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Okay so here it goes, let me start off by saying I know how to use the search function in the Forums, but I feel like I have fairly specific questions for my own need of guidance. ;)

I am 6’0 and 175lbs athletic build.

Here is my issue; I am getting ready to buy my first skydiving rig (yes first) and I want it set up for optimal practice for BASE accuracy, opening and flight characteristics. On a side note I am aware of the can of worms this question could open considering my experience level. I have cruised the Forums long enough to see newbies ask stupid questions. I’ll do the work and make the jumps 150-200, 500 if need be, basically, when I feel comfortable to attend a FJC. I am having a great time skydiving, working on tracking and good on heading openings and canopy accuracy. I understand the “proper” progression.

When I mentioned to the gentleman in the gear shop my intentions of perusing BASE and wanting a skydiving rig that would aid in that slow progression, I got a lecture and a tour of every 210 and 190 he had to offer.

So here is my question; what would be the best (in your many varying opinions) set up for my skydiving rig with a BASE specific canopy? Also, should it be packed without the d-bag? It seems like a bit of both makes sense. What container (size/brand) would your recommend and with what reserve (size/brand), assuming that a 7 cell 280 main is in the right general direction? Will that set up change if I switched packing from with a d-bag, to no d-bag? What type of lines should I run and can/should I still run oversized toggles. Or does in make sense to run regular toggles and know I can nail them evertime quickly, then step down to larger ones on the BASE rig?

Cost is a bit of an issue but not overly concerning, I will buy used gear less some of the lower cost items.

Thanks in advance for the help…now I'll hold my breath and hope I don’t get a verbal tongue lashing for asking silly questions or not doing my research.

I wouldn't suggest some big canopy to skydive in. You'll become bored out of your mind. There's a good chance you'll actually want to become good at skydiving and have some fun with it.

If you skydive only to become a base jumper, then do a bunch of hop-n-pops (and become bored out of your mind) and do a lot of tracking and also become bored out of your mind until you buy a wingsuit and fly with others.

Buy a reasonably priced used freefly compatible rig. A standard skydiving set up is just fine.

My preferences

Container:
-Infinity <== my personal first choice
-VooDoo
-Talon2 or Talan FS
-Mirage
-VectorIII

Reserve canopy
-whatever you can get in the correct size.
- PD 193 is a good choice, there are others in that size range.

Mains:
That's a tough call. Any canopy is going to help your canopy control. A Spectre is a great 7 cell. It will be suitable for Skydiving and also accuracy practice. A 190 is fine for now.

When you want to practice on a larger canopy, borrow one.

The other option is find something like a cheap Super Raven III or Raven IV. You'll need a larger skydiving rig to put it in. There are some cheap ass rigs available for borrow or purchase.

Use a plain and simple standard skydiving set up. Unless you're doing CReW, you don't need anything unusual.

Skydiving doesn't suck so just do it and have fun with it. Start BASE when you're ready (or at least when you think you're ready)

Also, if there are some good CRW dawgs where you jump, get into CRW and really learn to fly a parachute. Otherwise just skydive, learn to fly whatever you have. It does cross over to other parachutes.

All the principles of flying a parachute are the same.

Pull down right toggle, turn right
Pull down left toggle, turn left
Pull down both toggles, stop.

Dialing in those controls takes practice so pick a goal be it swooping, accuracy...etc... and go for it.

Hope that helps.

Edit:

Hang out with a rigger. Learn to rig and sew. Rigging is the most over looked process in BASE today. I can't tell you how many times people ask me to perform basic inspections of 3 rings, bridle attachments, line continuity checks and more.

 
just buy a skydive rig with a (preferably) 7-cell f-111 canopy (210-290 sq ft) and jump the shit out of it. I don't think you need to spend the money on a base specific canopy and theres no reason to remove the d-bag unless you are doing low pulls or something.

Have fun.

I'm one of the low experience guys on this forum, but I recommend, if you're preparing for base, to use as much of your base gear as much as possible to get muscle memory with it. That said, I think you should get base risers with your base canopy of choice so that you can get used to those risers, those toggles and that canopy. As far as the container, anything cheap with big rings, a legit harness, a BOC, and preferably a 7 cell reserve 240 +/- 60sqft

Also do...

BASE Oriented Canopy Control

Use a large canopy for the drills.

I didn't see anything about one toggle and one riser landing. Practice that as well.

If some reason you lose a toggle, keep the other one and use it. Flare with one riser and one toggle. It's much easier than just rear risers and also allows for more control while flying to the landing zone.

If you go with a skydiving rig along the lines Hookitt recommends, (a ZP canopy approaching 200 square feet, in a deployment bag), you'll be able to fit a BASE practice canopy (either an actual BASE canopy or a 7 cell F-111 canopy in a 250+ size) into your container for more specific practice exercises. Then you'll have the best of both worlds--not getting bored out of your mind, but also being able to spend a relatively small amount of money to add a BASE practice canopy to your system (or spend a larger amount of money and buy your actual BASE canopy to put in there, and practice with that).

Right on guys...great feedback! Thanks!

in the early 90's, integrity risers had a brief surge at my home dz. people then discovered problems using them skydiving and switched back. I believe they can lock up and fail to release. think of a flat and stable jumper with a horseshoe mal. the 3 rings will be trapped between the risers and the jumper's body and will not be able to flip. kinda ugly.

I am guessing that he is referring to the type 8 risers rather than to reverse 3ringed risers :) Due to ambiguity he may also be meaning to get stiffy toggles, which is a great idea except for the fact that they would pack like shit in a skydiving rig :)

I mainly meant stiffy toggles ; ) Hopefully they'll pack up alright in the wonderhog I just bought. First skydive container I have bought that's big enough for my base canopy, so I don't have to borrow rigs from the DZO

Billie, buy your sky-jumpin' rig for sky-jumpin'!!

There are people around here who have skydiving rigs w/ base canopies in them that you could probably borrow. And there are difinitely peeps w/ containers that you could fit a BASE canopy in. . . .

I'D ask around. . .There's alot of people locally who can guide you in the right direction.

Later buddy!
See you at the DZ???

SirVato

The more I think I learn, the less I know I know...

Dave out at the DZ said that he thinks he has something for me in the price range I gave him. Still thinking that I want to stick with a 210 ZP. We have been playing phone tag for about a week now. I ll finally have my $$ in the next couple of weeks and will be jumping every weekend after that. Grad school should slow down a bit too.

Like we talked about before I totally suck at saving $$ and will have a sizable chunk soon. Sooooo I ll be on a gear bender, CAT WAIT (I ll need direction, from you and the guys) I need to the jumps in and sign up for my FJC this fall too. Keep you eye out for good deals on gear for me if you would.

PM me about that Valentine rig...I hear good things.

I agree with what someone else mentioned about getting bored as hell with that setup you mentioned. If thats going to be your only skydiving rig, you will be in for a treat.

When I got my rig I bought it for freefly. Turns out its actually versatile enough to turn into a crw rig so I bought a crw canopy to switch it out. Doing canopy relative work has made me into a much better canopy pilot and also had given me some experience packing for faster openings before I got into base. Turns out my base canopy also fits in there as well.

Do yourself a favor and try to enjoy your time skydiving instead of rushing to go huck off something asap. You'll be glad you did in the long run.

Thanks

Not in a hurry at all sister and I have been having a great time hucking from a plane.

I just have an goal...no rush to get there.

If your goal is base and you "have fun" with skydiving, then you're not going to be as well prepared for base as you could have been. Personally I think flying my base canopy on skydives is fun, just pull low, fuck an approach, once you start feeling like you know your canopy really well practice shit like crabbing sideways to burn altitude and adjust the line your on and shit like that, that is if your DZ is cool with it. The more tools in your canopy toolbox the more options for accomplishing what ever you need to accomplish in flight. I've met and jumped with people with 700-1000 skydives and more, that flew there canopy like shit and hurt themselves because they're not used to flying a boat and they need speed to do the things they are used to. Flying a slow speed canopy is a totally different skill set. If you only plan on landing in big ass fields like the perrine then don't worry about it, if you want to be a base jumper though, you better get good at flying what ever canopy you plan on base jumping with.

I like skydiving too, with my 170 and I plan on getting something smaller someday. This is a base forum, you said your goal was base.

Doesn't matter.

People that have 1000 jumps that fly like shit, fly like shit because they never bothered to learn. Those are the same people that blame an off DZ landing for an injury.

That was what I was thinking too...maybe someday I will want to fly a tablecloth and hang with the swoop dawgs, not anytime soon though. I dont mind a large canopy cuz I havent flown anything but. I pick a spot between my feet give input and see where that takes me, paying close attention to how quicklyi get there. Its "fun"

Again, I dont know what I am talking about either...but "I do know what fun is" (said with a Forest Gump accent) for me anyway.

I guess what I do know is there are many ways to skin a cat and as long as I am safe, having fun and not rushing into things, all is well. Right?

Thanks again for all the input guys...its valued and it gives me more and more to consider...more research to do...and more questions to ask.

Billie

I second that. And actually what Hookitt also said in the first reply. I can go from my Crossfire 109 to my Blackjack 260 back to back land and then fly a paraglider, and do a ground launch with a clapped out Sabre 135 and surprisingly NOT confuse the four. If I were you just learn to fly. Adapting your flight with the wing. Don't get stuck with one idea, or one canopy how to fly. 200 jumps and opening at even 2000' under a BASE canopy would bore the shit out of me very quickly. But thats me.