Buying gear in what order?

[Terruko 0]

After finishing with the AFF course can I start buying some gear or should I wait until I have enough money to buy a rig and then buy everything I need? Can I buy a helmet, an altimeter, or should I wait until I have my rig? how about a jumpsuit? can I buy one of those or should I first buy the rig? I've seen some $300+ helmets, can I get one of those or should I buy cheap ones since I'm just a beginner, how about jumpsuits, new or used? altimeter?

Thanks.

[skydude2000 3]

Start with the small stuff
My 2 cents. YMMV. Welcome :D

PULL!! or DIE!!

[Muffie 0]

Really up to you. Maybe check with your instructors.

For me, I bought goggles and alti first. Nothing fancy - just my own version of what I'd used as a student. (new)

Then I bought a jumpsuit that I could use for basic RW and FF. (new)

Then I bought my rig, canopy, reserve, AAD, helmet, and dytter in one package from someone selling their gear.

I wouldn't spend massive amounts of money on the fanciest of the fanciest of anything at this stage, but it is good to have your own stuff. (And depending on where you jump, they're less likely to lend you or rent you certain gear after you're off student status.)

[Terruko 0]

So can I buy one of those good quality expensive helmets even if I'm a beginner? I plan on skydiving a lot, so should I just go for the one I want instead of buying different helmets?

[skydude2000 3]

Your instructors might not want you/let you jump a full-face yet. Coaches still like to see your eyes

PULL!! or DIE!!

[airtwardo 6]

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So can I buy one of those good quality expensive helmets even if I'm a beginner? I plan on skydiving a lot, so should I just go for the one I want instead of buying different helmets?

At this point in your progression you really don't know what kind you want...

I would go with a new but cheaper type...there are plenty suitable. Like a Skysystems Benny or a ProTec.

I have literally a dozen helmets I've accumulated over the years...for weight & protection it's tough to beat a Benny...and you can take the 250 bucks you save and put 10 jumps in your logbook!

Log book pages may not be as sexy to show off as a shiny new helmet...but they'll give you a lot more cred at the DZ!

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

[SeanYang2k 0]

I'll be completing my 25th jump this weekend after starting AFF last August. I just recently got a used jumpsuit, a new helmet, and a new audible alt. I bought my visual altimeter at the beginning of AFF. I'll be looking at getting a rig next month. After doing a lot of research here and on the Internet, and especially as a beginner, I would get used gear as much as you can. It also depends on your budget and how much you can afford/spend. If you're full of deep pockets and want to spend the money on new gear, then by all means go for it. Used jumpsuits that fit you can be hard to find, although they can be tailored to fit you better. Used helmets can be found very easily. I went with a new G3 helmet because I got it at a great deal, almost the same price as a used. You don't NEED an audible alt. but I wanted to have a secondary alt, which is recommended by most people (having 2 alts). For a rig I'll probably buy a new container and the rest of it used. I'm a tiny dude (5'5" 115lb) so it's hard for me to find a used container that fits well... and trust me I search all the used skydiving gear websites.

My #1 recommendation: do your research and search all the possible websites for used gear that you can. If you can afford new gear, go for it.

If you can only afford a rig, I'd go for the rig first. Just my opinion.

Safe Flying!

[skyjumpenfool 2]

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So can I buy one of those good quality expensive helmets even if I'm a beginner? I plan on skydiving a lot, so should I just go for the one I want instead of buying different helmets?

Pick a helmet that will work for you. Check with your instructors first. Ask the UP-jumpers for advice. There are advantages and disadvantages to every helmet style. Looking cool should be low on the decision criteria.

A good open face helmet works great for several disiplines. You may also want a full face for others. My sugestion... buy a good open face halemet for starters. It doesn't have to cost alot. Example - Fairwinds are about $75. Later on, when you buy a full face, you'll still find the older open face helmet usefull.

Birdshit & Fools Productions

"Son, only two things fall from the sky."

[SeanYang2k 0]

If you are just coming off AFF and entering Coach status... you will probably need to speak with your Instructor or Coach about the open face or closed face helmet. Some Instructor's and Coaches prefer you not to have a full face so they can see your eyes and face.

[ljwobker 2]

My thoughts... in no particular order.

I jump with contact lenses, and after losing one on my very first AFF jump, I bought a full face helmet that fit well (it was a Z1) and then I jumped it over 2500 times over the next 10 years.

Some of this depends on what you can either easily rent or borrow at your local DZ.

If you plan to do any remotely serious RW, get yourself a decent jumpsuit that has all the grips and is solidly built, and fits you the way it should. No point wasting a bunch of jumps because you're big and have a suit that's too fast, or you're little and have a suit that keeps you floaty all the time. Get help, get measured, and get something that helps you fall WITH people, not WITHOUT them. You can rent a lot of rigs that are safe and get the job done... but tt's almost impossible to borrow a jumpsuit that really fits.

You're much more likely to progress through main canopies than you are the container and the reserve. If you can afford it, get either a new or good condition, high quality used rig and a good reserve. Almost all rigs can be sized to fit THREE levels of mains if you do it right... just one example if you're my size would be : an Optimum 176 reserve, then for mains you can do a Pilot ZPX 188 to start, then a sabre2/pilot 170, then a katana 150... that's easily a thousand jumps worth of experience right there, all in the same container/reserve.

As long as you take care of your gear, especially main canopies, you can buy one slightly used, then put 200-300 jumps on it, then sell it for almost the same amount you paid. "Renting" a main parachute for a buck a jump is a pretty good deal. ;-)

Anyway.. hope that helps. Feel free to PM me if you have specific questions...

[cavscout73 0]

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So can I buy one of those good quality expensive helmets even if I'm a beginner? I plan on skydiving a lot, so should I just go for the one I want instead of buying different helmets?

Go with a sky systems Benny. Good protection and not too bad for looks.. Less than 100 bucks..

[dthames 0]

I was not interested in a series of canopy downsize moves. Getting into my own rig (early) so I could work with the same canopy all of the time was a good move.

Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

[demoknite 0]

Me...
1. Open faced helmet (pimp daddy I think)
2. Galaxy 3 analog altimeter
3. Sorz Goggles
4. Used, ill fitting RW suit. Went to a wedding dress fitter and got it altered. Fits perfectly.
5. Used oxygn helmet (traded for 3 jump tickets) still use this
6. Full kit with brand new everything at around 80 jumps since I am taller and broader than most skydivers. Couldnt find used that suited my needs. Wouldnt change that decision even though it goes against common advice.
7. Audible
8. Every season I treat myself to something new like an altimeter that I dont really need, some gloves, or a helmet that Ill jump a few weeks and sell off to someone because its not as good as my oxygn.

[Shredex 0]

Does a rental include all the tid bits at your DZ? Helmet/Alti/rig?

If so, then don't waste money on an open-face just yet. Better to just use the rental till you find something you really like.

I bought a Cookie G2($240) right after AFF, and I love it. You'll wish you had a full-face on cold days, too ;p
G2/G3 has a very large view range and you can see a person's mouth and eye's no problem.


Before I even started skydiving I bought some used gear
Alti-track+Software for $300 (You don't need something this fancy)
2 Jumpsuits for $95(1 RW Tonysuit with booties, 1 Dive-Rite Multi-suit)
Open-face for $90

I ended up not using the helmet and it's been sitting on my shelf collecting dust without seeing the sky once since I bought it.

Note: You won't be able to use booties till you have your A-license or just on solo's(maybe), so when looking for a jumpsuit, don't get one with booties if you plan on using it for coach jumps and what not.


As for the Rig, wait till you know what you want. You'll be downsizing a lot so don't really think about one till at least around 50 jumps. I got one at 30 jumps but my rig can hold a 170(f111 tight or Pulse) down to a 135, so I'm good for a couple hundred jumps.

But speak with your instructor(s) to find out for sure what would work for you.

[NWFlyer 2]

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Note: You won't be able to use booties till you have your A-license or just on solo's(maybe), so when looking for a jumpsuit, don't get one with booties if you plan on using it for coach jumps and what not.

This is actually pretty bad advice. Whether or not you can use booties pre-A may vary by dropzone. Some will advise against it, others will be fine with it.

I would advise exactly the opposite in purchasing a belly RW suit - booties are an extremely useful tool, and if you get them in your first jumpsuit you don't need to buy another one when you decide you want booties.

Booties can be tucked up if one doesn't want to use them. But it's rather difficult construction to add them to a jumpsuit after the jumpsuit is built.

All that said, if you can find a cheap used jumpsuit that fits and it doesn't have booties, go for it and use it while you figure out what you want to be when you grow up in skydiving. But a lot of people aren't going to have any luck finding a well-fitting used suit, and will purchase a custom fit. In that case, skipping the booties on a belly suit is short-sighted, IMO.

"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