Emmie

I think you should learn to fly your body and not your suit. You're going to be one floaty bastard, and a baggy suit is not going to help, especially when you're at a point where you can freefly with others. Learning to sitfly, having drag in your arms will innitially help you, but, having baggy legs will probably just make it harder. I'd stick to a baggy shirt/tight pants for learning to sit, then make sure you get a suit that's more fitted than it is baggy and just learn to fly in that. Sure, a little drag on the legs could probably be beneficial in head down, but, that's probably a little down the road for you and anyways, and, like I said, you'll be a better flyer if you start off with flying your body instead of depending on a bunch of loose fabric to do it for you.

The 9 hours are since last December, flying about 15 minutes a week....It's normally 12$ a minute, so it's still expensive as hell, and took a lot of sacrificing of things I normally would have spent that money on...like food for example...The tunnel I fly at (and I think most of them do as well) offers discounted rates for memberships, which helps keep it from being astronomically expensive. If you split your time with someone else, that also helps. Of course you have to get to the point where you can fly in there with other people first.

I completely agree. They are amazing!!! I sent in my Optima for repairs, they called me the day that they received it, were extremely helpful, and shipped it back the next day just so that I would have it for a boogie weekend. Such amazing service made me a lifetime customer, I'll never go anywhere else!

So, I'm sort of feeling like I've hit a wall here, hehe...I've got about 9 hours in the tunnel, all freeflying, with the last two being focused on hd. I'm still not flying off the net, and it's pretty much frustrating the hell out of me. Normally, I pick things up pretty quickly, and this has just been a long painful process. It took me an hour to get off the net sitflying, and once I got it, that was it, I got it, and then just worked on body position/flying with people, etc. from then on. (But I was sitflying before I got to the tunnel already, and I've never flown head down in the sky). I'm still not 100% aware of what my body is doing in an upside down position, I think I'm flying it right, but, after I watch the video of my flailing, clearly I'm not. . Maybe that's the problem? I mean, I definitely see improvement and progression with every session, but it seems to be taking forever! Meanwhile, I've been neglecting other things, I tried backcarving last night, which I could consistently do like a month ago, and which apparently I can't do anymore. Anyone had similar experiences? Was there a point where you just got it? How long did it take? Any suggestions? P.s., I work with some of the most amazing tunnel coaches out there...

I am so happy to hear about everyone's great experiences with L&B, and am looking forward to sharing my own very soon! Thanks so much Ulle, I sent my Optima in today! Yay!

If you reread my post, I never implied that they should be the ones responsible for my breaking my audible...However, most manufacturers do have policies where you can send them a broken product, and they'll fix it for a fee, or give you a discount on a new one, which was pretty much what I was wondering about. Also...this is a gear forum designed for the very purpose of people like me asking questions about gear...I'm trying to get feedback from people on their experience with L&B, not using it as a substitute for contacting the manufacturer directly. Thanks, Em

Hi there, Was wondering if anyone has any experiences with getting L&B to replace/fix broken products. I have an Optima audible altimeter which stopped working. I couldn't figure out how to open the battery compartment and ended up prying it with a screwdriver (I know...asshole). Anyways, after this, the body of the altimeter was always sort of loose, so I ended up having electrical tape over it to keep it together, which worked up to last week. Now it's totally dead, and I am wondering if L&B have a replacement policy, or if anyone has experience sending them broken products to be fixed (since I don't want to shell out another couple of hundred grand for a new audible!) If so, did you have to ship it to Germany, or do they have local people working on their products? What were the timeframes? Any comments/suggestions would be highly appreciated! Thanks!

So...I have to dissagree with the whole "walls are detrimental to learning" statement. New freeflyers are typically all over the sky, and don't even know it. The walls are actually a pretty invaluable learning tool to make sure you're falling down tube rather than backsliding all over the place. Sure, even if you learn to freefly in the tunnel, some backsliding is still inevitable once you get to the sky because you just lost the walls as a point of reference, but the walls will help in teaching you the right body position, which will make you a better flyer in the long run.

Hi there, I recently got a used Z1 helmet, and it looks like I'm going to have to fix the plastic clips on the chin strap, as one of the teeth on the male part of the clip is bent inward, and causes the clip to come undone (esp. when flying at high speeds in the tunnel). I went to several sports supply and fabric stores, but they don't have an exact match, so it looks like I would have to replace the entire plastic clip instead of just the broken male part of it. This is a problem, because the female counterpart can't just slip off the strap. It looks like the strap is actually sewn around it, so it seems that the only way to replace it would be to cut the chin strap fabric, put the new clip through, and resew the fabric. That's something that I would like to avoid (not only because it's a pain in the ass, but because I don't know anyone with a sewing machine, and there's not really a lot of material to mess around with in the first place). Does anyone have any suggestions/advice/ideas on how to fix this problem. I am completely out of ideas! Thanks so much!

Hi there, I'm by no means a pro (and I only aspire to be a semi-pro) but I have participated in a bunch of triathlons, and having been raising money for ALS research as part of one particular event for the last three years. As far as training goes, is the tri you're planning on participating in a sprint, an olympic or a half? Your training will depend on the length, your current physical fitness levels, and your proficiency at each sport. I won't go into details as far as a training plan goes, but there are several really great books out there that will do that for you, based on your own fitness levels and available time. When I was training for sprint triathlons, I would work out pretty much every day, for at least an hour alternating between biking, running, and swimming. Somedays, I'd do two sports a day. That was probably excessive for a sprint, but it built a great base for longer races, and allowed me to finish at the top of my age group. As far as specific training techniques go, doing bricks (biking then running right after ) will help a whole lot with endurance. They are hard, but you gotta do them. If there is one sport that is harder for you, focus your training on getting better in it (just don't ignore the other two). Also, practice your transitions. If you have the opportunity to do the race course before the actual race, that's probably one of the most helpful things that you can do for yourself as far as being mentally prepared. (If the race course involves open water swimming, make sure you have a buddy system before you do it). If you can't do the race course, at least drive it the day before. Like I said, there are books out there that will provide you with training plans. A good one (although sort of technical) is Joe Friel's Triathlon Training Bible. One that I've been using for my ironman training is called Ironfit. You mentioned that you're raising money for charity. Good for you! I've raised close to 200 grand for ALS research by joining a team that trained to compete in one particular triathlon every year. We had a team website, with each individual having their own page. Online donations are definitely the way to go. I started out by targeting friends, coworkers, and family members and asked them to spread the word. Depending on your event, there may be groups of people competing in order to raise money for your specific charity, so I'd contact the charity/organization and see if they can give you some details on who's doing what, if there's an organized donations website, etc. So, good luck, and feel free to PM me if you have any training questions.

Thanks for all your comments! As a follow up, I got a Z1, and flew with it for the first time last night, and it was freakin awesome! I can't believe I waited this long to get one! It was totally quiet, my face didn't hurt, and I think I could focus more on what I was doing!

Do you ever have problems with the Z1 viser flying open? And...yes, it does look cooler

I don't think I can find a protec that fits my head as well as my own helmet does, plus they're uncomfortable and your hair gets sucked out. I've been wearing an underarmour ghetto hat for the last few times I've gone, and that sort of helped with the tangling. And yes, I've tried every type of goggle out there, vented and non-vented. I fly every week, so a full face is probably going to be a good investment. Plus...it will keep away the the wrinkles and help with the snoggles!!!!

Do you have a preference, if so why? I freefly in the tunnel and have been using my bonehead except for head down (I wear a protec when my head is on the net so I don't scratch my own helmet, and I HATE protecs!) Lately, I've been thinking about getting a used Factory Diver just for the tunnel...Are there any advantages to a fullface over an open face helmet? My own reasons for wanting to switch to a fullface are a little silly...other than the fact that I don't like my face flapping in the wind, I don't want to get tunnel induced wrinkles

If you search these forums, there's a bunch of discussion on freefly suits, including fit of the suit, and different manufacturers out there. Just a few personal observations. I've had a few freefly suits over the years. I ended up getting rid of my Kurupeee suit after only a few months after getting it. The stitching started to come apart, and the zipper broke in only a few jumps. This was a few years ago, and hopefully they fixed the quality issues. I guess the plus for them is that the suit was pretty affordable. My next suit was a Freak'n suit, and I loved it. It was really well made, it only took a few weeks to get it, I had a semi-custom design, and the whole thing with options cost me around 300 bucks. I just sold it, and got an Ouragan suit, which I LOVE. It's pretty much the highest quality suit I've ever seen. I've been flying the hell out of it at the tunnel, (and this is just a regular free fly suit), and it still looks and feels brand new. Plus, you can design whatever you want, and it took exactly a month to get it. Customer service was also great. The biggest con is the price. With the shipping from Canada, additional taxes on the suit, and the custom design it came close to 700 bucks. For me, it was worth it, as I knew exactly what I needed and wanted in a suit. Hope this helped! Good luck

Hi everyone, Thanks for the words of encouragement! I'm heading out to the dz tomorrow! I got lucky in that the dropzone's offering a free recurrency refresher course, so all I have to pay for is a coach jump. Can't wait! I will let you all know how it goes!!!

So, has anyone had an experience getting back into the sport after a long lay off? I've had to take a year and half off to finish up graduate school, take the bar, and find a job....took longer than I anticipated! The year prior to that I did just enough jumping to keep current. I decided that it was safer to just stop skydiving and wait until I was able to devote my full attention to it rather than jumping here and there. At this point, I finally have the time and the money to get back into skydiving and not do it half assed, but, I'm sort of nervous about it. It's been a while. I still have all my gear, my USPA membership, and have been flying in the tunnel a whole lot this winter. I think that its more of a mental thing than anything else. There's no doubt in my mind that this is something that I want to get back to. Just have to take that first step, which is the hard part. Any suggestions as well as personal experiences are welcome

What horrible news! I haven't seen Glyn for a few years, but I'm sorely going to miss that goofy smile and hearing for the thousand's time all about his battle with the FAA. I remember one of my first jumps at Emerald Coast. I was about to track away when all the sudden this meat missle just flew at me out of nowhere, grabbed my face and kissed me. I was almost mad until I saw this huge smile on his face! That's the Glyn I'm going to miss! Blue skies my friend!

Hi everyone, I was wondering if you all could give me some advice on what to do about a runaway cat. Last night, there was a rainstorm, and my door somehow got opened. I woke up around 5 am to find that my two cats escaped. I found one of them close to the house, but, can't find the second one. I'm freaking out, because as I was looking for her this morning I saw a cayotee run across my yard, and according to the neighbors, they see cayotees all the time. She's an indoor only cat, and this is her first time outside. I've posted signs, and gave out flyers...I don't know what else I can do. Do anyone have any suggestions? It's been raining the whole day, so I am hoping that she found a place to hide...One of the neighbors actually heard her crying outside his house last night, but, he didn't know she was mine I would appreciate any advice you all could give me with what else I can do. Thank you

Just wondering how effective was the tunnel for learning HD. I've got about an hour and a half in the tunnel. The first time I went was about 4-5 years ago, when I was doing AFF, and the tunnel helped A LOT. However, I came back a year or so later to learn how to sitfly, and didn't get much out of it. At this point, I am a really solid sitflyer, but I'm having trouble learning to fly HD. So, I figured that for winter break (going back to MA where its too cold to jump) I will try about an hour in a wind tunnel, and just work on HD. Is this a good idea? I know that tunnels have become way more advanced and probably have way more power than the last time that I was in one years ago. I remember that learning to sit, I was kind of just standing on the floor, without getting any lift. Is the tunnel effective for learning HD, and if so, what's the training program like, and how long does it take on the average for someone to be able to fly HD? (And I know, it all depends on the person and their learning curve and all, but I'm basically looking for an estimate). Thanks a lot.

Thanks for everyone's advice. I think that finding balance is the right option, and yes, skydiving is always going to be there. I think that things will get back on track once I am done with school and move somewhere that has a dz closer by. Oh, and since I am terrified of heights, unless I am in a plane that is, BASE is not something that I would be willing to try I think that part of the problem is seeing people that I have started out with having thousands of jumps, and getting so much better, and me, taking such a long time getting to where I want to be. I realize it's not a competition, but since I am extremely competitive by nature (more with my own self than other people really), so it's still a little difficult.

Hi all, I am writing to see if anyone had the same experience as me, and if so, how they have dealt with it. Here's the problem. When I first started jumping, I definitely made going to the DZ my number one priority. That pretty much lasted for a few years, until the time that I graduated college. I took a few years off between college and lawschool, and my jumping has dwindled down a bit, mainly because of money. I'm in my third year of lawschool now, and sadly have only made a single jump within the last 10 months (and it was a recurrency!) I feel really dissapointed with myself. Skydiving was a huge part of my life for a while, and now, things like lawschool, looking for a job, triathlons (I picked this up as a cheaper hobby), etc. have basically taken over. Plus, my DZ is 3.5 hours away. Sigh... So, how do you deal with something like that? How do you make skydiving a priority amidst a super busy hectic life? I noticed that now that I have basically taken such a long time away from jumping, I am less happy. I have a ton of other hobbies and am never out of things to do, but none of those things give me the same happy feeling as jumping does. I went to one of my favorite dropzones for my recurrency jump, look back on that day as one of the best days of the entire summer, so I don't think that I have lost the interest. I guess I don't know what it is. I am just afraid of staying away from the sport for so long that I would loose interest, and basically loose something that I love dearly.

Hey Brie, I got a chuckle out of your post. (It was a knowing chuckle though...). Sorry you encountered such an asshole, oh, and thanks for the offer. I wish I could say that I'm surprised that law students could reach such a level of lameness, but last year, some asshole hid all the books in the library that we were supposed to be using for the open memo. I, on the other hand ended up giving out the cases that I found to a bunch of people in my class, and I still ended up getting the highest grade on the memo. Just shows you that someone elses notes arent really going to make a difference. By the way, if its GT notes you missed, I'd be happy to forward to you what I have. (though my attention span in that class is pretty limited). Marianna

Hi all, I wanted to make a really special wedding card for a cousin whose wedding I can't make it to, and wanted to jump with a sign, and turn the photo into a wedding card.

Hi, I used to live in gulf shores, so I am pretty familiar with the area. There is no camping within the walking distance of the Bama. However, in Gulf Shores, there is a state park that I think rents out cabins and campers. Can't remember the exact name. Hope this helps. Marianna