Cloudi

You're right, of course. Sorry, I should have said, "some of the gear available at that time." I just get sick of people bashing canopies (not just Sabres) because they "heard" they open hard or experienced a hard opening when they were learning to pack and it probably had nothing to do with the canopy. All canopies can open hard if you don't respect them! It's their way of getting your attention and reminding you who's boss. Have you hugged your canopy today? Fast, it makes perfect sense that you began looking for a softer opening canopy to help put the odds in your favor now that you're jumping with a camera. Nothing wrong with that!

There's another possibility, too. I broke my left ring finger and ripped a chunk out of the end of it and my pinky during an instant opening a few months ago. Everyone assumed I had grabbed my risers too, but I knew I didn't have time to grab the risers it opened so fast. Instant canopy is no exaggeration. No sooner had I thrown my pilot chute, I was under a fully open canopy. I can't believe it didn't knock me out. My back cracked so loud, I was afraid to move for a few seconds. Ouch (and some very colorful explatives)!!! Anyway, since I was certain I hadn't reached for my risers, I assumed that they had slapped my fingers as I was in the process of bringing my arms back to "box" position after throwing out. The more I thought about it and talked to other jumpers, we concluded that the sudden force of the opening threw my arms down & that I must have hit my harness with my fingers on the way down. It makes sense because the skin missing were from the left side of the tips of those two fingers and my finger was broken (shattered, actually) from the left side. I would have needed to have my left hand in a pretty strange position to have those injuries from a riser slap. Just a thought... I'm glad to hear that your malfunction cleared and that you weren't hurt worse. You'll probably not skip that whole slowing down step again for a very long time. Just as I won't rush a pack job again for a very long time (hopefully never!). Kim Watch as I attempt, with no slight of hand, to apply logic and reason.

The best advice an instructor gave me about door fear during AFF was this: Instructor: "What is the worst that can happen?" Me: "I might fall out." Instructor: "Well, isn't that the whole idea?" So simple, but it made me laugh and I relaxed in the door from then on.

**WARNING: Venting ahead! Sensitive, Brokeback skydivers should use discretion before reading this post.** I totally agree with you, Martini. People believe what they hear and what makes them feel better about themselves. I would guess that 90% of hard openings on Sabres (or any canopy, for that matter) are from poor or rushed packing (that includes line stows people!). Throw in some excessive freefall speeds, some wacky body positions, and inappropriate gear match-ups (big pilot chutes, etc.) and there you have it! Yes, most modern canopies are designed to open slower, but when the Sabre came out, no one was looking for that, in part, because everyone was pulling much lower than most jumpers do today. People were looking for more performance and were used to getting neck breaker openings from the gear available at that time, so the Sabre was actually considered a slow opening canopy when it was introduced. Surprise! When I was jumping everything I could get my hands on to decide what I would buy for my first rig, I made several jumps on a Sabre. Nothing but smooth openings. Ironically, some of the hardest openings I've had have been on Spectres (which I now have the majority of my jumps with) and the hardest to date was with a Silhouette. All were attributed to packing/freefly speed errors, not the canopies. I was the first to point the finger at myself because I absolutely hate packing and I pretty much suck at it. If people would suck it up and take responsibility in the part they play in hard openings & malfunctions, many canopies wouldn't have the reputation they have. 1. I pulled as soon as I went back to my belly from a FF jump, SLAM! Duh. 2. & 3. I rushed a couple of pack jobs, SLAM, SLAM! Duh. Gee, I wonder what went wrong? Was that so hard to do? I admit that I f'd up & I feel ok with it. Confuscious say, "Look within yourself first when things go wrong and then investigate your neighbors." Or, feel superior and safe by blaming the gear that people with thousands more jumps and imminently more time and experience in the sport than you worked years to develop. Yep, it must be the gear... Kim Watch as I attempt, with no slight of hand, to apply logic and reason.

Thanks for sharing your real experience. You obviously have a good attitude and a love for life. I'll bet you had that before the accident, but your new future made you decide whether to stand by it or give up. I hope that I would be strong enough to see all that life has to offer like you do. I love UDSkyJunkie's post: That makes so much sense to me and although my thoughts weren't as eloquent when I began skydiving, that sentiment is what continually allows me to justify the risk for the reward. My Mom said to me a long time ago when I was very young, "anything good and worth having/doing is probably bad for you, but you have to decide if it's worth it." My Grandma also made the speech about "regretting what you have done, is always better than regretting what you haven't." There is so much more to life than skydiving, as you have stated. Skydiving is one way to live it to the fullest. If that ever goes away, don't regret any of it, there are plenty of other reasons to keep being a stubborn-ass! Kim Watch as I attempt, with no slight of hand, to apply logic and reason.

Not fun at all? Maybe you're just being too hard on yourself then. You are learning to move around in a totally foreign environment while keeping your cool and making split-second decisions. Keep doing your best and listening to your instructors. They want you to succeed, too!

...exactly! That works for you, whether it is a path others choose or not. Your approach doesn't make your continued desire to skydive any less relevant or worthy than any other approach. You've been doing something you love under your own terms and at your own pace. Good for you! Keep working at it and enjoy the journey (yes, even AFF!). There are no wasted jumps. Kim Watch as I attempt, with no slight of hand, to apply logic and reason.

Why would you assume that someone who does a tandem first is a "lazy American"? Even someone who has been exposed to skydiving for many years can find that it isn't what they thought it would be and freak out/freeze up/ and never do it again. If someone has never jumped before, a tandem isn't exactly the "easy way out." You still have to have the balls to do it. Whether your instructor is attached to you or next to you, no first skydive is easy when you're putting your faith in their abilities and your own for rewards you aren't even aware of yet. If progress in the sport is such a cop-out, then maybe we should go back to rounds, get rid of AAD's, decent jump planes, 3-rings, and other such nonsense. Hey, let's do away with in-air instruction all together. The pioneers didn't have anyone holding their hand, right? Obviously, it's up to him how he chooses to experience his first jump. His friend can give him the pro's and con's of each method. Sorry, I see no problem with taking advantage of whatever option appeals to the individual and making their own choice. I'm all lazy like that. Now, back to my ice cream...lighten up! Kim Watch as I attempt, with no slight of hand, to apply logic and reason.

Matching gear...I want that!!! Looks good, now wipe the drool (and other potentially unmentionable DNA) off of it and throw it in the air! Congrats!! Kim Watch as I attempt, with no slight of hand, to apply logic and reason.

I agree. It takes alot of pressure off of the first jump. When he decides to go for his FJC (or not), it will take alot of the unknown away from it and he can experience "sensory overload" with an alert, trained professional attached to him. A tandem is a good thermometer for beginning to understand what skydiving is all about and if someone can handle it. I don't regret doing a tandem 1st. To me, it was money well spent, not wasted. I don't know that I would have gotten into the sport had tandems not existed...but that's me and who knows what I would have done if tandems didn't exist.

Your post confuses me a little. You loved your Sabre2 170 & had great openings with it, but you tried one Sabre2 135 and didn't like a few of its openings, so you went with something else? This leads me to believe there may have been something wrong with that particular Sabre2 135. Since it was a demo, did you let the demo center know you had problems with it? Is it in trim? Have others had similar experiences with it? I'm also not excluding the possiblity of packing issues since a smaller, more highly loaded canopy may be less forgiving of packing errors than a larger, more lightly loaded one, assuming the 170 was packed the same way. As you have already experienced with your 170, harsh openings are not a normal characteristic of the Sabre2. Most "complaints" for these canopies are for closed end cells, which are not actually a bad thing. You don't generally get those from a hard opening canopy. Most slow inflating canopies (Spectre, Safire2, Sabre2, etc.) have the occasional closed end cells that are easily inflated by riser or toggle input. In my (albeit limited) experience, most "off heading" openings can be attributed to line trim, packing, and/or body position during the opening with any canopy. There can be some lemons out there, too, of course, but any reputable manufacturer will replace a problem canopy when it is determined the problem is with the canopy and not the user. I experienced a diving opening one time on a Sabre2 because I was trying to control the opening with the risers. Next time up, I just let it do its thing and had a very nice, on heading opening. That has continued to be my experience on Sabre2's. I'm glad that you found the canopy that makes you happy, I just wonder if your decision was based on a "bad" demo. Kim Watch as I attempt, with no slight of hand, to apply logic and reason.

Excellent! Enjoy jumping without having to perform the "circus tricks." It keeps getting better and better from here! Kim Watch as I attempt, with no slight of hand, to apply logic and reason.

I just love the shit outta you!! Kim Watch as I attempt, with no slight of hand, to apply logic and reason.

Great questions and suggestions! What everyone has suggested so far is right on. The only other thing I would suggest, after getting familiar with the new canopy or new size on hop & pops, is to then experience normal traffic. You will want to see your position & descent rate with other canopies so that you can understand how your canopy will end up in the traffic flow with varying degrees of input. Downsizing will cause you to enter the air space of others more quickly. Going more high performance will also leave you fewer outs or time to plan ahead. You, your instrucors, S&TA, and/or DZO will need to decide if you are ready for that higher level of awareness. Each DZ will differ depending on your skill level, typical landing conditions, the landing area(s), and the amount of traffic. The more experienced skydivers (instructors!) will be the best for guiding you through your progression. With anything new you do in skydiving, ask instructors and be willing to hear and heed their advice. They are there for you long after you graduate to solo & beyond!

Pack volume is like a Sea Monkey. IT IS NOT REAL. What IS real is what the container manufacturer says will fit in each of their rigs.

No worries Shawn. I forget sometimes that not everyone does what they should with advice or information they find on this website: CHECK WITH YOUR INSTRUCTOR. YOUR INSTRUCTOR IS ALWAYS RIGHT, regardless of what you read on DZ.com. I'm so used to providing info, via email and telephone, from PD, about PD stuff, that when I log onto DZ.com, I sometimes have the illusion that I know something. I know a little about alot, but I need to check myself when it comes to dispensing advice outside of that. One thing I do know is the more I'm in this sport the more I realize what I have to learn. That's one of the things that makes it special and keeps it interesting.

Yikes, you're a little touchy, huh? I apologize for giving the impression that I was disputing your technique. Just going with what I have been taught. Pump away, brother. No I haven't jumped a Safire, so I didn't realize there was a difference in how one canopy functions compared to another in regards to allowing the end cells to inflate. My bad. Nothing wrong with pumping, I guess...scurrying away with tail between my legs

Here is the link to the video Superman32 was talking about http://www.performancedesigns.com/canopyinfo.asp. Hover your mouse over the image to show play options. Also, pumping the toggles/risers isn't nearly as efficient as simply pulling them down a few inches and holding them for a few seconds (after clearing your air space, of course). This slows the canopy's forward flight and allows the end cells to finish inflating, which spreads the lines apart and pushes the slider the rest of the way down if it's not already. Stupid, slow opening canopies... Kim Watch as I attempt, with no slight of hand, to apply logic and reason.

Time to plan a trip south? Jump in, the air is fine!! Kim Watch as I attempt, with no slight of hand, to apply logic and reason.

PM sent on the 16th...still waiting for a reply...did you get it? Kim Watch as I attempt, with no slight of hand, to apply logic and reason.

Come on Speedy, he's a "natural." I mean, he's survived so far with a camera strapped on his head and flying a S.3 long before most people do, so why shouldn't he fly a XF2 119?? In fact, he should do a wingsuit jump while trying the 119. He can handle it. He knows what he's doing, and I'm sure he's going to fly conservatively until he gets used to it (2-5 jumps). Why are you trying to hold him back? Sheesh!! I hope the big dummy doesn't take anyone out with him... Kim Watch as I attempt, with no slight of hand, to apply logic and reason.

If wanting something were all it took... I'm not trying to argue with you, it is pretty aggravating that it's taking so long, but no one feels it more than the engineers and canopy designers at PD. They are working their butts off on these canopies. Sure, they could put them out there right now and most people would be pretty happy with them. Why do they keep working on them then? Because they believe in doing it right, not doing it "right now." They want to put out Katanas, not "Almostas." Sorry that putting out a quality product pisses so many people off, but PD won't change that just to please a few people who can't understand that anything worth doing is worth doing right. Personally, I respect that and wouldn't want it any other way. Kim Watch as I attempt, with no slight of hand, to apply logic and reason.

Pssst. Pssst! Hey buddy, over here... They're perfecting them. Waiting sucks, but getting it right ROCKS!!

"Chute" doesn't bother me. I'm used to hearing it from people who fly powered parachutes. What does make me laugh is "strings." It's a standard joke at our DZ when we refer to what a non-skydiver might say..."pull your strings, pull your strings!!!" To me though, they are all words that describe the same thing. For example: control lines, steering lines, brake lines,...

Ah darn, you caught me. I'm all about sucking up, blindly following whatever my boss says, and have always dreamed of being a "yes girl." Ask anyone who knows me... Kolla, on the other hand, doesn't need to earn brownie points with anyone. She's...well...KOLLA! Speaking for myself, I was trying to clear up any misconceptions you may have had. Sorry for trying to educate you.