fmmobley 0 #1 May 2, 2005 I am new to the sport and am in the market for new gear. I want to have an AAD on my rig and I see that there is a competitor to Cypres out there. Does anyone have any opinion of which is better, more reliable, etc.... Marion Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
phoenixlpr 0 #2 May 2, 2005 I`d rather search old threads. There`s plenty of posts about this. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
darkwing 4 #3 May 2, 2005 My opinion: The Vigil is earning respect, after some early difficulties. The Cypres has been respected for several years now. Still, search the forums and see many, many discussions about just this. -- Jeff My Skydiving History Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggerrob 561 #4 May 2, 2005 My opinion: The Vigil is earning respect, after some early difficulties. The Cypres has earned respect after some early difficulties. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
councilman24 36 #5 May 2, 2005 The are details of each that some consider features and some consider issues or problems. Overall cost of ownership is similar. User error has caused many of the activation issues reported. I come down on the cypres side.I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
beowulf 1 #6 May 2, 2005 QuoteThe are details of each that some consider features and some consider issues or problems. Overall cost of ownership is similar. User error has caused many of the activation issues reported. I come down on the cypres side. If I were to buy an AAD at this moment I would get a Vigil. From what I have read and been told the cost of ownership is less then the Cypres. There is no expiration, no 4 month or 8 month inspection and the life expectancy is 20 years. That to me makes the Vigil worth more. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BIGUN 1,079 #7 May 2, 2005 Fixed to read: no 4 month year or 8 month year inspectionNobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
beowulf 1 #8 May 2, 2005 Thanks guess I wasn't paying attention to what I was typing Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 15 #9 May 2, 2005 You would be refering to a 4 year or 8 year inspection. That is true for factory maintence, but since they offer the ability to be field serviced by your rigger for firmware it is unknown yet if that cost will be passed on to customers. At this point I am not aware of Vigil releasing a firmware update yet so its not a concern as of today, but something to look at going forward.Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
councilman24 36 #10 May 2, 2005 Vigil batteries are $125 plus installation (plus shipping? don't know) and are replaced when the old one fails. From memory UP TO 4 years. Cypres II 4 and 8 year service is $160 plus shipping. Includes everything to keep it running for 4 years. Plus inspection. They won't say it's a battery. Not much difference there. Lifetime for Vigil? quote from web site. "The Vigil® main components such as cutter and electronic components are designed to have a life expectancy of 20 years from the Date Of Manufacture." Note "...designed to have a life expectancy..." Real time service lifes yet to be known.I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BlindBrick 0 #11 May 2, 2005 QuoteThat is true for factory maintence, but since they offer the ability to be field serviced by your rigger for firmware Firmware will not be field servicable by most riggers because of cost issues. Last October I was doing a series of test jumps for a college class and inquired about the gear. The price Kim at VIGIL US gave me was $700+ ($720, IIRC) for the proprietary data transciever and software. -Blind."If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 15 #12 May 2, 2005 Like I said... the riggers will be passing that cost back along to the jumpers one way or the other. That you will will end up shipping your unit back to Vigil for update and probally a battery at the same time. Gee.. what does that sound like? Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
phoenixlpr 0 #13 May 2, 2005 QuoteNote "...designed to have a life expectancy..." Real time service lifes yet to be known. You`ve forgot to tell that it was the same with Cypress. First Cypress units have just run out of business because the manufacturer stated 12 years and no more... Vigil is something like Cypress was 12 years ago, but in the tech-level of Cypress2. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hooknswoop 19 #14 May 2, 2005 QuoteFrom what I have read and been told the cost of ownership is less then the Cypres. There is no expiration, no 4 month or 8 month inspection and the life expectancy is 20 years. That to me makes the Vigil worth more. But then you don't get a 4 and 8 year inspection either. A rig that didn't need to be inspected every 120 days would be cheaper to own, but wouldn't have 120 day inspections either. As for the life span, I can see it for a life-saving electronic device. Nothing lasts forever and components wear out. Derek Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
phoenixlpr 0 #15 May 2, 2005 QuoteAs for the life span, I can see it for a life-saving electronic device. Nothing lasts forever and components wear out. They seems to have self test and diagnostics.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tso-d_chris 0 #16 May 2, 2005 QuoteI am new to the sport and am in the market for new gear. I want to have an AAD on my rig and I see that there is a competitor to Cypres out there. Does anyone have any opinion of which is better, more reliable, etc. Vigil is less expensive than CYPRES2 in the current economy. (The price of CYPRES based on exchange rate) Vigil is wingsuit compatible; CYPRES2 is not. CYPRES2 is water resistant, Vigil is not. Vigil is built to tougher specifications with respect to cable connections, battery housing. By comparison, CYPRES is downright fragile. Vigil cuts the loop twice. Vigil is multimode. The same unit can be used on an expert, student or tandem rig. Vigil offers free cutter replacement after actual save. For Great Deals on Gear Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 15 #17 May 2, 2005 >Vigil is wingsuit compatible; CYPRES2 is not. Oh? Whats the difference here? I've got almost 200 wingsuit flights on an Original Cypres and its not an issue.Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hooknswoop 19 #18 May 2, 2005 QuoteThey seems to have self test and diagnostics.... They both do. Derek Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tso-d_chris 0 #19 May 2, 2005 The CYPRES may sense insufficient velocity to fire on a wingsuit jump where the jumper is flying efficiently and loses track of altitude. As it was explained to me, this is not an issue with the Vigil. I don't understand the software differences well enough to understand exactly how the Vigil handles such a situation diferently than does the CPRES. Maybe Kim Griffin would be kind enough to explain why the Vigil can be effective, even on wingsuit jumps. Or correct me, if I have made a mistake. For Great Deals on Gear Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sundevil777 94 #20 May 2, 2005 QuoteThey seems to have self test and diagnostics.... Consider that the Cypres can also be just fine for the customer, functioning without a hitch, and then when SSK does the full series of tests including high/low temp, etc. it fails to meet the standards. Does this mean it would have necessarily failed to save the life of the owner if needed? No, but it does mean that the mfg is not comfortable with the self test being the only check on the proper function of the unit. The self test can't check things to the same extent as can be done at the factory. Given the fact that some units with no self-test errors have to be sent back for a major overhaul after failing the std maintenance test series makes me not want to trust the Vigil's self test as the only check during its lifetime. Perhaps the Vigil's self test is much more complete than the Cypres', but I don't have reason to think so.People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dragon2 0 #21 May 2, 2005 On a friend's rig the vigil shows 2 jumps for every ws jump ciel bleu, Saskia Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skydiverton 0 #22 May 3, 2005 QuoteThe CYPRES may sense insufficient velocity to fire on a wingsuit jump where the jumper is flying efficiently and loses track of altitude. As it was explained to me, this is not an issue with the Vigil. I don't understand the software differences well enough to understand exactly how the Vigil handles such a situation diferently than does the CYPRES. Maybe if you are flying perfect till the end your AAD will not fire. But when do you need an AAD? If you simply forget your altitude or when you have a problem with your suit or had a collision with a fellow birdman. Quess what will be your freefall speed in such a situation. I think is is very very close to normal terminal. Perhaps Kim can explain why a vigil is good for wingsuit and a cypress is not? Personaly I think they both have the same limitation. Saskia, by the way: One wingsuit jump made, 2 jumps logged. Where does the second jump come from? ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Using your droque to gain stability is a bad habit, Especially when you are jumping a sport rig Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dragon2 0 #23 May 3, 2005 Quote Saskia, by the way: One wingsuit jump made, 2 jumps logged. Where does the second jump come from? Ask Vigil that It seems to me the same problem the Pro-track and the Neptune sometimes have, if your speed is slow enough (and this friend is not particularly slow in a wingsuit, about 60-70 mph) the thing thinks you opened your canopy, then it notices you're going fairly fast (again?) and switches back (or not, in case of a Pro-Track). Or something like that. That friend noticed that because she uses the vigil as a kind of log book so she wants the jump numbers to be correct. I'll ask about the vigil in another friends rig who IS a good wingsuit jumper this weekend, I'm kinda curious... BTW the vigil SHOWS the 2 jumps, no idea about what my cypres "thinks" as I can't see that. So I'm not saying the vigil is worse for wingsuiters per se. ciel bleu, Saskia Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kimgriffin 0 #24 May 3, 2005 Hi guys. Sorry... the Vigil will only fire on a wingsuit jump (or any type of jump) if the flyer's vertical speed reaches 78 MPH at 840 ft. Hopefully none of you WS flyers our there are in full flight under 1000ft. Being a big BirdMan fan, I have spoken to the Vigil engineers about coming up with a WS version of the Vigil. They said it would be pretty easy actually. They would just have to program the software with different parameters. My guess is that the WS version will happen in the future but the birdies shouldn't hold their breath just yet. ~Kim Griffin Sales Manager Vigil USA, DeLand BMI-Kimberly Griffin Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
phoenixlpr 0 #25 May 3, 2005 Quoteif your speed is slow enough Speed is a vector. It has no meaning without the direction or are you talking about horizontal and vertical components of your speed? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
