Shawn,

Many good posts on how to select your parachute. As a parachute rigger and
active skydiver, let me throw in my two cents worth. This advice is for all
who wear parachutes

Comfort is important, but the real application is when you have to use it in
extremus.
Attach your rig snugly, and keep it snug throughout your entire flight. If you
pull the wings off your Pitts, you won't have time to snug up your harness
before you egress. The snatch force applied to your body through a loose
harness, is something you don't want to experience. I know flights in your
Pitts are relatively short, but for glider pilots, are you hearing this?

Also, make sure the harness, when snug, will not slide up or down on your body.
If it does, it will change the location of the ripcord handle, making it more
difficult to find once you clear the aircraft.

Once you make your selection & purchase, with your parachute snugly in place,
practice egressing from your cockpit, many, many times until it becomes second
nature. Verify the "shoulders" of your container don't snag on canopy bows or
railings. Pay special attention to your ripcord handle that it doesn't snag on
anything, verify that it lays flat against your ribs and doesn't protrude.
Verify your seat belt(s) will not snag on the harness.

Practice pulling your ripcord WITH BOTH HANDS, in case one is injured during
egress. In actual use, look to verify your hands are on the ripcord, and then
pull to full arm extension with both hands. I know of instances where pilots
panic during egress (and skydivers also), and pull frantically on the harness
near the ripcord.

Also, never give a packed parachute to a rigger. Use the end of your repack
cycle to practice your "clear & pull", and actually pull the ripcord. Make
sure you do this over a clean, dry surface, not the oily floor of a hangar.
Some rigs have small "closing loops" which come free when the ripcord is
pulled. Make sure you gather up all the small parts and deliver them to your
rigger. Also, don't let anyone stand behind your rig when you pull the
ripcord. Some spring loaded pilot chutes launch with considerable force.

Good luck

Glenn
Senior Rigger NDB
D-9544