Rant & Rave Blog
Reviews, News & Expert Advice
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Canopy Patching Simplified
(Originally published in Skydiving Magazine)
Learning how to patch torn canopies was a trial and error process for me when I first got into parachute rigging. I had to sew a so-called "basic patch" in rigging school on a damaged piece of fabric, but that in no way prepared me for working on real damaged parachutes when I bought my first sewing machine.
I would probably be embarrassed if I ever came across my first 20-30 patches. Opening a drop zone loft meant I got enough practice and work that I just eventually became proficient at patching damaged canopies. But it took me about a year, 30-plus patches, and several visits to other riggers for lessons, tips and tricks to get to that point.
Fast-forward to now and I'm very comfortable, efficient and fairly fast at patching a damaged canopy. Yet I see the same pain and frustration in other rigging students or riggers who don't patch canopies very often. So when Red Payne of Flight Concepts called me about a set of canopy patching tools he had helped develop, I jumped all over purchasing a set.
The canopy patching tools, called EZ Patch, are actually a set of 2 square templates to use on a variety of different damage areas on a parachute. The metal templates have two rows of holes on each side along with a 45-degree angle slit on the inside of each corner.
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Stock Firebird EVO Containers Available!
Firebird, which manufacturers the EVO container and RUSH reserve, now has a stock list of available containers for a quick turnaround time.
Click here for a link to the current list.
The base price is the same as custom, $3000, but you can get it faster than a custom order.
For more details and/or to place an order, contact ChutingStar at this link
Below, and above, are photos of the stock container patterns.
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Pandemic Delays, Shortages Affecting Skydiving Gear Too..
ChutingStar did start out as the Rigger Rant & Rave...so true to form...it's time for some ranting...and then some raving.
To all you complainers out there who have been living under a boulder or in some weird bubble, we're living in the middle of a freaking pandemic. COVID-related deaths, disruptions and shutdowns are real. Be happy you're even alive to read this.
Some skydiving gear manufacturers, stores and drop zones have gone out of business, some are having staffing issues and others just can't get the materials needed to complete manufacturing. Some are communicating well to dealers and customers, and some are a complete overwhelmed mess of misinformation.
Anything skydiving-related not currently in stock at ChutingStar, and still available to order from manufacturers, is on the way to us, being manufactured or on some sort of backorder awaiting the manufacturer to manufacture. We are in touch with the manufacturers about delays and backorders on a daily basis so we can communicate to you expected ship dates. But even then, those get pushed back due to more manufacturing or shipping delays.
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CYPRES Trade-In Credit Info
Airtec offers a trade-in credit on your expired CYPRES unit when you purchase a new unit. ChutingStar participates in this trade-in program for any skydivers who purchase a new CYPRES from us.
Here's how it works:
- Purchase a new CYPRES unit at this link
- Within 60 days, send in your expired CYPRES unit to ChutingStar
- Include a copy of your new CYPRES order or purchase receipt
- We credit the original payment method $65 if sent with a cutter that has not been fired
- We credit the original payment method $45 if the cutter is fired or missing
- Expired unit returns after 60 days receive a credit on your ChutingStar account
- Expired CYPRES must be less than 1-year after unit expiration date
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Parachute Rigging Services Info
Assembling, inspecting, packing and repairing skydiving gear is our bread and butter, per se. ChutingStar Skydiving Gear SuperStore actually started out as ChutingStar Rigging Loft focused solely on parachute rigging. We now service, sell and support everything related to skydiving.
Since 1999, we've had local skydivers and pilots dropping off gear for reserve repacks, main relines and gear inspections, as well as helping manufacturers with service bulletin work. Skydiving rigs and emergency pilot parachutes are shipped to us from all over the United States every week (and right back out when finished).
FAA Master Rigger Steve Haseman leads ChutingStar Rigging Loft, and is available Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at our Marietta shop. You can also catch him on the weekends at Skydive Monroe.
Gear can be dropped off at ChutingStar, shipped to us or handed to Steve at Skydive Monroe.
A list of the more requested services are on our current ChutingStar Rigging Loft Gear Service Order Form (at this link), which also has our current prices.
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Rental CYPRES AAD Units Available!
Need an AAD during the time your unit is in for maintenance? Or just one to get you by until you can save for a new AAD, or find a great deal on a used one? ChutingStar has several CYPRES 2 Changeable, Expert & Speed units available for rental at just over $2 a day! Here's the scoop on how the rental CYPRES unit program works: Continue reading -
The Impact-Rated Helmet Revolution
For the last 25+ years, impact-rated helmets have not been an available skydiving gear option. Helmets with impact ratings, such as from the motorcycle world, tended to be too big and bulky for sport skydiving. But in the past two years, we have seen helmet manufacturers figuring out how to create skydiving helmets that are passing impact testing, and be comfortable and form-fitting for the heads of jumpers. And in a recent ChutingStar survey, we found that nearly 75% of jumpers want or need an impact rating. So what are the options available? Continue reading -
Customizing Your Cookie Fuel Camera Helmet
Cookie's Fuel is the easiest "plug and play" option for a skydiving camera helmet available today.
The majority of the available options can easily be installed through the modular mounting system on the top and sides. Additional options for larger camera mounts are available that require drilling into the helmet or attachment via VHB tape.
Check out our video below that outlines many of the options for the Cookie Fuel, and then click through the links below to order the helmet and/or the additional options.
Cookie Fuel Camera Helmet Set Ups from ChutingStar.
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So You Wanna Be A Parachute Rigger?
Packing parachutes while all of your friends are jumping out of airplanes all day or packing late into the night while they relax and party doesn't seem to make sense to most skydivers. But only riggers know the internal rewards of the mostly thankless profession of parachute rigging.
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Smoke Grenade Options for Skydivers
ChutingStar has long carried and used the white Sport Smoke Skydiver Smoke Grenade, which is a big part of demonstration jumps.
Skydivers use one of our smoke mounts to attach the smoke to their shoe or ankle, and the smoke gives a definite "wow factor" for people on the ground whether it's used in freefall or under canopy. For several years, we've had requests for colored smoke but we could only find specialized manufacturers with complicated ignition systems and/or the smoke canisters needed larger brackets.
But we were recently turned on to a UK smoke grenade company, Enola Gaye, that now distributes in the United States. Skydivers, drop zones and demo teams had started trying two different "wire pull" smoke grenades from the company with great success.
The EG18 and EG18X smoke grenades not only come in several colors, but have a lower price than the Sport Smoke and can be used with all of our existing skydiver smoke grenade brackets. And then this year they added two larger "pro" smoke options in the CM75 The Cloud Maker and the SD75 The Fastest Cloud Maker giving skydivers the most options for smoke grenades every!
Here's a comparison of the 5 different smoke grenades (4 in multiple colors) we carry for skydiving:
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