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stangbanger856

new guy looking to buy a rig and gear. what should i look for?

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Hello everyone. I'm new here and to the sport. Im currently looking at rigs and trying to find what stuff will fit me. Im a complete novice to this so I apologize before hand if I don't understand some terms. I spent most of my life under the hood of race cars so when it comes to that I can help anyone out but I know when to ask for help so here I am.

If it helps I'm 6'4 225lbs and in fairly good physical shape. Last night I was looking at the Mirage RTS rig wich is stated as a novice / student skydiver. Is that a good place to start? I didn't get much farter then that because I wasn't sure what size canopy I needed and so on.

Thanks again for the help.

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I'd suggest you take some time...study up on the different types of gear, sizes - types- performance etc.

Talk to people at the DZ, look around listen & learn.

You probably want to concentrate on getting a license or two before you make the major purchase, when you're licensed & qualified you can 'demo' test gear of different kinds and after some time in the sport will have a much better idea of what will work for you.

You & I are about the same size, which means the used gear market is rather limited...there are a lot more munchkins skydiving than us normal sized people. ;)











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

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Thanks for the info. I'm just trying to get a rough estimate on the cost of it all. I also feel a little uneasy with purchaseing used gear. I rather spend the extra money for new stuff then used stuff. Plus like you mentiond gear my size is gona be hard to find used anyway.



Remember it doesn't have to be all or nothing. You find it easier to buy new to get a container that fits you comfortably, but be able to find used canopies easily. You really shouldn't feel uncomfortable buying used gear, so long as you work with a trusted rigger who can help you evaluate the gear for its airworthiness, and work with trusted instructors who can help you evaluate the gear for its appropriateness for your skill level & size. (If you're lucky, you might be able to find both of those in the same person!). There is an active used market in the sport, and there is nothing inherently less safe about used gear.
"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

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Personally I purchased a new container, new reserve, used main and used AAD. There is no reason to buy a brand new main unless you got a lot of money. More than likely you will change main canopies within a few hundred jumps (less for a lot of people).

I have bought and sold a few used canopies and didn't lose any money. The new canopies I bought lost a hundreds of dollars quickly. Your choice though.

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Sounds good. I think ill go with a new rig just for the comfort of it. I know its hard to compare but qhen I did my tandems the harness was a bit uncomfortable and when he qhent into a downward spin all the Gs were killing my inner thigh. I talked to him after we landed and said that a harness that is made for someone my size would be a million times more comfortable then one that is roughly the correct size.

And besides saftey I want to be as comfortable as possible.

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Thanks for the info. I'm just trying to get a rough estimate on the cost of it all. I also feel a little uneasy with purchaseing used gear. I rather spend the extra money for new stuff then used stuff. Plus like you mentiond gear my size is gona be hard to find used anyway.



FWIW, I'm a noob, just went through this myself and agonized over the decision. What worked for me was a new container (Infinity), new reserve, new AAD and used main with under 100 jumps on it. Total cost was $6,500.

I can sell the main for what I paid for, so little to no loss there when I eventually downsize. The container can handle two downsizes from my current main. I would have preferred a used reserve, but couldn't find an Optimum in the right size. I probably should have gone for a used AAD.

As others have said, talk with your instructors before buying anything.
Life is too short to drink cheap beer.

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I'll just make a few quick points to help you understand how this all works -

1. You don't need/want any gear until after you have a license. All of your jump up to that point will be under the supervision of an instructor or coach, and the DZ will provide gear for you to jump. There are certain requirements for unlicensed jumpers, and the DZ provides gear that meets all of those needs. This gear, for the most part, is not what you will want beyond getting a license, so buying your own student rig is a monumental waste of money.

2. Used gear is the way to go in the beginning. All equipment is inspected by an FAA rated parachute rigger every 6 months, so if the equipment is 'in date', meaning less than 6 months since it's last inspection, it's going to be just as safe as a new rig. Additionally, when you buy used equipment, you have a rigger inspect it before the sale is 'final' to make sure you're getting what you paid for. You literally save thousands of dollars buying used, and this is a good thing because when you buy your first rig you'll know very little about what you really want/need from a rig. Your overall experience will be limited at that time, and you'll learn a lot more in your next 50 to 100 jumps.

3. When you get close to earning you licesne (25 jumps) start asking your instructors about what sort of gear would be good for your first rig. Ask around the DZ is anyone has anything for sale, check the classified section of this website, and call every gear store you can find advertsided in Parachutist magazine. Your size is not going to be too much of a problem, there are 'big boy' rigs out there for sale all the time.

4. For now, just focus on your next jump. Get it scheduled and then get it done. Then move on to thinking about the jump after that. The student progression is a learning course, and it's designed to take a guy off the street and make them a skydiver, so you'll learn everything you need to know there, without any additional research required. You can poke around the net, and read whatever you want, but in the end consider everything you read as 'hypothetical', and everything you learn, in-person, at the DZ where you will be jumping as 'fact'.

One last note - tandem harnesses are notoriously uncomfortable, based on the way you sit in them under canopy. Even more so for a bigger guy. A solo sport rig is MUCH more comfortable, and a properly fitted used rig will be the same as a new one. Manufacturers have a list of sizes, and when you order a rig they pick the closest size to your measurements. So if it's a brand new 'XL' harness, or a used 'XL' harness, it's all the same.

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I'll just make a few quick points to help you understand how this all works -

1. You don't need/want any gear until after you have a license. All of your jump up to that point will be under the supervision of an instructor or coach, and the DZ will provide gear for you to jump. There are certain requirements for unlicensed jumpers, and the DZ provides gear that meets all of those needs. This gear, for the most part, is not what you will want beyond getting a license, so buying your own student rig is a monumental waste of money.

2. Used gear is the way to go in the beginning. All equipment is inspected by an FAA rated parachute rigger every 6 months, so if the equipment is 'in date', meaning less than 6 months since it's last inspection, it's going to be just as safe as a new rig. Additionally, when you buy used equipment, you have a rigger inspect it before the sale is 'final' to make sure you're getting what you paid for. You literally save thousands of dollars buying used, and this is a good thing because when you buy your first rig you'll know very little about what you really want/need from a rig. Your overall experience will be limited at that time, and you'll learn a lot more in your next 50 to 100 jumps.

3. When you get close to earning you licesne (25 jumps) start asking your instructors about what sort of gear would be good for your first rig. Ask around the DZ is anyone has anything for sale, check the classified section of this website, and call every gear store you can find advertsided in Parachutist magazine. Your size is not going to be too much of a problem, there are 'big boy' rigs out there for sale all the time.

4. For now, just focus on your next jump. Get it scheduled and then get it done. Then move on to thinking about the jump after that. The student progression is a learning course, and it's designed to take a guy off the street and make them a skydiver, so you'll learn everything you need to know there, without any additional research required. You can poke around the net, and read whatever you want, but in the end consider everything you read as 'hypothetical', and everything you learn, in-person, at the DZ where you will be jumping as 'fact'.

One last note - tandem harnesses are notoriously uncomfortable, based on the way you sit in them under canopy. Even more so for a bigger guy. A solo sport rig is MUCH more comfortable, and a properly fitted used rig will be the same as a new one. Manufacturers have a list of sizes, and when you order a rig they pick the closest size to your measurements. So if it's a brand new 'XL' harness, or a used 'XL' harness, it's all the same.




All good points....however~

I will say, these days if you have the spare coin and are 6'4"+
...there really IS something to getting a custom rig right off.

I was in the sport 15 years before I ever ordered a custom rig, when it came I was kicking myself big time...incredible difference in both comfort and flying performance.

Might help the learning curve having proper fitting gear to start.

My MLW is 4 inches longer than the 'standard length large' offered by my rigs manufacturer...think about range of motion in a harness 4 inches to short on ya! ;)










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

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