Buying a new rig?

[KellyF 16]

Here's an article I found in My Documents. It's from a few years back. I thought it might help some people looking for a new container. Hope it helps, and by no means is this a complete guide to selecting a rig, just some thing to look for.


TIPS FOR PURCHASING
YOUR NEXT CONTAINER SYSTEM


When someone starts shopping around for their first container system, they rely heavily on recommendations and advice from other jumpers, gear stores, and what they read (and see) in magazines. Unfortunately, all of these sources can be misleading.
Lots of jumpers may simply jump what their instructors jumped, and are satisfied with their decision. They feel that what they wear, and how they wear it, is comfortable and they are happy with the rest of the features (riser covers, bridle protection, etc.). This person is trying to be helpful and is offering additional insight, after all, you asked for their opinion!
When you go to a gear store, you will generally find a variety of container systems to choose from. Keep in mind, these are not the only options available to you. If the store has four container systems to choose from, you could pick the best one of the four and be happy with it. However, there are at least a dozen systems on the market available to you.
Possibly the best way to select a container system is to check out all the different types you see at the D.Z. Ask the owner of a rig if it is O.K. for you to look over their rig. One of the first things you will notice is if the shape of the rig and the configuration of the flaps is appealing to you. Some people will buy a container on aesthetics alone.
When it comes to inspecting for quality, there are two main things to look for- pattern quality and build quality or workmanship.
Pattern quality can be determined by how well everything fits together. Do the side flaps of the main container close completely over the main bag? (This can also be caused by the quality of the pack job) Are the stripes on the center flap symmetrical? Are the pin cover flaps the right size? Do they look too long, or do they have a hard time reaching far enough to tuck in securely? Over all, does the rig have a smooth appearance, or does it have lots of wrinkles, or is it very lumpy?
Build quality can be determined fairly easily by just following the binding tape (or trim tape) around the rig. The stitching should be smooth and continuous with no stitching on top of other stitching (unless there is something sewn to the back side such as velcro or another piece). The corners should look the same on top as they do on the bottom. The tape should be uniform in thickness. The outside edge should be the same thickness as the inside edge. If the outside edge is thinner, the person doing the taping was simply running the material through the machine, and not paying too much attention to what was coming out the other side! Likewise, the inspector didn’t reject it! Rigs that are taped this way are simply not as strong because they don’t have as big of a bite of material in the tape and may only have one row of stitching holding it instead of two. Inspect around the backpad, especially in the yoke (behind the neck) area.
When it comes to the harness and comfort issue, pretty much any rig can be comfortable for anyone. It all depends on what a person likes. Do you like your harness loose or tight? How tight the parachutes are packed can greatly affect how comfortable the rig is while you are wearing it on the ground. Do you like your leg pads wide or narrow, and how much padding do you like? As you can see, “comfort” is very subjective- how much is the manufacturer willing to work with you to give you what you want?
The bottom line is, get your hands on as many different brands of harness/ container systems as you can, and really check them out. You will soon know if you are paying for quality, or just a name.

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[jrcrackers 0]

Hey kellyf, which rig should I get if I just want to look cool?

[skychic68 0]

Cool? You mean skydiver's are supposed to look cool?

Que sera sera