Gear decisions

[dmbale 0]

I have to make a decision on a rig by Saturday and I feel stuck.

I have test jumped the rig and it fits much better than the rental gear I had available to me but it is used student gear (in amazing condition though) a Telesis 2 shortie. The rig is available right now and would save me a fortune in rental gear since my hubby and I jump every weekend.

Here are my concerns:

It is student gear.

It is the only gear that I have jumped that fit. I really don't have anything else to compare it to except rental/student gear that I swim in.

It currently has a PD 218 in it (puts me at .66 wingloading). I would like to move towards jumping a 190. (Current DZ doesn't have rental gear smaller than a PD218). I have sent an email to the rigger to see if I can get safely put something smaller in it.

The price quoted is about what I would pay for regular used sport rig.

Do the Telesis 2 containers have a decent resale value? I am assuming that only another DZ would buy the rig (let me know if I am wrong on that). I am torn on either renting gear (that I am miserable in) and waiting for either the money to order custom (something I would rather not do until I have 200 or so jumps) or waiting until a small rig with the ability to hold large mains comes available used.

[livnbored 0]

AT the risk of pissing off someone, I'm gonna have to say don't buy it. Basically, just because it is student gear. When I bought my first rig, I was ripped off horribly. I didn't know much about gear, or what it was worth. I paid about $1000 too much for what I got, but the person who was trying to get rid of that gear sure was happy.
It sounds just peculiar enough that a DZ would sell a woman a used student rig for the same price as a used sport rig. I understand your concern about spending money on rental equipment, but go check online for gear before you go with the quick fix. Telesis, though fine containers, don't exactly have a good resale, in my opinion. As well, you're gonna want to downsize within the next 100 jumps, and that container will be too big.

[theskydiveguy 0]

I agree! Don't rush into it! If you want a 190 then get one! Shop here or talk to other jumpers on the DZ and see whats around. Cant find anything there? There are lots of places on the web that sell gear, just don't settle for the first thing that comes along!

Goodluck!

~Jeff
Monkey Brother #1
http://www.monkeybrothers.ca

[NightJumper 0]

I have a one-word response, "DEMO" as in demo a lot of gear so that you can make informed gear decisions. There are a lot of good dealers and manufactures that will bend over backwards to send you demo gear and help you.

[b1jercat 0]

Go to the classifieds and look for a rig for sale by nublood. Just one possibility, cruise the adds and get some idea what you want and what it's worth, atleast you can make a more informed decision when something comes along.

good luck!

blues

jerry

[skybytch 259]

Don't buy that rig.

A 218 sq ft main is WAY too big for you, and if the whole rig is close in price to a sport rig with a zp main you would be, imho, getting ripped off buying this one. Only go for an all F111 main if it's really cheap and you're really broke.

At your body weight and taking into account the altitude you jump at, I'd suggest no bigger than a 190 (a 170 if you want to go a bit faster).

Call a few of the "online" new and used gear dealers (Square One, SkyKat, TSOd, Drop Shop, Sunshine Factory, Bad Dog, Cousin Dave, etc) and talk to them. You'll be talking to experienced skydivers, many of them also instructors, who can help you determine if any of the equipment they have would be suitable for you.

Demoing gear is the hot tip, but it can be hard to do when you jump at a small dz. If you can travel the Square 1/2/3 stores at Perris, Eloy and Cross Keys have an awesome selection of demo/rental equipment, in all sizes, that you can take out and jump. Sunshine Factory in ZHills also has a bunch of modern rental/demo gear available. I highly recommend taking advantage of them if you can.

Something else to consider - it may be difficult to find a used harness/container system to fit you and the size canopies you want. You may want to look at ordering a custom container and filling it with used canopies and AAD (if you want one). Most containers sized for a 190 main will safely hold as small as a 150, so the container you buy now could easily still be used as you downsize mains.

If you do decide to buy it, you should be able to easily and safely put a zp 190 main in it if the container was originally sized for the F111 218 that is in it (zp canopies have a bigger pack volume than all F111 canopies).

[davelepka 4]

You can purchase a used container which will fit your canopies, and that is close to your size, and have the manufacturer re-size the harness to your exact size.

Before you purchase anything, get the serial number, and call the manufacturer. They will be able to tell you if they can re-size it to fit you, and the cost (typically around $200). If you can find an older 'beater' container to get you through a couple hundered jumps, you could buy it and have the resize done for a reasonable out the door cost.

Resale on the container should be good. I have tried to sell a container with a small harness that held small canopies (sub 100 sq ft), and every call I got was from someone who needed to hold larger canopies (150, 170), so there is a market for the small harness/bigger canopy combination.

Good luck.

[jaybo 0]

Don't buy it. Get yourself a decent used rig, plenty are available. Don't settle for student gear. If equipped with AAD that would also be "student". Don't need 2 canopies out if you dive a hard turn below 1000'