lyosha

Thank you all for the replies. How can I figure out what size of MLW do I need? I do have a longer torso (I think). Inseam is about 37 inches

What do I look for in the mirror? How close they sit to my face?

So nay on the wayfarers, but what should I look for in $10 sun glasses? Like is there a way to tell which of the ones in the gas station near my DZ won't cause tons of air to rush in to my eyes?

Please excuse the novice question, but as a novice who is considering what to do in the post-goggles... What evil things would happen if I were to say, ditch the goggles for a pair of non-skydiving company (that also doesn't want absurd quantities of green for their otherwise not particularly special sunglasses) glasses such as wanna-be wayfarers or something (PD's $10 knock off wayfarers would do fantastic for this example)?

Hi there, I'm a recent A license recipient that happens to be of a tall/skinny stature (~6'6", 200 lbs). In a few months when things up north defrost a bit I am hopeful to continue my progression through the sport. That will likely involve purchasing a container and some canopies and the such to cut down on the running costs of my newfound addiction. I've been watching classifieds for the past couple of months and 6'4" and 30 pounds of gut on me (guessing this will not fit properly) is doable, but 6'5" is already an elusive beast... So, with my dimensions, I'm used to purchasing custom-made or hard to find stuff. Will the story be the same with containers? Are there some kind of dimensions on containers that can actually be adjusted or should I not bother? Should I ask extra questions when looking for used containers to make sure they'll fit me properly post-adjustment? The student containers really fit like @$$ and I'm guessing the rentals at my local rigger will fit similarly. Is it worth it to purchase a new container custom made for my uncommon body? Also, being newer to the sport and concerned with safety, a skyhook seems like a really good idea, which makes used rigs even THAT much harder to find and somewhat limits my selection... To that end, does anyone have any recommendations of containers that work better for individuals with my body type? I don't want to dislocate a shoulder going for the BOC on a short container... am I correct to just give up on classifieds for containers? Also, if purchasing a new container, I would prefer to knock out as many bases as I could for as long as I could so I don't have to purchase another container two years from now. That means if I want to learn to start freefly a dozen or two jumps from now, I won't have to get a whole other container. And if a couple hundred jumps from now I want to try a wingsuit on, the container will work as well. I was thinking of starting out with something like a Vector V349, which will hold an OP193 and stick something docile and easy like a Pulse 190, with room to go down from there whenever I'm ready, in a year or maybe two. I've worked my way down to flying Nav 220's and 200's as a student and my landings have been pretty good. Does this sound reasonable or am I doing something silly? Also, Vector containers take like 8 months to manufacture. Which seems very excessive. But none of the other containers even publish container dimensions (is there even another container that will hold a pulse 190 at its upper bounds with a OP193 as a standard fitting reserve?)! How am I supposed to know if it will work for me at all? :-/ I'd love to have more choice, but the other manufacturers don't seem to want to release information that I would consider important :-/ Ohhhh the dilemma of being tall... I guess the bright side of ordering a Vector would be that by the time it actually arrives I'll definitely be ready for the size of parachutes that can go into it... Is there anyone else out there that has to pay extra for custom tailored suits like me because no store carries anything that fits you or anyone with experience with such a man that would have some advice for me? Thank you so much in advance!

I can only give the perspective of a first time jumper and a student, since I'm still working on my A license at the moment. And maybe I'll modify as needed next year when I (hopefully) complete the requirements and begin fun jumping. The Ranch was the place I went on my first skydive, and I've stuck around it for the AFF progression and student solo dives. My first jump (tandem) was amazing. The tandem instructors here are a lot of fun to be around and really know how to turn the anxiety of a first jump into adrenaline and happiness, and how to teach you just enough so that you have an enjoyable experience without clouding your mind with the intricacies of skydiving that they take care of for you. The Student instructors are super experienced (several being in the "sport" for I think 30+ years, five digit jump counts, etc.) and approachable for even the dumbest of questions, so long as they're not busy briefing or debriefing another student. They are super attentive to each student they teach, and make sure that each student receives all the proper instruction, which they never rush, even in busy times. The student gear looks like it has been used to teach a great many students already. In popular jump times, there are sometimes backlogs of students waiting for instructors, and you may get fewer jumps in than you want. However, a lot of that is caused by students having a "favorite" instructor that for whatever reason blends well with their personality. To their credit, the student training procedures at the Ranch are super transparent, so you always know how many people are ahead of you, how many want the same instructor as you, etc. Once you are done with your level jumps getting on a load as a solo student diver is super hassle-free. Two twin otters (or a twin otter and a Cessna caravan) going at once means there is always an extra spot on loads and planes take off every ~15 minutes. I would suggest taking a day off from work on a good skydiving day or two (depending on how fast you progress) and coming up to the ranch to knock out your levels jumps. The other people are great. There is lots to do at the dropzone after skydiving ends with many people camping out in the adjacent woods. Bonfires, food, drinks, etc. I've met a lot of people there and they're all a ton of fun. From what I've seen, people don't clique up too much. The experienced skydivers are very helpful and approachable by students. The scenery is beautiful. Apparently there is some famous rock climbing mountain range just there. On a very clear day you can even see the Manhattan skyline off in the distance. The weather can be a pain in the ass as a student. There is no "great" weather forecast, even as far as weather forecasts go, for the area. They rely on data from Albany and JFK airport for winds aloft, both of which are a little ways away. I've come up on a clear day with what seemed as adequate winds only to be grounded as a student because of strong wind gusts. There is a "dive bar" that's basically a mini restaurant that serves pretty decent food at very reasonable prices and amazing homemade blueberry kombucha (if you're lucky enough to get some before they run out). No Michelin stars, but way better than anything I've heard of at any of the other area drop zones. All in all, the weather can be a bit frustrating at times, but the instructors and other jumpers back up the reputation of this place as the best to learn to skydive in the NYC area. As a side note, I've looked at the other drop zones in the area, and they all seem to have many fewer "fun jumpers" (experienced skydivers jumping for fun) and fewer spots in smaller airplanes.