Did you demo before you bought?

[jumper03 0]

This is to satisfy my curiosity after a post in the gear and rigging forum on the Smart reserve. Several jumpers seemed to indicate they bought the reserve without test jumping it.

If you bought gear w/o demoing it, I'd be interested in finding out why. I've always jumped stuff before buying - including helmets, alti's etc (with the exception of my jump suit )

Thanks,
Jump
------------

Scars remind us that the past is real

[mattjw916 2]

I have bought very little but have demo'd everything first. Doesn't cost much to demo and guarantees you pretty much get what you wanted.

NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

[ladyskydiver 0]

Nope...didn't demo any of my current gear. Bought it when I was just off student status. Now that I know about demos, when I do replace my gear, I will be demoing first.

Life is short! Break the rules! Forgive quickly! Kiss slowly! Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably. And never regret anything that made you smile.

[piisfish 135]

yes, almost everything... Except the canopy, demoed one size bigger... was a 145 i/o a 139 I ordered

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[mr2mk1g 10]

I demo’ed both my main and my reserve before I bought. I’ve also already demo’ed the canopy I’ll be downsizing to next.

For the smart reserves our club owns though we went on the recommendations of exp. Jumpers alone (including some from these forums). As the reserves are not owned and jumped by anyone in particular but by a club, personal pref. doesn’t enter into it, only whether or not they’re a good reserve. We’re far from qualified to make that call so we relied on the opinions of those who are – people with 1000’s of jumps and exp with reserves and knowledge of their manufacture.

(edit to add: but my first set of gear was bought without having demo'ed either canopy - simply on the advice of exp. jumpers... sometimes that's all you need).

[diablopilot 2]

Yes I have bought gear without jumping a demo.

Demos give you an opportunity to see if you like something, but if you have no access or no desire to jump a reserve, by all means then just buy the one you have the gratest confidence in.

----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[towerrat 0]

I demoed everything but my reserve. I chose to just buy a PD reserve, and I'm OK with that. The first rigs I jumped were Javelins and Wings, chose Wings. I demoed mains for months before I decided on my first canopy, a Sabre (OG Original). I have since bought new gear twice, and stuck with the Wings/PDR combo. My current main I bought used, and put several jumps on it before purchase. I will probably go with a Katana for my next main, but will wait for the 150 as I don't need to downsize. I will demo that main as well before purchase.

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes!

[TALONSKY 0]

The only thing I demo'ed before buying is on my first downsize of reserve a PDR 143, and on my second rig I did jump the Crossfire 129 I bought before I bought it. Most of my mains I did not demo before I bought them ( Safire 169, Crossfire 2 130, VX 109, and currently a Xaos 27 cell 98). I do alot of research on line and talking to people before I make my mind up on what I will buy. The main reason for not demoing gear is lack of any local demo's. I know I can call up companies and for some small charge get one flown out here but it is kind of a hassel and so far I have been very satisfied with each purchase.
Kirk

[pilotdave 0]

I demoed my main, but not my reserve. Switched from a Microraven 120 to a PD143. I'd like to demo a PD143 at some point, but I personally went by reputation.

Very glad I demoed the main before buying though. I was set to buy a spectre based on the reviews and descriptions I had read. Demoed it, liked it, almost bought one, but decided to just give the Sabre2 a try before making a decision. LOVED it. Bought it.

Dave

[soarfree 0]

I bought based on the advice of my AFP instructor.

Canopy is the same used as a student - sabre 2

The container is also the same - javelin (but this one hopefully won't give me bruises!)

Picking up my new-to-me rig tonight!!! Yippeee!!!

Well behaved women rarely make history - Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

[wmw999 2,130]

I've never demoed anything. Bought all my current gear used, and before when I bought new gear, demos just weren't common (late 70's, early 80's). Would I buy new gear without a demo? Probably, depending on what I was looking for and how much research I'd done.

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[Airman1270 0]

Nope. I did some research, spoke with a few gear dealers, etc. I went with a Triathalon 220 after jumping a huge Star-Trac for 11 years and a Strato Cloud for the previous 8 years. Beautiful! It's exactly what I was looking for. I bought the Smart reserve based on these discussions; I'd never heard of the Smart before I began this process. If I have to use it I'm sure I'll be pleased.
When choosing a container I spoke first to some riggers to find out what they hated to work with. Ended up with an Infinity. So far I'm quite pleased, except for the part about packing that %%#$@**&^ zero-P crap...

Cheers,
Jon S.

[billvon 2,406]

As an aside - if you ever demo a canopy/rig and really like it, just buy it right there. That way you will have a known-good canopy for less cost, and you won't end up with a new parachute for a lot more money with a built in turn or some other manufacturing defect. Some manufacturers aren't that consistent with their products.

[Ron 7]

If you can demo it...Do it.

It would be foolish to just buy something without trying it out.

Would you buy a new car without a test drive?
Would you get married without sleeping with her first?


Test jump EVERYTHING

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

[Thanatos340 1]

Nope. In fact I had never even personally seen an Icon , Smart or Pilot when I ordered mine.
Kind of Foolish looking back now but I had done a good bit of research beforehand.
I really liked what I had read about Aerodyne and their products but could not afford a new custom Rig. I had every intention of following everyone’s advice about always buying used for your first Rig.

I had just found a good solid used Rig that seemed right for me and was planning on mailing out the check for it the next day when I won a 50% off complete system from Aerodyne at a boogie.

Suddenly I had the choice of buying a brand new rig custom made for me with Custom Main and New Reserve for under $2000 or I could spend $2500 on an 8 year old Used Rig that sort of fit. Easy decision in my mind. I love my Icon and Pilot, I still haven’t flown the Smart and I am in no hurry to see that one, but I have confidence in it if the need arises.

[Conundrum 1]

Only thing I demo'd was my container and that was becuase it happend to be the one I was renting for a while and I loved it. Then Square One decided to replace it with a new container and sold my container to me.

I got un-passup-able deals on my main and reserve so I just grabbed 'em when I had the chance. Never had jumped or demoed either of them.

[freakyrat 1]

I demoed my PD126R reserve at the WFFC in Quincy a couple years back and found out how nice it was. It pays to take advantage of PD's reserve demos therefore there will be no suprises when you may have to use one. I did not demo the PD143R in my other rig and had to use it but it flew and landed me very well just like a reserve should.

I demoed several main canopies at WFFC convention this year and bought the Pilot124 and will also probably buy a Samurai next year also as I really liked it also. The Samurai really treated me well in the high wind condition that I jumped it in on Wednesday of the WFFC. I bought the Pilot cause I wanted a more standard canopy ands it also did everything well from the opening, flight, and landing.

Last weekend I did a jump in no-winds on the Pilot (loaded at 1.5-1.6) and was really amazed at the stopping power of the flare with no running.

Chris

[RkyMtnHigh 0]

Yes, I did. I completed AFF New Years Day, then wanted to work on my A card..but renting gear at $25/per jump got outrageously expensive. Furthermore, it didn't fit me properly. So, during Mardi Gras Boogie, at Gold Coast, I demo'd the Sabre2 190 and loved it. Demo'd the PD 176 Reserve on Safety Day and bought that as well. The rest of my rig, I asked around at my dz what various people's preferences were and why and made my decision.

_________________________________________

[Airman1270 0]

Would you get married without sleeping with her first?



Uh, actually, yes. If I ever do it again I will wait. Can't go into detail here, but speak with couples who waited and you'll get some very positive feedback. Immorality can have its thrills, but...

Jon S.

[Ron 7]

Quote

Would you get married without sleeping with her first?



Uh, actually, yes. If I ever do it again I will wait. Can't go into detail here, but speak with couples who waited and you'll get some very positive feedback. Immorality can have its thrills, but...

Its called a joke.

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

[metalslug 31]

Nope.
Only about 500 registered skydivers in my country, the gear market is just not big enough to justify the cost of sending lots of demo gear to the dealers.
Some dealers here in SA have demo equipment from Parachute Systems and Aerodyne, but not much else, and not in the canopy size range that many students would be looking to buy.
Most of the skydivers at my DZ borrowed rigs from each other to demo where they could, and bought blind for the rest.

[Airman1270 0]

Quote

Quote

Would you get married without sleeping with her first?

Uh, actually, yes. If I ever do it again I will wait. Can't go into detail here, but speak with couples who waited and you'll get some very positive feedback. Immorality can have its thrills, but...

Its called a joke.

Joke (jok) n. Something said or done to cause laughter, such as a brief story with a punch line; something not taken seriously. v. To tell or play jokes. jokingly (adv.)

ohhhh...JOOOOKE! Hee hee hee hee ha ha ho ho yuk etc.... Seriously, if she turns out to be as nice & satisfying as my rig, I'll be a happy man.

,
Jon

[Darius11 12]

I did not Demo. Not enough experience to really worry about the performance. As long as it was the right size and worth the money I was cool with it.

I think you need to know what you are looking for before you should start to demo. When I got my rig I had no clue probably still don't. It is fast enough for me, nice landings, and it fit me perfect.

I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not." - Kurt Cobain

[fool 0]

I'm in Canada, so it's hard if not impossible to get dealer demos up here, haven't travelled south to do any, and didn't know anyone who had what I wanted, so I didn't demo any of the gear I've ever bought. I researched extensively on the gear, but never got to actually jump it.

S.E.X. party #1

"Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting "f*#k, what a ride".

[Squeak 17]

Quote

Nope...didn't demo any of my current gear. Bought it when I was just off student status. Now that I know about demos, when I do replace my gear, I will be demoing first.

I didn't demo anything either. 2 reasons
1. We have a really piss poor demo program here. (i.e. non of the manufacturers are in Oz so it's hard to get anything to demo)
2. Even if there was a decent demo program, when I bought my gear I would not have had enough experience to tell good from bad, of to be able to critique the performance characteristics of anything.

Whilst I'm in Z Hill though I plan on demo-ing a couple of things

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?