So how much DOES skydiving cost? (further analysis)

[champu 1]

This is prolly one of the top two questions asked by people about skydiving. And as my school's club pres I've gotten to the point where I can rattle off every price of everything at our dropzone in a heart beat.

Then people ask how much -I- pay per jump. And while I usually just tell them how much I pay for jump tickets I don't really consider all the other stuff, so I made a little spreadsheet to play with.

Basically you can change anything in the "Used For" and "Variables" column. I tossed values in there that I think are pretty reasonable but if you think it's an outrage to pay W for X or get a new Y every Z then feel free to change it.

my Average cutaway cost is assuming you find your main and D-bag but still need a repack and lose one of your two handles. If you want to play the worst case scenario game, feel free.

I know there's no spot for main packjobs, that's because I don't use packers. If you do, and you really want to account for it, there's a magical trick you can use...

Oh, and before anyone says anything, yes I realize it doesn't include gas, beer, pies, divorce lawyers, etc.

[jjiimmyyt 0]

A Rigger mate of mine tells the story that when he learnt to jump he asked his instructor this question.

The reply: 2/3 of your disposable income for the rest of your life. You start looking at your TV wondering, how many jumps is that worth?

I thought this was BS (I only had 2 jumps when he told me) but it seems to be so true now.

"This isn't an iron lung, people. You can actually disconnect and not die." -Dave

[SkydiveMO 0]

Ahhhh...

You can't put a price on FUN! If you could it should be a discount or something.

[rendezvous 0]

throw in the ocassional tunnel time as part of training and you are done for.

[champu 1]

Quote

A Rigger mate of mine tells the story that when he learnt to jump he asked his instructor this question.

The reply: 2/3 of your disposable income for the rest of your life. You start looking at your TV wondering, how many jumps is that worth?

I thought this was BS (I only had 2 jumps when he told me) but it seems to be so true now.

You'll notice there's no reference to any costs whatsoever besides skydiving on that spreadsheet.

This is not a coincidence.

[cocheese 0]

First it steals your mind,
then it steals your soul.

[base698 1]

I think my jumps are only 1.50 more than a standard jump ticket. It pays to be a rigger :)

[gerryfuss 0]

not a bad litle spreadsheat, My CSPA membership cost me more than 50.00 a year and it won't let we change that one. Interesting way of looking at it. When you had 120.00 for a cutaway, what was involved in that price?

[indyz 1]

Well, my equipment costs were way different. $500 for a main, $400 for a reserve, and $800 for my container. Then again, I'll probably use the reserve and container for 4 years, tops, and I'm on my second main already. But I broke even between selling my first main and buying this one, and I'll make some cash back selling the rig. This is getting complicated...

Also, I found some other not-insignificant expenses:
- RW suit: Over $250, lasts 500-ish jumps?
- Freefly suit: $200, let's say another 500 jumps.
- Prescription goggles: $120, still going after 200 jumps, but not much left.

[LawnDart21 0]

I figure between student jump costs, jump tickets, three full containers (2 for me, 1 for fiance), video equipement, ratings course fees, and a skyboard, I;m in about $30,000 the last 4 years. I've made back about $8,000 net (of current fun jump tickets) over the last few years doing tandems, so I figure if I stay healthy and keep jumping, I'll break eevn in 5 more years. Then I can start saving for a base rig.....lol

--
My other ride is a RESERVE.

[TALONSKY 0]

First skydive through A-license $2000.
Altimeter (FT-50) $150
First used rig $2200.
First used RW suit $100.
Helmet Z1 $225.
Pro Track $260.
Second main (Safire 169 ) $550.
Second custom made RW suit $350
First custom made Free fly suit $275
Third custom made RW suit $350
one third GTI birdman suit $244
Coach rating $180
Third used main(Crossfire 2 130)$1200
New container/reserve/Cypress
Infinity container/ PD 143 R $3400
Sell of my first Container/R/AAD $-1500
Sell of my second main $ -400
Birdman suit Skyflier 3 $1200
Altimeter watch(SuuntoVector) $180
B rig container (Eclipse ) $250
B rig reserve (PD 126 ) $630
B rig main (used Crossfire 1 129) $800
Cutaway $85
Tandem rating $1300
Open face helmet (EVO Z1) $150
Fourth main (used VX 109) $1000
Set of riser for new main $135
New freefly pants for tandems $200
Altimeter for chest mount (FT-40) $70
Camera Helmet (Sidewinder 2) $200
(still need to get camera for helmet) $750
Currently I have 650 jumps at an appox cost of
(try to guess with hop-n-pops) $9750

total so far not including unbought camera $25,534

I have been skydiving for approx 4 years so a cost of $6383.50 per year and an approx. $38.69 per jump over that time

[adamUK 3]

then it steals your wallet and refuses to give it you back!

[champu 1]

Quote

not a bad litle spreadsheat, My CSPA membership cost me more than 50.00 a year and it won't let we change that one.

oops, I only locked it so I didn't accidentally change things, just go to tools>protection>unprotect sheet to be able to edit anything.

Quote

Interesting way of looking at it. When you had 120.00 for a cutaway, what was involved in that price?

I haven't had to cutaway yet, but I figured 120 bucks should buy you a repack and maybe a new cutaway handle if you dropped it using two hands on your reserve handle. I realize this causes problems with my scheduled repack calculations because let's say you get a repack, and then 30 days later you have a cutaway, well you would have had to get a repack in 90 days, but now you got one and you can go another 120. I don't know anyone who would go and get a repack 90 days later anyway, but that makes the math easier

The default values I used for gear cost were done for new gear. Obviously used gear is going to be cheaper up front, but it will already have jumps on it. I have the lifetime expectancies to figure out how often you'd replace the items, and those calculations "don't care" when along the life of an item you bought it.

I thought about jumpsuits, helmets, logbooks, altimeters, and gloves after I already made the post, hmm, maybe I'll add them in there....

[stoneycase 0]

Amen.

First it stole my entire life during AFF. I have to wakeup ass early every morning for work. But there was nothing sweeter than showing up at the DZ for AFF at 8am (it's over an hour away). All I could do was wait for the weekend. My mind...well my mind was nothing more than a storage space for skydiving information. I didn't care what was going at work/home/girlfriend. All I cared about was skydiving.

Then it stole my heart. I bought a new Infinity, put a used main in it and bought a new reserve. I slept with it - no joke. I had to make room and deal with an upset g/f but I'd be damned if the rig slept alone. For all I cared, she could sleep alone :)

All my money is gone, anything I can get money wise goes right back to skydiving. I've sold stuff, packed, worked extra hours, and in general put everything I possibly could into skydiving. I don't see that changing anytime soon.

It's been 7 months since my first tandem, I have almost 100 jumps (98) to be exact. Since I work M-F and I'm really only able to jump Sat/Sun the math says I've done 1.78 jumps every day during the weekend.

If I start to look at what I've spent in 7 months, I might cry, not from sadness, but from joy. I know I've spent my money living my life to the fullest, enjoying every second and I have nothing to be sad about.

"Real joy comes not from ease or riches or from the praise of men, but from doing something worthwhile."

Amen. Blue Skies...soft landings.

Does whisky count as beer? - Homer
There's no justice like angry mob justice. - Skinner
Be careful. There's a limited future in low pulls - JohnMitchell

[dkf1979 0]

Quote

First it steals your mind,
then it steals your soul.

So freaking true.

http://bodypilot.bounceme.net

[fudd 0]

Don't forget the cost of all the beer.

There are only 10 types of people in the world. Those who understand binary, and those who don't.

[riddler 0]

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Don't forget the cost of all the beer.

Very good point there. I don't think I've come anywhere near making up for the beer I've bought. But I figure most skydivers break even on beer after 4-5 years of jumping. You buy a lot of beer when you're new, then drink a lot of beer when you're a skygod. And if you don't break even after a few years, well, then you're obviously not drinking enough beer.

Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD