SKYPEDESTRIAN

The wetsuit does get pretty rank smelling if you do not thoroughly wash the urine out. Mine smelled so bad once that people around me noticed when I took it off. I think peeing in one's Birdsuit would probably have the exact opposite effect, as evaporative cooling would chill the body instead of warming it. skypedestrian@earthlink.net

There is nothing nasty about peeing in one's wetsuit. If I plan ahead for a full bladder, and time the urination correctly, it is like turning on the heater just when I start to feel chilled--truly one of life's little pleasures. skypedestrian@earthlink.net

The suit description of at least one of the models (I think it is the GTI) on www.bird-man.com refers to the 'Robert' cutaway system. I just took it to mean the standard BirdMan wing cutaway system that all of their current suits use. skypedestrian@earthlink.net

Thanks for that input Stefan-- I think I will do just that. I appreciate everyone's advice and will definitely buy BASE-specific gear if I decide to try BASE. skypedestrian@earthlink.net

Would appreciate it if anyone has time to comment on the following: I am 6'7", 240 lbs (270lbs exit weight with skydiving gear) and am curious as to what size BASE canopy I would need for first BASE jump. I have a brand new, 1998 model Raven 4 (282 sqft) which I bought for a skydiving rig that I later decided not to build and am wondering if this canopy has any potential for BASE use. Thanks in advance for any advice. skypedestrian@earthlink.net

Had not thought about that.... skypedestrian@earthlink.net

I am getting ready to order a Javelin to be set up as a dedicated CRW rig and would appreciate any suggestions that might help me build a better rig. My Lightning 193 is tight in my current Javelin (J-5), and I am thinking about up-sizing the container to a J-7 or J-8 to get more room in the main compartment to make packing easier. I pack Lightning without bag. Any wisdom on this would be appreciated. Also, if there are any CRW-friendly features that I might order, I would appreciate advice on those as well. Thanks in advance. skypedestrian@earthlink.net

Thanks for sharing that Brits! It moved me a step closer to trying BASE. Will still proceed with caution, but that sure sounds like a wonderful experience. MJ skypedestrian@earthlink.net

I will be moving back to the Orlando area from Texas in the spring or early summer and would appreciate any input as to which Florida DZ's support CReW and which do not. Am originally from Florida and know the geography well, but I started skydiving since moving to TX, so I know very little about the DZ's, their airspace situations, attitudes toward CReW, etc. Thanks in advance for any input! skypedestrian@earthlink.net

So I am just a "canopy of unknown trim" to you. I see how you are. skypedestrian@earthlink.net

Very nice shot of your exit.. skypedestrian@earthlink.net

An update for anyone who is interested: my rigger installed the larger stiffener in the bottom flap and I made three upright skydives today with other people watching the flap and it stayed in. It makes sense when you see it with the rig closed: the longer stiffener comes down below the tuck tab so that the tuck tab is sandwiched-in between the left and right flap tips and the hard plastic in the bottom flap beneath it. I am going to have it observed several more times before I declare it fixed. Thanks everybody. MJ skypedestrian@earthlink.net

Can anyone make recommendation as to: 1. What device I should buy to collect my freefall time and other stats once I get the BM suit I have on order; and 2. Where I should mount it for most accurate reading: hand, helmet, crack of my ass, etc. Thanks. skypedestrian@earthlink.net

Well, this pretty much confirms my belief that the only thing that Angelina Jolie is good for is visualization while I am spanking off in the shower. skypedestrian@earthlink.net

Hey! An update for all of you people who still seem to be following this thread: I received the piece of plastic from SunPath yesterday and showed it to my rigger today (after making seven very nice skydives in the 100+ degree heat). He thinks it may well be a fix for the problem. I misunderstood Aggie at SunPath when he described what he was sending. It is not a larger tuck tab/stiffener for the main pin cover flap, it is a much larger stiffener for the bottom flap which comes up and covers the right and left flaps after they have been closed. The concept seems to be that to "escape", the main pin cover's tuck tab has to push its way past a stiffer, plastic-filled bottom flap, as opposed to pushing against soft cordura stretched over the D-bag and rolled-up main canopy. We shall see what happens next Saturday. skypedestrian@earthlink.net