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Hello guys!

I'm new to WS BASE so I want to get an advice about pilot chute size. Which one is better to use? I'm 60kg, flying Havok Carve wingsuit with Troll 245, 3 vents.

I did a couple of skybase jumps and base jumps from Monte Brento with 32" PC, and haven't noticed anything odd, but as I understand most people use bigger PCs.

So, what are the pros and cons of using different PC sizes?

Thanks in advance, Oleksii.

Why dont you ask your mate?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXNN0S3v-Ag

I like your sisters rack though

https://youtu.be/evO89IB_Crg

He is too busy ruling the world, doesn't speak to regular folks often... I tried to call him, but ended up being redirected to his voice mail which says: "Wear one more GoPro and try again"

I have used the following PCs without issue: orange one, purple one, green one.

I use 36" and 38" and a black one.

Thanks for your reply. What was your reasoning for ordering 36" and not ordering 42" for example? I'm asking because I want to get some food for thoughts before I order a bigger PC. How do you determine which size works well for you?

After some PC hesitation I moved from 36" to 38".

Throwing the PC like a man helps a lot too...

Ok, so bigger PC helps to deal with PC hesitation. sounds like a logical conclusion.

Are there any disadvantages of using a bigger PC? Does it damage the canopy fabric more when pulling it out?

http://base-book.com/what-size-pilot-chute

These are pretty basic questions.

Smaller suits (Havok) and tracking suit I use a 36" PC to extract a Flik 242 or Troll 245 (PIA 260).

Larger suits I use a 38" PC to compensate for a larger burble.

You really need to educate yourself more on your gear man.
Take a step back and read. Make friends with knowledgeable people.
I really can't believe you made a couple wingsuit base jumps without this gear knowledge.

Excuse my ignorance but what the hell is a skybase jump?

I've read that article, but it's all about choosing a PC for subterminal tracking , isn't it? I understand that these are basic questions, but when I ask my mates I always end up with answers like "I use that size PC because I feel like it works well". can we bring more logic into this topic?

we call it "skybase" when you jump from a plane or micro-light with a BASE gear

Maybe I used the wrong terms... what I mean is : if bigger PC means more safety in case of PC hesitation - why not use 40" or 42"? in other words, where is that sweet spot and how do you determine it?

Dude, seriously, you should read the link properly Bludhow posted or better still buy the book.
http://base-book.com/what-size-pilot-chute

Do you know what a drogue is?

Yet we BASE jumpers mostly use

PCs that range from 32" to 48".

Let that cook your noodle

and some only use a 36-42

I can't tell if you're joking.

The article had very little to do with terminal tracking, other than using a particular jump to illustrate a point. It was meant to be a fishing pole, not a fish.

Here's the deal. You will not find a singular answer on here. People will defend whatever it is that they are doing. If you have PC hesitation, it may be a result of a weak pitch or pitching close to stall speed. The PC would have little to do with it.

If you want someone do just tell you what to use, then use a 36". It's in the middle of the range and will work fine until you gain the experience/confidence to decide for yourself.

I think you should be far more focused on your typical pull altitude. If you're pulling at 700-1000' feet at pull time, then you probably can use a 32, 34, 36 or 38 with no issues. Most people I speak to use a 36 or 38, but then people who are WS super low stuff and pulling low tend to use a 40 or a 42 just because it makes them "feel better" but there is no distinct improvement they can assure me exists with much proof, except maybe less of a hesitation rate or better chance of it clearing the large suit burble. I know people jumping the low stuff and dumping in the basement using a 36/38 also, and they're all about as effective, but it's just a preference thing so far as I've seen with minimal differences. Really, I'd say if you're not pushing the limits, get a 36/38 and just do what you do. If you wanna pull low, you might consider a 40 if that makes you feel better, but a 38 should work fine too. I mean these are those kinds of decisions you kind of have to make for yourself.

Sorry man, I really wasn't joking. After reading that article a few more times I came to the same conclusions you wrote in your last post:
1. Order 36" PC because charts say so.
2. Use it for a while until I gain more experience.
3. Decide on my own if I need a bigger PC when I become more confident.
4. Pull high :)

Thank you for being so patient.

You don't know the half of it

Seriously you need to find someone with experience who ll teach you instead of doing like you do, asking to unknow people.
Some ws pilot jump with 36, other with 42. Why? Maybe because of the deployement speed! Why? Think by yourself the difference and the need for each situation. If you dion t understand some basic stuff maybe you should make a step back, for yourself.

Don't get me wrong: I have experienced friends and I asked them before posting this thread. I don't often ask things on forums, but in this particular case I wanted to dive deep into the theory, in other words - to hear what unknown people think in regard to this matter.

Thanks.

32 with Havok (not a xxxl ws but not a small one neither) won t be my 1st choice, but you have probably some good reason to did it. Thinks of the reasons people choose their pc in base jumping, sd, su, tracking, slick, etc and you should be able to understand how to choose your pc for yourself. That s mostly related on your speed at the opening (fast/slow)

I did a couple of jumps from a plane, was satisfied with openings, so I just did the same from Brento, pulled high every time and it went well.


Exactly.

Initially, I looked at this chart

and found it says that 32" is strongly not recommended even for tracking suits. That was a bit unclear to me, because tracking suits usually have fast speed at opening. That's why I thought that there is something else to take into account.

P.S. I'll compare the openings with 36" when I receive it, and post here, if you don't mind.

Were those friends the ones that suggested that you fly a proxy line on the left wall and do barrel rolls immediately after turning away from the wall on your first couple of WS basejumps?
Because it looks like the're not friends after all

Ok, so you don t know by yourself which one to use so you check via adrenalin tabs where it s written "strongly not recommended" but you still use it?
Seriously?!?!

No, I knew that it's (32") acceptable (for a while, till I get a bigger one). I found this chart day before yesterday.

I mean that I started this thread mostly because of that chart.

Don't be fooled by the nonsense in this thread. Choose your PC based on canopy weight and deployment speed. Until you're jumping crazy low ws stuff nothing else should matter, like your weight...wtf does that have to do with anything?

Picture Guy typed:
your weight...wtf does that have to do with anything?

Jumper's body weight affects canopy selection,
the size and type of canopy decides its weight,
hence what is right for Jesse or Gabe or Jill is
likely wrong for Kevin, Tree, Jon, or You.

Primary Variables in PC Selection:
Velocity and Air Density

Secondary Variables in PC Selection:
Color and Coolness

I'm taking a 32", which I've never used, for a 20 second delay in a track suit with a 285 canopy.

I used to always go with a 36", but I've mainly jumped in Switzerland my last big wall trips. Pretty sure I used a 36" in Norway also last time I went.

Is it really recommended to use a 36" now with a track suit?

I jump 285s and used a:

32" in a tracksuit for Brento x5

38" in a tracksuit @ Yellow Ocean x5

38" slick for 6 to 12+ seconds @ towers

I haven't seen it discussed in this thread but isn't the weight of the canopy also a part of the calculation as far as forces required for extraction. I jump a feather(ultralite fabric) with my V4 and use a 32" with a 500' pull whereas with my blackjack/wingsuit I use a 34", pull altitude the same.

I have had one unusual situation with blocked vents on my phantom that led to a 250ish' foot pull with my 32" and although it turned out that I am alive, I have wondered if I would not have felt less creeped out by having a 36" on there but the openings with the feather are very positive to painful with the 36". Anyone have any comments on ultralite fabric/pilot chute selection?

My experience with wingsuiting is "older school" but my personal opinion is that small mesh only serves to slow PC inflation and thus has no place in BASE jumping.

I've jumped BR small mesh 36" PC's from 876' multiple times. That was awhile ago- but even now I wouldn't hesitate to use a 36 small mesh in place of a 38. Could be in the minority here FWIW.

No we don't. Its a skydive.

You're dumb. Jumper weight has nothing to do with PC selection. But way to basically work it in until you said the same thing I had just stated about canopy weight. *clapping slowly and sarcastically

Added emojies so nobody gets offended

Haha thanks.

Professor Tom knows I don't really think he's dumb. After all, he is responsible for instilling statistical fortitude in today's young adults (or some shit like that). But I will continue to be an asshole online because, well, it's online and doesn't really count. But thanks for the emojis!

You stole my line.

im confused, on the same object with the same delay, wouldnt a heavier jumper (because of higher overall wingloading), use a one size smaller PC than a jumper that is much lighter? so for instance, tombstone. where a very light jumper would choose a 42", a very heavy jumper would use a 36-38"????

Or would a heavy jumper need to lift a bigger canopy and thus require a bigger PC?

I use a 32 at tombstone so I dont have as much drag and can make the LZ. This whole thread is irrelevant since jimmy proved you dont actually need a pc for a wingsuit jump

Larger canopy, Larger PC. If im free falling something lowish with a 42 and my buddy has a much larger canopy and wants to free fall the same jump I would advise a larger PC than what I am using.

Are you joking?

A PC has nothing to do with wingloading. Wingloading is a static load on the canopy by the jumper. A PC isn't loaded or influenced by the jumpers weight at all. It does nothing but create stable drag to pull the canopy to line stretch. More air speed OR more surface area = more drag. A heavier canopy (which is the only thing the PC is pulling on after the pins pop) might need a bit more drag to get to line stretch as fast as a much lighter canopy, but I don't know how much that has an effect.

So two jumpers on the same object with the same canopy taking the same delay should use the same pilot chute, even if one weighs 300lbs and one weighs 150lbs (assuming the weight has no influence on pin tension, i.e. properly sized container)

I find it really funny that you are zebu.