airdrew20012001

Run DMC - "It's Tricky" for all things freefly Green Day - "Welcome to Paradise", "Brain Stew" (especially the wierd one from Godzilla soundtrack) for tandems Just a thought, I have a soft CD case that holds 48 cd's, that's what I use. Drewfus McDoofus

Got a a new rig (jumped less than 30 times, got screaming deal). It came with 1" risers and velcro toggle stows. I want to switch to tabbed toggle keepers and was wondering if I should also monkey around with switching to smaller risers. Do I need to change the ring on the harness to go to a smaller 3 ring set-up? If it helps I do video a fair amount, jump a stilletto 135, swoop around 180 degree but not huge long styley. What do folks out there think about putting/not putting the slider behind their heads? I have heard there have been problems with video helmets and sliders behind the head. Any thoughts? Thanks fer yer time! Drewfus McDoofus

Want to have one suit not two. Do camera for rw, tandems, freefly, any and all things akydiving. Anybody used a suit that works well for everything? I have a wing suit for RW, it's nice to be able to lean on the wings for RW. Drewfus McDoofus

Not to trumpet Lisa's horn but I got a basically new setup (sweat javelin, pdr 126, stilletto 135, kill line, fully articulated, blah blah blah) for about $2800. It is all but brand new, the main and reserve have never been jumped and the rig had less than 50 on it. I put it together last night, looks fresh out the box never jumped if you ask me. My first rig was a used POS racer I got for a grand complete in '95. I would reccomend that you go used to start as well. Heck, I have a used rig (infinity, firelite 215, fits a main up to 400 cubic inches (ie 190ish zp, bigger f-111) I would let go of for $900. Put a new main in it, you're set for about 2k. Don't sweat it, save your first new gear purchase for when you have settled your gear size to the point where you can do as I have and get stuff that could last you the rest of your skydiving days.

Take your time, my man. You'd be suprised how much can and will go wrong that you haven't thought of when shooting video.

No worries. I just put a brand spanky new Stilletto 135 in a javelin tjn last night. It is the largest canopy that is rated to fir in the rig and I got it in on the second try. The key to packing new zp is all in being super patient. I had a new sabre in the late 90's and the stilletto is a cake walk comparatively speaking. As other respondents mentioned, it can be done. Have a packer or rigger slowely walk you through it then practice practice practice. I have a ton of pack jobs on more used zp so I will be practicing in my living room with tunes on in preperation for my trip to Eloy next weekend. My view is that packers are great for busy days, if you are just not in the mood, too sore, or competing and have a backup rig. I learned through trial and error. Pschyo packing works good too, some say just as good as pro packing, I have had mixed results but have gone to s-folding everything with great results. Where do you jump? Yeah it sucks, yeah we all went through it. You will be fine, zp is whole new ballgame and takes some time and patience.

I have had good luck with the following two sources for camera gear: b and h photo video (bhphotovideo.com) and ebay.

Amen on all counts.

Ambulances will carry you very far, I've heard them go as far as 20 miles, for true impressiveness try lifeflite, the glide characteristics kick ass. Plus the helicopter is really impressive to the chicks.

No, really, Lisa, tell us what you think. You need to learn to open up and share how you feel, keeping it bottled up like that isn't healthy fer yer colin.

I just got a Stilletto 135 from Square 1 (they checked me out). Any words of wisdom for me? I want to learn to use it to its fullest (I weigh 175-180 out the door). Have jumped a friends stilletto 135 about 10 times.

Same thing with me, sort of a dare combined with "I signed you up, they'll charge me regardless." From there I couldn't be stopped.

Thanks, that helped. I used to pschyo pack my sabre when it was brand new, good refresher article. I like the part about everyone claiming to invent the PRO pack. I think I can claim only the "oh shit, 5 minute call and I'm still farting around" pack job. It's not very reliable and hardly consistant. Does induce a wonderful 45 to 196 degree off heading snivel/whacker pack job and looks like hell when you get it in the bag.

I have brand spanky new stilletto 135 that I get the joy of smooshing into a javelin tjn, has anybody heard that it is bad to psyco pack stillettos?

I jumped at a DZ last summer where bringing a tent and camping out was the norm, there was sort of a little tent village behind the hanger, ask if in doubt. I'd call ahead too.

makes sense, I use a bonehead batrack with the video and still mounted side by side, works for tandems, rw, free fly, what have you.

Did you have the zoom problem with the trv 17

Oregon Opie (aka Dave)?

I agree.

If so, what did you think of it? Any comments on headhunter generally? (Reliability, turnaround time, stuff like that)

I love you man! (sniff) Drew "Clay's got some beers, lets swipe 'em"

I will be in Eloy president's day weekend. I have shot a whole bunch of RW in the past and am mediocre. If you are dying on the vine for a camera geek, let me know. I will be willing to pay half of my own entry fee or more (negotiable) and will be only for your team. I want to get into competing as a camera flyer for a RW team and would love to try. I work hard, pack fast, shoot good video and am generally a great guy. No windows or icki foot massages, sorry. I can do stills of course if wanted and have ten pounds of wieght if needed. You can email me at airdrew20012001@yahoo.com if'n ya wants to.

I am going to Eloy for president's weekend, any advice on where is the best place to stay for really cheap-o? We have a rental car so we are mobile, we wouldn't mind a place with a bed and are also not adverse to staying and camping on the DZ, just wondered if anyone out there had any really great places to stay for little or no money that we should know about. Thanks, Drew

What do people think about these? I talked to one guy who showed me how his worked and it looked like you could open the box and take the camera out, ie the camera is not screwed down. Does this cause shake?

All psyced up to go to Eloy next month, anybody ever stayed in the bunkhouse? What the layout like? One big ass room like at YMCA camp or what? Just curious...