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mamajumps

Ralph Hatley

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I've tried several times over the years to contact that guy. Once I even left a messeage saying I was ready to buy a canopy if he would just call me back.

He never did.

Can you imagine the customer service from someone like that?



If he never got back with you, then he did you a favor.

He tried to bend me over the table a few months ago. I ordered a complete system from him that included a 2001 Javelin container. I even specifically asked if it had the extra flap that protects the bridle.

Then, it was 2-3 months of "its on the table ready to be assembled" and "I don't have the Hornet, how about a Skymaster for the same price"

Finally, I received a '94 Javelin that didn't fit, didn't have the bridle flap mod, and didn't even have pockets on the risers for the toggle tabs (just had the guide ring and Velcro) And yes, the main did have the infamous "Call Ralph" patch instead of the Hornet one on the stabilizers.

When I shipped it back at my own expense, He refunded the purchase price, but not his shipping charge or Visa fee. I had to file a claim with my credit card company to get that back.

When talking to my rigger about the deal, his response was "Ralph is a jackass that doesn't deserve any fucking business from any skydiver. Sorry you had to deal with him." So, apparently my deal wasn't a one-time occurrence. Wish I would have asked him about Ralph before making a purchase.

Granted, if you know exactly what you want and what its worth, he might give you a good deal. But if you come across as a new jumper like I did, then you're in for a fuckin'.

Personally, someone that tries to screw new jumpers doesn't deserve my business.

Fuck him.

Seriously.>:(>:(>:(

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Buyer beware dude.:ph34r::ph34r::ph34r:

Anyone that goes out and invests money in life saving equipment WITHOUT due concern and research, Well.... ya get what ya get:ph34r:

I'll happily go through Ralph for my next Kit

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

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Well I finally did get a hold of him.... nice enough guy on the phone. His prices were a bit high on a used reserve, he tried to sell me a Micro Raven (which IMHO) isn't much better than the Tempo I had. He did tell me he would sell me a brand new Smart reserve for $899. That is a good deal. If I havent found a used PDR or a Smart by the first of the year, I will add some tax money to that and get it.... But I wont have that much until taxes come in...[:/]

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he tried to sell me a Micro Raven (which IMHO) isn't much better than the Tempo I had. .[:/]



sorry to be off topic, but why do you feel that the MR is not much better than the Tempo ? Or that either one of them are not good ?

tnx


From the riggers that I know and jumpers who have been in the sport for a long time, I have never said anything good about either one of them.....

To quote one of my friends "There is a reason the Tempo is no longer made..." Another rigger and gear seller told me that the Micro Raven isnt much better, no elaboration tho...

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>Or that either one of them are not good ?

The MR handles heavy loadings (> 1 to 1) very poorly. Landings I have seen under moderately to heavily loaded MR's result in injuries about 50% of the time. You can learn to land it (basically flare about 1/3 to 1/2 of the way and get ready to PLF) but there are better reserves out there nowadays.

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he tried to sell me a Micro Raven (which IMHO) isn't much better than the Tempo I had. .[:/]



sorry to be off topic, but why do you feel that the MR is not much better than the Tempo ? Or that either one of them are not good ?

tnx


I've seen too many MR's stalled in to put one in my container. Tempos work just fine, but they're not as sturdy as their PD and Smart counterparts. I've bought and used a couple different Tempos with fine results, but the very next day after putting a test jump on my girlfriend's PD-143, I called Ralph and ordered a PD-160 to replace my Tempo 170. They fly that much better (and the reinforcement gives me more of a warm, fuzzy feeling).

Blues,
Dave
"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!"
(drink Mountain Dew)

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people !

I was just wondering why does a person with 77 jumps consider Tempos to be a step below MR's and both to be undesired reserves.

I have read many previous threads bashing MR's, but I don't remember too much bad PR for the Tempos - and personally, in my mind Tempo is a step above.

However, I mostly agree with Terry - loaded lightly or with a capable pilot MR should not be a problem.

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To quote one of my friends "There is a reason the Tempo is no longer made..."




Yeah, because the company that used to market them was sold/absorbed into a larger company. Nothing wrong with a Tempo. Or MR. Just don't exceed their design limits.
----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

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Buyer beware dude.

Anyone that goes out and invests money in life saving equipment WITHOUT due concern and research, Well.... ya get what ya get

I'll happily go through Ralph for my next Kit




I think the problem with quite a few people is when they are looking for used gear they are trying to get something servicable for as little money as possible. That is why I went to Ralph to buy used gear... and why many people end up there.. they want CHEAP GEAR.

I have gone thru his collection....of used gear.... and it is indeed one of the most impressive collections of used and new gear I have seen ANYWHERE. He literally has gear from every era of skydiving.

To those who bought a Hornet from him with a Call Ralph logo on the side......Was it a Hornet???

YES it was a Hornet... and I think it came from PISA that way... just like the PISA Conquest I bought from him had an SR-71 label on the end cells. He bought a lot of canopies from PISA and still buys from the company that bought them.

As I said before.. if you know what you are looking for and are willing to dicker with the man.... you can get good deals... and he stands behind the things he sells.

I traded the SR-71 that I got from him a year later as part of a deal for an Infinity he had... Grannyinthesky ended up with it this year.... and she decided on another canopy and he took it back...and she got something else.

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Why'd you have to go and mention the SR-71?! B|:P Those things open like Sabre-1's on meth. It's been 12 years or more since I put a couple jumps on one and just thinking of the experience still makes me wince.

Blues,
Dave

"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!"
(drink Mountain Dew)

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It was hearing things like tht that made me rethink my purchase and return the canopy. He took it back without a problem. I did buy my current main from him a few weeks later and it has been great. I needed a pilot chute a while back and after seeing a price of $165 on the Aerodyne website I emailed Ralph and had what I was looking for in a few days for $110. Brand new, too.
"safety first... and What the hell.....
safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy

POPS #10490

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It was hearing things like tht that made me rethink my purchase and return the canopy.



Good Girl;)

You like I ... was looking for a cheap Zero P canopy at the wrong time of year ( busy season.. low inventory) and I wanted the 210 SF. It was the right size for me at that time and place. I put quite a few jumps on it that year in my second rig.



It also had a very bad habit of having the front of the canopy folding under when I first tried to do front riser turns. THAT I did not like. It was not designed for that and Ralph told me not to do it. I was forwarned so I tried it up at 6000 ft.... where I could recover from any bad results. IT folded under... spun up a bit and I had to kick out of a couple riser turns. For what it was.. it flew great as long as you did not get it diving or spinning.


I found the canopy to open just fine... once I figured out how to psycho pack it and roll the hell out of the nose..

One of the professional packers from Eloy did not listen to me and did not roll it at LP as I had asked him to. HE assured me that his pack job of just stuffing the nose in.. would be a great opening.

It was a great opening all right.. It slammed me so hard that I saw stars and it hurt my back. I did not jump for two days afterr that. He lost out on any further pack jobs... and I see him several times a year and I refuse to let him pack for me.

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To quote one of my friends "There is a reason the Tempo is no longer made..." Another rigger and gear seller told me that the Micro Raven isnt much better, no elaboration tho...

Did your friend also mention the reason..... PISA are no longer in existence, THAT's the reason Tempos are no longer made.
They were and are a fine reserve, when being made they were one of the most common reserves on the market.
You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

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sabre1 on meth LOL! my old school sabre has spanked me a few times over the years but I seem to have found a way to pack it that it likes. and I've been quite happy with it lately. but then i like to pull at 2 and don't want a long snivel.
i have on occasion been accused of pulling low . My response. Naw I wasn't low I'm just such a big guy I look closer than I really am .


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It was hearing things like tht that made me rethink my purchase and return the canopy. He took it back without a problem. I did buy my current main from him a few weeks later and it has been great. I needed a pilot chute a while back and after seeing a price of $165 on the Aerodyne website I emailed Ralph and had what I was looking for in a few days for $110. Brand new, too.



Aerodyne wants $165 for a pilot chute?! :o:S I'm glad I have a FAR better source for them. B|

Blues,
Dave
"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!"
(drink Mountain Dew)

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he tried to sell me a Micro Raven (which IMHO) isn't much better than the Tempo I had***


You should ask these people that have bashed the tempo and micro ravens how many jumps they have on them, the answer will probably be 0

most people are merely parroting what they have heard others say.

I have 3 rides on tempo's one on my micro raven.

tempo was much easier to land than my raven but all got me to the ground unharmed and I wouldnt hesitate to use any of them again.

Roy
They say I suffer from insanity.... But I actually enjoy it.

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