Icon Sport

I love CReW, and this container sits you up and the ride never gets old. The company is super friendly too. I was very lucky to have my container acutally made on my birthday! Thanks Aerodyne!

I love my new Icon. I will buy another. It is designed very well. The flaps are secure, the main flap doesn't have to open for deployment. The rig does not move around in freefall. The pack volume is distributed well, I had the same canopies in another container and the Icon is less bulky and shorter. Everything is straight and symmetrical.

When I started jumping back around 1998 I went with one of the most popular brand which was a Mirage 4. At the time I used a 210' for main canopy and 220' for a reserve. I felt that the Mirage was really big and bulky and if I suited up to meet the plane it really felt uncomfortable after standing there for a few minutes. I decided after 1 season to sell it and after reading reviews on several brands I went with the Icon. THANKS GOD!! This is by far the most comfortable rig ever. Comes with the hip rings and I also ordered the chest rings and it is awesome. Can't say enough about it. I tried several brands at the DZ that others owned and the Icon beats them all!!

Put it this way... If I won the lottery I would still buy the rig (and Pilot canopy) first without even thinking about it!!

Blue Skies!!

I ordered my Icon right after couch freaks this last year. It arrived right on time. First off, there are a couple really cool design features to this rig. The most noticable is the mini force riser system. Alot of people think it is a fake but they have alot of literature on their website about it. It really does reduce cutaway forces. Also, lines catching the bottom of the reserve tray is a common factor in linetwists, so they sewed an extra piece of material down there to keep the lines from catching here. Lastly, the reserve freebag has elastic half-cylinder keepers for the line stows. The lines freely pull out but are much cleaner to pack. The rig is very solid and well-built. Also, I love being under canopy now. In my older Vector 2 I just hung there, but the Icon is designed to sit you in the harness. It is a very comfortable position and ais optimum for good canopy control. When I first received it, the yoke felt a little tight on me, but I think it is because my last rig was so loose. It really fits like a glove! It really is comfortable on the ground, in the plane, in freefall, and under canopy. I am extremely impressed with it. A lot of problems other people report in forums and reviews seem to be addressed and solved on my rig. Thanks Aerodyne for listening to customers and striving to make better products!

The rig is confortabel made for skydivers to skydivers. The main D bag container is made to suit all kind of skydiving styles (FF, RW, Wingsuit, etc...). I own other rigs before and the ICON does everything the others do with a excelent price. Well, I need say, and with a great costumer support as well !

Thanks Aerodyne !

I was looking forward to trying out the ICON because I own an Aerodyne canopy (Pilot). I can only say one these products they make are worth buying...and I'm not talking about the canopies they make.

I was completely let down. First, when I was packing my canopy and placing the D-bag into the container, I immediately noticed how floppy and cheap the materials were. On my javelin, when I spead out the container at the bottom so I can place the D-bag in, the side walls down flop down. On the ICON, they do. That just says cheap to me.

Second, while I was under canopy, I looked down and noticed that the leg straps had loosened about an 1 1/2 inches or more! I didn't feel safe at all after knowing that the legs straps loosened!

Third, the reserve flap came open on me under free fall. When I got in the plane, that flap was completely stowed. I don't feel safe free flying knowing my reserve flap is open.

After my experience, I would definitely not buy an ICON. From what I here, these things start unraveling after about 100 jumps. I now have first hand experience. I would not buy one.

I've had my Icon for a little over 2 yrs, it is the second one that ive had. I finally got my rig just before xmas 05 with a look to jump it over the xmas boogie in Seville. Initally I was impressed with the rig, all looked good and I was quite happy. Over the first few jumps with it i noticed that there was a slight delay on openings, up to 4/5 seconds on some occasions.On getting the rig inspected by the rigger at seville we came to the conclusion that the pilot chute was at fault, so I payed for a new pilot chute to be made out of ZP, the original was made from F111. This cured the problem. My rig was one of three that me and some friends had made. While I was busy working through my problem in spain they were busy jumping in the uk. One container was fine but the other was having the same problem, and becuse of this delay it caused him to cut away when he got to around 6/7k on his count, and the bag was still firmly lodged on his back. The problem we found out was the pilot chute had been made too small and egg shaped (manufacturing fault). One of the Aerodyne guys came to see us in the uk over easter to look at the problem. They looked at the PC and agreed to send us new ones. This took at least 12 weeks to happen but when we got them we had new PC, bag and freefly pad, all for free so quite happy there. How ever I was still financally out of pocket due to paying for the new PC from spain.
Now the rigs have been jumped for a year or two, the stitching is coming away on all 3 rigs, and all in the same places. The mud cover on one of the rigs was put too high on one shoulder. This was replaced free of charge by Aerodyne with free shipping. Also my rig was made to measure but it moves around alot when im freeflying and back tracking/back flying and is not what you want happening. Could be cured by cut in latterals, maybe?
I leave it up to individuals to decide on what container to get, but im not going to get a third one when i order my new container. That should speak volumes!

I bought my brand new Icon over the winter of 2006 / 2007. I owned a new Mirage G4 before that and rented a Javelin before that and I have to say the Icon is the most comfortable out of all 3 rigs. I liked my Mirage too but if you wore it for any longer than 3 minutes waiting for the plane it would start to feel bulky and wear on my sholders a bit. When I got my Icon, I wore it for around 20 - 30 minutes around the house and I forgot I even had it on...Very nice!! I would certainly get another one above all the others. I love the pin protection in freefall. Works great for RW, Sit, Head down etc.. I paid $5000 for it and this included the hip rings (Standard) and added the chest rings and did custom colors etc... All for $5000.00 Compare the others where they ask for extra for hook knife, chest rings, hip rings etc...this is a good deal!!

I recieved and jumped my Icon and I am thrilled with it. Extra options I got were chest rings, RSL, hacky handle and narrow chest strap(free option). I was talking to one of the guys at the DZ that used to sew at one of the shops in FL that made what most people consider one of the top two containers. We got to talking about the entire container construction process and he showed me the way the harness was constructed and the methods used in the stitching. He was using a new container made by the company he used to sew for and the stitches didn't step off on the webbing on all the points and he showed me a few other minor issues that weren't like they were supposed to be. I highly recommend a lesson like that if you have someone knowledgeable around the DZ. I recieved my new Icon the next day and checked it over for the things he showed me and it was top notch. It may not be one of the BIG TWO, but I will take it over either. I had the money to buy what I wanted and if I needed another I would buy the Icon again. Great container and features, Good price

I just finished assembling an band new I4 with a Smart 135 and Pilot 140. Even though everything is very stiff and slippery, all the components went in with no sweat to my surprise. I could definitely put a Smart 150 in but not anything bigger than that.

The reserve free bag is by far the best designed free bag I have ever worked with. It has an internal fabric channel between the grommets so the t-botkin is not needed. The lines pocket is a really neat design. It opens like a BASE canopy tail pocket and it has elastic (not rubber bands) line keepers. I really liked it. The lines are stowed nice and neatly. A really great feature.

I liked the reserve pilot chute, both the construction and the fact that it has a big opening so no .22 cleaning rod is needed to thread the pull up cord.

The AAD routing is also pretty neat and does not leave anything exposed into the pack tray like the older Icon.

The internal coating of the reserve tray is very thick and looks very durable.

Closing the reserve flaps was no sweat and the pack looked nice (sometimes a rare thing on the very first pack job.

I tried to stuff the bag evenly like you would do with a Vector rather that stuffing the ears as much as possible like a Javelin for instance. It seems it worked out quite well.

I'd give the reserve system an A, I really could not find anything that either it did not make much sense or I personally did not like.

The main risers are pretty cool too. The toggles seem a solid design and the front riser loop are the best I've seen thus far. Made from the same webbing as the rest of the risers, they are sewn in such that they are always open. They scream for "hook it!".

Of course the mini-force rings are pretty cool too. By the way all the hardware comes standard SS.

The cutaway handle has a hard stiffener in and it feels beefy, another nice touch.

The d-bag of the main canopy I did not like it much. First the stow are on the sides and not on the top flap like other designs, a minor thing, it takes me 10 minutes to add stows on top. The PC bridle is sewn into the container hence the d-bag-bridle-PC are one unit. I'm not too keen about his design. Also the kill line is embedded in the bridle inside the d-bag. This makes the bridle to accordion fold itself when the PC is cocked. I do not like this, it adds bulk and can spring back. So overall I did not like the d-bag system.

Another thing I found a bit annoying is the slot of the riser cover tuck tabs. It is directly underneath the reserve risers and makes closing the tabs a bit of a pain. If it was let's say 1/4" out it would be much easier to close the risers. I bet as everything softens up it'll be easier to close them up.

The internal riser covers I really did not like. Care must be taken in order to avoid folds and wrinkles. A solution would be just to get rid of them (I am not a big fan of internal covers) or make them much stiffer.

On the good side the I4 comes standard with cut-in laterals and the harness does fit like a glove. I like the leg strap design and webbing (I guess they changed the webbing construction to address some issues).

The hook knife is really neat (not the same .50 plastic knife) and it has its own internal pocket inside the mud flap.

All the stitching, reinforcements, bartacks are top notch.

Overall I am very impressed with the Icon. There are few things (no rig is perfect by the way!) that could be improved but this is a solid rig without any major flaws and loaded with features that come standard.

And it's the most rigger friendly rig I have ever worked with.

If you're a stundent and want a new rig this would be a good frist rig. It's cheap, but has a lot of smart solutions and they are improving the icon all the time. It also includes some $350 in options that you have to pay for to get on other rigs.

I've had mine for 45 jumps and Ive got nothing to complain about on the rig.

However: When i ordered it, it was delivered 2 days after what I asked for(I came to the US(I live in Norway) to pick it up at a friend of mine in phoenix, and i had only 7 days there. I even specified it to my dealer). And when i got it it was the wrong color on the PC and with a narrow cheststrap( I ordered a wide). But that's nothing critical, just anoying. Then after only 5 jumps my bag started getting torn up on one of the sides where the "lid" on the bag is. I contated my dealer back in norway and he said he could do a temporarly fix on the bag, so I could jump while I waited for the new bag and right colored PC to arraive.

This was in june. Last week( mid january 06) i got the bag and the PC. Only to find out that the bag was one size smaller!!!!

As I've heard from others, these things can happen to any rig, but it still sucks. I don't want to wait another 9 months to get a new bag....

Well constructed container. I have owned for almost a year and 100 jumps. Fit upon arrival was perfect. Harness is very comfortable before and after deployment. I opted for the chest rings(even tho Distributor said I did not need) This make it look even better and I feel it is more comfortable.

I feel there is a couple of issues with the container. I have a 100+ jumps and the riser covers (internal) seem to not stay put during packing and start to bulge (edges curl). I have also noticed that the main tray seems to have loosened up over the last 100 pack jobs. I have a airlocked 170 and it seems to pack looser in the main tray. I don't think it is my pack jobs getting better. All 4 closing flaps seem to be looser during closing. even after replacing the closing loop and shortning it.

Over all I do believe this is a very safe container and the value is great. I would recommond this to anyone looking.

Well got my Icon I4 last week. So far it's a great fit,did 12 jumps . Also got a pilot 150 super openings soft and on heading, and smart reserve 150 and it all fits great inside the container. I chose these sizes from Aerodyne sizing charts.
The standard features are great, padded back, hip rings, internal riser covers, hook knife/beer opener. If you looking for a nice brand new rig buy an Icon you won't be sorry.

I purchased an Icon I5 and a Triathlon 210. It was damn near impossible to close the container with this canopy. I contacted Aerodyne and they made me a new rig I7. Everything is now kopasetic. Aerodyne was terrific in addressing the problem.

Just bought an icon i5 with a pilot 168 and smart 175. Based my decision on the canopy chart from Aerodyne. Whatever the chart sais..Don't buy a smart 175 with this size rig. It is just too big and you will regret it. I ended up with buying a different reserve.
My recommendation to Aerodyne is to change the chart.

Otherwise I have nothing but praise for this rig...it looks great and fits perfectly although I would like to have seen cut-in laterals on the I5.

Picked up my new Icon Sport with Pilot 150 Main a couple of months ago. Done 30 jumps on it now and it's a winner.

After jumping a Sabre 150 I just couldn't believe that an opening could be sooooo soft! Also had the modification done to the leg straps and cured the slipping problem.

I have done about 20 jumps on my Icon now.

Good points:

- As far as looks go you cant go wrong, it looks great.
- The rig sits very well.
- Rig is cypress ready (I think all new rigs are these days)
- Easy to pack, the lines stow very neatly on top of the D-Bag
- Window in bridal to show kill line (You can see easily if the pilot chute is cocked)
- Hook knife included with the container
- Stainless steel hardware
- Very good price
- Internal riser covers.
- Features the miniforce system (“This patented new system actually addresses the engineering behind the three-ring release system and effectively reduces forces on the cutaway cable by an average of approximately 35% at any given loading”)
- Great service from Aerodyne

Other (personal preference if you like this or not):

- The reserve and cut-away handles are positioned more to the side of your body and a bit more towards the chest. On my other rig (Vortex II) the reserve and cut-away handles sit a bit lower and more to the front of my body. In my opinion this is a good thing since it is more difficult for the reserve handle to get pulled accidentally (if you like jumping with silver)
- The BOC is a bit on the tight side. Free flyers will like this.

The not so good points:

- The rig material is softer than that of other containers. Im not sure how durable the material is. Only time will tell.
- I have read a complaint that the leg straps slip. There is now a service bulletin for this. All the new rigs have modified leg strap so this should not be problem anymore.

The bottom line:

I can recommend it.

I have had my Icon Sport for about 3 months now. It is great to wearand looks good. The shortcomings are leg straps that keep coming loose no matter how they are tightened. This has led to some off heading openings. The riser flaps in the container are a great idea but they take up space where the D-bag should be inserted on packing. This creates creases in the main cover flaps and just looks untidy.

Finally, all the materials used in the manufacture of this harness appear "lighter", that is less robust than the materials on any of the other rigs I've used. This may well be modren technology, but whether this rig is as durable and long lasting and can take wear and tear remains to be seen

Just bought an Aerodyne rig, including a Pilot main, Smart reserve and an Icon container. I like all the standard features including hip rings, stainless steel hardware, hook knife, etc. Good pin protection, secondary riser covers. All in all a good buy!

I received my new I4 Icon Harness and got it rigged up to jump this weekend. The harness is extremly comfortable and the padding in the legstraps are a pleasure. The packing is neat and the harness is easy to close. It looks great too.

Jumped the Icon with a Vision 132 demo for about 8 days. And was impressed with the overall design and style of the Icon.

The standard production features are great, padded back, hip rings, internal riser covers, hook knife.

I found the harness to be very comfortable, even if it was a demo and not quite my size. With the cut in laterals, and thicker leg straps, made the canopy ride a pleasure, felt like I was sitting rather than handing in the harness.

I also like the new toggles that were on the demo. They use the pin system to help avoid premature openings or toggle release issues.

All round I was 100% happy, and would recommend it to all skydivers.