Parachutes - Choosing Your First 'Chute

Summary: Whatever extreme sport you participate in, the strength and quality of the equipment you use is clearly of the up most importance. However, never is this more obvious than with regards to parachutes. Parachutes symbolize the return of safety, after the eye watering, visceral thrill of descent - and are now used as the basis for more activities than just skydiving. For beginners it can be difficult to judge which type is needed, and which design is the most likely to keep them...

Whatever extreme sport you participate in, the strength and quality of the equipment you use is clearly of the up most importance. However, never is this more obvious than with regards to parachutes. Parachutes symbolize the return of safety, after the eye watering, visceral thrill of descent - and are now used as the basis for more activities than just skydiving. For beginners it can be difficult to judge which type is needed, and which design is the most likely to keep them safe. Therefore, it is important to consult experts, preferably in person, before deciding to purchase a parachute. They should be able to give you a checklist of some features that are vital, and others that are simply beneficial to your experience of the sport. Talk to as many people who are not trying to sell you anything as possible before looking online or in extreme sports stores. Start by finding more help at http://www.parachute-services.info. However, it would be wrong to dismiss websites selling this equipment. Often they have a greater opportunity to specialize than small town stores, giving them a sound knowledge of the ins and outs of parachutes. Some also have strong links with sports such as skydiving, water skiing and BASE jumping - and their enthusiasm is reflected in the way they communicate with customers and seek out the very best products. The two components of a parachute, the glider and the harness can be bought together or separately. You are likely to keep your harness for longer than the glider, as the glider is more easily damaged and difficult to repair. Harnesses should come equipped with some kind of body protection - this can consist of mousse, foam or air. Check the quality of material and stitching on your harness, in addition to the parachute. Experts have discouraged "cross straps" in favour of other forms of restraint, as these could make a skydiving jump more dangerous. Self-inflating "Ram air" airfoils are the most commonly used parachutes for sky diving today. These provide an amount of control over the speed and direction of the fall. The technology works by having two different layers of fabric joined by fabric ribs. Vents allow the space in-between the layers to fill with high-pressure air, and the fabric and ribs are designed so that the ballooning parachutes changes to an airfoil shape. When they were first developed, a concern about the Ram Air designs was that they deployed far too suddenly. However, modern models are generally fitted with a small rectangle of material with a grommet at each corner, called a slider. This attracts air resistance and reduces the speed at which the parachute can spread, resulting in a smooth fall. If you buy your skydiving equipment from a reputable business, they should inform you of the safety features included in the parachute several times. You should check that you have the equipment needed in case of a parachute malfunction - in addition to the ultimate necessity of a reserve parachute; it is good to have a small computerized Automatic Activation Device that instantly deploys the reserve parachute if the main one fails.