Dophin containers...

[selbbub78 0]

I'm relatively new to skydiving, and I have noticed that there is a lot of opinions on dolphin containers and using them for free-flying. Are the newer dolphin containers more free-fly friendly, or have you guys who have used them, or know people who have used them, still have a lot of problems with them?

"Women fake orgasms - men fake whole relationships" – Sharon Stone
"The world is my dropzone" (wise crewdog quote)
"The light dims, until full darkness pierces into the world."-KDM

[hookitt 1]

Simple answer... just say no.

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[Unstable 9]

Hang on a second.= > I have put around 150 jumps on my Dolphin. When i first bought it off my rigger, it had several points that may have caused issues with freeflying. the riser covers fell short of covering the shoulders, and there was no bridle protection what-so-ever. However, after i had jumped it for a couple of months, i sent it off to altico for the modifications. The New Riser covers are almost identical to those of the Javelin, and it does have a flap sewn in to protect the bridle. These modifications cost me $150 and $35, respectivly. Every rigger i have spoken to deem my Dolphin with the modifications freefly friendly. Firthermore, I send my Dolphin in and it was revieved by mike furry on saturday morning, and he mailed it back to me monday morning, so you won't be long without your rig.

I hear a lot of Dolphin Bashing in these forums. Just remember to use your judgement and decide for yourself.

Blue Skies,

=========Shaun ==========

[D22369 0]

Quote

I'm relatively new to skydiving, and I have noticed that there is a lot of opinions on dolphin containers and using them for free-flying. Are the newer dolphin containers more free-fly friendly, or have you guys who have used them, or know people who have used them, still have a lot of problems with them?

the older ones need some work to make them freefly friendly.
the newer ones seem to work just fine. my g/f has one manufactured in 99 and doesnt have the riser covers, I wouldnt use it for freeflying till it has been modified. but once it has that mod, I wouldnt hesitate to use it.

Roy

They say I suffer from insanity.... But I actually enjoy it.

[D22369 0]

I hear a lot of Dolphin Bashing in these forums. Just remember to use your judgement and decide for yourself

--->> HEAR HEAR!!!! I always wonder how many jumps the "bashers" have made on a particular rig or canopy to form thier opinions....... it always seems to be ....."a friend of mine has a friend that had a problem with it".............

Roy

They say I suffer from insanity.... But I actually enjoy it.

[John4455 0]

I have a dolphin that I use as a second rig. It holds a big accuracy canopy. I bought it less than a year ago. I didn't want to spend a whole lot of money on a rig that I wouldn't jump as much.
Likes-Affordable and functional
Dislikes- too much velcro

How do ya like it Johnny?

[ZoneRat 0]

My first container was a Velcro laden Dolphin. On about my 6th FF attempt, someone I respected clued me into the dangers of FF'ing that rig. I didn't do it again.

Couldn't afford another at the time so I was forced to develop some belly skills. (What the hell, it's all skydiving. It's all fun.) Because of that I was invited onto a rookie/ goofball 4-way team, a rookie/ hardcore 8-way team, multiple hoop dives and raft dives, scrambles comps, and a handful of sunset formation loads. Not bragging. I'm no prodigy. All the other upstarts that went RW are just as good and have done just as much, and more. But dude, how fun is all THAT!

Yep. That old-ass dolphin was the best thing that ever happened to my skydiving.

Eventually, I did get a Vector 3...
Now, when I'm tired of flat work I'll treat myself with a sit with my FF buds. Because I do it so rarely it remains a treat. All that flat work helped me pick up the sit very easily. Air's air, I guess.

The V3 is IMHO a far better rig. You can tell that when you pack it. FF or not, I like the secondary riser flaps that run all the way down the back of the rig. I like the 100% bridal protection. I like the way the closing loop is located on the bottom flap rather than the bottom of the Dolphin container pouch, where excess lines are stowed. It just feels tighter and better engineered than the Dolphin.

That Dolphin was more comfy, though. Still have it, still trust it, and am looking forward to eventually piecing it together as my second rig. Belly rig, that is...

“There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophies.”

[a97virago 0]

I can't say anything about FFing a dolphin, but I just got mine (newly new) and I love it!!!

Larry A-43434

[selbbub78 0]

Well, I took the advice that Unstable gave (thanks a bunch). I contained Mike at Altico, and he told me that they had mods they could do to it. Originally I was thinking on waiting until I got my C license (those requirements are coming up), but I feel safety is more important. Full length risers, 100% briddle protection, tuck tabs.... Sounds good to me, so today, i lost my rig to the mail, to get mods made. I hope that everything goes smoothly (i know it will, but i miss it already ). I'll let you guys know how it is, when i get it back. Thanks for all the advice. a newbee really appreciates it

"Women fake orgasms - men fake whole relationships" – Sharon Stone
"The world is my dropzone" (wise crewdog quote)
"The light dims, until full darkness pierces into the world."-KDM

[ziboulateur 0]

I'm sure there are rigs more suited for freeflying, but here are a few facts and only my opinions:
I've got ~700 jumps (about 400 of them freefly) on my dolphin 2000 (all velcro, long riser covers, bridle protective flap, grommet and stiffener mods). I had riser covers open once while backtracking, reserve flap open twice when sitflying. And nothing else I can remember. My rigger replaces all the velcro every time he repacks my reserve. I'll keep freeflying with it because I feel relatively safe doing it with THIS model as long the velcro is replaced regularly.

And if you don't firmly press on velcro when closing flaps or covers, they will come loose!

The best thing about my D2 is that I bought it with Sabre 190 and now it holds a 120. Works fine for me. Just the matter of adjusting the loop. Don't take is as advice though, don't downsize that much with the same container as other issues come to play as main-reserve size issues, contailer look and maybe something that I don't know about.