kawikadavis

Skydive Hawaii is a seven day a week operation. During my two week vacation, I tried to make my way to the drop zone every morning for at least one jump a day. This drop zone services a lot of tourists and a fair number of local tandem enthusiasts. As a licensed jumper, I had no problem getting “on the next load.” There are a lot of people that work at this drop zone. I found that they were extremely friendly. By the end of my two week vacation, I had spoken to a fair number of them and found them to be genuinely concerned with my having a good experience during my jumps. The winds across the landing area can frequently be high as they come across a tall row of trees, making for a tricky approach and landing. The staff members are experts at their unique location, and will share their knowledge and advice of the area and situation in a friendly professional way. My two weeks of jumping and being around Skydive Hawaii was a highlight of my vacation. I reconnected with old friends and made new ones: And the view from the “Spot,” unbelievable! I can’t wait to get back.

I am hardly the most experience jumper around, and I definitely have NOT tried every available container out there. I have jumper military FF containers and a few civilian rigs on the market. In early July 2013 (It's August 20th, as I write this review) I decided on ordering an Infinity container. Why Infinity? I based my decision on three factors; cost, look and customer review (recommendations). I know there are more experienced people in this sport that will not agree with my base reasons for selecting a container. When I gain the experience and expertise those people have, my next container may include their reasons, but for now these were my reasons. I received my custom Infinity container about four weeks after I placed my order. One to two days after I placed my order, I received a call from Flora to confirm a color, pinstripe, and canopy sizes. This was a welcomed call. Flora truly understands the concept of customer service. I can rant and rave on how I was made to feel as if my questions really mattered to her, but that would just be words. You give her a call for yourself and ask her a random question, you'll see. She's simply a nice lady that provides an excellent customer service for VSE. Once I received my container, I realized I failed to accurately describe the proper color placement on one of the panels. The error in my communication was one I could easily live with. Moreover, I remembered the service I received from Flora, and I hesitated to contact VSE to see if there could be anything done about the miscommunication, because I hated the thought of probably hearing a different side of a--to date--really nice person. I was willing to simply drive on. I filled the container with my cutes and headed to the DZ. After my first jump, I was in awe at the degree of comfort the container provided me in freefall and under canopy. The custom fit container places everything in exactly the right spot; from the handles to the webbing placements. I am certain there are other containers out there that will provide you with the same comfort and feel, but I can say with certainty that my Infinity is one of them. So what? So against my better judgment, I decided to send an email to VSE to ask what could be done with the miscommunication I had about the color issue I mentioned earlier, and about a slight charge I had not anticipated on my final bill. My email gave VSE and out, because I truly could live with the different color on one of the panels, and I was so satisfied with the comfort and fit of the container that I was willing to accept the slight up charge in exchange for the excellent customer service I received to date and wanted the experience to remain a positive one. As I mentioned, my email gave VSE an out as I simply asked for any consideration to my dilemma. To my surprise, in less than 24 hours I received an email from Tony that with no questions asked offered a compromise above and beyond anything I imagined. Quite frankly, I would have been satisfied with an email response, a T-shirt and a sticker (sorry to admit this now Tony). Anyway, I received an email from Tony, which apologized for the billing error that failed to include the promotional discount. The promotional discount dollar amount was a fair amount of money; enough to by a high-end helmet, high-end altimeter, or a 1/4 of an AAD. Beyond that, Tony offered to take the container back--after the jump season was over (huh?!)--and correct the color miscommunication we had for a very very minor fee. Unbelievable! So, I now know when it's time to replace my new Infinity container that I will be going back to VSE. Why? Remove that fact that the container is the most comfortable rig I've ever had on my back, eliminate the fact that I received the container in much less time than I anticipated (when does that ever happen) and remove the fact that it's a great looking rig. With all that removed, I challenge you to find a manufacturer of any container on the market that will come close to the level of customer service you will receive from VSE. If you decide to take on this challenge, Good Luck! For me, I won't need luck. I already know what I'll get from Flora and Tony. Thank you guys!