Best Starter Container for freefly

[hawkflight 0]

Hi,
I was just wondering what would be a good choice for a container for someone just off of student status with a strong desire to pursue freeflying. Thanks Tom

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"Any fool can learn for his own mistakes, a wise man learns from anothers." Mark Twain

[nbblood 0]

That's kind of a general question. There's all kinds of containers out there that are great and are good for freeflying. Are you going to buy used or new? What size container are you looking for? What size canopies? What size harness do you need? What options do you want? hip/chest rings? cut-in laterals? How much do you have to spend on a rig? These all affect availability of used containers.

I think as a general rule, containers made after 1996 are pretty freefly friendly. That doesn't mean that containers before that are not freefly friendly, just that manufacurers started doing things like increasing bridle protection and going with velcroless tuck tabs around then.

Of course if you get a used rig, you should look at tuck tabs (are they stiff and stay in place?) bridle protection (is bridle esposed anywhere?), condition of BOC (worn, stretched BOC=needs to be replaced).

If you're going to buy new, every manufacturer is making rigs good for freefly. You can generally find what people like in their profiles (for me Javelin). But it depends on what you want and are willing to spend/wait for. Rigs that I think a lot of that would be excellent purchases are Javelin, Mirage, Vector, Infinity, Wings, Talon 2, Voodoo, etc. I'm sure I missed a couple great rigs, but someone will let you know what I missed.

Bottom line is you're question is a little too general. There's tons of great freeflying rigs out there new and used.

Oh, and IMHO, it's probably a real good idea to buy used for your first rig. You may downsize out of it in a year or so. You can find a really good freefly friendly rig with Cypres for around $2000-2500. Just my .02.

Blues,
Nathan

Blues,
Nathan

If you wait 'til the last minute, it'll only take a minute.

[Kramer 0]

If you're someone who believes in the RSL system, get a Vector III Micron with a SkyHook. From some casual research, it seems to me the pin protection and riser protection on a Vector is damn near second to none. (Correct me riggers and smart people if I'm wrong there). Anyway...there's my un-needed two-cents. Good luck.

The FAKE KRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMER!!!!!!!!!

[PhreeZone 15]

Vector3's are great to freefly in, Vector2's should be avoided for freeflying.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[Jib 0]

Quote

Vector3's are great to freefly in, Vector2's should be avoided for freeflying.

The riser covers on my old Vector III came open way too often. My [granted new] Mirage has never had the tuck tabs pop out.

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the depth of his depravity sickens me.
-- Jerry Falwell, People v. Larry Flynt

[jerry81 10]

Any container that fits you well and won't open by itself, regardless of how you fly your body, is great to freefly in.

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[hookitt 0]

Quote

Any container that fits you well and won't open by itself, regardless of how you fly your body, is great to freefly in

That's helpful ----

Seriously. Start looking for a used rig. Then ask about that particular rig. At this point in the game, It would probably be better to go with used because chances are, you'll go through your first set of equipment rather quickly.

That said, my preferrence would lean highly toward an Infinity. However finding a used one that fits you may not happen.

Skydiving containers are built really well now. So it's tough to go wrong.

Rigs I would shy away from include:

Vector 2
Racer .. because finding a used 2k3 is unlikely
Dolphin
Quasar
Old mirage with Velcro riser covers. (did everyone forget about those?)
Talon Classic (original Talon)

That's all I can think of at the moment.

Rigs are built quite nicely nowadays so it's tough to go wrong.

Good luck!

[JRock 0]

Mirage G3 or G4
Best in my opinion.

[kelel01 1]

Quote

Rigs I would shy away from include:

Vector 2
Racer .. because finding a used 2k3 is unlikely
Dolphin
Quasar
Old mirage with Velcro riser covers. (did everyone forget about those?)
Talon Classic (original Talon)

Add old-ass-piece-of-shit-unravelin' Javelins to that list. Seriously, do not buy a Jav older than, say, '96 or 97', even if it's touted to be freefly friendly. It's a lie. They're known for having problems with all of the flaps coming open.

[PhreeZone 15]

Kel.. should have let me see that rig at WFFC, I could have addressed most the concerns in about 5 minutes.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[hookitt 0]

Quote

Kel.. should have let me see that rig at WFFC, I could have addressed most the concerns in about 5 minutes.

Gaffers tape or rubbery grip tape?

[kelel01 1]

Or shoe-goo?

Two different riggers have looked at it and said it's more or less hopeless. They said, "Well, we can send it off to Sunpath, but the mod costs $100 per side" (riser covers). Fuck a bunch of that. I'm buying a new container and not pumping any more money into my old one. It's like buying an old car and paying more for repairs than you would have spent on a newer car.

Kelly

[hookitt 0]

Quote

$100 per side"

Damn. I hope they include lube with that. I suppose if they are replacing the entire riser cover that's not so bad... But you can get by with just replacing the plastic and resewing the binding tape back down. It's not factory looking but it's functional and if done well is hardly noticeable.

At that point it's and old rig, function is where it's at.

[PhreeZone 15]

Gaffers.. it fixes everything

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[meltdown 0]

The rubber band fix has worked well for my '97 Javelin, along with tightening the closing loop.

[kelel01 1]

Mine's a 93. Nothing short of duct tape will keep that thing shut (the riser covers even open, rarely, on belly jumps). And I think duct tape might work just a little too well.

Kelly

[hookitt 0]

Quote

And I think duct tape might work just a little too well.

That's funny, because I had a rig that would mostly stay shut but doing certain acrobatics, I could get the riser covers to open. One wrap of gaffers tape would take care of it.

[kelel01 1]

Aw, man, I just can't be that person. I'll just be patient and wait quietly in the corner until my new baby arrives. (Yeah, right.)

Seriously, though, I'd strongly encourage anyone out there looking for a used freefly friendly container to have it inspected by a rigger. Tell the seller to take a chill pill while you do it. It's such a waste of money to buy something that won't work for what you want it to.

Kelly

[bch7773 0]

I got a 93 javelin and it is ok for freeflying. I had problems with the riser covers and main pin cover coming open in freefall too, but 20 minutes and 20 bucks with my rigger solved that. He put in new peices of hard plastic inside the covers, and I have never seen them come open since then.
The velcro bridle protectionisn't quite as safe as a tucked in bridle, but if you keep the velcro new and clean, it works great.

MB 3528, RB 1182

[freethefly 6]

My first rig in 97 was a Vector II with velcro riser covers. I learned to Freefly with this rig. A few times while H/D I would have a riser or two going up my arms. Flew this rig for two years. Bought a VectorIII in 1999. Brand new paid $800.00 for it. Kick ass rig. Fits like a glove. Has complete bridle protection and tuck flaps that never open untill deployment.
Look around for a good deal before you buy and take look at the Vectors.
In the past I have seen used Vectors for sale at Norman Kents web site. The rigs would have maybe 5 jumps on them. They were used for a photo shoot. Priced under $1000.00.

"...And once you're gone, you can't come back
When you're out of the blue and into the black."
Neil Young