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A certain BASE gear manufacturer (who will remain anonymous ... but if you put two and two together you know who I am talking about) was able to talk me into putting a huge logo on the bottom skin of my new BASE canopy (I wasn't expecting it to be so big). And now that I have the goods, I am looking at the end product wondering WTF was I thinking about? I'm a big boy, I have nobody to impress and honestly couldn't care if everyone hated me ... so I will survive and move forward with this new gear. But I see two issues with this logo. The 1st one is a temporary hassle, but something I will over come. But the 2nd issue is more important and the reason why I am starting this thread so that I know what to expect:

1) Having this huge logo on the bottom skin is distracting for the new BASE jumper packer. Now I was able to successfully complete a pack job last night (definitely a difference between packing my new 293 canopy compared to a 225 I was borrowing a while back to practice packing with). Anyway, knowing your line groups is the key to packing, instead of just keying in on cell colors. But nevertheless, this gear manufacturer should inform the newer jumper of the potential issues of this monstrous logo before they offer it to their clients.

2) I am a little worried that I will be somewhat ostracized by the BASE jumping community because of this logo. He didn't say it, but I could almost read it in his expression, an experienced BASE jumper I know from my DZ (who sometimes shows his mug here) looked at the canopy and said "what the #### is that?" and while he didn't say it, I could almost read "I'm not taking you to a local object with that thing". Now not doing local (illegal) objects at least initially in my BASE jumping career isn't the end of the world (I can see my first 100 or so jumps being done at the Perrine and Moab and both areas are legal to jump at). But I also don't want to be shunned by some of the local jumpers (some of whom will no doubt read this) as they don't want to be associated with that dude with the easily identifiable logo on his canopy. And I can also see someone with a grudge fingering me for burning a sight just because of this logo? So for all you local CO jumpers reading this, please know that I will not be showing up at YOUR local exit points without the proper escort and/or approval. At this point in my life, not-breaking the law and not-pissing off the locals, is what I am looking to do.

Anyway, I am happy with the construction of my new canopy and container (so all is not lost). The gear is well made and the container fits and looks like a million bucks. But I'm just not so sure I was using my brain when I ordered the logo on this canopy.

Did you pay to have the logo put on?

I've always thought it was a bit nuts that the manufacturers often try to charge people to give them free advertising.

No it was free ... but it would cost a pretty penny to have it removed ... ... and it could make trying to resell the canopy harder ...

WTF was I thinking ...

IMHO, no, but then again I am not .........................

Are the colors red,red,red,black,red,red,red?

It sounds like a lot of extra drag with that big ass logo on the bottom. I wouldn't sweat it, though. It's not like the NPS can identify you from your canopy, as I'm sure there are other suckers out there as well who got the free logo option.

We used to ask BR to remove the small FOX logo they put at the leading edge of new canopies. Of course, I'm not saying that BR has anything to do with your new canopy....

PS. If you come to Bridge Day, we'll make fun of you on the loudspeakers after your canopy opens....just kidding.

Yes ... why? ... the funny thing is that the top skin is all fine and dandy (the way it's supposed to be), but the bottom skin is very very very white (the logo is white) and the logo takes up almost all 5 of 7 cells on the bottom skin. Once again, I knew I was getting a logo, but I didn't expect it to take up 70% of the bottom skin on the canopy.

If the logo is silk screened on (as I think has been the case with most of the BR logo canopies I've seen) it shouldn't be a problem in terms of canopy performance (plus, the silk screening will wear and fade over the the next few years). If the logo is sewn on, then you can see some very minor performance issues (from the extra weight on the canopy).

Basically, I'd say it's no big deal. I wouldn't have done it, but it's not something to worry about.

Go jump it. It's yours so enjoy it. Packing isn't difficult without on offset color on the center cell. Count your lines and alls well.

See ya in Idaho.

Shoot, should they inform you that you might go in if you fail to pull too?

Maybe they should tell you that you'll be made fun of if you wear the wrong shoes.

Get a grip man. It's no big deal.

Canuck
You are indeed a yuppie weenie, but i dig that about you. Even for a yuppie weenie, it will be great to see you in potato land.

I think it's a great idea.

I myself fly a neon Blackjack with the moniker "Felix Baumgartner" in black on both top and bottom skins.

I'd hate for people to not be able to read it.

The worst thing about your logo is that from a distance it'll look like "FUK".

Have fun with your new toy bro'.

Yo Steve, I don't think it'll be a big deal. I'm sure lots of people got the logo option. I doubt you'll be left out for it.

Look on the bright side yo . Chicks are gonna think your some badass mofo sponsored rider .

Dude! YOU GOT NEW GEAR. Quit worrying about what other people think and go jump...

....and jump...

...and jump...

Yeah...

Those Colorado a##holes won't jump with me either

http://www.blincmagazine.com/...JPG&img=&tt=

i hope you really dont see it most as how others look at you,if so you should ask your self why you jump and if thouse reassons are the right once for you.

You said ok to an option whith out asking for a pic of how it looked in the first time.. hmm you then asked for it.

I wouldnt have taked the option,but if i got a used canopy i wouldnt care if the logo were there(i had one at my first canopy).

dont sweat it,jump your new gear and have fun

Besides the packing issue.. hmm you should be abel to pack it as your used to,anyway all new canopyes are hard to pack as you just got them.Sorry to say but the manufactor just did their job to build the canopy you asked for

You can jump here anytime mateno worryes

It's cause that awful logo you sport big-boy !!!! Or maybe its the fact that any time I'm around you and mother earth ............ I end up staring at a wall ??????? Besides.......... when your border control will finally let me in....... we'll talk .........

Jay E.
p.s. See you Memorial Day!!!!!

Speak for yourself. *I'm* not jumping with anyone who has a big logo on their parachute.

j/k

I agree with Faber - if you care what you look like in BASE, you probably shouldn't BASE.

Dude, calm down and go jump the thing. You're thinking too much.

I got a gigantic "FOX" logo sewn into my red, white and blue 265. I think it makes the stall point shallower, but that's another story.

Anyway, we can jump together!! If questioned, we can either claim that:

a.) "We're a sponsored team and here to show up sad-ass bitch locals."
b.) "We're shooting a new reality TV show for the network. The cameras are hidden everywhere. Smile!"
c.) "We're the president and vice-president of Samantha Fox fanclub."
d.) "We're gay for each other." ...and jump hand in hand.

Whadayathinkin' now?

BTW, my next canopy is going to be made of clear F1-11, but that's another story...

 
Canuck,

I can understand how you feel right now, and maybe you’re riding out a bit of buyer’s remorse, but after that rig saves you a few times you’ll be so in love you won’t care what it says, except from then on you’ll always equate whatever it says with LIFE.

Here’s how I got my first BASE rig . . .

I bought one of Hank Asciutto’s old piggyback Piglet systems and for two days sat on a wooden packing table at Elsinore with a seam ripper until all I had left was a harness. Then even though I was a rigger I took the harness to another rigger friend of mine who I knew sewed better than me.

While that is going on I dragged out every canopy I owned to decide which would be my new BASE canopy. I had a serviceable Raven I, a ragged out Cruiseair, a pretty new Cruislite with a hundred jumps on it, a very old Strato Star (not that it matters as they are very hard to blow up) and a good Piglet II round. I had a freaking quiver of canopies.

I dropped the almost new Cruislite off at my friend’s house and a week later he called me to come pick it all up. I almost ran off the road in my old blue ’67 Ford Fairlane racing through the dark on a back country two laner through Vista, California that summer in 1987.

I walked into my friend’s living room and it sat there all black, packed, and wicked looking. My very first Velcro closed BASE rig. This was the TOOL! My friend smiled like only a young Todd Shoebotham could. This is the key. No more BASE jumps using my Racer. This is going to unlock the world . . .

Nick
BASE 194

You might as well post a photo of the bottom skin now...

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over.

Just as you say..hindsight is 20/20. The reason you do what you do is to relieve stress. Have a great Memorial Day!

I may have made a mistake in putting this huge label on my canopy. But I didn't make a mistake with this canopy. I hooked it up to a student skydiving rig today and made two hop n' pops on it and thoroughly enjoyed flying it. It was a lot more sporty than I expected and it flares well. I'm now very happy with my canopy. Next stop ... Twin Falls ...

Hey you, after reading all that positive feedback from some cool dudes, I hope you're feeling better about your gear. Hey! YOU'VE GOT NEW GEAR!!! Enjoy. There is little room for a fashion show in this sport, so go have a great time this weekend and don't worry about looks.

I still think you're a cutie regardless...

What? I thought fashion was ALL this sport was about. Why do I waste so much time trying to coordinate my outfits?
I mean, I try to use my lighter green (matching a certain river out west) shades when I know suspect I am going into greenish water.
I try to use darker browns/leafy greens when I know suspect I am going to get hung up in a tree.
Oh, and I go for tie-dye when I am unsure of where I will crash land.

It shouldn't bother you, as long as the logo doesn't say something like:

"Preparation H", or......
"Tampax"

a viagra logo might be funny.


Thomas

---from http://basejump.org---"photogallery"---"2004"---

See, I was right.

Young Master McBeth would have a similar problem with his signature canopy.

CLINT

Yep, more likely to get busted for obscenity than air delivery.

Any more for any more?