

Sudsy Fist: i don't think i'd ever say this
Sudsy Fist: but you're looking damn sudsydoable in this

[headoverheels 334]

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Im excited to try this out. I think I will start with 6 lbs as you suggested and see how it feels.

6 pounds will make a lot of difference. Assuming an exit weight of 150 (don't know what yours really is), an extra 6 pounds without increasing body area will increase your freefall speed by about 3 feet per second, for the same body position.

[Reginald 0]

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Okay slightly off topic, but will learning mantis help in speeding up?

Not really.

More to the point of your fall rate being slow. The first thing you need to do is to have a proper jumpsuite. The second thing you need to do is add weights. If you don't have a properly fiting jumpsuit fix that first it will make a huge difference.

"We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

[monkycndo 0]

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At this point Id jump with cans of corn stuck in my socks if it would help me fall at 125 ish

I bet Walt could help you out with the cans of corn. Forget the eggs though.

50 donations so far. Give it a try.

You know you want to spank it
Jump an Infinity

[bob.dino 1]

To echo everyone else: if you need weight, you need weight. Wearing weight is not an "I've failed" scenario. People are different weights and shapes - that's just genetics.

2lb weights, starting with 6lb, and working up/down from there are what I'd do.

[RossDagley 0]

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That being said when I did the lingere jump, I went slower then normal

for the benefits of science and research, can you provide any photos?

[lisamariewillbe 1]

funny enough *cough* no photos exist and by no photos I mean find them yourself

Sudsy Fist: i don't think i'd ever say this
Sudsy Fist: but you're looking damn sudsydoable in this

[ZigZagMarquis 9]

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No I just plan on learning to fly my body better....

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I still fly box man and am underweight for my height ... (to tall to slim)

... better then the other way around...

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Also I do not plan to always be on my belly.

Anyway... 2" tubular nylon, like many have suggested works great... sew one end up, cut to apx length, fill, sew the other end up. I've made packing weights for when repacking reserves out of 2" tubular nylon and #7.5 shot, works great, but they do kinda come out "round" / "tubular" like if you really fill them.

Most weight belts I've seen have weight pouches made of Cordura and are kinda sqaure or rectangular-ish and each pouch is 1 to 2 lbs. Some folks will have a two or three 2-pounders and then several 1-pounders so they can dial in what they want.

I have a friend who used to wear almost 30 lbs of lead between a vest, belt and pockets in her rig. She's a small gal and was doing 4-way with 3 guys that where well over 200lbs out the door if they're an ounce.

Anyway, good luck!

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[mjosparky 4]

Go to a local sporting goods store and get soft diving weights. They come in 2, 3, 4, and 5 pound sizes. They are fairly cheap, $3 to $4. Lead shot sells for about $1 a pound. And reclaimed is no longer legal.

The attachments are 2 pounds.

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I have been recommended to use 10 to 12 lbs of weights to start with then work down.

As someone has already said, start with 4 to 6 and work up.


Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals