buy a main or a container?

[devarona 0]

Im kind of in a bind. I have enough cash to buy either a main or a container with reserve. If you had to buy one first and wait a month or two until you can get the other, which one would you choose first, in case the other offer is no longer available after a month goes by?

The main which is a sabre 2 150 for 1350.00 DOM 2006.

Container with reserve (dont know which reserve yet) but its a wings with cadmium hardware DOM 2002. Both container and reserve are being sold for 900.00.

Which offer would you go for first?

[soulbabel 0]

The container, but only if:
-it fits really well, being made for someone matching your body size
-you find it difficult to find used containers made for you body size
-it gives you room to downsize if that's in your plans
-you like how it looks (not a dealbreaker, though)

And then you could just demo canopies for ~$50, for two weeks at a time.

[devarona 0]

Thanx a lot for the advice!

[davelepka 4]

The used container is the more difficult component to find. The harness needs to fit you, and the container needs to fit the correct size canopies, so there are a few variables involved in locating one. If you have found one that fits the bill, buy it now and worry about the rest later.

Once you have a container and reserve packed and assembled, finding a main to jump can be done. As mentioned, you can demo canopies for a small fee for a couple weeks, but you can also ask around the DZ and someone might have a 150 or similar that you can borrow. This way you can get your new rig up in the air ASAP.

If all you have is a main, your chances of finding an assembled and packed container/reserve that fits you and your canopies, that you can borrow, is almost zero.

Also, you might be able to hunt down a better deal on a main canopy in the time it takes you to get the cash together. A canopy will lose very little performance between 500 and 1000 jumps, but it will cost less if it's closer to 1000 jumps. As a bonus, the canopy will be easier to pack the more jumps it has which is always a plus.

Chances are you're not going to put 1000 jumps on the canopy yourself, so there's no need for you to look for a very 'new' one. Buy a well used cheapo, jump it for a couple hundred jumps, and then look for a smaller one.

[TrophyHusband 0]

i've faced that choice a few times. the first time, i wanted to upgrade from a wonderhog with a round reserve to something a little newer so i bought a used javelin with a reserve. that was in 1996. if you don't already have a container or yours is crappy, you really should get the container. since then i've bought one used canopy, two new canopies and my wife bought me an aad, but i'm still jumping the same container. last weekend i decided it might be time for a new container.

"Your scrotum is quite nice" - Skymama
www.kjandmegan.com

[rhaig 0]

Container first. But find out what size of reserve it has in it. Remember that you may have to land under your reserve with no toggle input and downwind to boot.

--
Rob

[millertime24 8]

It hasn't been mentioned yet, but how about asking your DZO if he has any gear for sale. If so I know more than a couple who have let folks "rent to own". Basically they pay a rental fee on the gear when they use it or just make payments on the gear every couple weeks or so then when its paid off its yours and you can take it home. Just a thought.

Muff #5048

[virgin-burner 1]

maybe you have even a mate with a spare canopy laying around!? they may ask for a nominal fee, but maybe worth thinking about!?

“Some may never live, but the crazy never die.”
-Hunter S. Thompson
"No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try."
-Yoda

[Brains 2]

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Container first. But find out what size of reserve it has in it. Remember that you may have to land under your reserve with no toggle input and downwind to boot.

And we all know that is the best time to jump the smallest canopy you have ever tried!

Never look down on someone, unless they are going down on you.

[devarona 0]

Youre quite right, the deal with the container is pretty much a good one. The canopy though, I just thought it would be cool to own it since it has a huge PD logo on it. Therefor, I was kinda looking into the canopy beacuse of the logo and also cause I wanted to get rid of my sabre 1. I know sabre 2's can be even found at 800 bucks to 1k when the rare chance occurs on the classifieds section. So... the choice was more of a cosmetic one than a practical one because of the logo...

Anyways, heres a picture of the main:
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o58/devarona/sabre2.jpg

[Sangi 0]

Don't lose a chance to look cool with a huge PD logo, screw the container! Who needs it anyway? Just hold onto the lines of the canopy and jump it, looks is everything!

"Dream as you'll live forever, live as you'll die today." James Dean

[DrewEckhardt 0]

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Which offer would you go for first?

Get the container if the reserve is a safe size for, the harness fits, and it has life left. The price is good assuming all that.

The Sabre2 is over priced unless it has less than 200 jumps on it, and with enough jumps you may be buying a line set and spending as much as you would on a brand new one.

[soulbabel 0]

I was working off the assumption you didn't have a container. However, if you already have a container that you're content with, then it just comes down to which one you want more. Just make sure you find out the pack volume of that specific canopy, because that huge logo is usually sewn on and adds alot of bulk. You don't want to buy it, and find out it doesn't fit into your D-bag.

[skyrider 0]

Quote

Im kind of in a bind. I have enough cash to buy either a main or a container with reserve. If you had to buy one first and wait a month or two until you can get the other, which one would you choose first, in case the other offer is no longer available after a month goes by?

The main which is a sabre 2 150 for 1350.00 DOM 2006.

Container with reserve (dont know which reserve yet) but its a wings with cadmium hardware DOM 2002. Both container and reserve are being sold for 900.00.

Which offer would you go for first?

Sounds a bit steep for a 4 year old canopy or a 8 year old bottom of the line rig!

[JohnMitchell 16]

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Also, you might be able to hunt down a better deal on a main canopy in the time it takes you to get the cash together. A canopy will lose very little performance between 500 and 1000 jumps, but it will cost less if it's closer to 1000 jumps.

Awesome advice throughout your whole post, Dave.

I just wanted to add for the OP that a 1000-jump canopy may need a reline job soon, just as a used car often needs new tires. Figure around $300 for that.

[virgin-burner 1]

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Quote

Also, you might be able to hunt down a better deal on a main canopy in the time it takes you to get the cash together. A canopy will lose very little performance between 500 and 1000 jumps, but it will cost less if it's closer to 1000 jumps.

Awesome advice throughout your whole post, Dave.

I just wanted to add for the OP that a 1000-jump canopy may need a reline job soon, just as a used car often needs new tires. Figure around $300 for that.

holy shit, more like 700$ around here.. damn, i need to pick up rigging and start making a living of it..

“Some may never live, but the crazy never die.”
-Hunter S. Thompson
"No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try."
-Yoda

[davelepka 4]

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The canopy though, I just thought it would be cool to own it since it has a huge PD logo on it.

Generally, all a logo is good for is beefing up the pack volume, not something you're going to love pakcing on a hot summer day.

As mentioned, a canopy with higher jump numbers may need a lineset, but a canopy with beat lines will generally be very cheap. Maybe not $300 less then one with a serviceable line set, but at least $200 or $250 less. Once you get the new lines installed, the value of the canopy shoots right back up. If you only put 200 jumps on the canopy, and can document the date of the reline, and the number of jumps since, you'll get a good portion of the cost of the lines back in resale.

The other bonus to the reline is that PD will also inspect, and repair anything they find wrong with the canopy (you'll be consulted if there is an additional cost, but many small items are repaired at no charge). Once the canopy leaves the factory, it will have brand new lines and be PD approved as 100% ready to go. It takes some of the risk out of buying a used canopy, so getting a reline can be looked as a good thing.

[cocheese 0]

What about a complete rig with an AAD? Are there very many of those for sale?

[DrewEckhardt 0]

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I just wanted to add for the OP that a 1000-jump canopy may need a reline job soon, just as a used car often needs new tires. Figure around $300 for that.

holy shit, more like 700$ around here.. damn, i need to pick up rigging and start making a living of it..

I've received flat-rate DHL shipments from Germany with a 5kg max for about $60.

USPS will ship 10 pounds to Switzerland in 6-10 business days for $55.

People there would probably be a lot better off just shipping their canopies to the states.

[rhaig 0]

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maybe you have even a mate with a spare canopy laying around!? they may ask for a nominal fee, but maybe worth thinking about!?

I found a stiletto 135 in the garage the other day. It has (if I recall correctly) about 1000 jumps on it. Maybe a few more. A buddy loaned it to me 5+ years ago and I never used it. He wasn't using it at the time and I forgot I had it.

Just saying, that it happens. People DO end up with a spare canopy lying around. (I'm not trying to sell this, and don't want to come across like I am)

--
Rob

[virgin-burner 1]

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I just wanted to add for the OP that a 1000-jump canopy may need a reline job soon, just as a used car often needs new tires. Figure around $300 for that.

holy shit, more like 700$ around here.. damn, i need to pick up rigging and start making a living of it..

I've received flat-rate DHL shipments from Germany with a 5kg max for about $60.

USPS will ship 10 pounds to Switzerland in 6-10 business days for $55.

People there would probably be a lot better off just shipping their canopies to the states.

when i was about to buy a new rig, i was shopping around here for a 2nd hand main; i found a safire2 with around 4-500 jumps on it for i think 1200$..

add in the 700$.. i ended up buying new and STILL saved money..

actually, for a micron, an optimum and the safire2 that i bought all overseas, i ended up saving around 2 grand; i dont like being ass-raped!

“Some may never live, but the crazy never die.”
-Hunter S. Thompson
"No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try."
-Yoda

[JohnMitchell 16]

I've heard Europeans can fly to the U.S., buy new gear, jump it for a few days, and fly home, and still be money ahead of staying home, buying the gear, and making the same # of jumps. True?

[virgin-burner 1]

check the figures i've presented above..

add in jumptickets that are around 40$..

so, i save 2 grand on a new rig, go to the states for 3 weeks and make 100 jumps (instead of paying about 4000$, i could probably jump for 2-2500$); money saved around 4 grand, say 3500$. i could live like a king for say 700$ a week, thats for food and lodging, the plane costs about 1200$ if i dont go cheap, how much have i "saved" now!? 400$? still ahead, and at least double the number of jumps, plus a holiday..

there's a business opportunity for you guys out there..

“Some may never live, but the crazy never die.”
-Hunter S. Thompson
"No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try."
-Yoda

[JohnMitchell 16]

Yep, I've run into a lot of Europeans at DZ's who have told me similar figures.

When I heard what things cost in Japan? No wonder they're all over here to skydive and learn to fly.

[Sangi 0]

You americans always having everything and the easy way...

"Dream as you'll live forever, live as you'll die today." James Dean