A question for the big boys

[JumpeRod]

I jump a Black Jack 310 CUS loaded at ~.77

My slider down jumps have been from 300' and my 48" vented PC has done the job nicely. For slider up at Bridge Day and a 1500' I have used my 42" vented and again it has done nicely.

Those altitudes are pretty cut and dry on which PC to use, but everyone I jump with are little skinny fuckers on 240ish canopies and don't have first hand experience with PC choice for a 310.
Could some of you provide some insight on what PCs you would use on how long of delays?

What's your lower limit on freefall that you will jump? What altitude have you freefalled from and decided after the fact it was a bad idea?

Thanks
-R

[Twoply2]

I'm far, far more muscular than everyone else in our crew too. Weighing in at 200lbs, I jump the Ace 280 and I wont jump anything under 250ft anymore at all. When jumping a 200ft anything, my skinny friends can jump and actually fly a 180 landing pattern. Compared to me just jumping, deployment and then I just go straight until I flare. There doesnt seem much time to do much else, so my ability to hit a tight landing area sucks from that altitude.
I agree with your PC sizes, but I have used my 32" for the terminal jumps with success.

I've never been unhappy with a freefall height, but my lowest freefall is probably 270 ish. Pretty tame by most people's standards. But busting up a knee or ankle puts me out of work and that is undesired.

[gofastmax]

I'm around 195lbs and jump a 293 Flik with vtec. I have freefalled down to 270 with a 44'' zp/non vented pc, 1.5 second delay. Just enough time to turn about 90 comfortably on a very dark night, probably could do a 180 in good light no problem. I regularly jump 300' with anything from 42'' vented to 48'' non vented zp. If jumping the 42'' i always shoot for about a 2 sec delay. Just like you, it fucks with my head having a big canopy. That said my go to pc is now a 44'' non vented zp with no soft hat.

[Greenmachine]

I am 6 feet 2 inches, weigh 195 pounds, have BASE jumped 181 times
from altitudes of 190 up to 1100 feet on these 7 different canopies:

• Dagger 266
• Mojo 280
• Mojo 300
• Flik 293
• Troll 285
• Troll 265
• Black Jack 280

I had no problems using the smaller wings for jumps with good landing
areas but would not use them for urban jumps or tight / technical LZs.

I own two vented Troll 285's and have five PC's sized: (2) 48's, (2) 42's, 38

I use the 48's for: static lines, go & throws, and delays of 2 seconds or less.
The only time they are ever stowed is when I climb outside on a low antenna.
I have used a 42 from as low as 290 feet all the way up to about 1,000 feet.
I use the 38 for slider-up jumps only and then altitude is usually 876 feet
or higher, but I did use the 38 once, slider up from 660', scary but fine.

The 3 static lines jumps from 190' went well, were from a freestander, and
allowed enough time for me to turn 90 degrees if necessary but usually I
just flew it straight to the landing and flare.

The 1 freefall from 240' was a freestander, here are 2 angles of that jump:
BASE Jumping Videos: Penny

[nicknitro71]

I'd like to add my .02.

Larger sized PCs such as 48 and 46 are used on hand-held go and throws when you throw w/in one second of FF. I would not dare put any vents or handles of any sort on those; there is not enough air-speed to justify the vents on those jumps. Moreover, vented PCs might hesitate too much at those low air-speeds; having towed a 46 vented once too many, one time resulting in a tree landing (FF a 238'), I'd steer the hell away from large vented PCs. A 42 is the threshold for a vented apex but because the 42 is so versatile, I can see having one vented and one non-vented. 38s and smaller, I'd want vented apexes.

The 42" for BD is too big even for a 310 canopy, if you take an appropriate delay for the object. Besides my first year, I've always jumped a vented 38 at BD and liked it much better.

Rule of thumb in my world is this: Go and throw, non-vented 46 (240 canopy) but I'd use a 48 for a 280+ canopy. Stowed slider down, 42 either way. Stowed slider up, sub-terminal, 38 vented. Terminal, 32. WS, 32 or 34. Skydiving all disciplines, 30 or 32.

[hikeat]

I weigh in at around 200 and jump a flik 293. I have free fell from 230 twice, from 240 tenish times and once from 225. On all of those jumps I went hand held with a 48, took a 0-1 second delay and had canopy time ranging from 5 to 8 seconds with seven seconds being the average. From the 225 I made a 90 left and stood up the landing, no problem. I once had a 90 left from 240 when it was pitch black dark out and I was not able to fully correct heading, had to land on a dirt road next to the field that is the primary lz.

[Para_Frog]

I'm the fattest fuck in the room ho bags. Exit weight about 220 unless I'm carrying booze, then it's 222.

BJ 280 CUS because most of my jumps are 486' skydives and I like to swoop.

Jump everything...all my PCs are vented....

low 46" open vent
med 42" W/cap
high/ws 38" internal handle

32s scare me because I picture the inertia of that much sweaty bacongrease stripping the PC clean off the bridle right after it explodes and before it pulls the pins. Just me. It would probably work fine.

PS. Nick, you're gay, Max you're nuts, and Tom you're karnowski.

sukadik

- grease

[Tree]

I'm 250 lbs. I jump a Flik 293 and Troll 303. I have lots of jumps on Fox 285 and Mojo 280 & 305. All my low jumps are with a 46 zp. I use a 42 or 38 at BD, either is fine. My lowest freefall is 240' with the 305 and a 46. You will always open lower than a guy on a smaller canopy.

YMMV

[nicknitro71]

You're not big, you're just tall.

[Twoply2]

"You're not big, you're just tall."

And easy on the eyes according to my wife.

[JumpeRod]

Thanks for the input everyone.

[matt_f_001]

Remember that everyone's definition of low is different. If you are getting into the lower stuff (240ish and below) and planning on freefalling, I would go with a 48". I can't really think of anytime I've pitched on a go-and-throw and thought to myself, "I wish I had a smaller PC."

I jump a Flik 266 and 293, both vented, and there is not a significant difference in opening altitude from one canopy to the next. I don't have many jumps under a Blackjack but I know those things still open fast. Basically, what I'm getting at is that a larger canopy isn't black death on lower stuff. I've taken the 293 down to 200ft and still had plenty of time to turn and flare.

On that same exit, I have also seen significant differences in opening altitude between a non-vented 48" and a vented 46", with the 48" inflating faster and getting the canopy out more quickly. Granted, there are always numerous other contributing factors but, in that situation, I see no reason in not opting for the larger.

I have freefallen down to 173ft over hard ground with the Flik 266 and a 48" ZP PC and still had enough time to fire toggles, turn, and avoid a truck-sized boulder. There are a lot of other factors that come into play with the low stuff, including pitch technique, body position, pin tension, proper brake release, etc. I wouldn't make a regular habit of doing that but I would do it again. :-P

If you know what your basement is, then you can make a better choice. If you are going dirty low or think you might, go with the 48". If you are staying above 240ft~, then you shouldn't have an issue with a 46". I also agree with Nick, I do not see any reason to have a vented PC in either size. The point of a go-and-throw is to catch air fast. The point of PC vents is to prevent oscillation by allowing air to more easily escape. If you are planning a longer delay, then go with a 42".

[udder38]

Greetings fellow butter consumers. I'm also a larger boned fellow at 210lbs (naked with a burger in one hand) currently jump a CUS BJ280. I want to get another rig for and I'm considering a BJ310, OSP305 or Seven 300 (Is it really that good?).

Looking for any opinions or experiences? Only canopy I don't want is a Flik. Ive jumped the 322 and it was a pig. I prefer the BJ in every way.

[Uberchris]

im almost down to 175 (crank diet), and i am waiting for my osp 245 to arrive which will put my WL on exit to .69. i flew the same size OSP once from a 170 span, PCA, and i noticed it came in a bit hot. i suppose my worry is that this sized canopy for my weight may be a little fast to maneuver into tighter landing areas, which is the whole point of the OSP to begin with. if anyone has experience on this canopy or has experience with roughly the same wingloading on same sized troll, how has it been trying to low brake turn and sink yourself in to tight spots?
i hope i will not have to sell this rig to upsize but if need be i will. i was too compulsive in buying this setup but if i lose a few bucks then fuck it , my safety is more important.

i have a 48" ZP non vented, a 42" toxic, and am ordering a 36" toxic as well.
my plan is to use the 48 for go n throws, 42 for slider down/up to 3-4 second delays, and 36" for everything else including terminal. i am considering getting a 38" as well because i am unexperienced and therefore do not posses the ability to nail a slider-up delay head on for the exact amount of time. none of these PCs have caps, because i am afraid of the black death bridle entanglement issue. ZP is slippery though so i suppose on the lower SD jumps i will just make sure ive got a big enough bunch of PC thats sticking out. this is an issue ive been considering for a while.
any comments?

[irish_bob]

Chris,
I'm loading my OSP at 0.7 and it's a beaut to land. No probs into tight landing areas in nil-wind (even slight tail wind) from deep brakes and still getting a soft landing. Spend some time dialling-in the DBS (I know this is common sense) coz mine needed shortening by about 5.5in (mega end cell closure on first jump!). I'm probably going to eventually shorten the toggle-setting too but I need more jumps on it to be sure.
I also jump an MDV TrollDW loaded at 0.77. Before I had the OSP I'd have had no probs taking the Troll into a tight landing area. Now I'd go for the OSP.
The OSP needs more toggle input to make sharp, accurate turns than the Troll (allowing for difference in canopy size) so I'd be concerned about under-loading it too much. I wouldn't want to load mine any lighter.
Be interested to hear what other people think on this??
Opening are noticeably more positive too, even on a go-and-throw.