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JoeyH

Wings or vector?

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I have a Wings and my girlfriend had a Vector. She loved it but ended up buying a new wings because the military discount was awesome. I did jump her vector on one occasion and it felt like I was carrying a chunk of wood on my back. It was an older Vector III model so I dont know what the new ones feel like. I heard that Wings now has magnetic riser covers so you may want to call and verify. I think no matter which one you choose you wont be disapointed. I did have a chop and the reserve system of my wings worked very well. :)

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i jump a wings rig and absolutely love it, wings has some of the best customer service out there.
they have hooked me up with all kinds of freebies.
i bought the container used, years later i come to the factory to get a longer wingsuit bridle and they hook me up with an anti-twist d-bag, cut the corners and made them dynamic, sewed up my d-bag and pc on my new bridle, and actually pulled someone off of production to make my custom 10' bridle while i waited. they will do whatever they can to make you happy, plus i hear the microns are on a 11 month wait......:S

Flock University FWC / ZFlock
B.A.S.E. 1580
Aussie BASE 121

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I have a Wings and my girlfriend had a Vector. She loved it but ended up buying a new wings because the military discount was awesome. I did jump her vector on one occasion and it felt like I was carrying a chunk of wood on my back. It was an older Vector III model so I dont know what the new ones feel like. I heard that Wings now has magnetic riser covers so you may want to call and verify. I think no matter which one you choose you wont be disapointed. I did have a chop and the reserve system of my wings worked very well. :)



Ha-- I was just about to reply this, except saying that my wings feels like a brick on my back. I know women in particular have issues with the wings fit. They have a habit of really coming off of your back in a sit, even when the laterals are extra tight on you on the ground. The laterals themselves are a another issue-- I hear a lot of chicks have to send their rig back to be taken in (me included, and I was measured right in the shop! ....the customer service was AWESOME through that process though!) And I feel like the rig just never feels broken in and is like a brick on a shorter female with a moderately sized canopy in there (I have a 135 main and reserve and I'm 5'6" 127lb). I jumped an older javelin before this, and I would say the wings isn't screaming in comfort over it (despite all the padding options I got).

BUT... it's functional and safe. I am not a fan of closing the riser covers on it compared to other rigs, and my rigger would probably prefer to pack the vector over the wings. It's the best rig for the price that you'll find out there. If I had the money, and I didn't mind waiting for a new rig, I would look into the vector, IMO. I've heard good things recently about infinity too.
Apologies for the spelling (and grammar).... I got a B.S, not a B.A. :)

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same product... you ordered yours well before the wait was increased to 10-11 months. I ordered mine last month (Nov.) and am looking at early October '13
In every man's life he will be allotted one good woman and one good dog. That's all you get, so appreciate them while the time you have with them lasts.

- RiggerLee

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for me it was winning a 30% off coupon and being willing to wait. I ordered a Vector to fit from a 190 to a 150, currently flying a 210 and hoping to be near ready to move down once the container is done.
In every man's life he will be allotted one good woman and one good dog. That's all you get, so appreciate them while the time you have with them lasts.

- RiggerLee

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half mooning I was referring to is a poorly packed reserve PC that prints the #3/#4 (side) closing flaps of the reserve. It can happen on exposed PC's (Such as the Javelin, Dolphin, Wings and Racer) in which case it becomes a hazard whereas with a Vector it is a cosmetic problem not a line snag problem or exposed reserve componetry problem. Mr. Sherman has presented his arguments for the Racer, it is a safe enough rig, if one understands some aspects that are different about it. As I stated before, everyone has their opinions.

As far as a Vector folding in freefall-any piggy back rig on the market will have some flex at the main/reserve junction. This is minimized by proper fit, and in my experience the Vector has less than most rigs due to it's "brickishness".

-Harry
"Sometimes you eat the bar,
and well-sometimes the bar eats you..."

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The Racer and Dolphin rigs are both very hideous looking to me. In my opinion, if it can look good, AND perform good, then why get the ugly one that is gonna piss off your rigger?? lol You'll be spending a lot of time with your rig, so get something YOU like. It's like asking other people to pick out a girlfriend for you.

I'd look into the Javelin. They are quite comfy.

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At least call Jumpshack and demo a racer. I've had a few vectors, and they function fine. They don't have the fit of a racer. I have 3 racers btw.. Better to pay shipping to demo racers than pay for vector or wings and wish you had tried one. Besides, for the small price of demoing, u get experience and knowledge which is worth it alone. Plus they have some of the fastest delivery times available!

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Absolutely no comparison. The Vector people are the inventors of the throw away pilot chute, the 3 ring release for cut away which is the standard of the world, and more recently, the Skyhook. I am with them since 1977 or 35 years. Vector has a superior design and is always innovating for the best. So far so good.:)

Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

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Hey! So yeah... I have jumped and packed wings and it was a really comfortable harness and really easy to close when packing. Dads vector was also an easy pack but seemed like the harness was thinner and would be less comfortable (never jumped it because he had a velocity 96 in it) which is more reliable? Which is better?



Get the Racer



flawed design
Look out for the freefly team, Smelly Peppers. Once we get a couple years more experience we will be a force to be reckoned with in the near future! BLUES!

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Be careful not to get the one with the Hand Deploy Reserve.

See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaYQ6iP8zlg

Don’t they both have a similar reserve pilot chutes?

:o



yes, have seen this. most important thing for a h/c system is the reserve deployment. whatever this is should be off your list until addressed - not sure if it has.

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Never jumped a vector but I own a Wings
1) toggles are always popping out of the riser covers
2) The reserve flap is just built wrong. Initially it popped out when any time you de-arch but I got the service on it and it stays in now.
3) Right after the reserve repack, the reserve pilot chute plate fits well (no exposed fabric) but after a few jumps, it settles and I have about 1/8 inch gaps. After a few more freefly jumps, the reserve pilot chute fabric starts creeping out. Even when it was repacked at Wings in Z-hills.
4) The grommets don't really line up. I had a 190 in there and a 170.
5) After getting the wingsuit modification (they just popped a few stitches at the bottom of the main canopy tray) The bottom flap always gets scrunched up when I tighten up the main. I stick a finger in there to smooth it out every time. I also keep my hand on it to keep it flat while I tighten the side flaps.

On the positive side:
-It fits me well
-It does have an articulated harness.
-Wings give excellent service the couple of times I needed something from them.
There are no dangerous dives
Only dangerous divers

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Never jumped a vector but I own a Wings
1) toggles are always popping out of the riser covers



Why is it doing that? I own a wings and have hundreds of pack jobs on them and never had or heard of a problem with the toggles possing out.

I also have never had a problem w/ my pilot chute material creeping out, but I don't freefly so maybe that is a difference.
"What if there were no hypothetical questions?"

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