degeneration

The European demo program would be 155 Euros for a canopy (they only have a Stiletto 120), but I have seen Stilettos for sale for about £200 or so (250 Euros) in the UK, so I could buy a used one for not much more than getting a demo one!! I know some people are flying stilettos at my local DZ just no idea what size, so I'll ask around next time I'm there. Sky Switches - Affordable stills camera tongue switches and conversion adaptors, supporting various brands of camera (Canon, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic).

True. I don't jump at a large DZ so accessing the canopies isn't necessarily going to be easy, but definitely something I'll ask about. On the plus side, I'm in no rush to try them so I have patience and time on my side!! Sky Switches - Affordable stills camera tongue switches and conversion adaptors, supporting various brands of camera (Canon, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic).

Pretty much all my jumps have been on Pilots - 150, then 132, then 124 and now 117. At some point I think I'd like to try another type of canopy, something more elliptical to see what they are like. This is maybe to have something as a 2nd canopy (can't afford a complete 2nd rig). Got no plans to get rid of my Pilot, planning on keeping that for quite a while yet. Due to the general good comments people make about them, and the fact I can get 2nd (or more) hand ones quite cheap, I'm likely to look for a Stiletto. Question is, what size? For changing from slightly elliptical to fully elliptical would a 120 be ok as that is basically the same size as the Pilot I jump, or would it be wiser to upsize to a 135 for the change over. My container will take either. My gut feeling is saying the 135, as that would be the more cautious approach for going to my first fully elliptical canopy. But would my Stiletto experience be less on the 135, or will it still give me a very good idea of what the canopy is like? My concern is my WL on a 135 may be less than where the canopy performs better. I'd load a 135 at about 1.35 and the 120 at about 1.5. I'm in no rush to get one, so it is nothing immediate that I need, so just looking for advice. Sky Switches - Affordable stills camera tongue switches and conversion adaptors, supporting various brands of camera (Canon, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic).

Fair enough! I'll just have to settle for some of the so-so comparisons on youtube then! Sky Switches - Affordable stills camera tongue switches and conversion adaptors, supporting various brands of camera (Canon, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic).

DSE - in your comparison have you done the AEE SD20 action camera? I gather it has lots of different names depending on what part of the world you are in... Swann Freestyle 1080p HD (USA), Rollei Action Cam 200 (North Europe) ActionPro SD20 (Germany), Xtrax SD20 (South America), Yo! y20 HD Camera (Spain) Sky Switches - Affordable stills camera tongue switches and conversion adaptors, supporting various brands of camera (Canon, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic).

Other possible Paypal scams are when someone offers to pay by paypal, then collect - then after collecting they file a claim with paypal saying they never received the goods. Unless you get some form of proof that they collect it - i.e. video tape them confirming that they have collected the goods and are in the stated condition (but even then who knows if paypal would accept that) - paypal will then often side with the buyer and the money will be taken from your account. Paranoia, maybe. But if someone is collecting, get the money in cash. If you are shipping, then you can prove tracking numbers etc, so paypal should be fine. Sky Switches - Affordable stills camera tongue switches and conversion adaptors, supporting various brands of camera (Canon, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic).

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=4343543 Had some info given there that Aerodyne are working on a low volume reserve. Speeds do pack small too. Got a Speed 135 in a container that had an R-Max 138. The Speed is much softer than the R-Max was. Sky Switches - Affordable stills camera tongue switches and conversion adaptors, supporting various brands of camera (Canon, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic).

Fun! I was liking the Pilot 132 and was really comfortable on it, but when I went to it from a Pilot 150, I didn't get the step up in gear that I was expecting/hoping for. It was a little faster but not really that much. I wanted something that I could throw around a little more in the turns, and that could bring that manic wide eyed adrenalin fuelled grin back after a canopy ride where I was thinking "THAT was fun". Don't get me wrong, the 132 was still fun, but not quite as much as I was wanting when downsizing from the 150. So, as I was very, very slowly starting to some deliberately faster landings (double front riser approaches), I decided that I wanted a canopy that would give me that little bit more speed all round, so went 8 sq ft. smaller and got the 124 when I saw one available. It has given me more like what I was originally after when going from the 150-132. The step from 132-124 hasn't been as much as the 150-132 step, but for the comparative reduction in size, there has been a more notable step in performance. Now, I've just bought a 117 to go to when I'm ready, as I'm now feeling I'd like that little bit more again at some point. but several years ago, a Pilot 132 was the canopy I was planning on stopping on as I couldn't see myself wanting to go smaller. Attitudes and desires change! For info, I was loading the 132 at 1.33-1.43, depending on how much weight I had to wear. Now loading the 124 at 1.41-1.53 and will be loading the 117 at 1.5-1.6. And before other people jump on questioning me about why I downsized, yes I've done canopy course, yes I could land my canopy comfortably on an off landing etc... Sky Switches - Affordable stills camera tongue switches and conversion adaptors, supporting various brands of camera (Canon, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic).

Once upon a time I thought that too. I'm now on a Pilot 124 and just bought a 117. Think that is going to be my final stopping point... Sky Switches - Affordable stills camera tongue switches and conversion adaptors, supporting various brands of camera (Canon, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic).

Now that I think about it, Nethers has a fairly sloping PLA if you land out a little from the main landing area. Maybe I have landed down a slight hill after all. Don't recall falling there, so must've done it ok! Sky Switches - Affordable stills camera tongue switches and conversion adaptors, supporting various brands of camera (Canon, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic).

I've been to about a dozen or so DZs. None had a notable sloping PLA!! Sky Switches - Affordable stills camera tongue switches and conversion adaptors, supporting various brands of camera (Canon, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic).

I've never been in a place where I've even had the opportunity to be able to land my canopy uphill or downhill. So I've never done this on any canopy I've ever owned. Does that mean I shouldn't have ever downsized until I had that off landing on a hill? More or less the same with downwind. I think I've only ever done 2 or 3 downwind landings, so not really much experience or knowledge on this. Should people do intentional downwinders when they are thinking of downsizing to assess whether they are ready? The rest I've more or less done on every canopy I've downsized from, which is why I felt comfortable and happy to downsize to where I am now, and I'm enjoying the canopy I'm now on (Pilot 124 loaded at 1.37 to 1.55 depending on the amount of weight I have to wear). Sky Switches - Affordable stills camera tongue switches and conversion adaptors, supporting various brands of camera (Canon, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic).

Well in the end, I emailed and ordered them from Paratec directly. That was the best and cheapest option. As for the amount in dollars I would have saved question a few posts back - it was going to be something like $22 based on current exchange rates. Anyway, all sorted now. Knowledge learnt: 1) Go direct to manufacturer. In the end that is the simplest way to do things. 2) Not all rapide links are equal. 3) For skydiving purposes, it is probably best to use gear from skydiving suppliers. Sky Switches - Affordable stills camera tongue switches and conversion adaptors, supporting various brands of camera (Canon, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic).

The amount I would save was going to be about 60-70% on the price quoted by the rigging shop. But given that this saving is based on rapide links that I've now been told are not suitable, it is null and void now. So I will be getting the ones from the rigging shop. Sky Switches - Affordable stills camera tongue switches and conversion adaptors, supporting various brands of camera (Canon, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic).

I probably should have contacted paratec, but asked on here instead as I figured I would get a quicker answer. I contacted rigging shops asking about the links and got quoted a price for them. Given my searching on google for the links found cheaper results I just wanted to know whether they would be suitable or not. Given that the answer I was given a few posts ago was no, I'll just go with the ones from the rigging shop. I just wanted to explore my options and get some knowledge on this sort of thing in the process. Sky Switches - Affordable stills camera tongue switches and conversion adaptors, supporting various brands of camera (Canon, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic).

So, if I avoid the soft link issue and go for rapide links, are there specific rapide links that must be used with reserves? What thickness should the metal be? I've found varying prices for different 5mm rapide links when looking around - some £4+ each, others £1.50 each. Or, to put it a different way - which, if any, of the links on this page would be suitable for a reserve? http://www.hitchnhike.co.uk/acatalog/standard_patern_galvanised_steel_maillon_rapide_links.html Sky Switches - Affordable stills camera tongue switches and conversion adaptors, supporting various brands of camera (Canon, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic).

I'd read through the user manual and it only mentions links in saying make sure they are fastened tight. That says that it is metal hard links that are used, but I was unsure whether soft links could be used as well, but this might not have been updated in their manual. Sky Switches - Affordable stills camera tongue switches and conversion adaptors, supporting various brands of camera (Canon, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic).

I bought a Speed reserve a while back, and am getting closer to being able to assemble it into my container (thanks for the 2.5 month Cypres service Airtec...) Anyway, I've now noticed that it did not come with any links... so I need to get new ones. What would be the correct link to use with a Speed reserve? Thanks. Sky Switches - Affordable stills camera tongue switches and conversion adaptors, supporting various brands of camera (Canon, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic).

If you get the crossfire, it may end up being a great deal for the next person to own it. With 64 jumps the risk of you spanking it in and hurting yourself on a canopy like that is definitely notable, and if you are still alive after you do, I would imagine you'd be looking to sell the crossfire on to the delight of the next buyer! In general I would say stick with a Sabre2/Pilot/Safire2 sort of canopy, they will be more than satisfying, while still being quite forgiving. Maybe speak to some of your instructors or staff at your DZ to get advice from them? I'm nearing 500 jumps and still wary of trying out a crossfire. Maybe I'm being over cautious, but I like my legs in tact. Sky Switches - Affordable stills camera tongue switches and conversion adaptors, supporting various brands of camera (Canon, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic).

Yeah, I noticed that someone in the UK was selling an I1 with a 110 reserve which looked ok. But 110 is smaller than I'd be willing to go on my reserve. 120 region would be fine, but 110 would be pushing it. In 3-5 years I'll hopefully get my ideal rig, which will be an Icon I1 with a Pilot and some low pack volume reserve in the 120 region. All my questions just now are to start building up knowledge of what will work and not work, so I can adjust my plans over the years until I am in a place where I can buy. Your info here is much appreciated.

1) I'm pretty sure Aerodyne would do some in house test jumping before they release it to the public, so I doubt they'll have need for me to do any test jumping for them. 2) I'm not looking for a low pack volume reserve just now. At some point in the future when I am, this will give me another option to consider and I won't have hesitations about buying it if it is the product I want. 3) I like Aerodyne products - I have an Icon container and an Aerodyne main, so would be nice to have a complete Aerodyne set. I'm a bit of a geek like that. 4) Take it you thought that no one should have bought the Optimum when it was released and they all should have waited 3 or 4 years for it to be field tested... although by whom if everyone waits? 5) More competition is always a good thing for the marketplace. 6) Any new notable skydiving product is always good to hear about. I like to know about gear and the options available. People probably got exited when the Optimum was announced. I guess that was stupid because there already were other low pack volume reserves available (Speed, X-Fast)... That's the only reasons I can think of just now. Sky Switches - Affordable stills camera tongue switches and conversion adaptors, supporting various brands of camera (Canon, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic).

There is stuff out there, but you just have to be looking in the right place at the right time. Become a member of the facebook group "UK skydiving for sale" or something like that. A lot of stuff is posted on there. Make sure you scour the classifieds here and on ukskydiver.co.uk I saw a Paratec Next full rig go for sale for about £1000 recently on the facebook group. It was the best deal I've seen in a long time. but if you keep looking, you might get lucky. Getting a used rig without an AAD should still be possible for the circa £1000 region, but it may not be the slightest bit sexy. If you don't care about that, as long as you are patient and persistent, then you should get there in the end. Sky Switches - Affordable stills camera tongue switches and conversion adaptors, supporting various brands of camera (Canon, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic).

Cheers for that. Now if your low volume reserves that you have in the works can get a 120 region in an I1 that would be AWESOME! Sky Switches - Affordable stills camera tongue switches and conversion adaptors, supporting various brands of camera (Canon, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic).

I was in the small tunnel a few years ago. I recall it being very much like the Airkix tunnel in Milton Keynes, UK if that is any help... I was doing sit fly training, and had plenty of speed for that. Sky Switches - Affordable stills camera tongue switches and conversion adaptors, supporting various brands of camera (Canon, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic).

Looking forward to hearing about it! Sky Switches - Affordable stills camera tongue switches and conversion adaptors, supporting various brands of camera (Canon, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic).