how many jumps till you bought a

[JumpsOffCliffs 0]

So i have spent a least an hour for the past couple days oogling everyone's for sale rigs...then staring hopelessly at my wallet and crying.

but i was wondering how many jumps you people had before you got your first rig?

personally i am looking at an infinity or a dolphin, for my first rig, but once i get some scratch whatever i can afford and fit is fair game haha.

[jimjumper 25]

I bought my first when I had 7 jumps (SL program). It had a 27' Russian PC and a 24' flat non steerable reserve. Novices weren't allowed to jump a square till they had 50 jumps. I paid $300 for it and got $200 trade-in when I bought a heavyweight Cloud in a Wonderhog and put the reserve in it.

[NWFlyer 2]

20-something. I worked with my instructors to identify an appropriate canopy size and to put together a list of canopies that would be appropriate, and then a rigger gave me a list of containers that she would recommend considering. That helped me to know what names to look for in the classifieds as I did my search. You may wish to do this since there are many containers that would be appropriate besides Infinity and Dolphin, and you will limit your options in the used market if you consider just those two.

I found my container/reserve together (both used) before my main (also used), so I made sure that I got enough info to ensure that the container would fit the main size that I was looking for. I think all that info was in the ad that I looked at, but if it's not you should be able to get the container serial number from the seller and/or the container size and confirm with the manufacturer that it'll hold appropriate canopies.

All this assumes that you fit into the general description of "average" body type. If you're unusually tall or short, you may find it very difficult to find a container on the used market and may end up needing to buy new.

The key is to be patient; it's possible to piece together rigs on the used market, but make sure that you're getting a good deal - if you find an ad or ads that look great, be sure to run it by someone you trust at your DZ; they'll be able to give you a good idea of the pros and cons and limitations of certain gear. And of course, read the articles on here about choosing gear:
http://www.dropzone.com/safety/Gear_and_Equipment/index.shtml

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[skydude2000 3]

I just had mine shipped on Saturday Waiting impatiently for it to get here. So 177 jumps, but my DZ had super-cheap gear rental. Like $10/jump.

PULL!! or DIE!!

[DrewEckhardt 0]

Quote

So i have spent a least an hour for the past couple days oogling everyone's for sale rigs...then staring hopelessly at my wallet and crying.

but i was wondering how many jumps you people had before you got your first rig?

12

For what I had been paying for gear rentals I could have tossed the whole thing in the dumpster at 70 jumps and still come out ahead.

[GaryRay 0]

120. i guess i was slow.

JewBag.
www.jewbag.wordpress.com

[Blink 0]

Pieced everything together at 30 jumps over the winter.

[Chris-Ottawa 0]

Jump 17, Bought a Spectre 135 (and accompanying Javelin, PDR etc)
Jump 31, Chopped a fellow jumpers Sabre2 150
Jump 32, Jumped the Spectre 135

"When once you have tasted flight..."

[GaVak 0]

Quote

So i have spent a least an hour for the past couple days oogling everyone's for sale rigs...then staring hopelessly at my wallet and crying.

I'm in the same boat; if I keep spending all the free money jumping, I will not be able to save up for a rig... but the whole reason I want a rig is so I can jump more.

Catch 22.

~Gav

Life doesn't need reasons, just participants.

D.S.#21

[wolfriverjoe 1,340]

20something.

I got really lucky and bought mine from a jumper at my DZ that was leaving the sport to go to school full time.
The instructors and rigger at the club recommended it to me. I probably could have gotten a better deal by waiting and shopping around a bit, but it was a good match and I knew he was a good guy who needed the money (so I paid a bit more than I might have had to)

"There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy

"~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

[Dougiefresh 0]

20. Just off student status (AFP@ SDC)

Suck it up, take another job, and buy your gear. Renting is more expensive.

If you're looking at a Dolphin, make sure a rigger looks at it and gets rid of the velcro. I'd get the infinity, if I were you.

Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so. --Douglas Adams

[LaRusic 0]

jump 30, first rig

jump 80, second rig

The Altitude above you, the runway behind you, and the fuel not in the plane are totally worthless
Dudeist Skydiver # 10

[JumpsOffCliffs 0]

well i know not to corner myself when buying used, because people sell other rigs cheap.

Im just saying that if i have to buy new i *think* i would buy one of those two,bc those two seemed cheapest for new rigs.and i cant get a job, schooling takes priority and i have 15 units, with Chemistry as my major and sports lol. job isnt happening.

and is 6' 3" 155pound strangely tall?

[rlucus 0]

Spectre 230 in a Wings container on jump #11

traded the 230 for a spectre 190 around 80 jumps

Got a different wings container and a nitron 150 around 220 jumps

[likestojump 3]

Somewhere about jump 17. Traded it around jump 100 for an even nicer and newer rig, and only paid $500 to do that. I though it was a steal.

good luck !

[Peej 0]

i had roughly 50 jumps when i jumped my own gear for the first time.

Advertisio Rodriguez / Sky

[piisfish 135]

around 50-60 jumps, a 14th hand Talon with a Sabre1 150 and PD143 R. 150 jumps later I bought a Safire2 139 and sold the Sabre.
I still have that gear and jump it regularly

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[JohanW 0]

130 or so.

Still jumping the rig and reserve, downsized the main in the meantime.

Johan.
I am. I think.

[councilman24 36]

While still on static line. Made my first freefall on my own rig. In 1980. Comp PC, Crossbow piggy back and reserve, shot and a half capewells. Second rig about jump 80 when I watched the whole beech 18 load of squares fly back to the DZ while I landing in the cemetary. Prototype SST, Strato Cloud and 24 flat. Third rig about 180, brand new Northern Lite, Cirrus Cloud and Swift reserve.

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[P-dro 0]

650...

[countzero 7]

had 70 jumps when my rigger put together a used rig for me to use in a scrammbles so i could be sure to have a rig all day. i was just going to rent it from him. but i ended up buying it. we even worked out a payment plan.

diamonds are a dawgs best friend

[half-a-greek 0]

one option is to get a small personal loan... although this is then money away from jumping... gas, food, everything that broke college students give up to jump, etc, etc.

I finally bough used gear around 30 something, I was only doing a jump with the rental rig every once in a while while I saved up to buy my own gear. just start putting some money away little by little, and before you know it you'll have enough

Good Luck

[SethInMI 145]

Quote

well i know not to corner myself when buying used, because people sell other rigs cheap.

Im just saying that if i have to buy new i *think* i would buy one of those two,bc those two seemed cheapest for new rigs.and i cant get a job, schooling takes priority and i have 15 units, with Chemistry as my major and sports lol. job isnt happening.

and is 6' 3" 155pound strangely tall?

I am 6'3" and 175lbs. It will harder to find a nice fitting rig, but if you are willing to compromise a bit on fit it should not be too bad.

I bought my 1st rig at ~40 jumps, I wanted to be on a canopy size of 1.0 wingload for my 1st canopy, and I looked for a few months till I found a rig in my harness size that could fit (barely) a 190 canopy.

I didn't care too much about brand, just wanted a decent fit for my body and my canopies. Even finding a rig with the correct MLW and yoke width was not enough though, because after I bought it I found that the lats were too long (the previous owner was a big guy) and the rig would slide around on my back when backflying, so I had to pay to get them taken in. Since you are slim, this may apply to you as well.

Seth

It's flare not flair, brakes not breaks, bridle not bridal, "could NOT care less" not "could care less".

[fallfast69 2]

Quote

While still on static line. Made my first freefall on my own rig. In 1980. Comp PC, Crossbow piggy back and reserve, shot and a half capewells. Second rig about jump 80 when I watched the whole beech 18 load of squares fly back to the DZ while I landing in the cemetary. Prototype SST, Strato Cloud and 24 flat. Third rig about 180, brand new Northern Lite, Cirrus Cloud and Swift reserve.

Me too...Strong Eagle container (with frap wrap release) little man Piglet (21 foot, I believe) and a 26 foot conical

I've still got that rig, I should dig it out of the closet and jump it!!!


Edit to add, I didn't get to jump it until I completed all of my freefall jumps because it had been converted to a throw-out...and throw-outs were way too dangerous for students[/:P]

[SSHusky 0]

I am going to have to say I had about 90 jumps. I pieced it together during the winter. I think for everything it was about $2000 with mods and a 2.5 yr cypres on it. It took a lot of work, but I got it just in time for the season.