TomAiello

I dump directly from a track on pretty much every terminal jump I make. I'm using a freepacked canopy with a mesh slider, pretty much packed for fast openings. What I'm trying to figure out is how I can do this consistently, and skydivers are getting injured doing it. I would speculate that the line material is the major factor, since the rest of my opening ought to be occuring faster (hence probably harder) than a skydiving opening. Does anyone have any thoughts on this? -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Um... It's generally considered to be very poor BASE etiquette to name sites, or give even approximate locations, in a public forum. There have been several accidents, and a few fatalities, resulting from people without proper preparation or equipment finding out about sites through internet discussions, and attempting to jump them. I probably sound like I'm overreacting, and I apologize for that. I just wanted to make sure that you knew the general feeling among BASE jumpers about site naming. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Can anyone provide information on cases where a hard opening has caused injury or knocked a jumper unconscious? -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

They've also got a really cool print of a jumper launching from the mushroom exit on the north face of the Eiger. Gotta love them Swedes. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

If emailing in jest harms one's repuation, I'm a dead man. Oh, wait, my "real life" reputation is way worse than my "cyber-jest" reputation. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Hey Viking, She's single, she wants to make sure that everyone knows it, and she wants to make you beg. And from the photo, she looks fairly attractive as well. Job opportunity, young jedi! -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Hmmm. Doesn't look like this girl is being so careful with her reputation. Or maybe that's the reputation she's trying to cultivate? -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Adrenaline Exploits There is no web site for the Norgie trip (it's the lowest cost solution, so they pretty much don't have to market it around), but you can get more info by emailing Vibeke Knutson at vibknuts@online.no. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Hi Eric, Welcome to the Forums. You might want to post this kind of question in one of the other forums, where it might be more appropriate. I've also searched around for some discussions on this topic. There were several discussions amongst the BASE jumpers on BLiNC a while back. Have a look at: http://www.blincmagazine.com/cgi-bin/forum/dcboard.cgi?az=show_thread&om=4316&forum=board http://www.blincmagazine.com/cgi-bin/forum/dcboard.cgi?az=show_thread&om=4317&forum=board http://www.blincmagazine.com/cgi-bin/forum/dcboard.cgi?az=show_thread&om=4320&forum=board For information on purchasing a system, visit Basic Research and click on HOPE (High Office Parachute Escape) System. There are several other manufacturers who sell this kind of gear as well. Welcome to the forums! -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I pretty much wear it on everything. It is a bit hot, but it's not very restrictive at all. I'm not doing advanced aerials (where I imagine it might interfere a bit), but I've had no trouble with front flips or gainers, and it's never been a problem climbing, or wiggling onto an exit point. I've attached a photo showing me wearing a full suit of armor (I'm in the long sleeves and long pants, with the blue and yellow rig). Unless you are looking for it, it's hard to notice that I even have it on. Oh, and before you start in on me about the lack of helmet in the photo--yeah, I know. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

To clarify: The grade after 5.9 is 5.10, then 5.11, 5.12, etc. There is no such thing as 6.anything. A grade of 6 implies a climb which simply cannot be done. Climbs which are 6th class free climbs are generally graded as 'A' or 'C' climbs, with grades from A0-A5, or C0-C5. There are several other climbing grading systems used throughout the world--but none of them rates anything as 6.1. Climbs could be graded M6 (mixed ice and rock), WI6 (water ice), V6 (bouldering), or a variety of other 6's--but certainly not 6.1. So, this skydiver was basically saying something akin to "yeah, I took my AJ73, and made a 900 hook from 250 feet..." It takes all kinds, I guess. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Hmmm. It's not just non-jumpers pretending to be jumpers. I was having a beer with a bunch of skydivers, and one of them proceeded to tell me he had bunch of climbing experience. Specifically, he told me that he had done "a bunch of 5.9's and a couple 6.0's and 6.1's" Anyone else a climber? I just kind of nodded, chuckled to myself, and made random sounds of assent. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Dainese Body Safety. I purchased it at a very good price here I also own the Bohn bodyguard system, but I prefer the hard outer shells on the Dainese armor, as they offer superior protection against sharp trauma. I wear it on any jump that doesn't involve serious sneaking. For example, it's often hard to get into a rooftop bar or restaurant with armor on. If you have trouble managing the cost (a full set was under $200, but I notice that they have sold out of many sizes), try asking your Mom to bankroll it (that's how I got my Cypress). Mom's usually have money, and they are almost always up for buying you safety gear. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I've been having a few discussions with some friends, and I was wondering: How does this forum impact you? I am particularly interested in the effects it is having/will have on regular DZ.commers who either don't BASE jump or have little BASE experience. Specifically, will it make you more likely to try BASE (or less likely)? Also, will it impact your choice of gear, mentor, or objects? Any thoughts? -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I think that depends on what you consider acceptable. I've seen people BASE jumping in everything from bare feet to walking casts. I've personally made jumps in everything from Tevas to Crispis. But, I do know one experienced jumper who swears by his Doc Marten's, and uses them on virtually every jump. A lot of footwear considerations revolve around your particular feet. I have a bad ankle now, so I wear paragliding boots and an ankle brace. I personally believe in stacking the odds as far in my favor as possible, but there are lots of considerations for every jump (will boots look out of place in the four star restaurant you have to sneak through on the 60th floor? will you have to climb a 5.10 friction slab to get to the exit? will it be easier to blend into the crowd on the beach if you are wearing shorts and sandals?). Shoes are just another piece of your gear, and like everything else, they need to be appropriate to the particular jump. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

The best boots I've found for BASE are paragliding boots. They are designed for pretty much exactly our needs (hiking approaches, foot launches, ankle support, low snag potential). Two of the BASE gear manufacturers (Vertigo and Basic Research) sell paragliding boots. They each have a different brand, so it would be a good idea to try them both on. Unfortunately, they don't usually stock them (they just order them for each customer) so it's hard to try them on before buying. Vertigo Basic Research If you find the paragliding boots too expensive (they are a bit pricey, generally running US$250-300), try Doc Martens (fair ankle support, no hooks, good traction), which are fairly good, and a great deal cheaper. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

My best advice: Don't do it! Wait until you can afford real BASE gear. Body weight of 175 makes probable exit weight 195 (with rig, pads, clothes, etc). That puts your wingloading at .975. That's way too high for a beginner (or any other) BASE jumper. Plus, as a CRW canopy, I bet an Interceptor would land pretty hard (I don't really know that, as I've never flown one). I did meet a jumper a few years ago who was using an Interceptor for BASE. As I recall, he had to move the bridle attachment point (does that sound right to anyone who is familiar with the canopy?), since it was in some funky CRW location, and was generating weird spins on the way to line stretch (and consequently off-heading openings). All in all, it sounds like a pretty bad idea to me. If you're dead set on it, be sure to send the canopy in to a BASE manufacturer, and have them inspect it and make the necessary modifications. I bet that's all going to be pricey enough that you'd be better off just buying a used BASE canopy, though. BASE Gear Classifieds -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I have around 100 jumps on a Gargoyle, by Morpheus. I am very pleased with the rig. I'm also very impressed with the dynamic corners from Morpheus. And, despite the fact that I am probably their most annoying customer, they still have, in my opinion, the best customer service in the BASE industry. Morpheus gets two big thumbs up from me. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

The cases I've heard about have to do with catastrophic failure (i.e. a riser breaks) of a well-used (so some wear) skydiving type 17 riser. Typically, they were attributed to worn risers combined with a hard opening. Obviously, this is a cut-away situation. Since you can't cut-away in BASE, it becomes a life flight (or worse) situation. I've never seen a case where the failure of a riser resulted in injury on a skydive--just a reserve ride. So it may be that you are having trouble locating reports because few people bother to report non-injury incidents. I know it's a bit off topic for your post, but I figured I'd try to clarify that my advice is really only good for the BASE environment. My skydiving experience is limited enough that asking me for skydiving advice is a relatively silly idea. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Hey, I'm just responding to the whole thread here--I'm just replying to the last post because it is convenient. Let's all try to be civil here. This thread is starting (perhaps it's way past "starting") to degenerate into an old-school, BASE Board style flame fest. We've got overreaction, ridicule, misunderstood humor, and some hard feelings. I don't think anyone was trying to attack anyone else personally (because if that was happening, we'd have to lock the thread, right?), but I can see quite a few people getting bent out of shape. Let's try to leave this thread to it's original intention (relating first jump experiences, and getting feedback on what you think should have been done differently in your case). Remember, the idea of this forum is to give accurate information to low time jumpers, and it's hard to do that if we scare people (low timers who need advice or experienced jumpers who can give it) off by flaming them. If we start down that road, we'll just see people out making jumps without good information. Thanks, -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I believe you are referring to the ratings in Australia, which are mentioned on the Australian BASE Association page, under "BASE Prerequisites". Gear and Rigging might be a better forum for this question, but I'm not sure how many Aussies read that forum. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I have seen them in use for skydiving, mostly by French skydivers. Generally, the result of an unstable PC is an off-heading opening, and in skydiving that may not be worrisome enough to convince people to spend the extra money on a vented PC. As an aside, the greatest equipment related cause of PC instability is asymmetric attachment, which can be addressed by PC construction, but which is not helped by topskin venting. Vented PC's definitely help if you are doing everything right, but there are several minor errors (asymmetric attachment and pitch style come to mind immediately) that will have a far greater impact on orbiting. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

This may be a better question to post on BLiNC, as there is a far greater level of technical sophistication there, so you'll get better discussion and more opinions. They're not. I've used an old CR 46 ZP with a cap as low as 230' hand held, and 265' stowed. There are better alternatives, but people have used them for years. The cap on top (or any other weight there) causes the crown of the PC to slump to the side during the inflation sequence at very low airspeeds (46" PC's are intended for delays of 0-1 second). This slumping can delay inflation (i.e. the PC can hesitate). Obviously, a PC hesitation, no matter how short, can be quite exciting under 300'. I personally switched over to an uncapped BR 48 ZP after my third sub 300' PC hesitation on a capped CR 46. My experience was that the PC hesitated noticeably around 1 time in 10, however, my PC appears to have been particularly bad, for no reason that anyone can identify. Once the PC is inflated, the cap has minimal effect on stability (oscillation or orbiting). The weight on the apex of an inflated PC will be far outweighed by other factors (like crosswind or pitch direction). So, if you are over 300', I wouldn't worry about it. If you are getting into ultra low (sub 200') free fall, I'd recommend investing in a capless PC. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

A lot of the process of getting a BASE number is historical. In 1980, when they started the whole thing, it was a huge deal to jump all four objects, even if they were your only four BASE jumps. Jumping a 400 foot building on a Racer with a round reserve was thought to be stringent enough. Just listening to some of the old timers tell stories about those days makes me marvel that any of them actually survived long enough to get all four objects ("count to two, then pitch, and keep counting--when you get to six, fire the reserve, when you get to seven make sure your ground crew is there to carry you to the hospital.") -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I wrote this in the "First BASE Rig" article. For convenience, I've reproduced my thoughts here. ***Option: Sorceror The Sorcerer is a two parachute BASE container manufactured by Vertigo BASE outfitters of Moab, Utah. Although some skydivers will like the extra confidence of a second canopy, the truth is that the Sorcerer is really an advanced trick rig. Advancing technology has made BASE gear so reliable (statistically more reliable than skydiving reserves), that adding a second canopy really gives very little additional insurance. In addition, the two canopy system is a poor choice for beginners because (a) it makes them less likely to pay the proper level of attention (meticulous) to their pack job, (b) it may make them overconfident, even in situations where the Sorcerer's second canopy (which deploys admirably quickly, in less than 150' under ideal conditions) will have insufficient altitude to inflate, (c) the system is more complex, and a beginner should use the simplest system possible, (d) it is cumbersome to carry around a second canopy you never use, and (e) The extra bulk of large canopies tends to make most Sorcerer jumpers use canopies that are significantly undersized for BASE landing areas, which could be a very costly and injurious problem for a beginner. Note that some skydivers may feel that having a "reserve" is worth the cost. However, the second canopy on a Sorcerer is no more a "reserve" than the first. Any BASE system, properly assembled, maintained, and packed, will open more reliably and consistently than any skydiving reserve system. Jumping a Sorcerer isn't like having a reserve-it's like having two reserves. Save the Sorcerer for advanced trick jumps (like BASE fun-aways), when you are more experienced. For now, stick with a standard BASE system. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com