Bootie Turns

[shep7376 0]

Having just received my first RW suit (Parasport) with the competition booties fitted (as recommended by several instructors) I have been trawling the forums for information on how best to use them.

I understand that they will improve the lift in the legs and this can help with the power they produce leading to a more efficient track or forward movement. My question is this:

How do they affect a turn and how should they be used to make the turn more efficient, they have been likened to me as having large rudders fitted to your feet.

Pete

[Andy9o8 2]

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Bootie Turns

Oh, you mean with your legs.

Gave me a moment there.

[brettski74 0]

Everything still works the same way as without booties. You'll just have to get used to the response. I didn't really notice the difference so much in turns when I first started wearing them, but I noticed the difference when I took them off again. You'll probably find it difficult to track with booties initially, but again, it's just a matter of getting used to the response of the booties. All of the same inputs work the same way, just with more response for less input.

[shep7376 0]

Another posting on the forum (cant remember where) says that you shouldn't just drop your leg as it doesn't make the best of your booties. Unfortunately the poster didn't state why?

I have heard that you can turn using the booties but can't find out how. Any thoughts?

Pete

[BikerBabe 0]

get thee to a tunnel!

i know that's often easier said than done, so if you can't find a tunnel, find someone who has been coached in belly flying in a tunnel (preferably by Airspeed, Fury, or someone like that) and ask them to show you. It's incredibly hard to describe in words that epiphany that comes when you do a proper leg turn for the first time...

It's also incredibly difficult to describe HOW to do a proper center-point turn using your legs without standing there to show you.

Never meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup!

[jakee 1,493]

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I have heard that you can turn using the booties but can't find out how. Any thoughts?

Get one of the many coaches/ experienced FS fliers at Nethers to show you how to do it. Much more effective.

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[LloydDobbler 2]

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It's also incredibly difficult to describe HOW to do a proper center-point turn using your legs without standing there to show you.

Well-said.

To the OP, if you can get to a tunnel, do it. I had no idea how inefficiently I was using my legs until I was able to fly face-to-face with a tunnel instructor who pointed out how I *should* be doing it.

Signatures are the new black.

[rehmwa 2]

I'd suggest you take this note over to the RW forum and get responses from 4way competitors. Answers so far are a real mix of good, wrong and random advice.

Take a tunnel camp from a good 4-way competitor.

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[billvon 2,994]

>How do they affect a turn and how should they be used to make the turn more efficient . . .

They increase your leg's surface area and thus increase the power they have to turn you.

The most common way to use them is to lower the knee on the leading leg while extending the trailing leg up and away from you. Bend both legs away from the direction you want your lower body to go.

It's hard to explain over the web. I'll look for some pictures.

[shep7376 0]

Cheers Billvon,

That sounds like sense to me.

Pete

[mdrejhon 8]

Booties can also help you track very far, as well as help with slowfall, if you twist legs just the right amount for maximum benefit... Also again, hard to describe without actually doing it.

One example -- this can't be done in the tunnel so worth mentioning here in dropzone.com -- many novices track trying to point legs straight back, but with booties, it helps to point them pigeon-footed behind you, allowing the booties to be sideways with more cross-section to the air, in a slight cupping fashion. The pigeon footed flat track doesn't benefit bootieless jumpsuits, but makes a big difference with booties, once you figure out how to adjust legs during a track. Watch the potato chipping during the track (For the aviation buffs, the phugoid cycle - it can happen to you while tracking!) -- wearing a bootie jumpsuit for the first time and tracking with one, can be a different sensation when fine-tuning the track. Track with a team, can help you learn how to track better.

[NeedToJump 0]

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Everything still works the same way as without booties.

I disagree. There are some things you can do with booties that you cannot do without booties.

To the OP - as has been suggested, your best bet is to get to a wind tunnel and/or talk to an experienced RW flyer.

I've attached a picture of a right turn. The left leg is down and slightly out to the left, the right leg is up. It's not the best angle for the picture, but should hopefully clear some things up.

Wind Tunnel and Skydiving Coach http://www.ariperelman.com

[humanflite 0]

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Everything still works the same way as without booties.

I disagree. There are some things you can do with booties that you cannot do without booties.

To the OP - as has been suggested, your best bet is to get to a wind tunnel and/or talk to an experienced RW flyer.

I've attached a picture of a right turn. The left leg is down and slightly out to the left, the right leg is up. It's not the best angle for the picture, but should hopefully clear some things up.

What exactly can you do with booties that you cant do without??

Track faster/further and turn a bit faster/easier?

what else?

[billvon 2,994]

>What exactly can you do with booties that you cant do without?

You can turn faster, track faster, control your fall rate more and - most importantly - you can bootie fly in the tunnel!