If I could do it again......

[percenter 0]

Now that you are more experienced..... What would you have changed or done differently towards your gear purchases if you could do it again?
eg. New/Used?Container Size?...Any options you wish you had/don't need?

"Travel in the direction of your fears"

[GLIDEANGLE 1]

Wish I had gotten the auto-pack option.

The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

[wolfriverjoe 1,341]

Nothing.

Really.

I got a container that fits me almost perfectly (a little wide in the yoke, but not bad), a canopy loaded at 1:1, an appropriately sized reserve and a cypress1 with a good amount of life left.

All for a fair price (not a steal of a deal, but not overpriced either) from a guy at my DZ who was getting out of the sport.

I may be getting a different canopy this year, and I'll probably get a different container to go with it. If I got a "new" reserve, I can leave my current rig intact and sell it to a new up-and-coming jumper who it is appropriate for.
I'd do so for a fair (not a steal, but not overpriced) price too.

"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

[airtwardo 6]

A little less white on the container...

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=80350;~ not quite so bright a couple years later.

Other than that I got exactly what I wanted...great fit, wide padded legstraps, large steel plan 'B' handle, integral front D rings, 1:1 reserve that matches the color pattern of the main.

Very happy with it so far...350 jumps in.

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[likestojump 3]

If I was to start over again, I wouldn't care as much about the chest articulation rings and the presence of RSL. I would definitely pay more attention to the choice of Reserve canopy.

[ridestrong 1]

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Now that you are more experienced..... What would you have changed or done differently towards your gear purchases if you could do it again?
eg. New/Used?Container Size?...Any options you wish you had/don't need?

Not exactly "more experienced", but I wouldn't change anything either. I bought my entire rig new about 4-5 months ago and have around 50 or so jumps on it.

-New V3 container custom fit and fully loaded = comfortable and perfect fit. Can't beat the magnetic riser covers.

-Skyhook... love it and hopefully won't use it again anytime soon.

-Safire2, great canopy! Great openings! not too aggressive yet I won't get bored anytime soon.

-Cypress2 - form your own opinion.

-Optimum reserve 143- love it!

*I am not afraid of dying... I am afraid of missing life.*
----Disclaimer: I don't know shit about skydiving.----

[dragon2 0]

I probably wouldn't have bought a new canopy for my first, certainly not one that barely fitted in the rig I got with it.
New jumper learning to pack + new canopy + tight-ish container = lots of beer to get the damn thing packed.

Other than that, I had a good fitting rig, freefly proof, good reserve, RSL, cypres, good first canopy type size and wingload (spectre 150 @ 1:1) so wouldn't have done anything differently there.

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[mrbiceps 0]

Not much, brought my first javelin rig for $1500, put 300 jumps on it and sold it for $3000. happy days....

[bofh 0]

I would not order the knife to the Wings container. It was one of those crappy plastic knifes sold at a higher price. I installed a real knife before I made a single jump with it. I would also have less yellow on the container.

I might also have bought the cut-in-laterals.

The reserve would today be a PD Optima 143 instead of the Icarus Reserve 149. Nothing wrong with the current reserve except for its size (only landed it once though).

[JohanW 0]

Still jumping the preowned Atom 0 (170/155) I bought 10 years ago. It will *still* hold the canopies I'm jumping now. One of these days, the RSL is going back on (I have it lieing (sp?) around, but keep forgetting to include it with the repack). Wouldn't change a thing.

Johan.
I am. I think.

[manseman 0]

My first main was an old PD 9-cell with 6-700 jumps on it. It's a miracle I never broke anything during the 75 or so flare-less landings I got to experience. I would definitely spend more money on a safer canopy if I could do it all over.

The rest of the rig was pretty ok, a reasonably fitting used Javelin container with RSL and a Cypres-1 AAD.

[Glitch 0]

Aside from a slight mod to the color scheme, the only thing I would change would be going for the lg 3 ring versus the mini.

Randomly f'n thingies up since before I was born...

[tdog 0]

I would have not gotten the "lightning bolt" design on the Vector - I don't think it looks as good in person, especially on the larger sizes, as it does on the website.

[Blink 0]

I wouldn't have changed anything.

I bought a used Javelin J-1, Triathlon 160, PDR143, and a like new Vigil. I bought everything separate and did so during the winter months where I wasn't in a rush, and ended up with a great deal ($2500).

I downsized to a 150 then to a 135 over the past 4 years and I think it's a safe bet that a 120 will fit sans problems. The container now has about 1500 jumps, and it still looks fantastic.

Ok, I lied. The only thing I would change would be getting an Optima and Viso sooner. A digital altimeter and a audible with canopy alarms has made my pattern much cleaner and more consistent.

[fcajump 153]

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Now that you are more experienced..... What would you have changed or done differently towards your gear purchases if you could do it again?
eg. New/Used?Container Size?...Any options you wish you had/don't need?

Not really... but then I:
spent 6 months learning and researching everything I could before buying.
bought new
sent it back when it was not as ordered (thanks for the assist KG/rigger)
test jumped various sizes before deciding
went conservative (main and reserve)
ignored those who told me to go smaller because "that's what you'll want in only 50-100 jumps"
bought a Cypres when AAD's weren't cool
(never did need it in its 12 years... NO regrets)

But then I consider my health/safety more important than the savings of going cheep.

JW

PS - and NO, I was not rich... as a matter of fact, it was purchased entirely on a credit card and I was putting myself through college at the time...

PPS - Maybe I would do more waiting/saving first... but once you've started jumping, that's HARD

Always remember that some clouds are harder than others...

[riggerrob 558]

Back in 1980, I should have bought a Pegasus 220, because it probably would have prevented my first sprained ankle.

[airtwardo 6]

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Back in 1980, I should have bought a Pegasus 220, because it probably would have prevented my first sprained ankle.

What DID you buy?

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[riggerrob 558]

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Back in 1980, I should have bought a Pegasus 220, because it probably would have prevented my first sprained ankle.

What DID you buy?

......................................................................

In 1979, I bought a Strato-Star ... 5-cell, pre-F-111 fabric, long lines, but at least it had a slider.

[airdvr 197]

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Back in 1980, I should have bought a Pegasus 220, because it probably would have prevented my first sprained ankle.

What DID you buy?

......................................................................

In 1979, I bought a Strato-Star ... 5-cell, pre-F-111 fabric, long lines, but at least it had a slider.

Woohoo. Thiose things had the glidepath of a stone.

Please don't dent the planet.

Destinations by Roxanne

[Sangi 0]

Why did they have those super long lines anyway?

"Dream as you'll live forever, live as you'll die today." James Dean

[airtwardo 6]

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Why did they have those super long lines anyway?

To make it harder to pack...kept the 'hunderd jump wonders' at bay!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~