mdrejhon 8 #1 June 8, 2005 My colored altimeter is on its way, and soon there'll be a colored bonehead and then either a bev/tony suit in the same color scheme. I am thinking of buying my first rig used. (Dropzone has greenlighted the 190 sq ft size for me... Sabre1. that's what I am jumping now. So I have been shopping around for anything novice friendly that'll still be fun after 200 jumps is good, once I've cleared it with the DZ) However, at the same time I'm tempted to buy a custom made container just to match the color scheme. The extra price wouldn't be so much a problem as the fact that I'll have to kick it out of the door if I get bored of the same rig after 400 jumps...need new canopies and new container...and go through the same expensive cycle too soon! Does any skydiver buy custom made rigs new ... and jump their first "new" rig for many years? Or just buy a used rig for now, and jump to a "new" rig after a few years when they've stabilized to packvolume they'll be sticking with for a long time? If I buy used, the rig will clash with my nifty color scheme I have in mind. I'm debating my options.... options.... options.... Hmmm.... Tough choices... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skybytch 259 #2 June 8, 2005 QuoteThe extra price wouldn't be so much a problem as the fact that I'll have to kick it out of the door if I get bored of the same rig after 400 jumps...need new canopies and new container. Buy a container to fit the canopy you plan to put in it. You can safely go one to two sizes smaller in the same container - ie size your container for a 190, you can safely put a 150 in it later. If you want a new container and the money and delivery time don't matter, get a new container. No used rig is going to fit as well as a new custom one will. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bbarnhouse 0 #3 June 8, 2005 QuoteIf you want a new container and the money and delivery time don't matter, get a new container. No used rig is going to fit as well as a new custom one will. Lisa is absolutely right! I bought new and never regreted it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mdrejhon 8 #4 June 8, 2005 QuoteBuy a container to fit the canopy you plan to put in it. You can safely go one to two sizes smaller in the same container - ie size your container for a 190, you can safely put a 150 in it later.Don't the rig manufacturers say that I'd only be able to go as low as 170 if I buy a container sized for 190? I should talk to the rig manufacturers about their opinion... Or do you mean buy a rig sized for a 170, and *squeeeze* a 190 into it, and this gives me the headroom to downsize to 150 "someday"? QuoteIf you want a new container and the money and delivery time don't matter, get a new container. No used rig is going to fit as well as a new custom one will.The money matters over the longer term. If I am spending thousands on a new rig, I'd want the rig to last 5 years at least. But I have a suspicion it is not going to, at 100-150 jumps per year... Basically 500-750 jumps for the lifetime of this rig. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites bob.dino 0 #5 June 8, 2005 Two of the top three canopy pilots on my dropzone - all Open competitors in the last WCCP - each did close to a thousand jumps on their first canopy. (I haven't asked the third, so I don't know about him.) Or you could've done what I did: buy the shoes, jumpsuit, and helmet to match the second-hand container . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites skybytch 259 #6 June 8, 2005 QuoteDon't the rig manufacturers say that I'd only be able to go as low as 170 if I buy a container sized for 190? I should talk to the rig manufacturers about their opinion.. Depends on the container; some can safely take two sizes smaller, some can't. Asking the manufacturer is an excellent idea. QuoteOr do you mean buy a rig sized for a 170, and *squeeeze* a 190 into it, and this gives me the headroom to downsize to 150 "someday"? I'd never recommend doing that. Packing is hard enough to learn, why make it more difficult? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites mdrejhon 8 #7 June 8, 2005 QuoteOr you could've done what I did: buy the shoes, jumpsuit, and helmet to match the second-hand container .There's still time for me to do that. I didn't buy the helmet or jumpsuit yet, but I have already bought the altimeter/gloves/goggles. Problem is, I really like the color scheme I want to go for. Interesting that the best canopy pilots have done a thousand jumps on their first container. Hmm. Anyone want to buy my Star Trek DVD collection? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites nbblood 0 #8 June 8, 2005 My first rig was a Javelin J3 that I bought new. Fit great, looked great, had the options I wanted. My first canopy was a Spectre 190. Fit great in the J3. My next canopy was a Sabre 2 170. Also fit great. It now has a Sabre 2 150 in it. It's a little loose but still fits pretty good. Oh, BTW, the 150 which was brand new was a little easier to pack in the D-bag sized for a 170. Bottom line is I still have the rig and anticipate having it for quite some time yet. That's my experience, but a rigger can give you more specifics, some already have. Blues, NathanBlues, Nathan If you wait 'til the last minute, it'll only take a minute. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites vt1977 0 #9 June 8, 2005 I bought my first container new. I ended up doing 900 jumps on the container and 400 jumps on my first main. The container was built for a 170 and eventually it safely held a 135. All in all, I’m happy with the choices I made! Vicki Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Peej 0 #10 June 8, 2005 QuoteOr you could've done what I did: buy the shoes, jumpsuit, and helmet to match the second-hand container . That's what i did. Buy second hand gear and spend the extra cash on jumps. A shiny, new, colour coded rig doesn't mean anything if you fly badly. Advertisio Rodriguez / Sky Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites FrogNog 1 #11 June 8, 2005 I vote for used canopies and a new, custom harness-container (i.e. rig) that is sized to your body for comfort. I have about 250 jumps and 1.5 years on my first harness-container, a dizzying purple/yellow Infinity I-55, and I love it. I've had 3 main canopy size-steps in it (190, 170, 150) and never thought about ditching it. Regarding sizes of canopies that will fit in your container: you should ask the manufacturers you are considering getting a harness-container from. They are the ones who should know better than anyone else how many sizes smaller a canopy you can put in your main container and how tight the original one will fit in order to do that. They should also be able to tell you what kind of wrinkles, container softness, and potential pin-looseness you are or are not looking at. And they should be able to tell you if they could or at their recommendation a rigger could sew in a pillow to help take up some of the space in the main container to keep it full with a very small canopy. Another way to look at how long you'll have the rig is how long before you downsize out of it. Will it really be that soon? Should it really be that soon? -=-=-=-=- Pull. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Buried 0 #12 June 8, 2005 new container + cypress, new and/or used canopies just make sure the canopy you get for your container fits tight so you could easily downsize once or twice within the life of the container. but just make sure you are at that point. some may be tought on 230s and are then jumping 210's @25 jumps.... depending on the jumper you could go down to a 190 in another 30-40 jumps. at that point you would want to get the container. I'm not suggesting that one does this, but there are a few new jumpers who can handle it. Where is my fizzy-lifting drink? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites FrenchyDiver 0 #13 June 9, 2005 Don't forget the reserve. All the containers, regardless of manufacturers, are built for a specific range of mains and reserves. Again contact the manufactures you are interested in and talk to your instructors and riggers. There's a bunch of very knowledgeable people at your home DZ. Also I would listen to what Lisa (Skybytch)advises. After all, she is (still is?) a very reputable skydiving gear retailer. JM (edited for spelling) Hispas Brothers President HISPA #2, Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites bob.dino 0 #14 June 9, 2005 QuoteAfter all, she is (still is?) a very reputable skydiving gear retailer. Was. She now works for FliteSuit. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites mdrejhon 8 #15 June 9, 2005 Quotebut just make sure you are at that point. some may be tought on 230s and are then jumping 210's @25 jumps.... depending on the jumper you could go down to a 190 in another 30-40 jumps. at that point you would want to get the container. I'm not suggesting that one does this, but there are a few new jumpers who can handle it.I'm now flying the size that I want to buy (and it was a size given to me by the instructor when it was time, not one I pleaded for, and I've verified it's a textbook 1:1), so it's a moot point for me... I now have a few options that I will discuss with the dropzone on June 18th then I'll decide whether I want to jump for a new container + used canopies, or go wholly used. (These are the most likely two routes I am going to take) I received excellent arguments for getting a new container, at least. 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bob.dino 0 #5 June 8, 2005 Two of the top three canopy pilots on my dropzone - all Open competitors in the last WCCP - each did close to a thousand jumps on their first canopy. (I haven't asked the third, so I don't know about him.) Or you could've done what I did: buy the shoes, jumpsuit, and helmet to match the second-hand container . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skybytch 259 #6 June 8, 2005 QuoteDon't the rig manufacturers say that I'd only be able to go as low as 170 if I buy a container sized for 190? I should talk to the rig manufacturers about their opinion.. Depends on the container; some can safely take two sizes smaller, some can't. Asking the manufacturer is an excellent idea. QuoteOr do you mean buy a rig sized for a 170, and *squeeeze* a 190 into it, and this gives me the headroom to downsize to 150 "someday"? I'd never recommend doing that. Packing is hard enough to learn, why make it more difficult? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mdrejhon 8 #7 June 8, 2005 QuoteOr you could've done what I did: buy the shoes, jumpsuit, and helmet to match the second-hand container .There's still time for me to do that. I didn't buy the helmet or jumpsuit yet, but I have already bought the altimeter/gloves/goggles. Problem is, I really like the color scheme I want to go for. Interesting that the best canopy pilots have done a thousand jumps on their first container. Hmm. Anyone want to buy my Star Trek DVD collection? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nbblood 0 #8 June 8, 2005 My first rig was a Javelin J3 that I bought new. Fit great, looked great, had the options I wanted. My first canopy was a Spectre 190. Fit great in the J3. My next canopy was a Sabre 2 170. Also fit great. It now has a Sabre 2 150 in it. It's a little loose but still fits pretty good. Oh, BTW, the 150 which was brand new was a little easier to pack in the D-bag sized for a 170. Bottom line is I still have the rig and anticipate having it for quite some time yet. That's my experience, but a rigger can give you more specifics, some already have. Blues, NathanBlues, Nathan If you wait 'til the last minute, it'll only take a minute. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vt1977 0 #9 June 8, 2005 I bought my first container new. I ended up doing 900 jumps on the container and 400 jumps on my first main. The container was built for a 170 and eventually it safely held a 135. All in all, I’m happy with the choices I made! Vicki Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Peej 0 #10 June 8, 2005 QuoteOr you could've done what I did: buy the shoes, jumpsuit, and helmet to match the second-hand container . That's what i did. Buy second hand gear and spend the extra cash on jumps. A shiny, new, colour coded rig doesn't mean anything if you fly badly. Advertisio Rodriguez / Sky Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FrogNog 1 #11 June 8, 2005 I vote for used canopies and a new, custom harness-container (i.e. rig) that is sized to your body for comfort. I have about 250 jumps and 1.5 years on my first harness-container, a dizzying purple/yellow Infinity I-55, and I love it. I've had 3 main canopy size-steps in it (190, 170, 150) and never thought about ditching it. Regarding sizes of canopies that will fit in your container: you should ask the manufacturers you are considering getting a harness-container from. They are the ones who should know better than anyone else how many sizes smaller a canopy you can put in your main container and how tight the original one will fit in order to do that. They should also be able to tell you what kind of wrinkles, container softness, and potential pin-looseness you are or are not looking at. And they should be able to tell you if they could or at their recommendation a rigger could sew in a pillow to help take up some of the space in the main container to keep it full with a very small canopy. Another way to look at how long you'll have the rig is how long before you downsize out of it. Will it really be that soon? Should it really be that soon? -=-=-=-=- Pull. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Buried 0 #12 June 8, 2005 new container + cypress, new and/or used canopies just make sure the canopy you get for your container fits tight so you could easily downsize once or twice within the life of the container. but just make sure you are at that point. some may be tought on 230s and are then jumping 210's @25 jumps.... depending on the jumper you could go down to a 190 in another 30-40 jumps. at that point you would want to get the container. I'm not suggesting that one does this, but there are a few new jumpers who can handle it. Where is my fizzy-lifting drink? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FrenchyDiver 0 #13 June 9, 2005 Don't forget the reserve. All the containers, regardless of manufacturers, are built for a specific range of mains and reserves. Again contact the manufactures you are interested in and talk to your instructors and riggers. There's a bunch of very knowledgeable people at your home DZ. Also I would listen to what Lisa (Skybytch)advises. After all, she is (still is?) a very reputable skydiving gear retailer. JM (edited for spelling) Hispas Brothers President HISPA #2, Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bob.dino 0 #14 June 9, 2005 QuoteAfter all, she is (still is?) a very reputable skydiving gear retailer. Was. She now works for FliteSuit. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mdrejhon 8 #15 June 9, 2005 Quotebut just make sure you are at that point. some may be tought on 230s and are then jumping 210's @25 jumps.... depending on the jumper you could go down to a 190 in another 30-40 jumps. at that point you would want to get the container. I'm not suggesting that one does this, but there are a few new jumpers who can handle it.I'm now flying the size that I want to buy (and it was a size given to me by the instructor when it was time, not one I pleaded for, and I've verified it's a textbook 1:1), so it's a moot point for me... I now have a few options that I will discuss with the dropzone on June 18th then I'll decide whether I want to jump for a new container + used canopies, or go wholly used. (These are the most likely two routes I am going to take) I received excellent arguments for getting a new container, at least. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
