Accessory Gear Rental Policies / Prices?

[Gary73 10]

What kinds of policies and prices do dropzones out there have for the rental or use of dropzone equipment like jumpsuits, helmets, altimeters, gloves, and goggles? Does it depend on whether the person did their student training there? Does it depend on whether a rig is being rented at the same time?

I'm curious because we just got a new policy:

Jumpsuits will not be available to anyone after graduation. Period.
A jumper/ new graduate must purchase an altimeter [by] the first jump weekend after graduation.
A new graduate may use a helmet and altimeter the weekend they graduate but not a jump suit.
Out of state jumpers with no access to their gear will be able to rent a helmet and altimeter at a rate of $10 per jump.

"Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." - Carl Sagan

[shermanator 4]

with 4900 jumps, I think it is about time you buy your own alti/jumpsuite/goggles. heehee.. all joking aside, my dropzone has some old demo suits in the store that we can try, as far as I know, the other jumpsuites and the altimiters are owned by the school, so I am not sure about a charge for using them. I don't have a jumpsuite yet, and have been using one of the school's.. every now and then, i picture myself buying the instructors beer for their generosity. heehee.

I think that $10 is a reasonable price for rental of alti/helmet/goggles.

CLICK HERE! new blog posted 9/21/08
CSA #720

[diablopilot 2]

Every DZ I've worked for has had a different policy and they are changing from time to time.

It's usually because of that one deadbeat that uses the same Freefly suit for six months and starts to bitch at the staff when someone else is using it. Then they start hiding their favorite demo helmet in the back of the gear room. You know the guy/girl who's got a 100 jumps but doesn't own an alti.

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You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[diablopilot 2]

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with 4900 jumps, I think it is about time you buy your own alti/jumpsuite/goggles. heehee.. all joking aside, my dropzone has some old demo suits in the store that we can try, as far as I know, the other jumpsuites and the altimiters are owned by the school, so I am not sure about a charge for using them. I don't have a jumpsuite yet, and have been using one of the school's.. every now and then, i picture myself buying the instructors beer for their generosity. heehee.

I think that $10 is a reasonable price for rental of alti/helmet/goggles.

Pot meet kettle.

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You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[shermanator 4]

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Pot meet kettle.

hi pot, nice to meet you.. .. well, i DID purchase one, but i was too fat for it when it came, so i sent it back to get readjusted. .. so much for spending the extra cash on expiditing the order. oh well.

CLICK HERE! new blog posted 9/21/08
CSA #720

[diablopilot 2]

Unfortunately I know what you mean about too fat...... Uhg.

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You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[pilotdave 0]

Our DZ has no charge for any of that. Thank goodness... I lost my altimeter in freefall last weekend! Doh...

Gear rental is cheap too, although we only have one rental rig other than the student rigs.

Dave

[kelpdiver 2]

I see the reason to push people to the helmets and altimeters hard, but it's not a trivial process to get a new jumpsuit.

Is this A or AFF graduation? So they do their solo jump and after that, no more rentals for the rest of the day?

(seems like a knee jerk reaction if there ever was one)

[dragon2 2]

We have free rental of chest alti's (SL), 5 euro for hand alti, this is from the dz. Goggles you need to buy yourself always. Helmets (pro-tecs) and jumpsuits (FS or coverall) you can always rent from the gearstore, at a few euros per jump or per day, depending on the suit.

If you're really stuck for a suit, I've seen people jump the tandem suits once or twice.

But we're lucky to have the large gear store here!

Most people buy their gear one piece at a time, there's no real hurrying people to buy stuff (except for the goggles and for gloves if cold weather).

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[popsjumper 2]

I'll let Hans of The Farm speak for himself but as you already know, he is very accomodating to the youngsters. I try to help out by strongly suggesting to them that they buy their own basic stuff as soon as possible.

I do understand the driving force behind Skydive Atlanta's policy though I think it's very draconian.

But it's all Greek to me.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[Yossarian 0]

all the dropzones ive been to bar one will lend you an alti, helmet, boiler suit for free if you ask nice enough, with an accompanying lecture, the length of which depends on how nice you are and how insistent you are that yes, you will buy your own at the closest opportunity. gloves and goggles are expected to be bought around the 1st jump. some places may charge £10 but thats usually for all of it for the day, subject to being snatched back at any time should a student need it

[SkymonkeyONE 4]

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I think that $10 is a reasonable price for rental of alti/helmet/goggles.

I agree. Jumpsuits and goggles receive the highest wear and tear and goggles and alti's often find themselves gone. Smart business us using a sign-out board or form for anything you lend or rent out. Include everything.

You don't "need" a jumpsuit to skydive after graduation, but schools need them for their students and tandem passengers.

I used to always say to my students that the very first thing they needed to buy was a properly fitting jumpsuit. Not having to borrow a different jumpsuit everytime you jump does wonders for your ability to "get the feel" of freefall with as few variables as possible. Floppy, ill-fitting jumpsuits fly a whole lot different than ones that fit you well.

[Gary73 10]

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Is this A or AFF graduation? - kelpdiver

AFF graduation.

"Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." - Carl Sagan

[Eule 0]

Where I jump, I've only used the "small stuff" along with a student rig, so I don't know what they do if you need that stuff but aren't also renting a rig. I suspect it would be easy to borrow some goggles or gloves (they have many pairs of each) but getting a wrist alti might be harder if there are a lot of students around that day. Jumpsuits I don't know. I do know that I have graduated AFF and am working towards an A and they are still happy to let me use their jumpsuits and all the other stuff (wrist alti, goggles, gloves, Pro-tec) along with the student rig.

I wear over-the-glasses goggles and I was happy using the DZ's pair until one day another student with glasses jumped before me and I had to wear some sweaty, funky goggles. I bought a pair of my own that week. :) When it got cold I got my own gloves as well.

On the other hand, this weekend I went to the place where the student wrist altis are usually stashed and couldn't find them. The DZO went in the back and came out with one; he moved the stash after an altimeter disappeared recently. He was still happy to let me use one, but I could see where losing a couple of $100+ altimeters in a row would generate a policy like you mentioned.

Eule

PLF does not stand for Please Land on Face.