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I'm about to put a Wizard (by Vertigo) into service, it's old but hardly used and in pristine condition ... if you are still jumping with one, been using one recently or are aware of any recommendations relevant to this container I'd really like to hear from you

I'm confident to be jumping with Velcro in general, and don't anticipate any issues with the Wizard in particular. I've tried to do a bit of research on it anyway, just in case there's something I've overlooked or am not aware of. I haven't found any discussion of past issues with the Wizard, and Apex have no info they can give me on this particular model. So, I thought I'd just check with the experienced guys here before I go and take it off something low n dirty - have you come across any issues with this specific container, aware of anything useful for me to know or know of any recommended modifications etc?

Thanks guys

I've got several of them in service.

There are several different revisions of the Wizard. The late models with the sewn in bridle (where the bridle is one piece with the shrivel flap, rather than being tied onto it) are very nice, although static lining with them can increase maintenance (because a worn bridle requires sewing rather than simple replacement).

Do your side flaps have stiffeners below the velcro? If they don't and your canopy is undersized, the side flaps can start to shrivel with the shrivel flap and cause some hesitation issues. Properly sized canopies don't have this issue.

It's easy to sew in a piece of yellow lolon cable (cutaway cable) inside a piece of tubular webbing, along the underside of the side flap, to fix this potential problem.

Thanks Tom, that's just the kind of infotmation I was hoping for

Mine must be an earlier model as the bridle has to be larksheaded onto an attachment point that is sewn diagonally through the shrivel flap ... any issues that you know of with that version? would you recommend replacing it with a one piece bridle / flap (I don't have a problem with sewing) ?

I'm not sure if the bridle that came with it is the original or a copy of the manufacturer's spec. The bridle itself is 2.5 meters total length and the part that runs through the flap is 60cm total, so the whole thing is just short of 9ft total when larksheaded together ... does that correspond with what you use?

The side flaps do have stiffeners below the Velcro so that's all good

Really appreciate your response

I think you're fine to run it like that. I have them in both revisions, and virtually every other velcro rig ever made used a knot system.

Be careful not to tuck the knot too far up inside the side flap, where it can potentially lodge above the trim tape of the bottom flap and cause issues. I usually tuck the entire bridle except the knot, with the knot just barely hanging below the side flap tape, to avoid possible problems.

It's within my personal limits for anything but wing suit flight, which I wouldn't do on that rig anyway. Manufacturers have often differed on bridle length. I've got manufacturer bridles that range from 6.5 feet to 12.5 feet, and in slider down use off the bridge none has ever created a problem.

I've salvaged a couple bridles that had damage right at the end from being dragged off a sharpish cliff exit point, and just cut them shorter to eliminate the damaged section.

When I build bridles I generally make them 9 feet exactly, but honestly it doesn't seem to be that important.

thanks, sounds like a good tip re the knot ... I have an old Rector 4 manual from Apex which covers the knotted together version but doesn't mention that
I'll probably make an all-in-one version too and try both out

... that makes me feel much better about a little variation in bridle length, thanks

6.5ft does sound dodgy though!!!

I made a bridle that went directly from the pins to the end of my arm (handheld) so that the PC started pulling pins faster for lower free falls. Works well...ish.

The super short bridle is a great technique for very low free fall on a pin rig.

At zero airspeed there is zero burble, so the short bridle isn't a danger.

With a pin rig, the snatch force requirement should be lower (if you're doing it properly) than with velcro, so the short bridle isn't a problem.

With velcro, one of the reasons for a longer bridle in the first place was to generate more snatch force to clear the velcro at low airspeeds. I wouldn't recommend using a super short bridle on a velcro rig because the snatch force might be insufficient, and result in towing of the PC until more airspeed picked up to clear the velcro (which can result in some really scary hesitations).

SMS, if you put new velcro on your container, do you know the trick where you cut pieces of velcro to cover the outside half, so that the velcro isn't too strong on short delays when it's new?

no I don't Tom, I was just going to replace like-for-like when it needs doing ... not sure I'm understanding you correctly, do you mean cutting the male Velcro in half lengthwise?

Mary

Usually you have the hook velcro on the container, and the pile on the shrivel flap.

You can cut some extra pieces of pile velcro that are half the width of your hook velcro (but the full length). Put them over the inside half of the hook velcro to cover it, so only the outside half mates, if you are doing a go and throw type jump on new velcro.

I believe that Asylum still delivers new Perigee II's with the extra "cover" pieces of velcro.

If you cover half of the velcro pile on the each side flap, then only the unexposed half will mate with the shrivel flap. This method reduces the snatch force required to open the container.

...what he said.

useful trick, thanks guys