HughesAK 0 #1 November 28, 2011 I'm looking at the Mirage G4 M4 with a Safire 2 169, Icarus Reserve 169, and probably a CYPRES 2 AAD. I'm new with 44 jumps. I live in a remote area of Alaska and will be heading for Oregon again in late December/early January to get as many jumps as possible with a goal of getting a wingsuit rating (main goal is to get a pilots license while i'm down there, jump on all off time). I have limited options for trying out new gear since i live 500 miles from the nearest DZ with no roads. I learned with the Vector 3/Spectre 2??-180/ ??? reserve. I have used my Instructors Safire 169(V3 rig) and liked it a lot more than the Spectre. It had nicer control and a better flair (IMO). My concerns: Vector vs Mirage--the vector fit very nicely on my back. I'm 5'7 185pounds. I based my reserve on the fit going into the Mirage G4, other than that i'm not that familiar with them. Should i look for a fast opening canopy, i know the Safire has a long soft opening. What should i look for in a reserve? AAD- Cypres 2 sound good? I wanted to hear opinions before i went out bought this stuff. I would buy all new. I flew back here just to make the money for this...although buying a project Jeep Scramber as soon as i got home didn't help/gear for work, bosses get all new gear and dont set foot on a tower where i spend all day in the air and get the hand me down crap. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sundevil777 102 #2 November 28, 2011 Quotewill be heading for Oregon again in late December/early January to get as many jumps as possible with a goal of getting a wingsuit rating It would seem to be a terrible waste to not visit the good folks at Velocity Sports Equipment while you're in Oregon: http://www.velocityrigs.com/ Give them a chance, check out their work, and even if you don't get one of their rigs, they would likely do a great job of measuring you for a competitor. You're a very normal size, lots of rigs are going to feel good on your back. There is nothing wrong with your choice of equipment, but everyone has their personal favorites. Many will tell you that you should buy used gear, for less cost, but if that doesn't matter then have fun with new gear - nothing wrong with that.People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sundevil777 102 #3 November 28, 2011 There is one thing wrong with your choice of gear, you weigh too much to be jumping a 169. Even if you've jumped it before, it is a bad choice for you.People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
monkycndo 0 #4 November 28, 2011 Whenever buying gear, start out with appropriate canopy size for you skill/jump numbers. At 44 jumps, you will be loading your main and RESERVE at about 1.25:1. That is way to high. Good rule of thumb is under 1.0:1 until 100, then and 0.1 for each 100 jumps. So unless you expect to be getting 150 jumps before your gear arrives, your proposed canopy size is aggressive. Especially your reserve. Regarding containers. I agree about the Infinity from VSE. They are close enough to make it worth a trip to see their shop. I did on a road trip to a boogie and talked with Kelly and crew and watched them work. Reinforced my decision to buy my next container from them. My girlfriend did as well. VSE is an Icarus dealer and you could get the whole rig in one shot. The containers might even show up from the man in brown this week. 50 donations so far. Give it a try. You know you want to spank it Jump an Infinity Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
davelepka 4 #5 November 28, 2011 QuoteI'm new with 44 jumps. I live in a remote area of Alaska and will be heading for Oregon again in late December/early January to get as many jumps as possible with a goal of getting a wingsuit rating (main goal is to get a pilots license while i'm down there, jump on all off time) First thought, USPA reccomends 200 jumps min for a wingsuit, how many jumps do you think you're going to get in Oregon in Dec/Jan? Keeping in mind if you're going there for flight training, that's a 'nice weather' activity, and probably what you'll be doing when it's 'jumpable'. QuoteI'm looking at the Mirage G4 M4 with a Safire 2 169, Icarus Reserve 169 i live 500 miles from the nearest DZ My next thought is that you're making some 'aggressive' choices for a guy with 44 jumps, who lives in a place where they don't jump year-round, and lives 500 miles from the nearest DZ. Both the main and reserve canopies are small for your weight and experience level, and you're looking to 'rush' into a wingsuit, even if you do wait until the 200 jump min is reached. The problem is that jumping is all about experience, training, and currency. From what you described, you're going to be light on all three, and getting into what had been proven to be 'advanced' parts of jumping. Wingsuits take the complications for gearing up and gear checks way up, and the less often you jump, the more you get out of the 'routine'. The USPA actually came up with the 200 jump min for a wingsuit in reaction to a guy with about 100 jumps who was learning to jump a wingsuit and forgot to put on his legstraps. He fell out of his rig and died, and this was a guy jumping with a coach at a busy DZ with plenty of jumpers around. Think about the type of jumping you'll be doing, and how often you'll be jumping, and make your choices accordingly. The less you'll be jumping, and the less you'll be exposed to a busy DZ and all the experienced jumpers at such a DZ, the less you want to 'push' the limits of anything. There are lessons to be learned from the experience of jumping and lessons to be learned from the experience of being around experienced jumpers, and if you're going to be light on both of them, take that into account with your gear choices. To answer your specific question about the fit of a Mirage. don't buy any used rig without the understanding that you're allowed to return the rig (unjumped) within a week or two after a rigger has inpected it, and you've had a chance to try it on. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HughesAK 0 #6 November 29, 2011 The all around opinion is to change my wing loading on my main and reserve. A 169 with gear and me is -1.21, a 189 would be 1.08. At the same time i would still be able to fit a 169 once i have made more jumps (with an change to a M5 model). Revised: Mirage G4 M5 rig, Safire 2 189 main/209reserve. (of coarse i'll talk to my Instructor as well) I'll be moving to Oregon for ~6 months and jumping at least 3 days a week until i get my pilots license. Then i will stay to jump for a few months. After i'll be moving to the DZ in Anchorage while i go to school. The wingsuit is a down the road goal, i dont expect to be flying the second i hit 200...i'll bank account will probably be long gone by then. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JerryBaumchen 1,468 #7 November 29, 2011 Hi Hughes, Quote I'll be moving to Oregon for ~6 months and jumping at least 3 days a week Make the '~6 months' to begin in April and you might make those '3 days a week.' Otherwise, go south young man, go south. JerryBaumchen Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
adventurechick 0 #8 November 29, 2011 Hi There, It's Gail from VSE/Infinity. We're located a little south of Bend, Oregon. We'd love to have you at the shop and show you around. If you have any questions, would love to help out. Blue Skies, Gail Lovelace Velocity Sports Equipment www.velocityrigs.com www.facebook.com/infinityrigs Gail.Lovelace@velocityrigs.com PMS #449 TPM #80 Muff Brother #3860 SCR #14705 Dirty Sanchez #233 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
