Do videos really help ?

[ColdDuck 0]

The other day I bought "Break Away", "Pack Like a Pro", and"Fly Like a Pro". I am just curious if anyone else has seen these videos and if they are helpful. Even if they are not I also bought Joe Jennings Good Stuff just in case.

[wingnut 0]

can't say about the other video's but good stuff will help on the days that you can't jump, to get you through them!....i've heard though that they do have some very good information in them though.
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[ColdDuck 0]

Thats good because here in the great white north there are a lot of those days. Know what I mean eh!

[Pammi 0]

We bought Pack Like a Pro and Fly Like a Pro, and I'm sorry, but I learned more at the DZ then from those vids. I watched it all of once and was like "okay, that's enough!" Just my opinion.
Pammi

[Slowfaller 0]

This guy that just got off student status on my DZ watched pack like a pro, packed a main( supervized by a rigger ) and jumped it. Sounds like it taught him well.
chris

[SkySlut 0]

There is no better learning substitute for packing than learning at the DZ, so pack like a pro is good to watch just to affirm that you are doing it right. I wouldnt recommend learning to pack from that video. BreakAway is pretty good...that is worth having and watching. I havent seen fly like a pro.
My point:hang out at the DZ, you will learn 90% of what you need to know sitting around on rainy days. Plus its a lot more fun!
"I'll jump anything!"

[drosenberg 0]

I think "Break Away" is very good, I don't have the other ones.
If you are concerned about safety (who isn't?) "Break Away" is a must. It is the first time that I got to see real emergencies and hear from leading skydivers how to deal with them. Its not the same as looking at pictures or hearing a safety lecture.
Even if you will watch the other videos one or twice until you feel you can pack etc. I am certain that you will watch "Break Away" every once in a while to refresh your memory.
Blue Skies

[Dutchboy 0]

I have all of these videos. Good Stuff is one of my favorite videos. The others I found educational. Pack Like a Pro is very dry and I wish they had things like psycho packing and ZP tips, but is a good affirmation that you are doing it right when first learning to pack. Now I just mostly loan that out to friends who are learning. The other two are good. Fly like a Pro has some good tips, but is a bit slow in places. If I had to rate these in terms of educational value I would say:
Breakaway
Fly Like A Pro
Pack Like a Pro

[SpeedRacer 1]

Well I watched Pack Like A Pro several times at home (I borrowed it from a friend) & practiced packing my own rig for the first time. It helped a lot, but I still went to the DZ and re-packed with someone watching me. Also, I had to watch the video several times and stretch out my canopy before I could figure out what's what. If you've never packed before, be patient, because until you've gone over it several times your canopy will just look like an incomprehensible mass of fabris & lines. Be patient though, you'll get it. It ain't rocket science.
They had Fly like a Pro at my DZ. I watched it one time & didn't learn much more than what I'd already learned at the DZ.
Speed Racer
"Blue Skies, Red eyes, Sore thighs!"

[skreamer 1]

I am really sorry that I spent £20 on Pack like a Pro (PAL version). The intro was slightly amusing (the 3-way plus Billy Weber), but overall it wasn't worth the price. The voice over commentary was particularly annoying. Considering how much Billy Weber's name and experience was used on the packaging, I was expecting some really hot tips from a top rigger - but was disappointed. I got far better value paying a packer $10 to spend half an hour training me and then supervising me pack my first job. I bought Pack like a Pro after that thinking I would get additional tips and hints - WRONG!
Anybody who wants to buy a PAL version of Pack like a Pro, I'll sell you my *new* copy at a discount (only watched once). /s
[drop till you party!]

[ColdDuck 0]

DAMMIT!
oh well I guess I'll chalk this up to experience

[mattb 0]

Good Stuff will help you go more crazy when the weather won't let you jump.
Pack Like a Pro is so-so. I've watched it several times in the past week because I just got my own equipment and will need to back this week but find the PD owner's manual with rough sketches to be more helpful. Video doesn't quite capture the joys / challenges of packing.
two cents,
-mob