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The beauty of the internet is that sometimes the more you disagree with someone the more educating and interesting it is to hang out. Some people never change while others do. It is interesting to watch. How boring life would be if we all agreed eh.

What size did you first order and what size did you change to and change back from? What do you jump now? I first ordered a 74, then changed to 72, then jumped a 72 and then changed to a 69 (hybrid)... I ordered mine even before they announced the count down... After demoing one I 'needed' to order immediately. Have you jumped one?

With all due respect, it has been clearly pointed out that the rigger could actually get paid their full $60 (or whatever it was) with the circa $1400 (@20%) mark up that the gear store obtained from the full retail sale. or not. I don't think that lesson needed to be leaned, the OP already acknowledged this. Sometimes the rigger is the gear store owner, sometimes the rigger is on a salary and will be paid even if there is nothing to do (not that often however), this bares no reflection on the customer bargaining for a sweetener.

I like to get all excited over a nice box with my thing too... Pussy boxes are very exciting with your thing in them.

I have seen nothing but rational discussion from the OP and the only hostility seems to have come from individuals claiming he was being completely unreasonable such as yourself. Would you care to re post something the OP has said that resembles hostility? Rather condescending don't you think?

Exactly, Interesting thread, it really shows how people like to act like they are superior citizens on the internet to gather some kind of personal reward. I believe if you had of asked before you purchased the whole shabang that you would have got the pack job. Because they had already got the money out of you and knew you 'could afford' new gear, that you would likely buy the reserve too. There is nothing wrong with bargaining for a better deal. As a previous business owner, we had a policy of only offering discounts on certain thresholds. For a gear store your purchases in the top dollar range and getting people to continue to make such purchases should be in their best interests. Even if you are small fry compared to some of their customers they should not make you feel out of line for asking, especially if they want you to continue shopping there, or if they want any of your friends or comrades to do the same. They obviously did. It seems the response you received was less than professional. Even if they said no and had a policy not to discount, ever... they should have at least been polite about it and apologised (even if they do not mean it). Anyone that has worked in service or retail in a successful business should know this. I have not heard you bitching like some have implied, you simply asked is people thought it was acceptable or not. And you have given rational replies that a few do not agree with. After reading most of the thread that is going around in circles... I suggest you name the retailer and let the readers decide whether to take their business there or not. I would not. Many people read and do not reply, and when a bandwagon is started like this, people are far less likely to support you and 'the gang' will attack them also for doing so. Nobody likes being attacked by the gang. Call me shallow, but I like being wooed over when I spends thousands of dollars, just like I was willing to do when customers of mine were spending thousands of dollars with me. Bad reviews are the unfortunate response to poor service, those I avoided with a passion. The retailer was definitely in within their rights to refuse any sort of discount, and they were also within their rights to make condescending implications. How you respond is also up to you. Retailers take about 10-30% commission on gear sales... Do the math.

I think they are being super conservative with lead times as to not piss anyone off with late delivery, this is not official by any means just an observation. I ordered mine about 5-6 weeks ago and was told there would be a 20-25 week waiting time. I was told yesterday that it will be ready in about 3 weeks as it is already cut and reinforced. Definitely worth the wait.

Hi, Dave was not really a great example as he had a guts, but was otherwise a solid guy, all his extra weight was there. I did not have a long look through all the videos but found Lissette by glancing at the thumbnails, I could tell she has a 'softer' bottom. Why could I tell? because the buckles were about 25cm above her shoulders, screenshot attached. She was obviously reasonably fit, her bottom was not that large and she could lift her legs easily enough probably because you positioned the hips well and she was reasonably fit. Some people are not and they will sink into the harness more than Lissette did. Nobody can tell me that there needs to be this much space in the harness, and when they hang low like that they can be much more prone to injuring themselves. about 2-3 inches taken from the back diagonals and 2-3 inches from the main lift web while attaching in the plane would have had lissette sat much more nicely in the harness and her bottom a few inches higher off the ground. This is how I would do it anyway.

While I half agree with you, I somehow find it hard to believe that you will crank the harness into a large woman's thighs (for example) when you put the harness on. I have come across a couple of die hard 'don't do any adjustments in the plane' types and honestly I am usually horrified when they come into land with some larger people. Just doing the arching position on exit is enough for the harness to 'sink into fat' and then leaving the harness loose. Can you please post a picture of you coming into land with a person with fat legs please so we can see what I am talking about.

In that case I will also point out that I agree with whoever suggested that the hips junctions of the harness should be forward of center for larger people also... For everybody! This helps them lift their legs for landing. When someone connects the customer and tightens the side attachments, the hip junctions then end up rear of the hips (if donned like UPT suggests) and the belly band is usually loosened further due to it digging into their fat guts. The technique suggested in the photos seems like poor technique for these reasons and amending this should be considered for the benefit of all the 'larger' people out there. The harnessing on the ground should anticipate where the straps will be after being attached and tightened (and loosened again in relation to the belly band) and where they will be once people have sunk into the harness after opening... It looks to me as if the harnessing demonstrated in the video and pictures assumes this positioning will be the same while in freefall and under parachute. It most definitely is not. Great to see this is a liquid thing and UPT is adapting to the experiences out in the field.

Agreed, but this makes you wonder why the BBC claim T 72's It shows they know nothing and will believe anything they are told/decide to claim if it fits their story they are pushing. I do not believe this is a simple mistake. there are very few T72's in Ukraine... All T64's originated in Ukraine and are very common there. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-27815441 Now the white phosphorus? There has been no discussion of that. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLizHCJDB6c http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68qmaUg5o4M#t=109

Ignore the western 'experts' suggesting that these are T72's. Any layman such as myself can do about 5 mins research and discover these experts are nothing but shills trying to create a false story. look at the wheels, the turret and the exhaust on a side view. Though the Nato confirmation you posted only states T64's the BBC are claiming T72's which Ukraine only has a few of. In Crimea there were quite a Few T64's these could also have been shifted.

The T64 was scrapped by Russia in 2013. The one tank photographed supposedly in Ukraine could easily be Ukraine government tank that the separatists have captured. The others are in Russian Territory. The rebel forces in Ukraine have gained a lot of equipment from the Ukraine government and also Ukrainian military personnel have defected, in some cases this could include the changing of hands of certain equipment. The only T64 factory is in Ukraine... and the Ukraine military has about 3000 of them... Kindly explain how a T64 being in Ukraine is evidence of Russia sending equipment over the border? This reminds me of the WMD bullshit. If Russia was to attack, they would likely use current and more effective equipment and not 30 year old junk that they have since stopped using and training with. The Russian flag is flown by the rebel forces.

^ yes!

Of course the Aircraft was shot down by 'pro Russian separatists'. Amazon was suggesting that it was Russia. 'Other' Aircraft were dropping bombs and what appears to be white phosphorus on those in the east. Is self defense not an option in war? It is clear that those that are referred to as 'pro Russian separatists' are not in favor of Kiev's new regime and feel an attachment to Russia, this does not make them Russia. This is a civil war with Ukrainians fighting Ukrainians. Suggesting Russia is arming them however is not really truthful as there is no evidence that this is the case. If there was evidence of this it would be all over the news. A that information is in favor of the western medias rhetoric. It is also suggested that Russia has breached the boarder of Ukraine which is also not truthful, in fact one Ukranian armored vehicle was left deserted well within the Russian border. Russia does not stand to gain from this conflict, the west does, in theory. In the end however the west stands to lose a great deal with the conflict if it does not meet it's objectives... the west are not very good at meeting their (publicly announced) objectives.