Have you ever bought a new main?

[fudd 0]

Thought this one could be interesting.
How many people here have bought new mains.
I bought my Hornet brand spanking new. So that's one.
How important is it to have a new one vs. a used one? Is it worth the extra money to get a new one because of custom colors? Do you feel safer buying new? Are used ones better because your not going to have it for that many jumps before you downsize anyway? Are used ones to hard to come by?

what do you think?

There are only 10 types of people in the world. Those who understand binary, and those who don't.

[falxori 0]

my company was firing a LOT of people when i was looking for my first rig.
promised myself i'll buy new if i survived...
and i did

Sabre2, sweet and slippery...

O

"Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero."

[aneblett 0]

As a canadian "growing up" in the sport I don't believe in buying new. That being said the current status of the american dollar makes it quite attractive.

I often tell students and others that a good used main is the way to go. for several reasons:

1: They are still learning what they want to fly and to blow the motherload on the new gear just doesn't make sense when they may change canopies in 200 jumps.

2: When we bring gear into Canada, I'll use Manitoba for instance we pay the grear price which right now works out to USD * 1.3 (but it used to be 1.5 or more) and then we pay 14% tax on the declared value. When doing that math to Canadian dollars we could end up spending 2800$ CDN on a new main. And then we still need a reserve a container and an AAD.

So as a result most of both of my rigs have been second hand. I sprung for a new container last time around.

Adrian

S.E.X. party #2

..It is far worse to live with fear, than to die confronting it.

[Tonto 1]

I don't like buying new. I like to test jump - and then buy the demo I used. Most times, demo's are for sale.

t

It's the year of the Pig.

[lazyfrog 0]

yes, my Saphire2 139

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Fumer tue, péter pue
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ourson #10, Mosquito Uno, CBT 579

[skybytch 273]

Hmmm.... I've never purchased a new main, but I've owned two. First one I had to give back as it was a "long term demo" from the manufacturer, second one was given to me as a bonus by my former employers.

My first new canopy was my third main, second new one was my fifth. New or used doesn't really matter much to me. Custom colors are nice but they don't make me skydive any better.

imho, no piece of equipment, new or used, is going to make me feel "safer."

When I bought my fourth main, used, I was thinking about downsizing in the near future but my main motivation for buying used that time was that I couldn't afford new and I got a really good deal on a used one.

Some sizes and types of used mains can be hard to find. Seems like currently there is a glut of small used canopies on the market but not many 190-230 sq ft mains. If someone is looking for a first main I generally suggest looking for used first and only buying new if they can't find what they are looking for used.

[ladyskydiver 0]

Bought mine new for the simple reason that I knew I was going to be in the sport for a long time and knew that I wasn't going to be in a hurry to downsize. Now that I'm getting ready to downsize, I'll be getting a used canopy as my 2nd one because I know I don't plan on being on that canopy long (~ 100 jumps) before I downsize again.

Life is short! Break the rules! Forgive quickly! Kiss slowly! Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably. And never regret anything that made you smile.

[gus 1]

I'm on my 3rd canopy (waiting for my 4th). My first 2 were used. My 3rd was new partly because there weren't any used ones around (Sabre2 120) and partly because I thought I'd keep it for longer than I have. My 4th is new for the same reasons really but I am going to keep this one for longer than a year!

Gus

OutpatientsOnline.com

[velo90 0]

1st Second hand Springo 160 (Came with the rig)
2nd New Stiletto 135 (had loads of cash)
3rd Used Vengeance 120 (it was cheap)
4th New Velocity 90 (Wanted to choose the colors)

Also jumped loads of canopies on loan or as demo's.

If you find getting a canopy in the D-bag difficult, do not buy new

Reasons to buy new are:
1. You want to choose the colors
2. You can't find a suitable second hand one
3. you are rich

If you buy second hand, always make you someone with the relevant experience checks it out for you.

Dave

Dave

[jaybo 0]

My first rig was a P.D. F-111 and a Talon container. The chute was new and the container had 100 jumps on it, but built for someone slightly smaller than me. The combination of hard openings and poor padding on the leg straps made for an uncomfortable weekend. 4 jumps was about the limit in a day. I saved hard for a new Wings and Saber 2. Couldn't have made a better investment!!! No more groin bruises.

[fool 0]

Well, I voted "bought 1 new main" I haven't actually received it yet, but it should be here in a fairly short amount of time, so I jumped the gun... I decided to go new because:
A) I had the money to do it at the time, otherwise, I would have had to spend it on something non-skydiving related, and that would be wrong.
B) for the custom colours. I wanted something different than the norm, so I ordered it,

I don't think I'd feel any less safe under a used canopy at all... nor any more under a new one. I'll tell you in about a 1000 or two jumps if I think buying new was worth it

S.E.X. party #1

"Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting "f*#k, what a ride".

[fudd 0]

Some people find it hard to belive that I've got custom colors on my canopy....
Yeah that's right, the one in my avatar.

The coolest canopy on the dz. Allways....
Maybe I'm a little attention whore, but at least nobody can collide with me under canopy and say they didn't see me

There are only 10 types of people in the world. Those who understand binary, and those who don't.

[OzoneJunkie 0]

Sabre 170, Sabre 150, Sabre 135, Stilletto 120, Velocity 103 x 3 = 7 new mains, since 1996.

[councilman24 37]

Lets see if I can remember them all.

Competition ParaCommander, used, Merry widow color pattern, with Crossbow rig

Strato Cloud, used, white with black ribs

Cirrus Cloud, new, earth tones (bounce and blend)

Hmmm seems like there was a used delta cloud in there somewhere.

Raven 4, new, b,r,o,y,o,r,b; after broken leg

Manta, new, similar colors to Raven, leg still not working

Sabre 190, new, neon rainbow, leg started working

Sabre 170, new, replacement for Sabre 190 lemon

Triathlon 170, new, non stock colors but off the shelf

Ragged out Manta given to me, used for water training.

PD lightning, lightly used, SEAL on the bottom skin

PD260, used, bought with rig I wanted for CRW

Obviously no pocket rockets here.

hmm only ones I don't still have are the first Manta and the Raven. Except for the first year I've never had less than two airworthy rigs. A lot of time three.

Nothing wrong with used gear, especially with ZP mains. When your at the size your going to stay with for awhile, then treat yourself to custom colors in the canopy of choice. Out of ten H/C's only two were new custom. Three were new off the shelf and the rest used.

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[AndyMan 7]

I've had two canopies.

My first was a used Triathlon, I put around 300 jumps on it. It served its purpose well.

My second canopy was a new Stileto. I bought new because I could afford to, and I planned on keeping the canopy for quite some time.

Craichead is just now buying her first set of gear. We're planning on buying new because we're unable to find the canopy that she's looking for - a 190 Sabre2.

_Am

__

You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.

[riggerrob 643]

used Strato-Star

used Strato-Cloud

new Cruiselite

new Shrike 220 made by Para-Kit and me

new Sidewinder 220 made by Para-Kit and me

slightly used Sabre 150

used Sabre 170

used Nova 150

used Ariel 150

used Sabre 150

used Sabre 135

used Stiletto 135

... plus borrowed dozens of other canopies and made thousands of jumps on tandems owned by someone else.

[WrongWay 0]

I'm jumping a Sabre2 150 right now that I bought brand spankin' new. I like it.

Wrong Way
D #27371 Mal Manera Rodriguez Cajun Chicken Ø Hellfish #451
The wiser wolf prevails.

[jumperconway 0]

Started off used 170 Silhouette, 300ish jumps when downsizing to sub 100 Icarus had a beautiful 99 in stock so figuring that I would probably never downsize I bought it. Now after 2 used 21 cell Xaos's I bought a custom 79' 27cell Xaos because of efficiency I will probably never downsize again.

[TALONSKY 0]

Well used Falcon 195
Used Safire 169
Used but almost new (less than 70 jumps on it) Crossfire 2 130
Used Crossfire 1 129 (for B rig)
Used VX 109

I have bought a new container but as far as mains go, I figure out my next canopy and start looking for one used as long as the color is not too bad.
Kirk

[mazevedo 0]

There are no answer for my case.

Look what happened to me: I did the AFF and when I was jumping to get my A, a whuffo friend of mine just told me that one american friend of him (I live on Brazil) leaved a rig at his place. I took the rig to learn how to pack. Well, when I took my A and jumped the 210 and 190, I started to look after this american guy. I found him and told I wanted to buy it. A year passed and I never got an answer. I phoned, e-mailed and tryied to reach him by some friends. What would you do? Jumped that shit?

[steve1 5]

My first new canopy was a para-commander. I paid around $300. for it about 30 years ago. My second was a new Hornet a couple years ago. It was only around $400 new from Africa. I doubt if I'd pay what new canopies are selling for now. You can save a lot by going used, and since I'm a cheap-skate......Steve1

[flyangel2 2]

I've only ordered one set of new gear/canopy in the 25 years of jumping I've done. There are tons of great deals to be found, and you safe lots of money buying used. Just make sure to have it all checked out by a rigger.

Now, come spring that may change, I've got a friend in Florida that needs to put some food on her table, beer in her fridge, and jump money in her pocket. But that's only if I get a big tax refund, and I don't have too many trips to take.

May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey

[EDYDO 0]

I prefer used because of the difficulty in breaking in a new zero p for packing. I bought a new Sabre2 because I couldn't find one used at the time and I paid the price...literally. I paid a packer for 75 jumps.

Ed

Military Surplus 28'
Used Para Commander
New Delta 2 Parawing
Used Para Plane (1st square)
New Strato Star (5 cell)
Used PD 210
Used Challenger accuracy canopy
New Sabre 2 170 (How sweet it is!!!)

[billvon 3,116]

>How important is it to have a new one vs. a used one?

Not that important. It will last longer and perform better at first since it's perfectly in trim.

>Is it worth the extra money to get a new one because of custom colors?

?? That's a question everyone has to answer for themselves. There are no performance or safety issues with the color of the parachute (as long as it's not sky blue, that is.)

>Do you feel safer buying new?

I feel less safe. A parachute with more than 1 jump on it has been tested under load; a new parachute could be missing all its bartacks, or some crossports, or could have a serious line trim problem. (I've seen all these on 'new' parachutes, including one reserve.)

> Are used ones better because your not going to have it for that many jumps before you downsize anyway?

They are excellent for that purpose.

> Are used ones to hard to come by?

Not unless you want something unusual.

[Rdy2skydive 0]

I bought a brand new custom Sabre 2 150 right off student status. Everything about this canopy seemed right for me until I started jumping it. After a few jumps, but no more cash, I had to buy a new 170 (no used available) and put it on a credit card. That hurt, but not as much as two broken legs would have. I guess I'll just drive my Dodge Neon for a couple more years.