Rich2

Not meaning it as any kind of disrepect toward experience, I'm more just curious about it. I understand the radio analogy but also always wondered if that was more the messing with the radio as the distraction or the music itself. Then again after a couple jumps I stopped jumping with a camera out of fear of a snag point and the fact the footage was a waste (jumping with a much more experienced person, so while videos of myself didn't hurt, he's pretty well off on that front.)

Of course cameras are a distraction, it's an extra piece of equipment to think about and people tend to lose a bit of common sense when they know they are or someone else is recording. However, imo it isn't true across the board and I don't think it's really jump number specific, you're going to have people with a thousand jumps that geek for the camera while you have people with a hundred jumps that just want to show people what they see without a second thought. It's the nature of filming in general, some people get ballsy when they're recording, this applies to cellphones, gopros, full cameras, anything - others are more modest with it. This is why you'll get one cellphone recording of a shoot-out (and always vertical for some reason) and not 20 when you know everybody there had a cellphone. Of course, people with more jumps will have more knowledge of how to get out of a messed up situation. I'm a bit curious as to the number of incidents with them as a snag hazard, or getting caught in risers. To note, I jump at dzs that only require 100 jumps to use a GoPro or Contour and far more for full camera rigs, and I'm also still a newbie myself so of course I'm coming from one view point. Of course the GoPro Hero 3 has gone a long way in deterring jumpers, as they can never tell if it's going to record to begin with and seem to be saying f- it more often.

Just call around and ask. I know DeLand has a fairly recent rig with a 300 main and an adjustable harness. Their website still says "Max 240 lbs" but I'd call and ask.

Knew I saw it somewhere! Thanks. Loose BOCs and a general lack of trust in using a different rig every time I show up is all.

I have a similar question, I currently weigh around 220 which puts my exit weight around 242, I'm fairly new to the sport (about 30 jumps) and have a goal of getting down to a 210 so I can actually rent some freefly friendly gear in a little while (buying a rig is out of the question for a little while). I currently fly a 240 with no problem but am apprehensive about taking the step down to 220 (1.1) much less 210 (1.15) despite everybody at the dropzone stating there's no difference between 240 and 220 (at which point I laugh). What would be the proper downsize guidelines for that? I've read the Big Air Sportz guideline which suggests 140 - 220 jumps before getting to that point at my weight which is a bit of a bummer but understandable. Unfortunately the DZ I go to also seems to be pretty much slim pickings with rental gear, and I often have to upsize to a 260 or 280 (there are no 230s). I have no real interest in downsizing to swoop or to do any kind of advanced maneuvers. I just want to get the hell off student gear. Unrelated but I was always curious - Does the increased wing load effect canopies over 200 to the same extent as those under? ie - if I jump a 1.2 wingload on a 210, I'm assuming it won't be the same as somebody jumping a 1.2 wingload on a 135. Probably wrong on that though.