Stifler--I thought about the split shot awhile back, but it is way more expensive than pencil lead (per pound), and I don't think ya could get it as flat (maybe the tiny ones you could, but you'd have to use 10 million of them in fast water). Not sure what ya mean about the parachute thing. Are you refering to the old technique of putting the weight inside of surgical tubing? I've tried that, and it never seemed to work all that great for me. I still got hung up, and then the tubing would rip off of the swivel and I'd have to start over. Took just as long to rig up as what I do now, plus you need the tubing. To each his own I reckon'. :p