AtomF

If that's the case, I'm not deploying any parachutes anymore. There is a chance that my main will go wrong and then another chance that my reserve will go wrong. Edit- Billvon, do you even jump with a reserve? What the he'll is the point of having a parachute if you don't trust it and refuse to use it? Same with the main, no? It takes much longer and takes much more caution to pack a reserve. Wouldn't you trust your reserve more? Why not go straight to reserve?

When I started video, I used a friends bonehead flat top narrow, and now I use a vapor narrow. Both have the same general build in that it has a top mount and a front mount (video on top, still camera mounted upside down on front). I personally don't recommend the bonehead. The fit is kind of tight, and the part on the back that swings outward to close is too high. It kind of pushes the top back part of your head towards the chin. I like the vapor much more because it feels like the back piece is lower, so it feels like it cups your head like a typical non-video helmet does. The vapor is much more comfortable, in my opinion, than the bonehead. When it comes to the camera setups... I personally use a TRV22. The only thing I'd make sure to do with your CX12, is to make sure that it's mounted close enough to the front of the helmet so that it doesn't capture any of the helmet or still camera lens in frame. I'm not sure what the system is called, but vapor sells the piece that goes onto your helmet, and you pull the ring and the camera slides off. That's definitely a nice thing to have, so you don't have to take out the padding and unscrew your camera every time you want to take it off. I love my vapor narrow, much more than the bonehead. I've actually been in freefall, and felt a bonehead loosen up on me. If anybody you know has one of the helmets, see about jumping it, or at least trying it on to see how if fits. Thats my 2 cents.

As an ex-competitive video gamer, I've been in the community of quality keyboards and mice for the last few years... Saiteks are nice, I don't have any previous experience with them, but they are recognized as good keyboards. I personally don't like the design, how the keys and buttons are placed... I've been using a Logitech G15 for the last few years. There are two versions of this keyboard, the new and the old one. Older one is what I use, it's better because it also has 18 programmable keys on the left side of the keyboard, whereas the new one has 8 I think. The G15 glows (older G15 is blue, newer one is orange), has glowing keys to control your media (play, stop, forward and back) a switch to disable your Windows key (if you frequently hit it on accident), settings to turn off the lights, and turn them on two settings (faint and brighter). It also has 2 USB ports (unfortunately, not high speed) on the back, and a screen that displays what music your playing, what time it is, etc. Also has a mute volume button. If you want to go above and beyond and treat yourself, Logitech came out with a new keyboard, the G19. I'm not sure if it's out and for sale yet, but if it is, it's sexy. Check it out. Pretty sure that it's illuminated in 4 colors depending on your settings, has a nice LCD screen on it, pretty sure it has USB 2.0 ports, and also pretty sure it has the programmable keys, but it's been a long time since I've looked at it. It's very sexy though. Hope this helps, all from my experience through competitive computer gaming. Editted to add that I use a gel pad in front of my keyboard. It'll be some of the nicest ~15 dollars you'll ever spend. The G15 comes with a hard plastic wrist rest, is counterproductive but it comes off ><

I hit Best Buy and got the SanDisk Extreme III (4 gig). Seems to work pretty well, gonna try it out this weekend. Thanks guys.

Does Best Buy only have one brand? I'm kinda afraid to buy cheap ones, because I don't want to sacrifice quality or speed at all..

Hey photography dropzonians- I'm buying a Canon XSi, and one thing that I've realized is that I don't know which memory card to buy yet. I know on XTi's and other digital cameras, the memory card will largely influence the speed at which I will be able to shoot stills. Does anybody have a tried-and-true brand or specific memory card that works really well? Preferably at Best Buy? Thanks, Atom

I'm going! It's going to be awesome. All the cool kids are doing it. You should too.

Haven't had pains THAT bad. Tingly feet maybe after a hard stand-up. If the landings are that bad, then you gotta change something. Can I ask what model/size parachute your jumping? It could have an impact on the style of landing. Edit- I'm going to purely assume (and do correct me if I'm wrong) that you might be jumping an F111 canopy. I jump one myself- I'm not sure if it's the way that the canopies are meant to land but I've noticed that I don't get "soft" landings on mine unless I'm landing into some wind. One thing that I've done is practice flaring up high, getting the feeling of a fully slowed down canopy after a second of a full flare, and keeping that feeling in mind when it comes down to flare time. It helps me. I'm no professional or anything, but it's advice that helped me.

Every jump, I open up and grab my slider, check my lines, connectors, bridle-pilot chute.

Wanna Hold my PC Laptops are MUCH easier to travel with dude PC means personal computer. It could be a 6 foot by 2 foot supercomputer, no? :O

So is this gonna be like coaching via the internet? Maybe even paired up with a webcam to conference call?

Buy 2 canopies, same size, brand new. Do 200 jumps on one with normal weight. Do 200 jumps on the other with double your exit weight. Think there will be a difference?

I don't think they should be required. I have 101 jumps and I wish I could get into a canopy course but they hardly ever come around here. I DO think people should be responsible about learning canopy flight though, with only 100 jumps I still ask other canopy pilots what I'm doing wrong !