Basejumper.com - archive

Tom,
I know you (and many others) recommend mesh sliders for terminal BASE. However, I came across an old Blinc thread where JJ was suggesting you use a sail slider with a "coffee-can-sized hole" cut in the center of it, due to your spinal injury. I have kind of a dodgy neck, and was wondering how you liked that set-up? (if you tried it).
Cheers.

I have a dodgy neck and my friend has a VERY dodgey compressed disc problem in his back - we have no problems with a mesh slider and not exposing the nose.

I have used "holey" slider. It does open a bit softer than the mesh slider, at terminal. I think that the size and shape of the hole are both quite important to the opening characteristics, and I haven't really had time to give them the time and energy they deserve.

That said, I found that a small mesh slider actually worked much better at terminal than a large mesh (standard) slider. My preferred setup at terminal (with a dodgy back and a vented canopy) has become a small mesh slider. I prefer to leave the nose exposed, because I think it yields marginally better heading.

Obviously, on a jump with good object clearance (good tracking, wingsuit, whatever) this isn't really an issue, so you can do whatever you want with the nose, in an effort to slow the opening.