KolinskyDC 0 #1 January 9, 2004 I am looking for used gear, just got my A license and only have 35 jumps. I called a DZ gear shop near where I live and he told me about a gear program they offer. Here is the deal. You give them $2500 for a new Cypress and new reserve, then they will let you take one of their containers and main canopies and jump it, then continue to let you trade in the main for smaller canopies until you have reached a level you feel you will stay at for a while and then buy container and main. He said the range of time people have taken is from 6-10 months and can jump as many times as they want until they make a decision. Not sure if you are required to buy the rest from them when you are done or not, but I do not think so since he said my commitment to them was buying those 2 items for $2,500 and nothing about buying the container and main from them. So what do you think, does this sound like a reasonable offer? I am about to go down to Lake Whales and was planning on renting gear for my jumps down there, which I am sure will end up being between $300-400 alone for rentals, so I figured it would be better to put it towards this instead, cuz I definitely will not be able to find a complete used rig for myself before then, I have been looking for a few weeks now with no luck. Melissa "May the best of your past be the worst of your future" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkydiveNFlorida 0 #2 January 9, 2004 dunno... new cypres2 is like 1200$ I think... and a new pd reserve is like 800$. = 2000$ How much is it costing you to rent (daily? by the jump?) You gotta do the math yourself, really. . I don't know if it's worth it or not, the other 500$ toward gear rental at 20$/pop give you 25 jumps, but the other 500$ toward gear rental at 60$/dly give you 8 days of jumping, which you could easily get 40+ jumps out of. Sorry if this didn't help but to confuse you. . . sometimes I confuse me, too Also, depending on what size main your starting with, and what you get down to ... will it even fit in the container you bought a reserve for? Or will the container then be too loose. We don't know what you're flying... you could be on a Nav280 and weigh 110lbs for all I know... then you get a container that is huge and end up downsizing signifigantly, and you have brand new gear that fits a 280sf canopy that you fly backwards on in 5mph winds and have outgrown at 60 jumps. Angela. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FrogNog 1 #3 January 9, 2004 Does Lake Whales have a per-day gear rental price, and if so does that give you a savings on the $300 to $400 rental? $2500 could get you a used container, main, and reserve, I think. AAD would be extra. But that would take time and patience, and would not have the same downsizability thing. Sounds like maybe it's a fair deal in the end, though. $2500 to get going including AAD, then buy the main and container later. When you "buy" the new reserve up front, do you buy a real canopy that stays with you? That could be awkward as you downsize. Or do you buy a virtual canopy that they realize when you make your size decision and buy the main and container? -=-=-=-=- Pull. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
b1jercat 0 #4 January 9, 2004 where I buy my gear i got a new pd reserve and cipers for 2.000 I dont think it a good deal. maybe if you plan to swoop and down size fast, no even than its not a good deal. I'm sure someone a lot more in the know than i am will come along. IMO its not a good deal. blues jerry Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 20 #5 January 9, 2004 500 for unlimited rental? Thats not too bad. I know some places that charge 15-20 per jump for rental gear. Thats only 34 jumps until you break even.Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dustin19d 0 #6 January 9, 2004 If your comfortable jumping with out an AAD for the time being you can find a good used rig for less than 2,500. I got a used Javelin, sabre170, pd160r for 2,300, that had less than 100 jumps on the whole rig. u just gota keep looking and hope you dont get knocked unconsious in freefall you can alway add the AAD later when you save up some more $$. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bch7773 0 #7 January 9, 2004 you can get a used rig with an AAD for less than 2,500. I got a used jav, really used triathalon, pd reserve, and a 2 yr old cypres for 2,000. mind you, parts of it are pink I would say look at how much money you have for jumps, and figure out if $500 for unlimited jumps over 6-10 months like you said, if thats a better deal than $20 or whatever per jump for rental. MB 3528, RB 1182 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hookitt 1 #8 January 9, 2004 QuoteYou give them $2500 for a new Cypress and new reserve, The deal seems ok but the reserve size is an issue. Right now you should have a larger reserve than you may want 6 months from now. Used equipment may be the answer.My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
b1jercat 0 #9 January 9, 2004 Quote500 for unlimited rental? Thats not too bad. I know some places that charge 15-20 per jump for rental gear. Thats only 34 jumps until you break even. If you look at it that way I have to agree. I guess what I can't get my head around is the 6-10 months to downsize. I did all my downsizeing as a student and have been jumping my current w/l from jump no 24. At my DZ by the time you finsh your aff you have a pretty good idea what canopy you can handle. The SA&T makes the call on who can fly what as a student. blues jerry Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 20 #10 January 9, 2004 One of my close friends has about 40 jumps currently and is probally about 35 to 50 jumps away from settleing on a canopy choice. She will probally settle on a 170 loaded just under 1:1 but is still learning to fly the 190. It will probally be another 10-15 jumps on the 190 before shes comfortable with all the landings and flight of the canopy before she steps to a 170. Then she has to decide on if she wants a 7 cell or a 9 cell 170. Then what make of canopy she is going to get. Thats a lot of jumps yet on rental gear, it will probally take 2-3 months to get those jumps in... Luckly shes got friends that are hooking her up to avoid paying out the rear for rental costs right now. If she would have had to pay rental costs odds are she'd just buy the 170 and hope to grow into it. Whats safer? Learning on the larger stuff and slowly downsizing, or just jumping to a canopy size to avoid paying rental costs?Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KolinskyDC 0 #11 January 9, 2004 Thanks for all the replies, definitely some stuff to think about. I am going to go up Sunday and meet with the guy, if I get a really good feeling about it i will probably do it. My thinking is that I will probably start with a 210, then 190 and eventually end up around a 170, this way I can take as much time as I need with each canopy until I am ready to commit to something for a couple of years. Going without an AAD is absolutely not an option for me, and I am liking the idea of buying a new one instead of used, especially on that. I may be new to this sport, but I can't see how anyone would jump without a AAD. I was commenting to someone at my DZ about how expensive a new one was and her reply was simple, it is alot less expensive then a low end funeral...point taken Melissa "May the best of your past be the worst of your future" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
