wildfan75 1 #76 December 7, 2006 Ummm...you live in Arizona. Ummm...boy....hmmm...how do I say this.... PULL UP THE SKIRT!! Jumping in Wisconsin during winter...now that's cold. It's maybe going to hit mid 30's this weekend...heat wave!!! I'm not flaming at you. Maybe a little jealous that you can do naked winter jumps and I can't! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rehmwa 2 #77 December 7, 2006 you can do naked winter jumps in Wisconsin in the winter...... (Hammer - in addition to the full face, have something around your neck to tuck up. Be aware of shield fogging potential. and PULL UP THE SKIRT) ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iluvtofly 0 #78 December 7, 2006 As someone who has recently gotten their A license I'm in the process of looking for my own gear. I've been looking at used but my problem is that I'm big for the sport. I'm 5'6" and 210lbs. Finding something to fit that is hard enough. Plus, I'm looking to get a 230 canopy, so finding something to fit that is even harder. I wanted to get used but after 2 months of searching the classifies every single day I'm pretty much going to be forced to buy new. I had the idea of buying new because I know that I'll be downsizing in the next year or two but what else can I do? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildfan75 1 #79 December 7, 2006 You could find a used main and reserve. Then your can order a new rig to fit them. Saves you some money. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kris2extreme 0 #80 December 7, 2006 QuoteQuote ahem, it's freaking easy to say this if you're a woman sized in the mid 5 foot range where appropriate beginner size canopies and containers exist by the thousands. Yep, I had such an easy time...not. I may be in the mid 5' range, but I'm sort of a "big boned" girl, so to find a rig that was short/small enough that would fit a main big enough was not easy. See the attached picture. That is how my thigh used to look while jumping our club's transition rig, until I started putting oven mitts down my jump suit so I could get the leg straps tight enough because the container was too long. I wouldn't have had this problem if I was 6', 200lbs. So this might be a 'grass is greener on the other side'. I would think it would be easier to find a beginner rig for someone 6', 200lbs than for me. There's more men in this sport, more people that look like you than me. It's all perspective. Just from my general observation in looking for gear over the last few months (i'm also a small person, 5'6" 110lbs)... There are TONS of containers available to fit average sized people. Anywhere from 5'8" 150lbs up to 6'1" 220lbs.. while being very few containers out there for a skinny-short person. BUT, when it comes to canopies, the lighter people have much more available to them. There are LOTS of used 150sqft and below canopies that are available cheaply... but after I started shopping around for a buddy of mine who needs a 210-230sqft canopy... there are few to pick from. I assume this mostly to be because since they are the "average" sized novice canopies, there is no abundance of 5+ year old canopies that have low jump numbers and still in great condition. I agree gear is expensive, but if you are apt enough to look around for deals and pay attention to pricing on items, you can usually come out with a rig for fairly cheap. I spent under 2000 on my first rig, and it had a ZP main, was freefly friendly, and a cypres w/6yrs left on it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RogerRamjet 0 #81 December 7, 2006 QuoteQuoteHow much did a wonderhog, a main, and reserve cost in 1980's? Not sure about the eighties, but in the seventies I thought a Wonderhog at $320 was outrageous when most other rigs were going for $240'ish. Strato Stars were $549, and a good National Bias LoPo reserve went for $365 if I recall. Nobody used AADs, so that was a wash. My Silly Suit cost something like $90 and I thought THAT was pure highway robbery. Ditto for the $10 prices to 12,500 that went into effect in 1980. What the fuck, did they think we were MADE out of money ?!? Reserve repacks went from $5 to $10 when the FAA changed the rules from 60 to 120 days and anybody who suggested paying somebody else to pack their main for them would've been pelted with beer bottles - and not all of them would've been empty bottles either. Sky sports ain't cheap - never have been & never will be. It's all a matter of setting your priorities. Something happened around that time too that had an effect on all of this... When the Wonderhog was introduced in 1974, it was something of a revolution (so were other rigs coming out around then like the SST, Eagle, and a few others). The original price I believe was $250.00. When we introduced the hand-deploy pilot chute, we increased the price (I think to $275 or $300). The 3-Ring introduction increased the price again. BUT.. the thing that really had an effect on pricing was the TSO requirements that "caught up" with the industry during that period. When the Wonderhog, SST, Eagle, and all the other new streamlined rigs were introduced in the mid '70s, it was a time of lax FAA involvement in our sport. NONE of them was TSOd at the time (and no one cared either they were so much better than what we had been jumping). When it became obvious the TSOs were going to be required, most of the smaller rig manufacturers folded up. The few making some real money spent it on the TSO process and eventually passed this on to the consumer. I believe that was the first major jump in price and increases after that were more on par with general costs of everything going up since then. I bought my first mil surplus rig complete for $150.00 which consisted of a B4 with belly wart, a C-9 28' cheapo and a 24' flat reserve. When I got my Wonderhog, I added a $50.00 surplus Navy Conical reserve to the 28. When the 28 had a lineover and burned up, I bought one of the first Strato-Stars sold for $425.00 (I believe, someone else in this thread mentioned $300.00, but I don't remember it being that low). Anyway, I think the prices of the rigs/canopies today are probably where they need to be if you want the manufacturers to be around next year... ----------------------- Roger "Ramjet" Clark FB# 271, SCR 3245, SCS 1519 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fast 0 #82 December 7, 2006 QuoteMaybe a little jealous that you can do naked winter jumps and I can't! Tell that to sanssuit Not that I would ever be doing one, but some of the hardcore people do!~D Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
udder 0 #83 December 8, 2006 amen to that. As soon as I have enough work behind me a Vector 3 is coming courtesy of a bank loan. Though there will probably be a Vector 5 by the time I graduate and have a job.."In one way or the other, I'm a bad brother. Word to the motherf**ker." Eazy-E Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slug 1 #84 December 8, 2006 QuoteI just purchased a used Factory Diver full face from ebay. I bought this because it is getting cold and I thought the full face helmet would be more comfortable. Being a desert rat all of my life, I really HATE TO BE COLD. I know on my one AFF jump, it was really cold when they opened the door and I remember thinking that. Once I jumped, I don't remember any cold until I got under canopy. I figured if they don't want me to use it for my training dives, I would be able to use it down the line and I am pretty sure I got a good deal at 140, with a brand new spare sheild and padded storage bag. Anyhow, flame away at my lack of cold tolerance. Hi RB No reason to flame your temp comfort range or choice of gear. Different strokes for diff folks.A less expensive low temp choice for face protection would be a cheapo wool ski mask or the more expensive neopreme half face ski mask. worn under pro tech.Warning: do not jump with full face ski mask on backwards unless your eye's are located in the back of your head R.I.P. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UDSkyJunkie 0 #85 December 8, 2006 Anyone who thinks GEAR is expensive should try to fund 4-WAY TRAINING!!! I've spent enough on 4-way in the last two years to buy my gear 5 times over. Or my car twice. Or put a nice down payment on a house... and my team doesn't even train that hard. I shouldn't complain, because I love 4-way... it'd be insane to spend that kind of money if I didn't. The same goes for all aspects of skydiving, wether it's gear or coaching or tunnel or training jumps. And, as has been said here before, gear is only expensive if you want it to be. One of my teammates is a professional musician. Not a lot of money there. His rig is a Vector II with an old-school Sabre 190, Raven II, and a cypres. He got all but the AAD about 8 years ago, with like 20 jumps on it, for something like $1800, and the rig still has tons of life left in it. These days, you could probably score that same rig for under a grand."Some people follow their dreams, others hunt them down and beat them mercilessly into submission." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Elisha 1 #86 December 8, 2006 Quote...an old-school Sabre 190.... What's an old-school Sabre? Would that be something different from my mfg 7/94 Sabre 120 or different from my mfg 3/91 Sabre 150 I'm trying to sell (only has around 11 jumps - nuttin' wrong with it). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stratostar 5 #87 December 8, 2006 QuoteWhat's an old-school Sabre? uncool canopy, unmodern, not hip, out of fashion. Wow you still jump a 120 sabre 1, you got to get hip and get ya one of those 86 ft x-braced hankies so you can be one of the bu-tee-ful people.you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Reginald 0 #88 December 8, 2006 QuoteFor those of you who complain that skydiving is expensive: I like it when people bitch about the cost of a reserve and want the cheapest one they can find. "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dharma1976 0 #89 December 8, 2006 QuoteQuoteWhat's an old-school Sabre? uncool canopy, unmodern, not hip, out of fashion. Wow you still jump a 120 sabre 1, you got to get hip and get ya one of those 86 ft x-braced hankies so you can be one of the bu-tee-ful people. sabre120=great canopy especially if the price is right Davehttp://www.skyjunky.com CSpenceFLY - I can't believe the number of people willing to bet their life on someone else doing the right thing. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stratostar 5 #90 December 8, 2006 Surely you didn't think I was being serious.you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RB_Hammer 0 #91 December 8, 2006 QuoteSurely you didn't think I was being serious. Stop calling me Surely..."I'm not lost. I don't know where I'm going, but there's no sense in being late." Mathew Quigley Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
labrys 0 #92 December 8, 2006 Why so grumpy? Pick the wrong day to stop sniffing glue?Owned by Remi #? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RB_Hammer 0 #93 December 8, 2006 Damn, forgot the proper use of the "I'm not lost. I don't know where I'm going, but there's no sense in being late." Mathew Quigley Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bozo 0 #94 December 8, 2006 QuoteWhy so grumpy? Pick the wrong day to stop sniffing glue? was that a PA ????????? bozo Pain is fleeting. Glory lasts forever. Chicks dig scars. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UDSkyJunkie 0 #95 December 8, 2006 QuoteWhat's an old-school Sabre? Would that be something different from my mfg 7/94 Sabre 120 or different from my mfg 3/91 Sabre 150 I'm trying to sell (only has around 11 jumps - nuttin' wrong with it). Yeah, by "old-school Sabre" I just meant "Sabre1". The term Sabre1 bugs me because I remember when the Sabre was the best canopy out there. You're quite right that there's nothing wrong with them... I have 500 jumps on a Sabre 135, and it's a great canopy. I still believe it is, by far, the best first canopy for your money. Of course, try convincing that to someone with 50 jumps who keeps getting told that they are "old" "outdated" and open "incredibly hard"."Some people follow their dreams, others hunt them down and beat them mercilessly into submission." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Elisha 1 #96 December 8, 2006 QuoteQuoteQuoteWhat's an old-school Sabre? uncool canopy, unmodern, not hip, out of fashion. Wow you still jump a 120 sabre 1, you got to get hip and get ya one of those 86 ft x-braced hankies so you can be one of the bu-tee-ful people. sabre120=great canopy especially if the price is right Dave I got one...and freshly relined too. ....and it has a pink center cell (with Navy and light blue other cells)! Mfg 7/94 with 500ish jumps....paid $250. I got it relined after about 35 jumps....and it came on mini-risers and the previous owner had modded the crappy velcro slider to put drawstrings. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Elisha 1 #97 December 8, 2006 Quote sabre120=great canopy especially if the price is right Dave Btw, so why should I feel so fortunate? How does it kick ass for the price? I plan to have it for Later Date(>=100 more jumps OR $$$ to buy Sabre2-120), which will probably be the latter. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
brianfry713 0 #98 December 8, 2006 This sport is expensive, and so is the gear. If you don't think so, then buy me jumps and everything on my wish list. Luckily I have a decent job, but I still keep playing until I'm broke. Now I'm taking airplane flying lessons as well, that's way more expensive than skydiving. Where I'm going it's $95 an hour for the plane (1981 Cessna 172), $50 per hour for the instructor, and 40-70+ hours to get a license. Plus around $100k if you want to buy a decent used plane. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
labrys 0 #99 December 8, 2006 QuoteThis sport is expensive, and so is the gear. If you don't think so, then buy me jumps and everything on my wish list. Well, if you can show me where I said I didn't think it was expensive, I'll buy you a complete set of new gear and jump tickets for life. How's that? I asked why people complained about the expense.Owned by Remi #? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stratostar 5 #100 December 9, 2006 QuoteStop calling me Surely... Ok Mary.....you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
