Is it time for my first rig?

[Dsix36 5]

I am newly licensed with only 37 jumps.  I am 6' tall and weigh 155 pounds.  I began on a 240 and after 16 jumps moved to a 220.  the 220 instantly felt better, more stable, and easier to maneuver.  I had a lot of trouble learning to land half decently and finally did a stand up landing on my 16th jump.  I have been standing up pretty regularly now (or at least no longer having to PLF).

My next trip to skydive, I plan to do my first jump with the 220 and if I stand it up I will move down to a 200 for the rest of the day.  My real question is when and what size to get.  I do not want to end up downsizing after just a few jumps but am not in any hurry to go fast either.  I am almost 60 and that stuff is behind me now.  swooping is not in my future.

Renting is basically like throwing away money with nothing to show for it.  I will be talking to my instructors and other divers at the DZ when i get there but wanted to hear some of your thoughts too.

[husslr187 24]

I jumped from a 210 rental to a 170 sabre used gear but now mine around that jump number. my exit weight was around 200 and put my wing load around 1.1-1.2 which was ok for me but i was also 32 at the time. I have done a canopy course beforehand as well.

if i was in your shoes, i would see about getting something used that fits 210-190 with the plan of maybe buying a new container in a year. After jumping for a year or so you’ll have a better idea of what you want and it’s better to beat up used gear. if you haven’t taken a canopy course yet i would prioritized that as well as it will help improve your landing. 

[BMAC615 205]

Your instructor and/or coach should be able to best guide you. Typically, you want to be less than .8 pounds per sq ft. Going to a smaller canopy will not improve your landings - learning to flair properly on any size canopy is the only thing that will improve your landings.

.8 W/L is based on your exit weight. 155+30lbs of gear puts you at 185 lb exit weight. Different canopies with the same sq ft fly much differently. The condition of the canopy also dictates the flight characteristics. A crispy 9-cell 240 will fly much sportier than a clapped out 7-cell 200.

Moving to the 200 is not recommended unless your instructor or coach signs you off to do so. Flying smaller canopies is not a badge of honor or a rite of passage. Fly a .8 W/L until you can consistently land exactly where you intend because, eventually, you’ll have an off DZ landing and those accuracy skills will come in handy.

As for buying your own gear, buy it whenever you are ready. Choose the main and reserve first and then find a container to fit those sizes. Again, IMO, a docile canopy with a .8 W/L for your first 100 jumps will serve you well in the future.

Here’s an article by John LeBlanc in the subject. https://www.performancedesigns.com/docs/wingload.pdf

and here’s a calculator: https://pureskydive.com/canopy-wing-loading-calculator/?weight=155&eq_weight=25&size=222

Edited December 25, 2020 by BMAC615

[Dsix36 5]

My instructor was the one who told me to move to a 200 if my initial landing on my next visit was a solid stand up one.  That is kinda what I am using as a guideline here.

[BMAC615 205]

Cool, he will be the best person to give you canopy choice instruction as he knows your skill and ability level. Since you’re looking for internet advice, you’ll want a main canopy like a Pulse or Spectre 190 and a PDR 193 at the smallest. Fly those for 100 or 200 jumps and then decide what do do after that. That canopy and size is always in demand, so, you should be able to sell without much depreciation.

Edited December 25, 2020 by BMAC615

[JoeWeber 2,294]

3 hours ago, BMAC615 said:

Cool, he will be the best person to give you canopy choice instruction as he knows your skill and ability level. Since you’re looking for internet advice, you’ll want a main canopy like a Pulse or Spectre 190 and a PDR 193 at the smallest. Fly those for 100 or 200 jumps and then decide what do do after that. That canopy and size is always in demand, so, you should be able to sell without much depreciation.

Your advice is well reasoned and well explained. Whoever you are the sport needs more people like you. 

[wolfriverjoe 1,339]

I'm about your size. 

I flew a 190 Triathlon after student gear. 

Jumped that until about #200 and went to a 170 Sabre2. 

Haven't changed from that, and I'm a bit above 600 right now. 

No real plans to downsize. I've thought about demoing a 150, but the couple times I was somewhere to do that, it kept being unavailable. No big worries.

I'm about your age, too. So the idea of a nice, gentle, reasonably slow canopy is a good thing.

[BMAC615 205]

2 hours ago, JoeWeber said:

Your advice is well reasoned and well explained. Whoever you are the sport needs more people like you. 

Thanks, Joe.