brabzzz

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Everything posted by brabzzz

  1. brabzzz
    Hmmm....YES, i think he was taking the piss when he said 'bad choice'! What you paid for a perfectly good main and reserve is way less than what I paid for a main! You can't compare UK/US prices, but a new Sabre 2 will set you back $1400 odd and if I had the option of a nice main AND reserve for the same price, i'd go for it. Mike, ...who'se never jumped a hornet when offered a demo (mistake) and STILL hasn't jumped his own Sabre2 (I blame that on the weather). I therefore can't compare them, but they're both nice according to the reviews! --------------------------------------- Ex-University of Bristol Skydiving Club www.skydivebristoluni.com
  2. brabzzz
    Directly from TSE - makers of the container. Reserve and AAD are ordered from stock and I picked a Sabre 2 i liked from PD's website stocklist - so that just took delivery time. I suppose it all comes down to choosing a container that can be made fast (Javelin ) and then picking a stock canopy. If you want custom PD canopy colours, bump it to 12 weeks! I believe Infinity's and Wings can be rushed at a similar speed. Anything custom from PdF is apparently a nightmare though! Mike --------------------------------------- Ex-University of Bristol Skydiving Club www.skydivebristoluni.com
  3. brabzzz
    Thanks for the nice comments guys - i'm kind of relieved that the colours (arguably the most important factor) weren't met with an urrggghhhh!!! The Union Jack would have been nice - though it might glash with the yellow grips on the jumpsuit! Enclosed is a close up of the side/poptop. I think the light was doing funny things when I took the first photos - as the yellow looked white at first, the sides looked blue/grey and the poptop looked like it had a massive gap under it. I can't really fit even a 1/4 of an inch of my little finger under the rim - the binding tape can be a bit away from the reserve in places but there is no 'gap' as such. I will get a rigger to look over it anyway though. The reserve was packed when shipped. My plan of jumping it soon has been shot to pieces though. The next 8 days are predicted to be rain, rain, rain... Blue ones, Mike --------------------------------------- Ex-University of Bristol Skydiving Club www.skydivebristoluni.com
  4. brabzzz
    shhhhhhh! Or they'll all start blaming it on the camera! One of our lot who recently trained did a SL fjc had the opposite problem - a wee little lass with a massive great rig, probably capable of taking a student three times her weight and physical size. Whilst she was fine under canopy, she said that she had no control after exit as she just 'fell back' under its weight. Basically that the rig exited with her rather than the other way around! I suppose that if she picked up some bigger rig as opposed to a smaller one (a big guys accuracy canopy), the islander might have to be scrambled to get her if the spot was a bit off! Mike --------------------------------------- Ex-University of Bristol Skydiving Club www.skydivebristoluni.com
  5. brabzzz
    Hmmm.....yes, that would be a F I R S T rig! I'm guaranteed not to be let off the beers given that it's a Uni skydiving club and all. Mind you, if any of you bump into me at some point, feel free to claim a beer! Mike --------------------------------------- Ex-University of Bristol Skydiving Club www.skydivebristoluni.com
  6. brabzzz
    WOOOAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!! My new rig appeared on my doorstep this morning - kind of made my day really! I went against the Wings/Infinity trend as I'm in the UK and this was the most affordable rig given my options. My choice was a Teardrop SF/Sabre2/Speed/Cypres. I probably won't get to jump it for a day or two, but initial impresions are great. 4 week build time, great fit, perfect colour match to jumpsuit, ziltch exposed bridal and really bombproof riser covers all the way up. Packing new ZP isn't something I'm looking forward to though!!! Pics enclosed! Blue ones, Mike --------------------------------------- Ex-University of Bristol Skydiving Club www.skydivebristoluni.com
  7. brabzzz
    Mental imagery does a whole lot of good, but only for stuff you CAN do, not stuff you're trying to. No matter how much I think about head-down, i won't learn it without jumping - but by mentally repeating the basic exit-fall-pull-mals-land scenarios they'll be embedded. It works for me anyway. My jumping is in 'spurts' - loads a day for a week or so - and then not much for a while so I find 'mental' jumps handy. Not ideal, but I am a student (of the financially poor academic variety...where lectures are a great time to mentally dirt-dive!). --------------------------------------- Ex-University of Bristol Skydiving Club www.skydivebristoluni.com
  8. brabzzz
    I can't say I 've seen any really terrible gear being worn except a guy who realised his last few jumps were with the right riser/lines link open.... Mind you, gems like 'whats this for?' from the S/L student holding his static line over his shoulder always bring a smile! --------------------------------------- Ex-University of Bristol Skydiving Club www.skydivebristoluni.com
  9. brabzzz
    jump 5 - bought gloves and found a pullup cord. jump 40 - goggles and alti + battered old protec jump 45 - jumpsuit and ProDytter + another ProPytter and ordered new rig (still waiting...). I'm a bit peeved about having to splash out for a new rig but as someone said, good value used ones are as rare as rocking horse shit in the UK, especially to fit someone 6'3. --------------------------------------- Ex-University of Bristol Skydiving Club www.skydivebristoluni.com
  10. brabzzz
    Ready or not ready, I can't really comment - (never tried freefly so have no idea about the finer/any points of skyballs). It just seems that there is a simpler answer design wise to miniAAD/expense or flismy sides that pop open... A clockwork egg-timer type mechanism with a recessed dial is turned to the appropriate working time. tic tic tic and you jump out to play with it. At the end of the jump you recover/de-arm it, dump and stow it somewhere. Or you don't catch it and the timer pulls a pin from a ickle-little-poptop, dragging out a round. Havn't spent a second on the 'turning it off' idea, but thats a minor point . The design will probably be shot to pieces in its earliest stage by you lot, but if someone does make a million on it - a beer would be appreciated! --------------------------------------- Ex-University of Bristol Skydiving Club www.skydivebristoluni.com
  11. brabzzz
    likewise, lets see a noggin shot! --------------------------------------- Ex-University of Bristol Skydiving Club www.skydivebristoluni.com
  12. brabzzz
    I got my FT50 for about £62/$90, about as cheap as is possible to buy a nice alti in the UK, and its great. It has a slightly domed face (ie scratchable, so use the 'disk mod'). If the Alit2 is reasonably priced in the states (not sure where you are), go for it as it IS nicer! --------------------------------------- Ex-University of Bristol Skydiving Club www.skydivebristoluni.com
  13. brabzzz
    Hello, anyone tried on or seen the Z1 EVO freefly helmet? I'm temped to buy one as it's the product of a company that know their stuff helmet wise and it's significantly cheaper than a Hurricane/Mindwarp. No one has one, no ones reviewed one and I'm curious (...about the helmet! ) as to what you think of it....link below. Z1 Evo Regards, Mike --------------------------------------- Ex-University of Bristol Skydiving Club www.skydivebristoluni.com
  14. brabzzz
    Yep. The words 'rocking horse s**t' and 'scare as...' come to mind - in no particular order, when describing the UK used rig market. As well as expensive if you're anything but exactly 'average'. If anyones moving over here, bring a rig or ten. You'll make some jump money and we'll save some! oh...and bring the nice weather while you're at it! --------------------------------------- Ex-University of Bristol Skydiving Club www.skydivebristoluni.com
  15. brabzzz
    There is a tie-dyed TdSF in their leaflet and in the photo shoot of the last BPA mag - yes, it does look very nice - i dread to think of the cost though. Likewise the Union-Jack-rig they have. However, the parapack PdF Atoms literally do look like they've been stitched from cheap nylon carrier bags. It'll basically be Cordura or Alien skin. I'm just in need of some information as to how ET's skin wears compared to cordura! --------------------------------------- Ex-University of Bristol Skydiving Club www.skydivebristoluni.com
  16. brabzzz
    Hmmm. Just a question about the cheap-sunglasses-and-strap idea. I assumed the idea was to keep the wind out of the eyes and avoid having to squint. Won't in just come screaming round the open edges all the way around in RW, yet alone FF? Mike --------------------------------------- Ex-University of Bristol Skydiving Club www.skydivebristoluni.com
  17. brabzzz
    Hello, i'm looking to buy new container, but TSE offer a pretty large choice of materials for the Teardrop SF and i don't know much about some of them! -alcantara, alien skin, parapac, cordura- Now I know i prefer cordura to parapac on the grounds of 'wear and tear resiliance' (the most important factor for me) but what about the other two? I've bit/torn a nick into an alien skin cutting and really tried to tear it in half - with absolutely no success despite the fact it's quiet thin. I've only felt alcantara - fluffy and thick feeling (and the rig was nice too...). I'm not sure I really like the look of it though, but i'd be getting it for a nice price if i took it. ..and I'm SURE I don't want it in leather! Basically, how durable are these fabrics? Regards, Mike --------------------------------------- Ex-University of Bristol Skydiving Club www.skydivebristoluni.com
  18. brabzzz
    I'm not sure what the situation in Germany is, but in the UK the wings is the more expensive of the two when fully loaded if bought through a dealer here! The TdSf has SS as standard and no long list of 'colour stripes and piping' costs. On the other hand, from what I've found, both are excellent containers (i'm about to order one - not sure which yet, with a 170 or 190 - depeding on delivery time). If you get the Wings delivered from the US (even having paid delivery and tax), the prices of the two are them very similar. Happy picking! --------------------------------------- Ex-University of Bristol Skydiving Club www.skydivebristoluni.com
  19. brabzzz
    What harness webbing do I want? 1) '7' - 1.75" with yellow stitching down either side. 2) '8' - 1.75" with a line of black stitching down centre line. I'm pretty sure there is more to it than stitching colour (!?!) Regards., Mike --------------------------------------- Ex-University of Bristol Skydiving Club www.skydivebristoluni.com
  20. brabzzz
    Hi, i've read in past posts that Voodoos look crap if you don't match their recommended canopy sizes... 1) Can you downsize them without them looking bad (ie Sabre170 in a V4 -> Sabre150/Safie 149 in a V4)? I've never seen one in the flesh at V4 size - would it look 'wrong' (i'm 6'3 - so not a big rig on a midget!...) 2) What about the Vector3? Thanks for any advice! --------------------------------------- Ex-University of Bristol Skydiving Club www.skydivebristoluni.com
  21. brabzzz
    Hello, the (long!) link below shows the most comprehensive table of pack volumes and 'relative' canopy sizes i've stumbled across, measured the same way I presume. What is you take on this lot? http://www.my-skyworld.de/albatros/english/canopysizing.asp?mscssid=RF5SEQBA7J018P3KSSMVU6TXEMSV996C&tn=8 That basically explains why PD's are fairly bulky - the 170's actually a '179' - but not why the PdF merit/electra 190 looks so goddamn small above your head, packs tiny but is 'actually' a 190! On that note, how does the Sabre2 170 compare pack volume wise to a Sabre 170? Arghhhh. --------------------------------------- Ex-University of Bristol Skydiving Club www.skydivebristoluni.com
  22. brabzzz
    ..actually on secomd thoughts its a stupid thing to do - but i'll re-phrase the question. Would it be a useful thing to do when there is nothing else to do? --------------------------------------- Ex-University of Bristol Skydiving Club www.skydivebristoluni.com
  23. brabzzz
    Thanks! --------------------------------------- Ex-University of Bristol Skydiving Club www.skydivebristoluni.com
  24. brabzzz
    Is it the packing or the jumping that makes it easier to pack eventually? Or both? Basically would spending crap weather weekends (i'm in the UK!!!) packing and unpacking it be a stupid thing to do? Regards, Mike --------------------------------------- Ex-University of Bristol Skydiving Club www.skydivebristoluni.com
  25. brabzzz
    Hello....again.... Can someone tell me, the following and no rumours please! 1) mini links, large links or soft links for safety? 2) Type 8 or 17 for chest strap safety? 3) line type for first canopy (Spectre 190) - 525 Dacron, 550/825 MicroLine? Thanks, Mike --------------------------------------- Ex-University of Bristol Skydiving Club www.skydivebristoluni.com