crazydiver

I think the suits are shit. Mine held up ok and looked good, but the materials they use are not the greatest and do wear out faster. Most companies will double stitch in high stress places, but kurupee doesn't. Lots of people have fit issues. I dont like the way their arm cuffs are built. I dont like the high neck. And mine flew terrible. Belly OR freefly, the whole suit would fill up with air and I couldn't fly my body, the suit pretty much told me what to do. Everything with it was a struggle. Definetly NOT worth my money. Seems like a good deal at first, but they are that cheap for a reason! Cheers, Travis

http://www.parachuteriggers.com/packing%20instructions.htm Check this website out. They have manuals and service bullitens for a multitude of items. THe swift packing instructions are offline right now, so if you click on the link, it sends and email requesting the manual. Hope that helps. T Cheers, Travis

Jump a tandem. It's not "easy." The concept seems simple, but the process is really more than you think. If your profile is updated, it tells me that you aren't an instructor or coach of any kind. It also shows that you have 280 some jumps. Sure, i only have 600 some jumps, but i have the rating. I am not speaking as an experienced tandem instructor but as simply a tandem instructor and someone who realizes that I know less now at 650 jumps than I thought I knew at 200 jumps. Skydiving is not a place for egoes...even though the sport is swarming with them. And to sneak...people are responding in negative manners because you responded with a negative "fuck everyone against me" attitude. I'm not going to say I haven't done linked exits with tandems. HOWEVER...I am going to say that as a videographer and tandem instructor, its asking for issues. Exit is THE MOST crucial part of a tandem skydive. Once the drogue is out, the risk factor is drastically decreased, while still very apparent. If a tandem instructor and videographer are both willing to do something that is legal, go for it, but that doesn't keep it from being dangerous. Swooping is dangerous, but very legal. Cheers, Travis

Thanks. Great idea. I'll have to check that out...thats been my biggest pet peave with the camera. I didnt' even think of that before. Cheers, Travis

Ya for sure! Brian Germain is an amazing guy. Give him a call. I have talked to him for hours about canopies and I have never even met him in person, nor bought a canopy directly from him. I simply had a question once and had my canopy relined from him once. By serial number he will be able to tell you if your caonpy is computer cut or hand cut, original or sweptwing, eagle trim or normal, crazy brakes or normal, eagle trim or not....so many options and changes. Airlocks are the shit and so are brians flying skills and knowledge. BUy his book. its great. Cheers, Travis

Dude, I know riggers who would make risers like that for cheaper than the manufacturer sells them for...ask around...you will be surprised. Risers are very easy to make. It just may be a little hard to find the housings that infinity's have. Cheers, Travis

It's all relative. To me, the perfect opening is 500 feet. 300 feet may be a slammer. 600 feet or more, and I feel as though I am wasting altitude sniveling. A slammer opening on a spectre may be 600 feet, which in my opinino is just longer than perfect. I had a sabre 135 for 200 or so jumps and only had a few openings that were less than choice, I never had any that knocked my socks off. Cheers, Travis

The steel pin is actually in the same direction as most velcroless systems. The toggle is also held in place by the top end of it in the sleeve above the guide ring. IMO, this setup is more idiot proof than others. Some velcroless toggles have elastic keepers, which wear out very rapidly and dont hold as well. Late ninety's mirage risers have the bottom toggle keeper facing in the opposite direction as the top toggle keeper. Relative Workshop also uses the steel pin on their toggles as the "latest and greatest" design. And Bill Booth is the legend of containers. Cheers, Travis

Some of hte numbers people have per year are crazy. I did 400 last year in colorado just on the weekends. Most of those were tandem vids. Cheers, Travis

A spring loaded main pilot chute will affect the way all, and especially smaller, canopies fly. Shortens the recovery arc, distorts the wing, increases drag... Cheers, Travis

Minus the look... Cheers, Travis

Ya, i've been using the 105 for about a year now. I love everything about the camera, but that plug is the most annoying thing I have ever experienced. The TV's at most dropzones have av cables ready to plug into your camera...and of course...my camera doesn't use the little mini plug like most sonys...its got that little d thing so you have to actually remove those cables and use your own from teh back of the TV. Friggin annoying. Cheers, Travis

I have seen 180 pound people taken on tandems. I have seen much larger people that have done AFF progressions or static line. I guarantee you can find someone who will take 280...it will not be easy by any means, but I have seen and heard of 280 pound people taken on more than one occasion. However...mostly for landing impact, it will be very hard on your legs with your weight no matter why type of jumping you are doing... i know that losing weight advice is the last thing you want/need. So ya, losing wieght will make it easier for you...and by all means cheaper...most places over 200 pounds will charge one doller per pound over that amount. Cheers, Travis

Like was said before, the original jedei had a straight leading edge and a tapered trailing edge. THe straight edge was to keep the openings more on heading, but created extremely ground hungry turns and high front riser pressure. The jedei is extremely ground hungry all together, but can be flattened out if needed. I jumped a jedei 120 original for about 400 jumps and i feel I could put that canopy anywhere you asked me to. All the jedeis were different as they were constantly evolving the design. The jedei sweptwing was the predecessor to the samurai. It was just as ground hungry, as the original, but had tapred leading and trailing edges to change the riser pressure and altitude lost in turns. The samurai is a timeless design. I only have about 20 jumps on my new 105, but is a great canopy and I have no complaints so far. Cheers, Travis

well people were suggesting alternatives to the katana from teh sabre 2. thats why I threw that out there. Cheers, Travis

Good points. I would argue though that he could have the canopy for a long time. The sabre 2 is a very versatiel canopy. I have friends with 30 jumps who have on and I also have friends who have thousands of jumps and love them and can swoop the heck out of them. I have no desire to buy one because I'm a big air sportz addict..but sabre 2's are amazing canopies for their versatility. Cheers, Travis

Exactly. Cheers, Travis

What do you mean don't expect to swoop one? Of course a pd190 isn't a swoop machine, but when they first came out, they were the hot shit of canopies. Ask anyone who was around when they first came out and they will tell you that the pd series was a very advanced canopy when it first came out... of course, even though they are still sold...they are used more for demoes and such now, but back in the day it was a different story. I've seen some folks swoop a manta. It can be done with pretty much anything with enough skill. Cheers, Travis

How come nobody has mentioned the samurai??? I love my sammy signature series. By far my favorite canopy on the market. I would say transition to a samurai 136 and eventually, if you want to, a 120. You will find that the samurai will be a nice refreshing performance difference from the sabre 2. Plus the canopy is airlocked...helps in turbulence and reduces the stall speed. Cheers, Travis

Thanks. I just got rid of my old setup. It was a custom made helmet but I could only put a pc style camera on the top and it had no room to add. Some how I managed to survive with that for about 500 jumps though! Cheers, Travis

Ya, i've seen that handle design on Strong and Sigma tandems before too. Great design. Just as low profile as a regular pillow with added leverage for pulling. Cheers, Travis

I"m not seeing that handle being any more of a hazard than a standard pillow. THe pocket is flush with the pillow and the only way to get your fingers in is to depress the padding in the pillow...150 mile per hour wind won't do that. Riggerrob says they do it on strongs, Some Sigmas have them that I have seen. Its a great way to add more leverage to a pillow handle...i've seen this design many times before. Cheers, Travis

the diamond 0.03x lenses that max cohn sells are amazing. It's a single element lens..which is more desireable. Plus, you can zoom in a little and have more range...the .03 is great for being in a formation, filming freeflying, or on an aff instructors helmet. Its really low profile too and has no vignette(black corners on the screen). Check it out at http://www.royal-lens.com/ It runs a little more than 100 bucks, but is well worth it in is versability, durability, and quality. Cheers, Travis

Most ZP canopies in the performance range you are flying now and are wanting to move to will have less of a "decent rate" than your pd 190. This is due to the fact that your PD190 is constructed from f-111 which allows more air to enter/exit per square inch of fabric. ZP canopies will generally stay in the air longer and glide further than an f111 canopy of similar trim and planform. F111 wont' fly as far and will sink faster. Cheers, Travis

Ya. They make you fall extremely slow. Cheers, Travis