PD Reserve Made in Honduras???

[ngawang01 0]

If sticking your shoe up your ass work for you, is O.K. I would not try that myself. I'm sticking with safety first. Thats all. I'm not stereotypying or nothing like that.
I won't try getting LASIK surgery anywhere else neither.

"Can't keep my eyes from the circling skies
Tongue-tied and twisted Just an earth-bound misfit, I". pf

[justinb138 0]

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If sticking your shoe up your ass work for you, is O.K. I would not try that myself. I'm sticking with safety first.

Lighten up man, just a joke.

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Thats all. I'm not stereotypying or nothing like that.
I won't try getting LASIK surgery anywhere else neither.

You really can't compare sewing to laser eye surgery.

Go ask your local rigger for his/her opinion on PD reserves before basing your opinon of them on where they are made.

There is a reason PD has sold over 30,000 of them.

[RIGGER 0]

It's about time to cut off the personal issues & keep the pro subjects only.

Safe Skydiving & Rigging !!!

[HydroGuy 0]

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The workers in Honduras may have the best jobs of their lives, and be very dedicated.

A worker in Florida may feel the opposite.

I bet more US workers are on speed, crack, heroin, prozac, valium, oxycontin etc than Honduran workers...

In the US sewing/garment industry, I would actually bet there are a very high percentage of first generation Central/South American workers at those sewing machines as well.

Get in - Get off - Get away....repeat as neccessary

[mr2mk1g 10]

Less developed countries often offer far better products in situations like this. Where a large skilled labor force exists you get employers who can drive up standards very quickly. If you screw up or around or your work doesn't come up to scratch you simply don't get to come back on Monday morning. Then a new skilled worker is brought in instantly and trained up to fill your slot. Everyone works harder so they get to continue taking home their pay packet.

In first world countries this doesn't work because:
1) unemployment is low - you can't necessarily instantly fill the empty position.
2) skilled workers are few and far between when it comes to manual jobs - few people dream of a career as a seamstress.
3) labor laws prevent on the spot sackings – you've got to give notice and have a really good reason and even then they sue you.
4) all the best workers go to jobs which pay better than sewing – you have to resort to employing the worst quality workers available.
5) the families of sacked employees don't starve to death so there's not quite the same incentive to keep working as hard as possible and stay in your job no matter what.

None of these problems apply to developing nations. The conclusion is: Want quality goods at prices you can afford? Send the work overseas. First world nations just can't afford to produce items at a quality which competes.

Besides – all the reserves are inspected in the US. They're inspected by PD before they get to no near a customer. Then your rigger inspects them before it goes near your rig. If there's something wrong with it you don't get to jump it. The quality of inspection does not depend on where the thing was made.

[ngawang01 0]

You are absolutely right. Then, if only cost lets say 300.00 USD to make a canopy(this price include materials, all the overhead expending, shipping, etc,etc.) Why they don't keep the prices down to a more affordable rate. I thought that the high price of the skydiving equipment was because it was custom made equipment made by FAA certified riggers and labor. Obviously this is not the case. Then, why not keep the prices low? I bet you that there will be more people getting into skydiving.(Unless the industry is targeting the opposite). I remember after my tandem jump I got all excited about it and want it to sign up for class rigth away. When I found out how expensive the sport was(equipment wise) that pull me back a good 6 months before I decided to go ahead and pursue the sport. Still is a drag to come by with 1000's of dollars to buy and upgrade equipment. Somehow I feel that I'm not the only one who feel this way.

I though that skydiving industry was like the surfing industry. The most expensive boards are hand made in Hawaii or California. You can get a cheap board machine made in China (RonJon brand). But If you want quality you buy handmade by well known shapers.

"Can't keep my eyes from the circling skies
Tongue-tied and twisted Just an earth-bound misfit, I". pf

[jakee 1,551]

Mate you are really not making sense in this thread. First you say you are going 'safety first' and not buying Honduran. Well guess what, that Honduran reserve has probably the best reputation of any on the market. You want safety, get PDR.

Now you feel that just because it is made overseas the manufacturers must be making huge amounts of money from artificial price hikes, why? Where did you get the $300 figure from? A large part of the reason skydiving equipment is expensive is the huge amount of research, development and testing that goes into making products with pretty low sales volume.

(You might also want to look up a post by Bill Booth of RWS bitching about how much custom work goes into his containers pushing up prices and lead times)

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[justinb138 0]

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You are absolutely right. Then, if only cost lets say 300.00 USD to make a canopy(this price include materials, all the overhead expending, shipping, etc,etc.) Why they don't keep the prices down to a more affordable rate. I thought that the high price of the skydiving equipment was because it was custom made equipment made by FAA certified riggers and labor. Obviously this is not the case. Then, why not keep the prices low? I bet you that there will be more people getting into skydiving.(Unless the industry is targeting the opposite).

I'm not sure what it costs to make canopies, etc.., but I've never heard of anyone getting rich selling skydiving gear.

[mr2mk1g 10]

Think how much buying a copy of all that technology, design and research would cost if they were made in the states and then subjected to the same rigorous inspection process at every stage.

You can't just skip the inspection bit just because the govt. makes you pay your workers more... and without the R&D bit you end up jumping an old round in a chest mount sold off by the army because it's obsolete.

[justinb138 0]

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Think how much buying a copy of all that technology, design and research would cost if they were made in the states and then subjected to the same rigorous inspection process at every stage.

You can't just skip the inspection bit just because the govt. makes you pay your workers more... and without the R&D bit you end up jumping an old round in a chest mount sold off by the army because it's obsolete.

Agreed.

It makes me wonder how many canopies they make just for testing when they start with a new design.

[riggerrob 643]

Agreed.

It makes me wonder how many canopies they make just for testing when they start with a new design.

[kirrz 0]

You're absolutely right.

I'm from Thailand and there is no shortage of labour and the competition is so intense that it drives up the quality ten-fold. Even though the minimum wage here is something like AUD$7 a day, workers know that if they don't do it properly, someone else will - and so they try harder.
I live in Australia for a large part of the year and at first I was of the thinking that first-world = better but now I can definitely say that this is not true at all.

I know its not Honduras but I figured the third-world connection was similar enough for me to put in my 2c.

[Kolla 0]

Hey Jimmie - I work for PD, and my reserve is made in Honduras I haven't had to use it yet (knock on wood) - but I know that should I ever need it it will do it's job!

Blue ones!
Kolla Kolbeinsdottir
Performance Designs, Inc.

Blue Skies Magazine

[rmsmith 1]

Back in the seventies Robert Petersen from GQ Security Parachutes invited me to a "chef's tour" of their facility in San Leandro, CA. Up front were Bungy and the gang, but in the back it was like a third world sweat shop. After giving it some serious thought it occurred to me that this was probably a very boring job, which was well suited to the ladies I saw sewing while listening to a spanish radio station story time adventure program. Live and learn!

[Cloudi 0]

You're kidding me, right?!

Like Kolla, I also work at PD and use a PD reserve. I haven't managed to avoid a malfunction like she has and I have used mine. Let me tell you, I was very thankful I had payed the extra little bit of money to have a reserve made by PD. I bought it 4 years prior to working for them (along with my main), mind you, so no discount! My canopy choice back then was not $ motivated, even though I was a college student at the time (meaning BROKE!). I chose canopies from a company with experience and reputation behind them.

I don't care if that thing had been made in the North Pole by disgruntled Santa's elves, it worked perfectly and performed wonderfully.

You may have a picture in your mind of some "third-world, sweat shop" in Honduras carelessly throwing together canopy parts, but it is not so. Their work is inspected at our DeLand factory and I have heard nothing but positive feedback about their work. Yes, labor is cheaper there compared to here (which is one way a company that invests so much into testing and product development is able to maintain competitive prices, by the way), but in that country's job market, I'll bet they are making a very competitive wage for workers with their skills.

The workmanship at both PD factory locations is exceptional. I have no problem using canopies put together at either one.

Kim
Watch as I attempt, with no slight of hand, to apply logic and reason.

[RIGGER 0]

Well said.

Blue Skies !!!

[ngawang01 0]

The response to this thread has sparked a great deal of emotions and apathy between some of you guys. It was not my intention. I admit I was wrong "stereotyping" (thank you riggermick forr the correction) some third world manufacturing practices. But, do not blame me. I'm just a victim of numerous merchandise deceptions. I believe that everyone of us had been a victims of low quality foreign made products . When it comes to my safety I would like the best equipment out there. I believe that Kolla and Cloudi, evethough they work for PD, are not bias in their arguments. They are probably trying to score some brownie points defending the company they work for, but thats beside the point. They are protecting a product that they believe in. Also, the response from other skydivers to this thread has assure me that the PDReserve, eventhough is not made in the USA, is a great reliable product. I did not realize how much time and effort is invested in the manufacturing and design of new skydiving product. I would like to do a research for my (GEB 6365) International Business Analysis class next semester. Where can I get information on the bussiness practices in the skydiving industry? Are the accounting book public property? What about their taxes records? If any of you guys can help me out with this I will appreciate their help. Thank you, and to those that I offended in this thread, please accept my most sincere apologies.
Blue skies,

"Can't keep my eyes from the circling skies
Tongue-tied and twisted Just an earth-bound misfit, I". pf

[riggermick 7]

It was not my intention. I admit I was wrong "prototyping" some third world manufacturing practices.


Don't you mean "stereotyping"? Unless you are preparing to set up an assembly line in Honduras for yourself and this was just a trial run.


Mick.

[ngawang01 0]

I have no intention to set up a business anywhere. I'm in the scientific research field. I'm just curious about the skydiving industry.

"Can't keep my eyes from the circling skies
Tongue-tied and twisted Just an earth-bound misfit, I". pf

[riggermick 7]

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I have no intention to set up a business anywhere. I'm in the scientific research field. I'm just curious about the skydiving industry.

Relax, it's a joke dude!!! Just pointing out your typo!

[ngawang01 0]

Giving it a though, it would not be a bad idea. You just need to buy a new canopy, take it up apart, draw some sewing patterns and make an exact replica of the original, modify a thing or two to avoid intellectual properties issues. Find yourself a master rigger who can inspect the products, give him a substantial piece of the pie, find some skydiver who test you equipment for free (they get to keep the product after the testing phase) ,register your company overseas, find an investor and you are in business.

"Can't keep my eyes from the circling skies
Tongue-tied and twisted Just an earth-bound misfit, I". pf

[divnswoop 0]

uhhhh.....Yeah.... good luck to you.

[NickDG 23]

>>You just need to buy a new canopy, take it up apart, draw some sewing patterns and make an exact replica<<

Reminds me of a trip to New Zealand right after the Stiletto came out. After landing on one DZ the local rigger came running over with measuring tape and notebook. Within a week it was Zealettos for sale . . .

NickD BASE 194

[ngawang01 0]

So, is doable

"Can't keep my eyes from the circling skies
Tongue-tied and twisted Just an earth-bound misfit, I". pf

[upndownshop 0]

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Giving it a though, it would not be a bad idea. You just need to buy a new canopy, take it up apart, draw some sewing patterns and make an exact replica of the original, modify a thing or two to avoid intellectual properties issues. Find yourself a master rigger who can inspect the products, give him a substantial piece of the pie, find some skydiver who test you equipment for free (they get to keep the product after the testing phase) ,register your company overseas, find an investor and you are in business.

ahh the infamous R&D, ripoff and duplicate

been going on since day one, especially in the skydiving world.
Not just in equipment but even boogies!!

Dont think it will ever end.