Travman 6 #1 January 11, 2010 I am about to order a Pit Special, but just looking at all the different options available in terms of fabric options, booties, grippers and the other miscellaneous options they offer. I am wondering what other people have ordered and what their feedback is. I pretty much only do serious 4-way, so after a competition suit. Looking at the mega booties, wondering if the vented ones are any good, and also curious about the other options like the grippers, knee pads etc. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jcoff89 0 #2 January 11, 2010 is this strictly a comp suit or is it a casual RW suit you also may use in 4way comps?http://www.turboskydiving.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Travman 6 #3 January 11, 2010 I pretty much only do 4-way training/comps, so yeah it will be for comps and training. I do perhaps 5 jumps a year that are not training/comp jumps. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rehmwa 2 #4 January 11, 2010 Quotewondering if the vented ones my wife makes suits, and I've talked to a lot of pros on suits vents, cords, afterburners = dumb gimmicks - if the bootie is sized well and fitted correctly, you don't need special junk down there full and large gripper set, cordura booties (the biggest they have), good fit, no bootie zippers (also known as stress points), no gimmicks, etc knee pads, cordura elsewhere, liners, etc - your preference. This type of stuff is about comfort and wear.... do a search here on RW suits - there's about 8 million of them Pit Special - Having seen a lot of repairs and resizes on Tony's suits through my wife's biz, I think Tony has great leather that he uses in his booties - in general, these are decent suits ... 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 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DanG 1 #5 January 11, 2010 I agree with Travman. I like to get cordura everywhere it is offered, especially the booties, knees, and butt. If you're plopping down $400-500 on a suit, you want it to last. Definitely get big grippers, including inside legs. I'm not convinced the double arm grippers are necessary, but they probably don't hurt. I have bootie zippers on my Pit Special, but I hardly ever use them. I haven't had a problem with them, but I think they've been zipped and unzipped about three times in the last five years. Extra pockets are nice if you are one of those people who would use them. I wish I had an external pocket on my Pit Special for earplugs and a piece of cloth, but I survive without it. - Dan G Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 3,065 #6 January 11, 2010 Mega/airpseed booties - yes Vented booties - no Grippers - inseam plus normal grippers, comp thickness Lining - might be worth it if you're up north, but another layer works just as well Chest material cotton or nylon depending on your weight Knee/butt reinforcement is good, padding not so much (unless you are spotting often or putting SL students out or something) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rehmwa 2 #7 January 12, 2010 Pretty much 3 for 3 so far on advice....... Make sure someone VERY up to speed checks the fit (with gear on and in your jumping clothes and shoes) gotta make sure the booties fit right (not too loose) - one can search threads here to figure it out - from my wife's website on fit (we had to add this as we've actually had more than one new jumper put their new suit on, without shoes, bend forward at the waist and look down at the booties and say "Hey, this looks too loose" ): Checking the Fit of Your Booties If you have purchased an RW suit with booties here is how to check the fit of the booties. Put the suit on with the shoes you wear while skydiving. You should be able to put your suit on while wearing your shoes, pulling the bootie over the toe of your shoes after you have the suit on may tear the foot cup. Make sure your foot is all the way forward into the foot cup. Your booties will look loose while standing straight up, as will the torso (remember you will use this while arching, not while standing and looking down). Putting on a rig will help ensure the booties fit correctly. Lay down on the floor and arch, the booties should tighten from knee to toe as you bend your leg toward 90degrees - point your toes to pull the bootie taut. If you can’t point your toes or your toes are being pulled down the booties are too tight. If your feet completely straighten out, then they are too long. The goal is with a good arch, and knees bent to not quite a right angle, you can point your toes to just past a right angle and the booties snap taut. Flying Your Booties If the fit is right and you are having troubles with them in freefall you may need to adjust your body position and put some downward pressure in the toes, you should try to feel a lot more pressure from the new booties than you are used to without booties. If you don’t press on the air, then your booties might flap or feel loose, they need to catch the air smoothly (like a boat sail) and stay pressurized, keep them in the wind and resist bending your knees and “hiding” them from the air above your thighs. Avoid “bouncing” them in and out of the air stream (happy feet), press on the air (straighten the knees slightly more) and hold them in the wind. It’ll take more than one jump to get the hang of the booties if you haven’t jumped with booties before. Fly the booties don’t let them fly you! ... 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 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rehmwa 2 #8 January 12, 2010 QuoteChest material cotton or nylon depending on your weight supplex or nylon (cotton wears too fast and it's pretty rare for anyone to fool themselves that skin friction supplex vs cotton is a real drag affect) though 90% of people would use supplex (a form of nylon) - the 'slippery' nylong pretty much for the floaters only ... 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 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ron 10 #9 January 15, 2010 QuoteMega/airpseed booties - yes Vented booties - no Grippers - inseam plus normal grippers, comp thickness Lining - might be worth it if you're up north, but another layer works just as well Chest material cotton or nylon depending on your weight Knee/butt reinforcement is good All of this... I say don't bother with the lining better to buy a pair of under armor.... Quote padding not so much I'd get knee pads... And I do get knee pads. Just for moving around in the plane and every once in a while you can hit a door frame on exit.... And that really sucks. Plus on some blocks you can knock knees, and that also sucks."No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
siddacious 0 #10 February 4, 2010 QuoteQuotewondering if the vented ones my wife makes suits, and I've talked to a lot of pros on suits vents, cords, afterburners = dumb gimmicks - if the bootie is sized well and fitted correctly, you don't need special junk down there full and large gripper set, cordura booties (the biggest they have), good fit, no bootie zippers (also known as stress points), no gimmicks, etc knee pads, cordura elsewhere, liners, etc - your preference. This type of stuff is about comfort and wear.... do a search here on RW suits - there's about 8 million of them Pit Special - Having seen a lot of repairs and resizes on Tony's suits through my wife's biz, I think Tony has great leather that he uses in his booties - in general, these are decent suits I'll pretty much echo everything Rehmwa said and add that I'm happy with my MegaXL booties. I't *seems* like you get a teeny bit more bootie than the normal version, and the elastic chord makes them easier to put on/off. You do have to adjust the cord when you first get them to make sure they're tight enough but not too tight. On the down-side, you should put shoe-goo or something else to protect the cordura as they will eventually wear out (I put mine on when loading the plane and as soon as I land/under canopy). Secondly, though not specified on the order form, you can get cordura grippers. I like mine. Extra pockets are always fun.A dolor netus non dui aliquet, sagittis felis sodales, dolor sociis mauris, vel eu libero cras. Interdum at. Eget habitasse elementum est. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Travman 6 #11 February 4, 2010 Yeah, I got my Pit this week and will be jumping it this weekend. It looks great but feels a little tight in places, particularly around my thighs, but I'll see how it goes. Thanks for all the input. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dounglomchan 0 #12 February 4, 2010 I should be getting mine in a few weeks! Can't wait to feel the difference in having a real comp suit. Do you guys/gals feel like it makes that much of a difference? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
siddacious 0 #13 February 5, 2010 The booties and grippers were both a noticeable improvement over my previous suit (a comp suit from another manufacturer).A dolor netus non dui aliquet, sagittis felis sodales, dolor sociis mauris, vel eu libero cras. Interdum at. Eget habitasse elementum est. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
