Wings Container

[cloud9 0]

I love my wings, I have about 50 jumps on it now with no complaints at all. I did get the ff handle it took a couple of jumps getting used to, but its great now. I think the articulated harness is well worth the money. Also the padded back is a nice option.

I also have a Heatwave in it, It opens very soft no matter how I pack it. I was psycho packing but it really sniveled to long. So I went back to a straight pro-pack. Its a great canopy, I had a Hornet before it and really liked it too. I never had a hard opening with it. Which is why I stayed with PISA and bought the Heatwave.

I went with the Tempo reserve, they have been around for quite a while. Not as much in the US but they have thousands of saves, and are approved in several countries. I have not had to use mine as of yet.

[tigra 0]

I love my Wings. I got a GREAT deal on it and its a sweet looking rig! Very comfy, and this one wasn't even made for me. I got it very slightly used, directly from the Wings folks at a boogie.

maura

[Spy38W 0]

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I've heard exactly the opposite for Heatwaves, get the larger slider. I did when I ordered mine, in a few more weeks I'll let you know how it opens.

I just got a few jumps on a Heatwave 135 with the plus sized slider this weekend, and thought it opened great. It didn't seem too snively. The openings were wierd, a couple of times I looked up thinking there would be nothing there, but the canopy was fully open.. Very nice

--
Hook high, flare on time

[JohnnyD 0]

>I went with the Tempo reserve, they have been around for quite a while. Not as much in the US but they have thousands of saves, and are approved in several countries. I have not had to use mine as of yet.

I sincerely hope you never see it, but mine has worked well. Three times for its first owner and three times for me.

[nicknitro71 0]

It's so funny. I have been shopping around for my next rig and although money is not a issue I don't like paying more for an equivalent product. So after six months of research and demos this is what I am going to get as my next rig: Wings, Heatwave, Tempo, Cypress.

Memento Audere Semper

903

[HeatherB 0]

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Side note... you can have either Articulation or B-12's... not both at the same time

You can have both articulation (hip rings) and B-12's on a Wings. It's not a problem at all!

blue skies,
Heather
Sunrise Rigging

[freeflyanvil 0]

Hey Heather
Thanks for getting me that handle so quick last week.
DC

Vid
"stons fal, evrysing fals, but doesnt on purpos change its flite pas an positioning..."

[Deuce 1]

http://dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=189149;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;;page=unread#unread

Sorry about that, but that links to some pictures I posted of my rig with the pud pullout.

Articulated, cordura, pud.

Go stainless. That's a silly place to save money, it's the best looking option, and it increases resaleability. Go to the Wings website and look at the reserve main combinations available. Your reserve choice will be the most important decision you ever made in your life someday.

There's nothing budget about it. My rig kicks ass and the customer service at Wings is top-notch.

[Scoby 0]

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http://dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=189149;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;;page=unread#unread

Sorry about that, but that links to some pictures I posted of my rig with the pud pullout.

Articulated, cordura, pud.

Go stainless. That's a silly place to save money, it's the best looking option, and it increases resaleability. Go to the Wings website and look at the reserve main combinations available. Your reserve choice will be the most important decision you ever made in your life someday.

There's nothing budget about it. My rig kicks ass and the customer service at Wings is top-notch.

Thanks! The photos help a lot. I'm definitely going to go with the freestyle handle. I'm also sold on articulated after jumping a Javelin Odessey. I would have demoed a Wings, but it was a bit big.

I don't know if stainless would be worth it for me, as I'm inclined to not like shiny stuff that much. Is there any performance improvement, or is it pure style?

Would it be sensible to go with a reserve that is a bit bigger than the main? I know that's not a great idea in a two out situation, but I'd rather have some margin for error in the event of a reserve ride, which seems more likely than the former anyway.

I'm glad everyone likes their rigs so much. It makes the decision so much easier for me.

[skybytch 259]

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don't know if stainless would be worth it for me, as I'm inclined to not like shiny stuff that much. Is there any performance improvement, or is it pure style?

Stainless is slightly stronger than what most manufacturers use standard, but I've never heard of anyone having a problem related to hardware strength on gear that has standard hardware. Basically, it's all about how it looks.

That said, I wouldn't spend the extra cash on it if you don't really care. It looks nice, but it really doesn't do much for the container's resale value - I can't ask $100 more for a container with stainless than I do for one without (well, I can, but it usually then becomes what we lovingly refer to as a "shelf queen"), I can and do ask (and get) $100 more for a container with harness rings than I do for one without.

[Deuce 1]

Well, I'll defer to Lisa. If the money really doesn't matter skip stainless.

When you're showing it off, many, many people will ask "why didn't you go stainless" that's not a real issue it's a PITA (pain in the ass) issue. I dig the way it looks.

I got the wide risers and big rings. "Why'd you get those big-ass rings and risers?" Sometimes I just use that rudeness to get into a fistfight, but usually I reply that the guy that invented the system said they're safer than the small rings and skinny risers.

The rings and risers are about the only thing I get dogged about, but I'm keeping them, and I'm sticking with them when I get a second rig too. I don't think they affect performance negatively. Skinny risers might get in my video a little less, and they might be easier to pack, you might want to ask the group about that.

My rig is what I call "square" the main is a 170 and the reserve is a 176. I will probably go to a 150 main with a 146 reserve and stay there. I have really bad feet and it hurts to run out a landing.

Go Spectre!

[Kris 0]

When I bought my Mirage G3 I got just about every option, UNISYN harness, freefly handle, etc... except for the stainless. I just couldn't justify the almost $200-$300 more for it.

So, what did I do instead, I got standard hardware with nickel-plate. It looks great, kind of like a pixellated-stainless, and was half the price. It wears very well, and, did I mention how great it looks?

You might talk to Heather at Wings and see if it is an option they carry.

Kris

Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and
Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™

[ernokaikkonen 0]

>Stainless is slightly stronger than what most manufacturers use
>standard, but I've never heard of anyone having a problem related
> to hardware strength on gear that has standard hardware.
>Basically, it's all about how it looks.

When I ordered my new Atom Legend container(parachutes-de-france), I was told that in addition to looking cool, the stainless steel buckles would wear the straps less. I don't know about Wings, but the PdF stainless buckles have a completely different design that the regular ones. The stainless steel buckles don't have the studded part which keeps the strap from slipping that the regular ones have.

Erno

[bmcd308 0]

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Rule of thumb with PISA canopies: when buying, get them to put the slider for a size larger on your canopy, it will open much MUCH better

The slider that came with my Hornet is the same size as some of the canopies on my dropzone.

I do NOT roll the nose of my Hornet, as I had several openings that were WAY off-heading. When I started getting these bad openings, I read the packing instructions that came with the canopy and followed them, although I do roll the tail a few extra times and take special care to get the slider way out in front. This led to great openings.

BMcD...

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www.jumpelvis.com

[nws01 0]

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When I bought my Mirage G3 I got just about every option, UNISYN harness, freefly handle, etc... except for the stainless. I just couldn't justify the almost $200-$300 more for it.

My Mirage has all the options including the stainless. I must say that every container I order in the future I will order stainless because it looks freakin awesome.

[bmcd308 0]

Look at the "affordable rig" from Roy at Rigs N Things. It is a Wings/Hornet/Tempo system, and I feel like I got a great deal on mine at the time I bought it. From other threads it looks like prices in general may have come down some, so shop around yourself.

I bought the most basic Wings you can get, and I am very happy with it. It is the most comfortable container I have ever worn, probably because the student gear at my dropzone did not fit me very well.

I do not have an articulated harness, but I do not have any trouble walking around comfortably in the rig. For me, the articulation solves a problem that I either don't have or don't realize that I have, so I kept the cash.

I did not get the quilted back pad, but I probably would if I had it to do over.

I got the spandex BOC with a hackey, primarily because that is what everyone at my dropzone used at the time and I had never seen the other system. With the spandex BOC the bridle protection is excellent, and I have never had a problem with anything blowing loose. Since I got my rig, I have seen the cordura BOC with freestyle handle, and that system looks bombproof. If I had it to do over, I would probably get the freefly handle with cordura, but once again, that is a solution to a problem I do not have. I think the spandex/hackey is plenty secure.

I don't see much use for B-12s. I have a large bottom ring and mini risers with mini rings. I like mini risers because they are easier to get all the way down in the riser covers.

Ask the various manufacturers you are shopping about downsizing. It certainly appears to me that my Wings would be fine with a smaller canopy, but I will let them tell me that when the time comes rather than making the decision on my own.

BMcD...

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www.jumpelvis.com

[PhillyKev 0]

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I don't know about Wings, but the PdF stainless buckles have a completely different design that the regular ones.

Wings uses the PdF hardware for their stainless leg strap hardware.