{"id":31840,"date":"2021-02-19T13:37:28","date_gmt":"2021-02-19T13:37:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.skydivemag.com\/new\/?p=31840"},"modified":"2023-03-09T14:32:03","modified_gmt":"2023-03-09T14:32:03","slug":"5-things-to-ask-before-downsizing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.skydivemag.com\/new\/5-things-to-ask-before-downsizing\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Things to Ask Before Downsizing"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It\u2019s a topic that nearly all skydivers face at some point in their skydiving careers: downsizing <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Are you really ready for downsizing?
Photo by Roy Wimmer Jaglom<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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It is also a discussion that the Performance Designs<\/a> staff has had with numerous skydivers of all experience levels over the years. Now, with the majority of incidents in skydiving occurring under fully opened (and fully functional) canopies, it\u2019s that much more important to talk about when it is and is not appropriate to downsize.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

PD takes this topic seriously. So if you\u2019re thinking about downsizing, here are five questions you should ask yourself first:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Do I really need to downsize?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When someone who is thinking of downsizing approaches the PD staff, the first thing the staff member asks them is, \u201cWhy do you want to downsize?\u201d You\u2019d be surprised at how many people don\u2019t know how to answer this question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Consider the reasons you might give: Is it because other people tell you that you\u2019re ready to downsize? Are you in a hurry to downsize so you can eventually learn to swoop? And let\u2019s be honest here\u2026 do you want to look \u201ccool\u201d under a smaller, faster canopy?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now ask yourself: Are my reasons appropriate?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a video on PD\u2019s YouTube channel, Jason Moledzki<\/strong>\u2014PD Factory Team<\/a> member and founder of Flight-1<\/a>\u2014puts it well:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can generally move to a different type of parachute and find something that\u2019s going to be more advanced, more fun, faster, and even more exciting to fly without necessarily having to downsize to a smaller parachute. Downsizing is really trendy\u2026 People think they want to do [it], but it\u2019s not necessarily what they should do<\/p>Jason Moledzki<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Whatever your reason may be, remember that getting hurt as a result of downsizing before you\u2019re ready is a costly but avoidable mistake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Video <\/em>– Jason Moledzki on Downsizing<\/strong><\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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