What’s all the buzz in the wingsuit community about the WS Vector container?…
Photo by Flavien Mazzon
Peter Bany, one of UPT’s engineers, put together a combination of custom options on his Vector container, to use for wingsuiting. Of course other wingsuit pilots began asking for similar options and the Vector WS Package was born.
UPT has received hugely positive feedback about this set of options, to maximize performance, practicality and comfort for wingsuiting – and for every other skydiving discipline. The wingsuit-optimized Vector is also perfect to use for skydiving in any orientation. (No one-trick-pony here!)
About the WS package
If you are interested in ordering the wingsuit package, your dealer should include ‘Wingsuit Package’ in the ‘special instructions’. Below is a detailed list of the options for WS pilots, and why those options were chosen.
Wingsuit Package
- Narrow yoke – while UPT’s new narrow yoke will become standard on all Micron-sized Vectors moving forward, the narrow yoke is specifically optimized for wingsuiting. With all of the material, zippers, and padding over the shoulders in a wingsuit, the jumper has limited mobility when it comes time to open and fly the parachute. By reducing the over-the-shoulder bulk of the container, the narrow yoke gives the jumper more range of motion to safely fly and land their canopy.
- Dynamic corners – these folding corners allow the main tray to open completely flat on deployment for a smoother, cleaner deployment. (see photo)
- Wingsuit pilot chute and bridle + V-stow semi-stowless bag – 30” pilot chute with a longer bridle, to help clear the large burble caused by the wingsuit and allowing for an easier, cleaner opening. Along with a semi stowless deployment bag for cleaner, smoother deployment.
- 2-piece narrow leg pads – these low bulk leg pads allow for more comfort and mobility around all of the extra material of a wingsuit.
- Deluxe “ultra-low bulk” backpad – Low bulk with no spacer foam means minimal padding helps the rig lay as flat as possible against the jumper’s back, maximizing the aerodynamic performance. Further, the cordura (rather than 3D spacer foam), protects against wear from the suit/zippers/etc. A Babylon backpad is also an option if the jumper prefers to have some padding. Note when ordering, you will need to specify which backpad option you want – Deluxe or Babylon.
- Custom stabilizers – these are the cordura-covered soft padded stabilizers. These are built from the edges of the container, like UPT’s standard laterals are, however without the rigid piece. The cordura provides an extra layer of protection for the webbing when rubbing against the suit. Note: if you select Babylon backpad, the laterals will be cut-in slightly on the edges of the lumbar piece instead of outboard, as comes standard with this package.’
Recommended extra WS options
(These are not automatically included in the ‘Wingsuit Package,’ so select these separately if you would like them)
- A -1 wingsuit specific size if your canopies allow for it (check the sizing chart). The -1 sizes are built specifically for wingsuiting. They are longer and lay flatter against your back for maximized aerodynamics, and an easier pull
- 2″ off the top – -2” off the top is an adjustment to the leg straps that effectively moves the leg strap hardware (friction adapters) 2” farther up your hip. The benefit to this is that the hardware is no longer crowded between your legs when you tighten your leg straps all the way. Keep in mind this moves the hook knife location to the back of the leg straps… but for wingsuiting, you will want an alternate hook knife location anyway.
- Skyhook
- VGH (variable geometry harness) – Otherwise known as hip rings, VGH allows articulation in the hip joints. Overall, for any style of flying, whether it be wingsuiting, free flying, FS, hip articulation helps to give you more mobility.
