There’s something about swooping that pulls every skydiver in. The sound, the speed, the precision; it’s art in motion. A perfectly executed turn and a mirror-smooth pond carve? That’s skydiving poetry.
But lately, I’ve noticed more and more jumpers chasing the swoop for all the wrong reasons. It’s become less about mastering the craft and more about chasing clout, downsizing too soon, copying what they see on Instagram, or just trying to look cool on landing. And that’s when people get hurt. It's “The YouTube effect.”
Henry carving in on a swoop at Skydive Monroe. Photo by Albalia Perez De Kochen.Continue reading →
Vmag, which makes the magnetic breakaway GoPro mounting system, has released an updated version that includes an integrated button lock. The Vmag V2 now requires a center button on the mount to be pressed to release the camera from the base mount. This will help prevent an accidental release from bumps and knocks to the mount or camera.
Vmag is currently offering a trade-in exchange program for those that have the original Vmag mount. For $35 USD plus shipping, you can send in your original Vmag mount and receive back the V2 version. A new Vmag V2 is currently $150, so this is saving you $115 if you were planning to upgrade.
As of April 5, 2025, a new baseline 10% tariff was levied on all imports into United States. Some items, such as jumpsuits and helmet accessories, are being tariffed at a 25-30% rate. U.S. President Donald Trump has declared a national emergency with the U.S. trade deficit. Additional tariffs were announced and then paused for 90 days. On the heels of the tariffs, the American dollar has fallen in value.
All of this combined is already affecting the price on the gear you use to skydive. Skydivers use a wide-range of gear from manufacturers across the globe, so it is impossible for pricing to not be affected by the tariffs or falling dollar.
ChutingStar imports gear directly from some of your favorite manufacturers outside of the United States. And most manufacturers inside the United States use parts or materials that are sourced from overseas.
A 20-Year Journey of Growth, Safety, and Complacency
Over the last two decades, skydiving has evolved significantly, transforming from a niche thrill-seeking activity into a widely accessible and increasingly safe sport. From improved equipment technology to enhanced training protocols, the sport has made remarkable strides. However, amid this progress, a concerning trend has emerged: complacency among experienced skydivers and a lack of respect for the inherent risks of the sport. This is resulting in an unfortunate retrogression—more experienced skydivers getting injured or even killed, while newer participants neglect the importance of vigilance, discipline, and respect for safety.
The Growth of Skydiving: A Safer Sport
Skydiving has experienced exponential growth over the past 20 years. What was once seen as an extreme sport reserved for a select few has now become increasingly accessible to a broader audience. In 2000, skydiving was largely a sport for adrenaline junkies and military personnel, with the equipment and training far from the streamlined, professional systems we see today. However, advances in equipment technology and training have made skydiving more reliable and safer.
One of the major factors contributing to the sport's safety is the development of modern parachutes. The introduction of “square” or “ram-air” canopies, which are far more stable and predictable than the old round ones, revolutionized how skydivers navigate and land. These canopies are designed to offer better control, making the landing process less perilous.
These are the Mirage Packing Tips I have given since 2007 during my seminars at the Parachute Industry Association Symposiums (most recently in 2025 in Daytona Beach) as well as during each ChutingStar Senior Rigger Certification School.
I've added a link at the end of this summary of the presentation so the entire text and photo presentation of the seminar can be downloaded for reference. Keep in mind these tips and techniques are only meant to supplement the Mirage owner's manual. I have found these techniques to lead to a cleaner, consistently better-looking Mirage reserve container.
FAA Advisory Circular 3-1 now requires all current and future FAA Parachute Riggers to have a U.S. Agent For Service if they do not have a U.S. physical address.
This requirement was effective as of April 2, 2025, which was the date the USAS website for U.S. Agent registration went live at this link. That is where foreign riggers and rigger candidates designate their U.S. Agent For Service.
The Parachute Industry Association has released Technical Bulletin TB-266 that gives its interpretation of the FAA regulations for sealing a packed reserve container. This bulletin addressed the common use of lead seals, which are banned in some countries due to environmental and health issues.
The PIA Rigging Committee completed a review of other available materials being used outside the United States, and found these to work just as well as lead seals while satisfying 14 CFR 65.133.
14 CFR 65.133 Seal. Each certificated parachute rigger must have a seal with an identifying mark prescribed by the Administrator, and a seal press. After packing a parachute he shall seal the pack with his seal in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendation for that type of parachute.
The popular speaking audible altimeter from Freefall Data Systems has an available update for improving the sound quality, volume and reliability of its built-in speaker. Reports of failing speakers was determined to be a firmware issue, which is resolved with a firmware and sound file update.
If you have a SonoAlti 3V unit with a firmware of 1.0 or 1.1, this firmware update is for you. To find out what firmware version you have, press the button adjacent to the speaker with a paper clip to hear the firmware number.
With most skydiving helmets over $200, and the most common at $500 or more, it's a smart investment to protect your helmet when you're not using it.
Most skydiving helmet bags also have additional pockets to carry your smaller skydiving gear and helmet accessories together so you're able to keep everything in one place whether you're at the drop zone, the wind tunnel or traveling around the world.
Henry Kochen of the ChutingStar Crew took some time to show off a few of our most popular helmet bags this week to show you which helmets fit and the features of each.
Check out this video as well as a video from Mike Gruwell on the new Cookie Flight Bag, and then click the links below for additional info and ordering information.
Looking for that perfect gift to surprise the skydiver in your life? We've got an entire section of skydiver gifts for a birthday, milestone jump, the holidays or the like to help you find just what you've been looking for!
