New rig

[FFAddict 0]

I am looking at buying my first gear. I have been using a 210 nav (i cant think for the life of me what the container was but its old and not really relevent anyway!) rental gear and recently got to do a few test jumps on an Aerodyne Icon with pilot 188.

I really love the Icon, it was surprisingly comfortable concidering it wasnt fitted to me and i think it looks pritty good too.

The pilot was very good aswell, it gave a really nice smoothe opening and was a good fun chute aswell. It didnt do anything i didnt tell it too but was nice and responsive at the same time.

I have read as many reviews... as i can but im still a bit unsure. i really like the gear i test jumped and am seriously thinking about buying, but i would be happier if i had jumped some more gear first so i could see whether i like it cos it was clearly better than rental gear or if it was actually the right gear for me. As i live in the UK i seriously limited in the number of gear shops (4 nationwide i think) so there is nothing else, that i know of, that i can test jump.

I would really appreciate some advice

[Travman 6]

Everyone I spoke to about gear at my DZ said to buy second hand for your first rig, since you will probably downsize sooner than with your next rig.
If you've got the money to spend then new is good

[SkiD_PL8 0]

If you can afford new gear for your first rig go for it. Everyone isn't in a hurry to downsize, and if you get the right size container you will be able to downsize a bit without replacing it anyway.

Greenie in training.

[Fab 0]

I just bought a new icon/pilot/smart and I love it. You can't go wrong with aerodyne but before you buy a new rig ask yourself if you see yourself jumping at your current wingload for a while. I bought my rig at 100 jumps and at a wingload of 1.25. Talking to your instructor about this is always a good idea

I've jumped a bunch of canopies and I liked the Pilot the most..personal choice of course but it's a very nice int. canopy.
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[mnealtx 0]

I bought my container new, main will be used (Sabre2 230) and reserve will be new.

I imagine that I'll be able to downsize to around a 190 with this rig, which is gonna take me several years anyway!!

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[tdog 0]

New versus Used….

I wanted a somewhat new (like 4 year old) used rig. Posted want ads everywhere (sent .PDF files to manifest at all the big DZs so they could post. They promised me they did… I posted ads on DZ.com, etc. Asked gear dealers for consignment rigs.)

After a month of people trying to sell me velocities loaded 1.8 to 1, or rigs that were so un-freefly friendly my rigger just laughed – I gave up. It sucks to be on the end of the bell curve of height and weight (6’-3”, 205 lbs, high elevation DZ) because the market does not have a lot of used rigs…

So I purchased new on the end of year X-mas sales - placing my order two weeks before Christmas - for a killer price. I got a container that would allow me to downsize to my 300-500 jump goal… The main was so discounted to get stock inventory off the shelf that I could sell it in 50-100 jumps and break even if I did not like it. The canopies arrived in time to put under the tree for myself.

I knew the only “custom” item that had to be made was the container. No one stocked something for my 6’3” height… I called a few factories and talked to the sales department and asked if they had something pre-made (demo/change of mind, etc) that would work. No…

But I was promised a date on a custom from the factory that my rigger and a few people I trust really recommended, and I even said, “just to make sure I understood you correctly, you are saying the last week of February. Let me look at my calendar. That is 10 weeks from today, right? Promise? That takes into consideration the holidays, right?” Well – late January I get a call from my dealer… The factory added 5-6 weeks to the order once my paperwork made its way to the top of the inbox… And the same factory, 10 weeks after I placed my order, changed their website to say 10 week delivery time on new orders, but I am at 13 weeks now, and if they hit their revised target, it will be 15 to 17 weeks… I know shit happens and I am a very forgiving person – but I am a little let down by the whole experience… How could a brand new order today be fulfilled nearly twice as quick as an order I have not even recieved yet?

Here is the hidden cost of new… I am using many different rental canopies becoming experienced at many – but a master of none – which is not the safest thing in the world. Plus the rental fees alone for the last 5 week delay are $$$.

Anyway – I just thought I would give you some more detail on the new versus used saga that I did not take into consideration when I made my decisions… Basically – look for used – and if you find something that works for your skills and is in good shape – get it.