Characteristics of Triathlon models?

[Andrelr 0]

I jump a Hybrid 135 as my freefall canopy and a CRW 135 as my CRW team canopy.
You can certainly put them together without a problem, but be aware of the fact that the Hybrid is a "soft" canopy for CRW and cannot be abused as much as a CRW Tri.
In addition, you probably have microlines with your Hybrid which means you shouldn't be doing hardcore CRW with it for obvious reasons.
The noses of the canopies are different while the line configurations are the same.
The Hybrid Tri lands much better than your CRW Tri. (My DZ is just over 5000' msl).
Hope this helps.

[brettski74 0]

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1. There is lots of talk of Competition Triathlons. Is this the same as Triathlon CRW, or is there a Competition version with different line trims and/or other changes different from both a "standard" Triathlon CRW and the Triathlon Hybrid?

I should add, for the benefit of anyone reading this thread in the future, I managed to answer this question for myself by looking at the Aerodyne's Triathlon order form. It lists the 3 model options as "Standard RW", "Hybrid RW/CRW", "Competition CRW". Based on that, I think it seems pretty clear that a "Competition Tri" and a "Triathlon CRW" are pretty much the same thing.

[brettski74 0]

I'm wondering if anyone has ever converted a regular triathlon for CRW by relining with red, non-cascaded A lines and having the retractable pilot chute rings sewn onto the top skin. I wouldn't normally consider such a thing, but one of our newer jumpers is buying a rig which has a triathlon 135 in it. She doesn't want it and she's getting the rig at a good price so she may be willing to give it to us at a price that still makes sense after you factor in the costs of re-rigging it as a CRW canopy. We already have a few triathlon 135 hybrids and comp CRW canopies for CRW and another one would be handy, but is such a conversion even worth considering if the money part of the equation works or are there other considerations that I'm not thinking of?

[BillyVance 34]

I have simply replaced the lineset on my Triathlon from a cascaded set to a non cascaded red dacron center line set before.

I don't think it's worth the extra cost/rigging to put in a retractable PC on a Triathlon. If you're going to be really serious about CRW, get a Lightning.

I did just fine with my red dacron non cascaded center lines when I had them. My casual crw jumps were smallish in size, never more than an 8 or 9 stack, and I did a lot of rotations on 4 stacks without a problem with the standard PC/bridle. You just have to look back and mind your PC.

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[faulknerwn 38]

The retract system would be too much I think, but I've ordered a new set of CRW lines from Aerodyne and put them on my Tris. All Dacron. Works nice.

[VectorBoy 0]

I have and know at least a couple other jumpers that had both crw lines and a retractable PC system installed on sport triathalons. Unless you are or know the rigger it gets expensive. Six to seven hours of work plus materials. If you are patient you can buy a crw ready canopy cheaper than doing the conversion. In my case the upgrades cost more than the canopy. Installing the retractable bridle rings is major rigging work and few riggers will want to do it. At resale time few sport jumpers will care about your expensive upgrades.

[sprtdth 0]

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I have and know at least a couple other jumpers that had both crw lines and a retractable PC system installed on sport triathalons. Unless you are or know the rigger it gets expensive. Six to seven hours of work plus materials. If you are patient you can buy a crw ready canopy cheaper than doing the conversion. In my case the upgrades cost more than the canopy. Installing the retractable bridle rings is major rigging work and few riggers will want to do it. At resale time few sport jumpers will care about your expensive upgrades.

VectorBoy speaks the truth. The rigger in question who did the work and I have been bartering work for years, so I have no idea what he charged VB.
It's a lot of work to install a retract system, lot of stitches to be ripped, then a lot of double needle work (different gauges). Basicly a pain in the ass, that's why I didn't do it myself.
I did put a factory style (PD) tail pocket on, which involves, ripping out the tail and part if the center rib, Then add a reinforcement patch, sew the rib back up, add the tail pocket, then sew the tail back up.
See where I'm going with this?

CRW Skies
Frank
CRW Diva #58

[VectorBoy 0]

VectorBoy speaks the truth. The rigger in question who did the work and I have been bartering work for years, so I have no idea what he charged VB.

[skypuppy 1]

If you change to a pull-out as opposed to a throw-out you can get away with a pretty short bridle-cord. Putting the retractable on probably isn't worth it or necessary.

If some old guy can do it then obviously it can't be very extreme. Otherwise he'd already be dead.
Bruce McConkey 'I thought we were gonna die, and I couldn't think of anyone