1st Rig???????

[gski415 0]

He all. I am fairly new to the sport. I am Done with AFF and in route to my Class A check dive. I am still trying to gather information on what a reasonable first rig would be to purchase? This is not something I want to skimp on obviously but $$$ is an issue. I just would like to know our opinions on the best value 1st rig. Thanks In Advance!!

[theonlyski 3]

Quote

He all. I am fairly new to the sport. I am Done with AFF and in route to my Class A check dive. I am still trying to gather information on what a reasonable first rig would be to purchase? This is not something I want to skimp on obviously but $$$ is an issue. I just would like to know our opinions on the best value 1st rig. Thanks In Advance!!

Talk to your instructors, then your rigger, and have one of them tell you what you should be looking at, and review it with them before you put any money out there.

Your instructors will give you canopy sizes, rigger can help you find a fitting harness/container and make sure it's airworthy.

Either of them should be helping you find the gear, make sure its worth what you're paying for, and you get what you paid for.

"I may be a dirty pirate hooker...but I'm not about to go stand on the corner." iluvtofly
DPH -7, TDS 578, Muff 5153, SCR 14890
I'm an asshole, and I approve this message

[davelepka 4]

Look for used gear for a first rig. It's not 'skimping' on safety to buy used, just saving $1000s of dollars. Every rig out there needs to be inspected and have the reserve repacked every six months, so airworthy is airworthy.

Ask your instructors what size main and reserve you should be looking for, and build off of that. You may find a complete rig for sale that will work, or you may buy seperate main, reserve and container to assemble your own (a rigger will do the actual assembly).

You'll need a rigger to inspect anything before you buy it, so also ask your instructors to reccomend a rigger. Sit down with them and discuss what you're looking for and your budget. Maybe even go through the classifieds here on DZ.com with the rigger, and they can point out gear you should inquire about.

If you find things that will work for you, in your price range, and still available, involve the rigger once again to make arrangements for an inspection before purchase. This may invovle shipping the gear to the rigger for inspection, or the rigger communicating with another rigger they know who lives near the seller. This other rigger can inspect the gear on your behalf.

Expect to pay for the riggers time, but it's well worth it. You can spend anywhere from $2000 to $5000 on a used rig, look for the mid to low end of that range. In general, those rigs will lose little value after you put 100 jumps on them, so you can resell them with very little loss. You'll learn a lot in 100 jumps about jumping and gear, and be in a position to select a 'longer term' rig.

[solodude59 0]

What i did, was buy a brand new custom mirage g4 to fit me (you know, i got a tight bod haha), and then i bought my main, reserve, and AAD lightly used. saved me around $1500 doing it that way. and ill have my container for a while, sized it just small enough to downsize twice.

good luck!

In freefall, you have the rest of your life to figure out what's wrong. -Joe, AFF Instructor

[baign32 0]

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He all. I am fairly new to the sport. I am Done with AFF and in route to my Class A check dive. I am still trying to gather information on what a reasonable first rig would be to purchase? This is not something I want to skimp on obviously but $$$ is an issue. I just would like to know our opinions on the best value 1st rig. Thanks In Advance!!

What country are you looking at buying your rig in? Over here in Australia rigs are quite pricey compared to what's on offer in the US. It's also mandatory (here in OZ) to have an AAD fitted as well...