SFBayArea

Define "local" to the Bay Area. I'd head up to Skydance, where they have Action Air Parachutes a gear store. I would not recommend any of the helmets you listed, but rather the Cookie G3. Great visibility and airflow, and hinges which are near bullet proof. Local is any shop in Bay Area within 70 miles radius.

I guess picture does not make a good statement for G3. Looking at the pictures G3 seem to have much more limited visibility then those helmets I listed. Heck, I guess if majority voted for G3, I must try it.

How can I try these helmets? There are no local stores available that I know off. I feel kind of weird asking jumpers to try their helmets on. Is there a preferred vendor that you guys use to purchase gear with discount and ability to exchange? I've found square1 site. And couple of helmets there looks like have good visibility. What do you think about these helmets: 1. Phantom X 2. Oxygn 3. Mamba

Guys, I want to start getting my own equipment as I am finishing up AFF (one more jump left). I want to start my initial purchase with helmet as most of the helmets at the DZ have seen better and cleaner days :-). I was wondering if you can give me some points on a full face helmet. I don't want to deal with the goggles, so been thinking of getting full face helmet. How do I know which one is good for me? Where can I get one? Is there any local shops in San Francisco Bay Area where I can try few on my head? Thank you.

Yes, you right, I read "diving duck" exactly after I have my doubts after 3rd jump. I loved the story. Thanks for the encouragement.

Thank you guys. You really helped my decision. Since instructor gave me a full pass, and yes he is very experienced guy with 30 plus years of skydiving and over 12K jumps, I will proceed to the category E1.

Thank you. I like the freefall feeling and love canopy ride. I will try and push it through. That's normal at our stage. It's that fear that makes us check, recheck, triple check, and get one last final gear check before we jump. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous during the drive out to the DZ. All seems to go away once I go through my second preflight. It takes time. This is key. You recovered, you didn't go down a spinning mess and your instructor didn't have to pull for you. I find it easier to do a diving exit. I don't quite know why. Just seems so much easier for me to get stable. Magic perhaps? Finished AFF and did my first solo jumps this last weekend. Head first I went out of the otter. Nope. Everybody screws up here and there. Many of us repeat a level. My level was 5, my turns were like molasses. I know other people who tumbled out of control during 90 degree turns and had to retake it...over and over and over again. They didn't give up. Remember mate, this stuff is like learning to walk, except you're falling at 120mph. The only reason to not go through with it is if you are not getting any level of enjoyment throughout the jump or you honestly don't want to put any of the time and effort into it. There is nothing wrong with that, there are many a people who enjoy tandems. I know a couple that like jumping out of airplanes but that 6-8 hour first jump course though would be like putting them through torture. Take your time and have fun.

I ask my self that question every time I am in the plane. Though on the last two rides up I was almost OK and had very little fear.

Little history, I've been steadily pushing myself to overcome that "frog brain" of mine, which was scared to death to jump from the plane. Before my first jump I imagined that once I jump for the first time the rest will be easy and not scary at all :-). Boy was I wrong. Before doing my 3rd jump I worked myself up so much that I was terrified to go through that door, I almost kicked myself out of it. Even when I jumped and safely landed I thought to myself that is it. However, week went by and I went to DZ again. When my name was called I almost found and excuse to leave the DZ, but I proceeded to my next 4th jump and I was surprised how much calmer I was on the plane comparing to just 20 min ago on the land. I jumped good and next week proceeded to my 5th jump D2 category. On that jump instructor let me completely jump out of the plane by myself, but from the standing in the door backwards to the world position, instead of a dive jump. To my surprise I let the plane go in a civilized manner :-) and started descending, but as soon as I started falling down I could not gain good arch and good stability. Though all previous jumps instructors told me that my arch is very good. So I ended up on my back. I tried to roll back to stomach, but it only worked from the second trial. Once I was on my stomach I started doing turns, but I lost lots of altitude and could not do all of the turns. Even though I managed to turn back to my stomach those 5-10 seconds of me struggling to get in the good arch position made me doubt my abilities. Because I recouped and still was able to do turns my instructor counted this jump as a success. However, I don't think it was a success at all. The next jump is E1 category, which is exiting airplane in the dive-superman manner by myself. I've seen videos and heard that mastering superman dive even harder than jumping backwards from the plane. Do you guys have any words of wisdom? Should I re-take the D2 jump? Is superman exit really harder then regular student exit? If I sucked so much on first solo exit should I quit? These are all the questions going on in my mind now.

Thanks guys. This week I am taking off from the "skydiving" - going camping for the weekend and next week I plan to go to the tunnel before heading to the DZ on Saturday.

Thanks!

Guys, what is this tunnel some people comment about?

Thank you all for your comments. So far I was able to keep my mind on the tasks I have to do. I guess my previous military training helps me stick to the tasks once I am out of the plane. However, it is that open door that gives me shock. I know I have to get over it. I just hope to get over it sooner than later. Quote

Happened to me on my third - last jump I did. I was the last guy to get into the plane as I was supposed to be first to leave it. So my instructors climbed behind me and I was on the floor next to the door. It was hot and they opened the door as we climbed out. THAT WAS NOT HELPING me at all. I told myself I have a parachute and I have nothing to worry, but that ugly little nasty guy inside of me kept creeping out :-).

Ha ha, your description of the door and the walk is soo true to what I've been feeling. Well, I am glad I am not the odd ball in this sport. I guess I will just have to deal with that fear jump after jump until its gone.

Thank you guys for your replies. I understand now that it is a normal process of getting through the AFF. However, as I said at the beginning my human brain does not go intact with my "animal" brain. I try to convince myself that it is ok, it is normal, but yeah all these three times I stepped to the door edge was kind of nerve wrecking. lookoutbelow: In your 5th jump, do you remember what you did wrong?

Hi guys, I am new to the forum and new to the Skydiving. I took AFF course and already did my first three jumps. Prior to my first jump I of course was scarred, but figured as soon as I jump once I will have no more fear of jumping from the plane. Oh boy was I wrong. My second and third jump was just as scary on the way up and most of all when that dam door rolls up and it is my turn to walk to the door. Once I exit the plane I love it, the rush of the air the feeling of peace when canopy opens. However, climbing to the 13K feet in the plane and that open door to which I have to walk to really gives me jitters. I understand and tell myself its fun and that you've done it couple of times already, but I guess something on much more primeval level disagree with my comments and make me think before every jump if I want to do it or not. Moreover, when I am on the plane I look around and here and there spot nervousness (shaky hands, gulping eyes, sweating) on the people who I thought should not really have it anymore. I know this subject been discussed here before. However, I just wonder when some of you stopped having these jitters and how you battle them?