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skydiverkeith

Large Reserve Pros & Cons

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Is a large as possible reserve the way to go?

Pros:
1) Softer landings, especially when unconscious.
2) More material in case of a main/reserve entanglement.
3) Less harness turn when unconscious.
4) Better behaved with line twists.

Cons:
1) Less compatible with main during a two out.
2) Less control in high winds.

I have a 150 main and an old 175 reserve I need to replace. I was thinking of upsizing to a PD Optimum 193 since it fits due to smaller pack volume.

A rigger I respect very much suggested a 160 to more closely match the main. I know this may be a stupid question since he is a great rigger, and I'm generaly an idiot, but I still think a large reserve is the way to go.
Blue skies,
Keith Medlock

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>Cons:
>2) Less control in high winds.

Well, you have just as much control in high winds, but your ability to penetrate upwind is reduced. (In other words, the canopy flies the same as it ever did, and you have the same area you can reach under it, but you can't fly as far upwind.)

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Cons:
1) Less compatible with main during a two out.



Not guaranteed. Line length and speed with the brakes stowed vary radically between different sorts of canopies. I've seen Stiletto 120s fly fine with Tempo 150s.

2) Less control in high winds.



Not really.

Although kinetic energy has an inverse linear relationship to canopy size, speed varies inversely with the square root of size.

A 175 would go about 25 MPH in full-flight at .9 pounds/square foot and a 193 would be doing about 24 MPH at .8 pounds/square foot assuming both were measured the same way.

With a 23 MPH head wind the 175 would have twice the penetration (2 MPH) as the 193 (1 MPH) although in both cases you're so close to going backwards that you should be flying with the wind and picking a different landing area if it's at all questionable.

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A rigger I respect very much suggested a 160 to more closely match the main. I know this may be a stupid question since he is a great rigger, and I'm generaly an idiot, but I still think a large reserve is the way to go.



There are varying schools of thought as to how big is big enough. IIRC Windsor Naugler(sp?) used to mix things along the lines of a Raven II (218) with ~100 square foot cross-braced canopies. When I was smaller I liked a 150 reserve (1.2 - 1.3 pounds/square foot) as much when I started jumping a 105 (1.7-1.9) as when I jumped 150 mains.

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1) Less compatible with main during a two out.



While there is some truth in this, it is a very specific and fairly unusual situation to find yourself with two out. However, you have to land your reserve EVERY time you use it.

My decision is to have a reserve size that I am happy with landing in a tight spot after an emergency, regardless of whether it is "compatible" with my main.

I have just bought an Optimum 143 and will not be downsizing that as I downsize my main. I want to swoop and hope to be on a sub-100 canopy some day, but I will still have my nice docile reserve for when the shit hits the fan.
"The ground does not care who you are. It will always be tougher than the human behind the controls."

~ CanuckInUSA

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There are practically no CONS to a large reserve.

When all hell breaks loose you will want the largest canopy over your head.

You will rather land a 200 in trees than a 90.

You can sink a 200 into a tighter landing area than a 90.

You have a much higher chance of surviving a landing knocked out under a 200 than a 90.

You have a much higher chance of walking away from a bad landing under a 200 than a 90.

The issue of the two canopies fighting each other.... I'd rather have more material out in a bad situation than less.
"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

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I've had a Techno 230 and a Skymaster 230 fight themselves into a downplane, so even 2 canopies that should be totally compatible flying together may very well not.

You have to land your reserve way more often by itself than you will have a 2out. Plan for the reserve by itself and forget about the 2 out, would be my advice (after 7 for real reserve rides, 2 intentionals and about 10 reserve-as-main jumps).

ciel bleu,
Saskia

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There are practically no CONS to a large reserve.

When all hell breaks loose you will want the largest canopy over your head.

You will rather land a 200 in trees than a 90.

You can sink a 200 into a tighter landing area than a 90.

You have a much higher chance of surviving a landing knocked out under a 200 than a 90.

You have a much higher chance of walking away from a bad landing under a 200 than a 90.

The issue of the two canopies fighting each other.... I'd rather have more material out in a bad situation than less.

Everything he said. B|

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There are practically no CONS to a large reserve.



You will not look cool walking to the plane?

Sparky



..................................................................................................................

You folks are all missing the most important point.

Your ass will look smaller with a big reserve!

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There are practically no CONS to a large reserve.



You will not look cool walking to the plane?

Sparky


..................................................................................................................

You folks are all missing the most important point.

Your ass will look smaller with a big reserve!


I beg your pardon.;)

Sparky
My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

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There are practically no CONS to a large reserve.



You will not look cool walking to the plane?

Sparky


..................................................................................................................

You folks are all missing the most important point.

Your ass will look smaller with a big reserve!


I beg your pardon.;)

Sparky



But my main does make my ass look faster:)

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There are practically no CONS to a large reserve.



You will not look cool walking to the plane?

Sparky


..................................................................................................................

You folks are all missing the most important point.

Your ass will look smaller with a big reserve!


I beg your pardon.;)

Sparky



But my main does make my ass look faster:)


You have always been a little "fast" lady.

Sparky
My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

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