Our buddies across the street (well, sort of… a couple of turns down the road) at Sky Systems USA recently came out with a new way for all you full-face wearing peeps to better secure the helmet to your noggin. Back in the day when the author of this post did some rockin 4-way with team Baby Blue, one of the most-promising-teams-that-never-went-anywhere, properly securing that damn Velcro strap was a pain. So this new snap system is a good thing. Will Baby Blue ever pick up and do more 4-way? Probably not, but aahhhh, the memories

Skydivers as a bunch, tend to have strong opinions – especially when it comes to gear. No wonder really, as gear is a pretty important component to the whole skydiving experience. Most jumpers are also pretty happy to share their feelings and opinion when asked – and sometimes even when not asked.
Because it’s barely summer yet, we know of a lot of skydivers suffering from PUOPS (Pent Up Opinion Syndrome).

Symptoms may include (but not limited to):
✈ telling your whuffo friends all about why you will never jump neon colored canopies
✈ telling your whuffo friends exactly why you should jump neon colored canopies
✈ calling your jumping friends to discuss the best digital altimeter
✈ finding yourself logging on to dropzone.com asking “should I buy a Pilot or a Spectre?”

And this is just to name a few. ChutingStar gear specialists are offering an experimental treatment meant to treat PUOP through their website. Simply click your way over there, log in (or create an account if you haven’t already), select the desired product, summon your gear knowledge and proceed leave a helpful review for the masses. Please keep in mind that this treatment IS experimental. Side effects may include dizzying happiness, strong urge to go jump or desire to buy new gear. Enter at your own risk, and then make sure to share the link to your review so that all jumpers may enjoy. Happy reviewing!

Trunk inspecting... something.

And yes, the methods shown here can be used on non-PD canopies as well. Anything made out of nylon really, including your tent and sleeping bag – and seriously, you’ll want to inspect those things before hitting up the next boogie, just in case any contamination from last year escaped cleanup at the end of the season.

Enjoy watching, and boy, that PD kid sure can move fast!

Thinking about buying a PD canopy?

Well, better grab your secret stash of cash and call your favorite gear dealer ASAP, because prices are going up. How much? We don’t know, but since PD doesn’t do this too often, we imagine you will be out anywhere from a couple to a few jump tickets if you wait. This goes into effect on April 4th, but PD will honor the old price for all orders received before the clock strikes midnight on April 3rd.

Oh and that’s Florida time midnight – not just any midnight of your choosing.

And, after months of waiting (sorry about that, everyone!), we have a winner in the N3A Contest: {insert drum roll here} James Bilodeau for his Point Break inspired alarms. Just imagine hearing these at your three alarm altitudes and then imagine…it’s possible with the N3A from Alti-2.

No, you pull!

Download audio file (JamesBilodeau51.mp3)
Download audio file (JamesBilodeau52.mp3)
Download audio file (JamesBilodeau53.mp3)

Thanks to everyone who entered and congratulations, James!

N3 Audio by Alti-2

It is not April 1, so don’t bother checking the calendar. Alti-2 has begun production on the N3 Audio (N3A), a new audible altimeter and electronic logbook…with a twist. Instead of speakers, the N3A has one mp3 player input and one headphone slot.

Music from your mp3 player can be played during your skydive, with interruptions from the N3A at your pre-set alarm times. At the first freefall alarm altitude, you will hear “Breakoff Breakoff”, then “Deploy Deploy” at the second alarm. OR…you can record and upload your own alarm .wav tones. (The third flatline alarm remains the same and is not changeable for safety reasons.) The N3A can also optionally be set to announce altitude at every thousand feet (twelve… eleven…ten…).

Canopy alarms sound the buildup tones like normal, but at the end of the buildup, a voice will say “Downwind” at the first alarm, “Base” and “Final” at the second and third alarms, respectively. Like the freefall alarms, you can record and upload your own canopy alarms.

An mp3 player is not required to function; those with frequency-specific hearing loss (common among people with repeated exposure to things like turbine engine noise) can use the N3A to play tones or voices at more audible frequencies.

We want to hear your best custom alarms! Submit them to shenanigans@blueskiesmag.com by January 15, 2010. Grand prize is one new N3 Audio, courtesy Alti-2.

Contest fine print:

• Audio file length: 3.5 seconds maximum
• Audio file format: .wav
• Alarm set: three (3) freefall alarms and three (3) canopy alarms. Final freefall alarm cannot be used in the N3A, but it is allowed and will be judged in this contest.
• Include your name, e-mail address and theme name.
• N3 Audio is not required to create pull tone alarms.
• All submitted audio files become the property of Blue Skies Mag and Alti-2, Inc. Files may be posted for public download on either or both company Web sites.
• All judging will be done by Blue Skies Magazine.
• Submissions will be accepted to shenanigans@blueskiesmag.com until midnight, Eastern Standard Time, on January 15, 2010.
• First prize is one (1) N3 Audio from Alti-2, Inc.