hajnalka 0 #76 May 29, 2007 In my experience MOST super-qualified riggers do not make their living solely by packing. Many have instructional skydiving ratings and make a good portion of their livelihood through tandems and IAFs. Others are DZOs. Others sell gear. Some conduct in-demand riggers courses. Some stick to rigging-type activities and make jumpsuits, RDS's, build linesets, ash-bags, rig for planes (engine plugs and PITO-tube covers, etc.) Others have jobs outside of the skydiving industry. Then there are some riggers who will repack reserves for free --- to stay current or help out a friend, for example. Currently, the best reserve packer I know is not charging for his work. I think this is a $ wash; a non-issue. Very cool discussion. I'd love to see the 180-day cycle become a reality. Peace, Dawn Edited to add: Any rigger that makes a living solely on what he/she charges for repakcs is probably worth his weight in salt Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkymonkeyONE 3 #77 May 30, 2007 QuoteAll of our CSS/Downwind Carolina customers pay $50 for a sport rig repack, and they seem happy to do so. We're on the East Coast . Since I have actually gotten a couple of PM's from friends on "the east coast" telling me that their lofts charge either $45 or $50 as well, I feel I ought to respond to everyone with my general answer to all of those: -While your loft might charge a customer that much for the I&R, how much is the rigger doing the work getting paid for it? I know the answer to that question at this dropzone and the one I left a year ago. Gear stores which offer rigging and straight-up lofts all generally have overhead. The owners of those lofts are perfectly free to charge some additional stipend on top of what they have to pay the riggers they employ in order to make it worth their time. They are running a business. It's the same with dropzone-sanctioned packing concessions. The lead vendor is generally going to made fifty cents off of every single packjob that gets done in his tent/mat/buliding. THAT is the difference, guys. Additionally, I have yet to meet a loft-employed rigger who won't take work on the side. They do it either to make additional money or simply to help a friend out. Ultimately, the savy skydiver isn't going to have any trouble finding $35 packjobs (if they have to pay at all....) Personally, I am all for people making a dollar. I know for sure that I cannot swing a dead cat by the tail without hitting a rigger in the head at this dropzone. Same for Raeford. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
2shay 0 #78 May 30, 2007 I pack for myself mostly, but there is no more work involved so my price will stay the same. Skydiving and rigging and such are a business of passion to me. Yes I don't do it for free, but I am also not going to rip peoples head off with the price. A normal I&R takes no more than 2 hrs at very most and that is slow. Even if I pack that slow that is still $22.50 an hr. (not bad) many are much faster and make $45 an hr or more. I am afraid that skydiving will price itself right out of business soon if we don't watch it. This sport is damn expensive already, I don't feel that higher prices is what we need. Business of passion, and not straight up business to me. I am sure I will catch heat for saying this, but that is how I feel.don't try your bullshit with me!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
2shay 0 #79 May 30, 2007 I know for me the price I charge has nothing to do with what kind of service I will provide. If I do it for free for a friend or do it for $45 you can bet your life that I did the job from head to toe and not anything less. Rigging is nothing to fool around with as I am sure we all know. It is sad that somone would think of giving sub par services simply because they were not paid enough. Then again I might have misunderstood your point, forums are tough to understand sometimes Joeldon't try your bullshit with me!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bodypilot90 0 #80 May 31, 2007 Quote I know for me the price I charge has nothing to do with what kind of service I will provide. Integrity does not have a price... it's priceless. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
2shay 0 #81 May 31, 2007 so I have none since I charge less than some riggers?don't try your bullshit with me!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Glitch 0 #82 May 31, 2007 Umm...I thinks you misunderstood his point, or rather his compliment. On a side note... Riggers are people too. There are good ones, and bad ones. I've personally experienced both. As an example, when I had my shiny new rig put together a couple of years ago, it was put together and packed up ready to jump by a rigger that was recommended to me via the dealer that I ordered the gear through. This rigger managed to not only give me a very 'questionable' pack job on my reserve (attested to by 2 other riggers, not me), but also managed to misroute my reserve ripcord providing me with a very good chance of a total if I needed to use it. The rigger in question no longer has his ticket, and my case was merely additional fodder for him losing it and not the cause. The esteemed gentleman who grounded my rig now has my business. In conversations with him, he's even admitted to me that he's packed a reserve function in the past (yes folks, it does happen). Does that bother me? No, not really. No parachute is infallible, and he's shown me his integrity by admitting this to me. If he raises his prices, I'll whine with the rest of the jumpers (mostly because it will likely cost me an xtra lift ticket or so...) and then I'll continue to give him my rig when I need a repack. Integrity is priceless and trust is earned. Would I use another rigger? Sure, if at a boogie or something... but if I can swing it, he'll get my business. Randomly f'n thingies up since before I was born... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CrazyL 0 #83 May 31, 2007 Please don't pretend to assume that people who charge more are more qualified than those who still charge $35. Good point. Would you go to the Master Rigger/ soon to be DPRE regardless of the price? If you or your rigger were in different states would you ship your gear to them? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
2shay 0 #84 May 31, 2007 I see well my apologies to body pilotdon't try your bullshit with me!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bodypilot90 0 #85 May 31, 2007 we need more people in the sport like you. My most expensive repack could have killed me if i used it. I see the thread here http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?do=post_view_flat;post=2371581;page=1;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;mh=25; Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
2shay 0 #86 May 31, 2007 yeah sorry total misunderstanding brodon't try your bullshit with me!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkymonkeyONE 3 #87 May 31, 2007 QuotePlease don't pretend to assume that people who charge more are more qualified than those who still charge $35. Good point. Would you go to the Master Rigger/ soon to be DPRE regardless of the price? If you or your rigger were in different states would you ship your gear to them? No, I do not ship my rigs back to NC to get repacks (I live in Zephyrhills, FL now). Sometimes the stars align and I happen to be back up there on business when I need repacks though. I have three friends locally who do all of my repacks for the same price or for free (beer and other random labor-related favors go a long way with my friends). I don't consider anyone "my rigger." As far as trust goes, I have only met a couple of riggers that I would not let touch my gear. Chuck Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
