tso-d_chris

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Everything posted by tso-d_chris

  1. tso-d_chris
    I do to. For Great Deals on Gear
  2. tso-d_chris
    It is not as easy as scaling the design, which won't guarantee similar flight characteristics. For Great Deals on Gear
  3. tso-d_chris
    I always thought their "character" was FL, meaning Florida. Could just be a coincidence, though. For Great Deals on Gear
  4. tso-d_chris
    Most (but not all) of the jumpers that I have talked to that have put a few thousand jumps on rigs with and without articulation, all else being equal, prefer the standard harness. For Great Deals on Gear
  5. tso-d_chris
    I would recommend buying a new container, and used canopies. Wings are a fantastic value without giving up any quality. Infinities are also a good value, although they are a little higher. Used containers can be difficult to both find and sell. There are three sizes that all have to match: the reserve container size, the main container size and the harness size. If any of them don't match the potential buyer, it is not a very good deal, no matter how good the price. Used canopies are a bit easier to find, although the sizes you are talking about are in high demand, and hold their resale value well. You can expect to spend top dollar, even for used. The flip side is if you do end up buying new canopies, they will likely hold their resale value well. When you are buying used gear, don't rush the process. Make sure you are getting what you want. If you buy the wrong equipment, it can be a costly mistake, even if you got a good price. Good luck.
  6. tso-d_chris
    I like the redundancy Sunrise has added to the reserve pin cover flap. Even if it comes untucked, it cannot come open to expose the pin, due to the elastic. To the original poster: Talk to the manufacturer. Sunrise Manufacturing has excellent customer service. Ankie will help you. The rig does look a bit big on you, however. For Great Deals on Gear
  7. tso-d_chris
    I like Beethoven, especially his Ninth Symphony, preferably without the chorus in the last part. His Fifth is definitely a classic. I also like Mozart pretty well, for the mellower times. Wagner's Flight of the Valkyries is also a favorite. Mostly the classical music I listen to is whatever is on NPR when I'm driving. The contemporary stations appeal to me less and less these days, due mostly to commercials and the DJs. For Great Deals on Gear
  8. tso-d_chris
    I see; I didn't catch that from his original post.
  9. tso-d_chris
    Pulling the cutaway handle is what activates the Skyhook. Without pulling the cutaway handle, the Skyhook RSL should not pull the reserve pin. For Great Deals on Gear
  10. tso-d_chris
    ~7 lbs per canopy, ~10lbs for the container, 1 lb for the AAD, plus helmet, goggles, altimeter and jumpsuit is about 30 lbs or so. At least that is the logic behind my 30 lbs. of equipment. Certainly not exact.
  11. tso-d_chris
    I haven't said anything good or bad about either canopy, just how good and thorough the R&D of PD is (remember, this is a thread about PD Katanas). I can assure you that from my perspective, either canopy would be a very poor choice. It doesn't make either canopy bad, it just means that neither canopy is right for me. I know enough about both to understand that without a demo. As I said previously, anyone in the market for a canopy in that class should demo both models, and choose on the canopy's merits. For Great Deals on Gear
  12. tso-d_chris
    Nope. I have to rely on many first hand comments from the test jumpers that helped develop the canopy. I know they put a shit load of jumps on the prototypes. I also know that as much as they were jumping, PD wanted even more test jumps. It was not uncommon to see John Leblanc himself jumping the prototypes, in order to get even more jumper feedback. If you read my posts, my point has been how extensively PD tests their products. You claim such extensive testing is overkill. I disagree. It is necessary to make sure they are releasing the very best design they can. For Great Deals on Gear
  13. tso-d_chris
    120 + 30 lbs for gear = 150lbs ==> ~.9:1 wingloading. Too high for an AFF student IMO. Things are alreaady going bad when the reserve ripcord is pulled. No need to have a reserve smaller than the main. For Great Deals on Gear
  14. tso-d_chris
    I say again. Try one!!! If the canopy is just as good, if not better, then they should sell based on that superior quality, not to mention a slightly lower price. No need for marketing gimmicks if the product is as good as you say it is. Personally, I have no use for a canopy of that class, so I'll not be jumping the Mamba or the Katana any time soon. For Great Deals on Gear
  15. tso-d_chris
    I'm not saying there is anything wrong with the Mamba. There is, however, a reason PD has such a great reputation. The test the shit out of stuff. If you think 1500 jumps is enough for the R&D of a high performance canopy, fine. I don't think the folks at PD would consider that enough. They will release the larger Katana models when they are perfected, not merely good enough. For Great Deals on Gear
  16. tso-d_chris
    If spreading a litttle christmas cheer is wrong then....... oh well. Before you try to insinuate anything, why not try it 1st! Sorry. I get a little tired of marketing gimmicks. They make it harder to give good, pertinent information to customers. Do you really think that someone should choose a canopy based on what kind of free stuff comes with it? Personally, I think people should choose a canopy based on opening, flight and landing characteristics. If they buy a Mamba for those reasons, more power to them. Choosing a canopy because it comes with a free pair of shades is the wrong reason. For Great Deals on Gear
  17. tso-d_chris
    1500 jumps is not a little number, but it pales in comparison to the test jumps on Katana prototypes. I know of one freefly team that put 200+ jumps each on their prototypes in a single month, and they were but a small portion of the test jumpers. For Great Deals on Gear
  18. tso-d_chris
    When PD was testing the smaller Katana, there were several jumpers putting hundreds of jumps per month on the prototype canopies. The number of jumps on the Katana prototypes far exceeded what a single 4 way team does in a season. If PD rushed their R&D, all sizes would likely be out now. But then, they would not be of the quality normally associated with PD. There is a reason PD doesn't need to give up an iPod or a pair of Gatorz to sell their canopies.
  19. tso-d_chris
    Thanks for offering a better explanation.
  20. tso-d_chris
    That is too small a reserve for an AFF student of Shayna's size. Tempos are smaller than their advertised size, IIRC. Tempos are smaller than a PD (or other reserve measured with PD's method) of the same advertised size. See riggerrob's post below. It is disheartening to hear of rated instructors with such disregard for student safety. For Great Deals on Gear
  21. tso-d_chris
    Highly unlikely. For Great Deals on Gear
  22. tso-d_chris
    At 120 lbs, with about 30 lbs for gear, her exit weight is 150, which is the max weight for students under a PR-176. Typically max weights assume a field elevation of sea level. If the field elevation is higher than sea level, a 150 lbs. student is much better suited with a PR-193 (or larger) or equivalent non PD reserve. For Great Deals on Gear
  23. tso-d_chris
    If I understood J.R.'s post correctly, I think he was implying, accurately IMHO, that if the canopy is large and docile enough, it can be landed safely without a flare, but with a good PLF. It may not be ideal, but it is not terribly dangerous, if the canopy is large and docile enough. For Great Deals on Gear
  24. tso-d_chris
    Knowing the container gives me a good idea of the reserve size. It doesn't give me the exact size, but it gives me enough info to know it was too small. I've seen a rig or two before. I've never had to open up a small Reflex S series, or similar sized container (such as a Vector3 Micron) to be confident it does not contain a PR-218 or similar reserve. I've not posted anything speculating the exact model or size. I didn't accuse you of withholding info. I simply said the info was being withheld. Unless you are under some sort of obligation to be the one to give the info (which I doubt), you are not the one withholding the info. AFIK, you didn't have anything to do with the jump or the student's training, and bear zero responsibility. For Great Deals on Gear
  25. tso-d_chris
    I recognize the container. It was not sized for a reserve appropriate for a student. Even going a size larger doesn't allow a large enough reserve for a student. The reserve was too small. Withholding the exact size of the reserve from the forums will not change that fact.