Equipment

[Jeeperrs 1]

I know equipment is a personal choice.  However, I thought I would throw this out there.  I was airborne on active duty and have some jumps.  I recently decided to try free fall since my jumps were all static line.  My first jump was an extremely hard tandem open, hard enough that they guy jumping with me decided not to jump the rest of the day because it hurt him.  I had a sore neck for a few days and some burn rash between my legs for a few days. Two weeks later I decided to start working on my license and student rigs are not a good fit for me most of the time.  I will buy a rig sooner than later so I don't dislike the sport due to one size fits all pains.  I have been to two different drop zones and they both seem loyal to a specific brand.  I am 5'9.5" and 180 lbs.  I will use other measurements for the harness.  However, I just want an easy opening parachute with easy handling.  I am 46 years old and just enjoy, as they say in the Army, the breeze between my knees.  I don't every plan to do the crazy crap you young people do, but I do enjoy watching on Youtube, LOL.  What are some good mid range containers, main, and reserves? Does adding rings to the harness make a big difference? I plan to jump this for a long while.  I know some will say I will want to upgrade in the future, and I may.  But, I have the means to buy now and can take the financial hit if I sell early.  I will go high end on helmets, altimeters, AAD and that stuff because they last forever.  I have a good idea of what I want on those items but not the a container set.  Thanks for any recommendations.  

[wmw999 2,122]

The best first rig is one that you buy used, because you'll probably get it dirty falling down landing, and it'll almost certainly have a larger canopy than you'll end up with. Good fit on the container matters, but you'll want one of the instructors, and a rigger, at one of the DZ's that you've gone to for assistance in deciding what'a good deal for you. You can look at the ads here, and on the Facebook group Skydiving Gear for Sale, as well as the FB group for beginning skydivers.

Pretty much any container made since 2000 is going to be safe and adequate for your use; it's way more important for it to fit canopies that are safe and appropriate to your size and experience level. You want the instructor for advice on what's appropriate based on your skill set, and the rigger because he or she will be packing it, and can evaluate what condition it's in, and how it's been maintained.

Measurements to take into account are the yoke (which matters based mostly on your chest and shoulder width), length (body length -- not just height), and laterals (basically how wide and deep you are -- i.e. thick through the middle). Each container is sized for particular sized main and reserve canopies. Some older containers (generally from the very early 2000's and before) were sized to have a significantly smaller reserve canopy than main. Don't get one of those; it was a bad idea in the interest of looking cool. You're much better off looking uninjured.

Check around here on dz.com; some of the articles in the Articles tab talk about how to pick out beginner gear.

No, student gear doesn't fit anyone perfectly, but bad openings can happen on any gear, and there is, in fact, a range of gear to fit most bodies.

Wendy P.

[riggerrob 558]

The good news is that hard openings are getting rarer with each new generation of parachute. These days, most hard openings are caused by sloppy packers. This should motivate you to learn how to pack your own parachute. Learning how to pack is best done at your local drop zone during a rainy day.

May I suggest that you ask a local instructor to show you how to slide your leg straps high in your crotch a minute or two before exit? Most thigh bruises are caused by poorly-adjusted harnesses sliding around during opening shock. A properly adjusted harness will eliminate most of the bruising.

Hip rings make a big difference - in comfort - when stuffing large jumpers into smaller airplanes. Chest rings are less important. The down-side is that ringed harnesses need to be fitted more precisely. I used to work at Rigging Innovations back when we were the only factory building ringed harnesses (early 1990s). Most of the complaints about poor fit came from second owners who were a different size than the original owner. To measure a harness precisely, you will need the assistance of your friendly neighborhood rigger.

Did you notice that I wrote the word "local" three times? That is because you will get the best advice from local professional skydivers who have an interest in you continuing to jump through next year ... and the year after ... and the year after that ...

[Bokdrol 40]

I'll add my 6p worth because, like you, I started as an 'older' jumper who'd done some jumps/tandems and decided to get into the sport. I decided after 100 jumps or so to purchase my own equipment from new having had enough of hiring, often jumping a different rig most times I jumped at various DZ's in UK/Europe. I went back to my AFF instructor and asked for advice. We decided that, at my age and skill levels,  I probably wasn't ever going to downsize. On his advice, I purchased a good Javelin container with a nice big Spectre ( although somewhat smaller than the student stuff and some of my previous hire kit) PD reserve and Cypres2. Back then the whole shebang cost me £4650.00 (Sterling) and lead times were minimal. I'm still jumping the same kit, although the AAD has expired and been replaced with new. Given the hire cost of £10-15 per jump plus packing depending where you jump, it 'paid for itself' some years ago. The Spectre has nice soft openings and is easy to handle.  I'm not really qualified to comment on the technical in's and outs'. Suffice it to say, I'm still very happy with my original purchase.

[sfzombie13 307]

i'd buy new if i were you, and would have when i bought my rig had i had the extra cash then.  i was planning on a new one when i got my backpay, but it's been a few years and i doubt i ever will but my used rig is still good so it doesn't matter.  i also don't plan on downsizing for the same reasons, but maybe going up a size or two.  this is something you may want to consider taking into account.  like wendy said a used one will do you just as good as a new one and may save some wear but a new one will probably last the rest of your life.  that was my thought anyway.  riggerrob was right as well, talk to your local folks and get their input on fit and particulars. 

[SethInMI 145]

I'm a bit late to this thread but my 0.02 is to echo Wendy and say buy used for first rig, and that all the major brands are fine. Javelin, Vector, Mirage, Infinity, Curv are popular, and there are others that I am skipping. 

Why used? Well you say you won't downside for a long time, but I don't believe you ; ). Sure you are a bit older, but ex-Airborne you will feel the need for a bit more speed.  I am 50, I jump a 135 loaded at 1.6 and it isn't a rocket ship, but it gives me several nice features. The rig is smaller, I can fit it in a carry-on suitcase, the canopy is smaller and easier to pack, the rig is lighter and more comfortable to wear, and the increased airspeed makes me less sensitive to changing wind speeds. All these will enter your mind as you get more comfortable with flying a canopy and if you are like many (but not all) jumpers you will drop canopy sizes.

 

[wmw999 2,122]

1 hour ago, SethInMI said:

I'm a bit late to this thread but my 0.02 is to echo Wendy and say buy used for first rig, and that all the major brands are fine. Javelin, Vector, Mirage, Infinity, Curv are popular, and there are others that I am skipping. 

Why used? Well you say you won't downside for a long time, but I don't believe you ; ). Sure you are a bit older, but ex-Airborne you will feel the need for a bit more speed.  I am 50, I jump a 135 loaded at 1.6 and it isn't a rocket ship, but it gives me several nice features. The rig is smaller, I can fit it in a carry-on suitcase, the canopy is smaller and easier to pack, the rig is lighter and more comfortable to wear, and the increased airspeed makes me less sensitive to changing wind speeds. All these will enter your mind as you get more comfortable with flying a canopy and if you are like many (but not all) jumpers you will drop canopy sizes.
 

As someone who only fairly recently upsized (I’m a 68-year old woman — if I break, I won’t heal fast), I completely agree with most of the advantages of a smaller rig. Comfort in wearing isn’t huge, simply because you really don’t wear your rig that much outside of sitting in an airplane. And anyway, I still remember wearing converted military gear  

Wendy P. 

[chuckakers 370]

On 8/7/2023 at 5:30 PM, Jeeperrs said:

"I don't every plan to do the crazy crap you young people do"

Famous last words. Welcome to the family.

BTW, at 5'9" and 180, there is a LOT of good used gear that would fit you just fine.

[riggerrob 558]

Will someone please explain to me the obsession with down-sizing?

Back when I was working full-time as a skydiving instructor (350 jumps per year), I weighed about 190 pounds and jumped 135 and 150 and 400 square foot canopies. After I quit working full-time in the skydiving industry, I put on  bit of weight (up to 230 pounds) and got un-current during COVID, so up-sized my main canopy to a Pilot 169. 169 is a challenge to land softly at my current weight of 190 pounds. Oh! And I am 66 years old now.

As it is now, I am in no rush to reach the ground and just enjoy hanging under canopy, doing gentle turns and enjoying the scenery.

[JerryBaumchen 1,048]

58 minutes ago, riggerrob said:

Will someone please explain to me the obsession with down-sizing?

Back when I was working full-time as a skydiving instructor (350 jumps per year), I weighed about 190 pounds and jumped 135 and 150 and 400 square foot canopies. After I quit working full-time in the skydiving industry, I put on  bit of weight (up to 230 pounds) and got un-current during COVID, so up-sized my main canopy to a Pilot 169. 169 is a challenge to land softly at my current weight of 190 pounds. Oh! And I am 66 years old now.

As it is now, I am in no rush to reach the ground and just enjoy hanging under canopy, doing gentle turns and enjoying the scenery.

Hi Rob,

A good friend; 76 yrs old, about 150 lbs & 7500 jumps just up-sized to a Pilot 7 187 LPV canopy, so he could get nice landings & stay in the game.

Jerry Baumchen

PS)  If your 169 is 'standard' fabric, you might fit a 187 LPV in there - check with Aerodyne.