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zcohen13

Buying my first rig

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I just completed my AFF course and am now working towards getting my A license and want to get my own rig. I am a 5'8 145 pound male. What size main parachute would you recommend for my first beginner rig, before I upgrade to a smaller sized canopy in the future?

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We would recommend talking to your Instructors. They will have a better gauge on how your canopy skills are and make appropriate recommendations.
Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

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zcohen13

I just completed my AFF course and am now working towards getting my A license and want to get my own rig. I am a 5'8 145 pound male. What size main parachute would you recommend for my first beginner rig, before I upgrade to a smaller sized canopy in the future?



It is actually possible to omit the step, "...before I upgrade to a smaller sized canopy in the future?"
Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

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JohnMitchell

Quick response? Your exit weight is about 170. I'd go with no smaller than a 170.

my gut says start with a 190. Stuffed in a container that should hold a 170. Since your a noob. ;)
i have on occasion been accused of pulling low . My response. Naw I wasn't low I'm just such a big guy I look closer than I really am .


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keithbar

***Quick response? Your exit weight is about 170. I'd go with no smaller than a 170.

my gut says start with a 190. Stuffed in a container that should hold a 170. Since your a noob. ;)

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
get a used rig sized as stated above, a 7 cell 190 may have the same pack volume as a 9-170. give yourself a year in the sport to decide where your path takes you, CRW, RW, FF, WS, Camera. there are many disciplines that require different canopy/rig choices.

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I wish that someone would have told me that buying a rig really only pays off if you plan on making a whole lot of jumps. For example, a new rig costs roughly $6,345. Assuming a cost of $35 per rig rental, you would need to make over 180 jumps before you would see any savings. Sure you can buy a used rig. I paid $4000 for my rig 5 years ago. However, a used rig isn't going to last as long because parachutes are a depreciable asset. In my opinion, used rigs aren't really that great of a deal. Honestly, renting a rig is probably better unless your making hundreds of jumps a year.

So, that's just my 2 cents. If you've got $4 to $6 grand to spend on a rig then maybe it's a good idea. But you could also just rent gear. For
$775 a year you could make a jump every month. Or for $1,550 you could jump twice a month, or once every other week. Over the past 8 years i think I averaged about 19.5 jumps a year. I could have made just as many jumps renting gear for the same amount of money. Now I'm left with a container / reserve that's too small, and a main that's too old.

Just something to consider! Either way, Blue Skies!

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megamalfunction

I wish that someone would have told me that buying a rig really only pays off if you plan on making a whole lot of jumps. For example, a new rig costs roughly $6,345. Assuming a cost of $35 per rig rental, you would need to make over 180 jumps before you would see any savings. Sure you can buy a used rig. I paid $4000 for my rig 5 years ago. However, a used rig isn't going to last as long because parachutes are a depreciable asset. In my opinion, used rigs aren't really that great of a deal. Honestly, renting a rig is probably better unless your making hundreds of jumps a year.

So, that's just my 2 cents. If you've got $4 to $6 grand to spend on a rig then maybe it's a good idea. But you could also just rent gear. For
$775 a year you could make a jump every month. Or for $1,550 you could jump twice a month, or once every other week. Over the past 8 years i think I averaged about 19.5 jumps a year. I could have made just as many jumps renting gear for the same amount of money. Now I'm left with a container / reserve that's too small, and a main that's too old.

Just something to consider! Either way, Blue Skies!



just a few counter points for you.

1. not all jumpers are sized for rental rigs, most DZs have 260sqft and down sized canopies and must be jumped 1:1 wingloaded. jp furnari sold me my first new rig when he worked at Sq1 after my SL instructor explained that not all DZs may have rental gear for my size.

2. everything depreciates. the rig JP sold me is now over 12 years old and still looks and functions great. have traded canopies on it several times over the years and has served as a backup to two new rigs i bought later. Keep the jump numbers low on your canopies and you get more for them. my first canopy a 7cell 260 is probably still out there basejumping somewhere. Chuting Star, back when they did consignments, sold a canopy for me and i got pretty darn close to a new price for it even though it had eloy and perris dust on it. so though my V-3 isn't worth the 5+K i laid out for it, it's always there as my backup with the same handles as my newer rig.

3. the handles/deployment system may be different between rental rigs/DZs. Borrowed gear can kill (no matter the source) and does so when it get's the chance.

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