SFBayArea

Hey guys, Had my G3 for a week now - LOVE IT. However, the visor is not as clear as it should be. I was wondering what people use to clean it and not strip anti-fogging coating?

Thanks. I called them um. Ended up ordering an ultralight suit with codura knees and a$$ and to slow down me a little they will build in small wings in it, which they said look more like an extra fabric in the armpits :-). Now, I just can't wait to get it.

I am actually looking to slow down a little. I mean I am 5'10" and 195lb, with clothing and gear probably 225lb. Hence, I don't think I need a faster flight suit. The guy at the order booth said that I can get an ultralite weight suite, but add small wings and be at the same or better fall rate then medium weight material. How does the Supplex stand for the abuse - stains, tears, etc. Thanks.

I am 5'10 tall, 195lb. I am talking about "body suite" selled by flytsuit, not sure if it is their propitiatory brand, but I think I saw it on other web sites as well.

Getting my first suit. Went to the local (hour and a half away) shop to order one. Got all the measurements done in the shop. However, paying for it almost $450 come to think I didn't find much info on the web if these suits good or bad. Anybody has personal experience with "body suite"? Also, being 195lb heavy, should I be getting it in UltraLight - supplex or medium weight? On one hand I don't want it to be too hot, on the other I don't want to decelerate faster then others especially being already 195lb.

Thanks for great advise! The "local shop" that was advised to me last week is hour and a half away from me that is first. Second, it is not a shop, it is a drop zone, I called them, they did not have G3 helmets. Before you flame newbie try and get your facts straight. To the rest of the guys who really tried to help - THANK YOU! I believe that is why forum exist - to ask questions and help each other out. I called shooting star this morning and ordered XL.

So, is that the trend, has to be really, really tight? bro, if it's really really tight that's not a trend..that's uncomfortable. what color is it? I'll buy it off ya if it doesn't fit. Yeah, it is really, really tight. I tried installing audible Optima II in it and could not fit the head with the audible in it so I guess my head is XL melon :-). By the way, it is matte black.

So, is that the trend, has to be really, really tight?

Hey guys, got my G3 helmet today. I ordered it in large. When I measured my head it looked that I am close to the top range of fitting on the large size, however, I thought it is better that is not loose. Well, I barely can put this helmet on me. It is really tight. Is that how it is supposed to be or should I have a little wiggle room in the helmet?

Some people still wear it on the chest strap, using a "pillow". Most gear store still sell them, so look it up. As far as tuning, Alti-2 offers factory servicing on theirs. Thank you.

How do you guys wear altimeter on the chest? I don't think I've seen anyone at the local DZ wearing altimeter on the chest. Also, if I get a good deal on the used mechanical altimeter is there a place I can take it to give it a "tuning"?

Last Saturday I finally graduated from the school and made my first solo jump without any instructors. On the way up I noticed that my altimeter (I picked one that used by students) is stock at 7K while Viso II on a guy next to me was showing over 8K altitude. What the heck? The guy told me to hit the altimeter a couple of times. I did and it got unstuck. However, on the way down I was very much uneasy about this altimeter and at around 6K I thought it got stock again so I pulled, even though I was planning to pull at 4.5K. I don't know if altimeter indeed got stock again or I was reading too much into it, but because my helmet has not arrived yet and I could not use my new Solo II to verify the altitude I ended up pulling too high and guys on the ground teased me that I pulled much higher then I said I would. So now I am thinking if I am getting mechanical altimeter, it should probably be new to avoid complications with used ones since you never know how and for how long it was used.

^^This Ok, I keep reading this "go hang out at DZ". I do, every weekend I spend at least 5-6 hours at DZ. The problem is all of the "cool kids" are busy either taking tandems up to the air, or packing their shoot for the jump. The only time I can see people wearing the altimeter is when they are walking up to the plane and that I think is a bit wrong time to approach people asking questions. I will try this weekend to nag few guys about their altimeters, see where it will get me.

I already ordered Optima II and yes I was eyeballing the Viso, but seems that most people suggest to have an analog for a newbie like me.

Sorry. Feel totally stupid now. I was looking for the forum entry "classifieds" and didn't bother looking at the top of the page.

I am interested in the same thing. I spend at least hour in tunnel for now, but still doing pretty bad in my backfly. Nobody ever coached me how to do it and what I am doing wrong there. So I was thinking a good coach who can teach me back fly, seat fly and maybe later head down fly would be great. By the way how much should a coaching at the tunnel cost?

Also, where do you guys find used analogs? I've only seen few on the ebay, any other source? Dropzone, does not have classified section like most forums do, is there any other forums you know that have classified sections to pick up good used equipment from jumpers?

The display on the Solo and Optima is used for setting the altitudes where you want the alarms to happen and to adjust other settings. The display is not used to monitor the altitude, except in the case of the Neptune/N3 which switches to a mode where the digits get much bigger/take up the whole screen when in active alti display mode. There is no separate unit ("main unit" vs "helmet piece"), the sound comes out of the back of the unit, which is placed in the helmet. There is only one exception, the N3A, which uses ordinary earbuds, but that is not very common. The Solo and Optima are actually very small. Thank you. Finally it is clear to me. So between Solo II and Optima II, Optima seems to be the main choice? Is that because Optima has canopy alarms and Solo does not? How useful those canopy alarms, especially landing ones for newbie like me?

Ok, I am totally confused. Are Optima and Solo comes with main unit and helmet piece? If so, how do you program helmet piece without the main unit? I am looking at Solo II and Optima II both seems to have visual units. http://www.l-and-b.dk/products/audible/optima_ii http://www.l-and-b.dk/products/audible/solo_ii Are those pictures of the unit that I am seeing at the L&B site is the actual picture of the unit that goes in your helmet? It looks rather big, no? Also, if this unit goes in your helmet, why do you even need those visual indications of your altitude?

Where is Skydance? I can't find them. Your google-fu is weak. http://bit.ly/14x2BHg I found the same guys, however, I don't see on the site that they sell any equipment?

Guys, thank you for tons of responses. Those of you who use analog and digital/sound warning in the helmet, how do you set it up? Must be a dumb question, but I don't understand how it works. Does every digital unit comes with the additional ear piece for the helmet? If so don't you need to carry the main unit on you when you jump so it sends signal to your ear? If that is the case, do you wear analog on one hand and digital on another, or do you stash digital in the packet somewhere?

What is the rationale to have analog altimeter for a new jumper comparing to have a digital one? What are the drawbacks of the digital altimeter that makes you suggest analog to a newbie?

Hey guys, I am new to the skydiving. Still have one more jump to do to start jumping on my own. However, I want to start gathering my own equipment, at least small staff for now. Hence, I was thinking one of the first things (besides helmet) would be the altimeter. Which one would you suggest? Would be nice to have a device that can give the audible alarms (I am getting a G3 helmet) yet have a good altimeter reading to clearly see it during the free-fall. Plus I think the battery or re-charge life is important, no? O and of course it should be accurate :-). What would you suggest?

Where is Skydance? I can't find them. I called couple of places who sell G3 and none of them have them in stock. Wow. Anybody been purchasing this helmet recently and can suggest a supplier who has these helmets in stock? I am looking for a mate black.

Just few weeks ago I was posting same thoughts as you are :-). You can search by my user name. While I never landed with the plane, I was terrified and psyched so much after Category C and then later after category D2 that I thought I will never do it again. All the jumps I did up to E1 category I pushed myself out of the plane. And yes, every-time I am riding plane to 14k feet I think to myself why the heck I am doing this. However, I think I finally had a fun jump. My last jump E1 was unassisted exit from the plane with head first diving. I was once again very nervous about this jump, but it ended up my best jump so far and gave me an idea that I will be doing more jumps. I really, really enjoyed it as I got stable so much quicker then my last jump and most important I finally relaxed during the fall. My biggest problem in my D2 jump was that I was fighting the air just like I did in every other earlier jump. I could not understand what instructors mean by saying that I have to relax, I mean wind pushing you at 120m/hr. What helped is tunnel. I went to the tunnel and tried to relax there and realized that I don't actually have to fight the air, but if I relax my muscles I am more stable and can enjoy it more. Spend some good time in tunnel, its not going to eliminate door fear for good, but it will help. Fear will ride with you for a while, it is normal, everyone will tell you this. What helped me a little is that I kept saying to myself, hey these guys or these girls doing it, why can't I.