Small Reserves

[Trent 0]

I've read and seen a lot about people jumping the super-small, high-performance canopies. Of course, these are all contained in super small rigs, meaning the reserves are in the low 100 square feet. With these tiny reserves, do people just have to accept the fact that landing under it unconcious may still kill or seriously hurt them? Is reserve technology being improved to offer slower, safer reserves at smaller sizes... or are containers going to have to be built to hold smaller mains and larger reserves? Seems like there's a lot of room for improvement. Any comments or ideas?

[Geoff 0]

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do people just have to accept the fact that landing under it unconcious may still kill or seriously hurt them?

Yes - really.

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Is reserve technology being improved to offer slower, safer reserves at smaller sizes

No, not really - there's the Raven reserve with a ZP top skin, but that'll make little difference to an unconscious landing.

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or are containers going to have to be built to hold smaller mains and larger reserves?

Several manufacturers are already doing this - Fliteline's Reflex (not sure if they're still trading, though) and Mirage certainly.
Geoff

[mattb 0]

Wings containers are built per your body measurements and the reserve size you desire. Main canopy size is the final / least important factor. Not sure exactly how it all works out but you can have any size reserver/main combination.
-mob

[weid14 0]

....Not sure exactly how it all works out but you can have any size reserver/main combination.....
Are you sure about that? I think Mirage and maybe vector are the only ones out there allowing a fairly significant difference in main tray vs. reserve tray sizing. I could be wrong though.

[skybytch 273]

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there's the Raven reserve with a ZP top skin, but that'll make little difference to an unconscious landing

When it first came out, Precision told us that the zp top skin isn't there to make the landing better or to increase the max. suspended weight. It is there on the theory that the top skin of a reserve sees the most wear (since most reserves never or rarely leave the container other than for inspection and repack). ZP material seems to last longer than F111 under the conditions that a main is subjected to, so zp material on the top skin of the reserve should make that reserve last for many more repack cycles.
Talk to your rigger before buying a zp top skin reserve, since he/she is the one who will have to pack it. Some riggers charge more to pack them too. According to what I remember the Precision paperwork saying, the pack volume isn't noticably different from a regular Dash M reserve.
pull and flare,
lisa

[riggerrob 643]

i doubt that Ravens with Zero P top skins will fly significantly better than all F-111 reserves. Zero-P fabric is not significantly less porous that the best F-111. The best F-111 resembles Zero-P at first glance. For example: Gelvenor Fabric Mills claim that their fabric is only 0 to 1.5 cubic feet per minute. The MIL Spec calls for porousity of 0-3 cfm.
As to ease of packing. I used to be afraid of Zero-P reserves until I packed a couple. Yes, they took a few minutes longer, but the end result was as neat.

[Kris 0]

I've actually talked to Henri Pohjolainen who is the owner of Sunrise Rigging (makers of the Wings) and is also the designer of the Wings (and the original Javelin) about the sizing as I wanted to keep my reserve as big as possible.
Sunrise will custom make a Wings that will hold a VX69 main and a Raven Dash-M 249 reserve if you want it. It may not look good, but they'll make it.
The people at Sunrise, including Henri, were very nice, answered all of my questions and were very interested in making me as happy as possible.
I was going to go with a Wings but being a DZ rat has it's privileges and I'll get my new staff Mirage this July at a price I just can't pass up. I like the look of the Wings, especially the patch-pattern option, and the design but money talks.
Kris

[cdunham 0]

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When it first came out, Precision told us that the zp top skin isn't there to make the landing better or to increase the max. suspended weight. ... the pack volume isn't noticably different from a regular Dash M reserve.

So does that mean we could get a smaller 1/2 zp for the same max weight?

[ditch9276 0]

Hi Trent,
i´ve seen on our dz two skydiver one with a 95sqf main and one with a 85sqf main, in two very small rigs. i asked them which size their reserves are, the answer was surprising me really they´ve both a 120 sqf reserve in their rigs. the 2 skydivers have a weight about 160lbs and the reserve is the right one for them.
You just need one thing: a perfectly container/harness and thats all.
If you want to know where you can get such a rig just send an private message to me.
DITCH
>volo ergo sum<