Bluhdow

You are comparing apples and oranges. It's a bit like saying, "Driving is safer than flying because you've already landed safely on the ground." Okay... To say that speed flying "mitigates" a long list of irrelevant risks is disingenuous. Speed flying is very dangerous, and highly risky. Not because you'll get a canopy mal during deployment (though you can certainly get one during flight), but for a whole slew of other factors that are not present in sky and BASE jumping. You ever have a BASE canopy fold under on you during a barrel roll? Didn't think so. I get it, speed flying is fun. So is BASE. So is skydiving. But they are all very different and so are the associated risks. Approach each of them cautiously if you're interested in keeping your legs intact. Ground handling and flying in proximity to the ground are definitely beneficial to canopy skills. I'm with you 100% there. I'm a prime beneficiary of this fact having started speed flying with only 40 skydives. That said, presenting it as a cheap and relatively low risk way to learn canopy skills is misleading in my view. That is my point. No hard feelings buddy. Apex BASE #1816

"I believe you have mitigated a ton of the risk involved by launching with an already good canopy above your head." This is incorrect. There's a speed flying fatality list, you know. I've done a lot of speed flying and it is really great, but you'd be foolish to underestimate it. I'm jealous of your hard-core rock 'n roll party lifestyle. You are obviously very cool and I'm looking forward to your athlete page on FB. Apex BASE #1816

Shit, my alias has been exposed! Apex BASE #1816

Great video. Anyone who has been to Tsunami Skydivers in Oceanside knows that Rich Grimm is the man. Best DZO in history and we're stoked to have him running our local spot! Apex BASE #1816

Most people can't afford 4-5 suits. I myself have 3, and I feel that's more than most. Most wingsuit flyers I know have only one or two suits. My thought process is as such (assuming appropriate experience): 1. I can only afford one suit = Havok/Funk. Easy decision. 2. I can afford two suits = Havok/Funk + One larger suit (Venom/Aura/etc.). Now you can do flocking, acro and play with the big boys. 3. I can afford three suits = Havok/Funk + One larger suit + One small suit (Shadow/Hatch). Now you can flock, do acro, play with the big boys, and use the small suits to learn head down, chase tracking suits, jump with smaller suits more easily, etc. This, to me, is the most effective way to have the widest range of flying potential with a given budget. I have three suits: 1. Havok 2. Venom Power 3. Shadow Purchased in that order per that methodology (after I had sufficient time/experience to fly and test each of them). Now, if you have more resources available I would expand it: 4. I can afford 4 suits = Havok/Funk + One larger suit + One smaller suit + One fast suit (Colugo 2/Scorpion/etc.). 5. I am wealthy = Just buy them all. I don't see the value of a Swift in a keep-forever strategy until you climb pretty far up the income scale. It just seems to fill too small of a hole between the Hatch and Funk. It is however, a great temporary suit if you are new and lack the experience required for my approach: 1. Buy a Hatch. 2. Keep Hatch and upsize to Swift. 3. Sell Swift and upsize to Funk. 4. Keep Hatch and Funk forever. To each his own, but that was my way of trying to get the most out of my dollars and the existing suit options. Apex BASE #1816

Recently sent my Havok back for repairs. Couple of weeks and it's headed back my way, totally free of charge. Some big changes were made at PF and everything seems to be tip-top these days! Apex BASE #1816

That was actually the problem at our DZ too. We implemented all of these rules and protocols to prevent new people from landing off and getting hurt. At the end of it all, it was the most experienced people who broke rules, landed off, and got hurt. Present company included. There's no list of rules long enough to prevent shit. Shit just happens. Apex BASE #1816

My point exactly. If they've had trouble with inexperienced wingsuiters, what does the C license requirement solve? None. It's arbitrary and meaningless. However, they are very sensitive about their perfect rules so I'd like to formally withdraw any criticism I've ever made either directly, through implication, or even just thought quietly to myself about these criteria. The reality is, any DZ will waive many/most of their rules for the right person (or price). Apex BASE #1816

I think you're far more likely to keep a Hatch or Shadow/Phantom forever than a Swift. From what I've seen, nobody keeps them. The Hatch/Shadow/Phantom you can always keep for serious acro, but the Swift isn't quite as good in that sense. You're much more likely to keep a Hatch/Funk or Shadow/Havok combo than a Swift/Funk combo. Apex BASE #1816

Materials and build quality are the same. Both are top notch. Standard Squirrel suits seem more durable to me than the standard PF which have some Balloon ZP components. If you get a PF suit in all Parapack though (which I recommend) they are equally durable and will last forever if taken care of properly. Deployment shouldn't be an issue in either a Hatch or a Phantom/Shadow. And for a keep-forever suit I'd actually recommend the Shadow since it's a better acro suit than the Phantom. Squirrel will inflate harder across the size range. In general the Squirrel suits seem to favor heavy pressurization and its associated benefits. PF favors slightly less pressurization and its associated benefits. Both pressurize well given their respective styles. Squirrel will feel more "solid" due to increased pressurization. There are pros and cons to this. Some people prefer it, others don't. Pick one and fly it. You'll be happy either way and become a huge advocate of whichever brand you settle on. I'm a PF guy myself. Apex BASE #1816

Easy there buddy. I'm not trying to get everyone all bunched up here. Chances are that I'll never even skydive in Florida. I live in CA and all of my travel is dedicated to BASE. Sky tourism just doesn't have as much appeal to me personally. I was simply trying to point out what I felt was a weakness in your WS criteria. The C license requirement can serve to prevent qualified jumpers from flying there while allowing less-qualified jumpers to cruise right on by. I think the number of logged WS jumps is a more appropriate measure of experience than a license number (I know these can be faked...but people cheat on tests too). And this is coming from someone who has been asked for feedback on WS criteria at a local DZ. Our solution is to mandate that every jumper first do a non-WS jump to familiarize themselves with the DZ, and the their first WS jump must be with an experienced local to show them the pattern and spotting landmarks. Happy flying! Apex BASE #1816

Every DZ can make their own rules, but some of these are nonsense. I have 600 skydives, 300 of which are wingsuit jumps. But only a B license. So I can't WS there? I get the currency, deployment altitude, briefing...even a "prove your skills" jump with a local. But the license thing is dumb. By these rules someone with 205 skydives, 5 of which are WS jumps would get to go up while I sit on the ground. Radical! Apex BASE #1816

This is a really good idea. I'd go this route. Though it would be better to start on a T-Bird for at least the first few flights if possible. Apex BASE #1816

Chest strap is a no go in BASE. Harness is under the suit. Apex BASE #1816

Anyone ever have an "aftermarket" hook knife pocket sewn into a suit? For sky jumps, I've got a hook knife pocket that goes on my chest strap but I don't love it and hate putting it on/off when switching back to freefly. For BASE jumps, my container puts the hook knife under the suit since it's an innie-outtie system. I'd much prefer to have a pocket on the outside of each suit. A few manufacturers offer it from the factory but I've never seen a custom one. Grazie. Apex BASE #1816

E-mail response times are significantly better now as well. I sent a suit back for repairs and got very quick responses from Robi every time I reached out. Very happy with the new PF! Apex BASE #1816

I was thinking the same thing the other day, actually. No love for a strong dollar or what? Apex BASE #1816

Just wanted to say that the new marketing efforts from PF are awesome. Lead times are down, site looks good, new videos coming out. Good stuff guys! Apex BASE #1816

This. I can get out of twists way faster in a WS than without. Just "fly" your way out of them. Very easy and quick. Apex BASE #1816

Easy to say when you live in Switzerland! I spend more money on BASE than sky jumps via airfare and lodging. Apex BASE #1816

At least 5 hours of tunnel should be budgeted for. Go to Ogden, Utah. Apex BASE #1816

That's some cool customer service right there. Also, you may be covered under your homeowners/renters insurance. Look into it. Apex BASE #1816

Don't listen to Brian. He's a Squirrel fanboy and would gladly pay $2000 for an old pair of Matt's underwear! Apex BASE #1816

Go ask the guys at www.basejumper.com. It's more their style and they are always super helpful with posts like this. Apex BASE #1816

That's false. I'll cede to you the point that freeflying is by far the most difficult discipline to master...but if you think that anyone can throw on a WS and fly acro you're mistaken. There's a difference between laying inside of a wingsuit and actually flying it. Apex BASE #1816