What to look for in my first rig....

[dropfanatic 0]

Just a few days ago I took my first plunge into the air from 10500 ft. Obviously I was getting a video to remember my first and only jump. Once I landed the only thing I could say was.... Where do I pay to go back up? I went up 2 more times. All I can think about is how to get back upstairs now. Since then I have been planning a trip to Arizona for 2 maybe 3 weeks to get all my jumps and instruction at the sametime to get my A License. The one thing I am struggling with before spending all this money is that I have no clue what to look for in a chute. I know if I am going to be doing all of this at once I need to get myself a chute or else I'll be living with this constant need to be up there with nothing to bring me safely down. I need some help as to what to buy, where to buy it, what to look for, is new or used the best way......

Any help anyone can give me is greatly appreciated. I have been surfing the net and anything else I can get my hands on to answer some questions.

Please Help!!!!

[topper 0]

Do your AFF, and then talk to your instructors about buying a rig.

They are the only ones who can advise as they will know your canopy handling skills etc etc.

Chris

[Remster 30]

If you go to SDA for your AFF and jumos to get to your A licence, stick with the school's rigs (in fact, do that no matter where you decide to make you jumps).

During your training, talk to the instructors, Maggy at Square2, and others you feel you can learn from.

Remster

[dragon2 2]

First get to 30 jumps or so, before that it won't be worth buying gear because you may not be allowed to jump your own gear soon and you'll quickly outgrow the first (few) size(s) of canopies.

Then go talk to your instructors.

Also do a search here, first rig questions come up every week and there are some excellent articles on here to help you, http://www.dropzone.com/safety/Gear_and_Equipment/index.shtml for example.

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[sartre 0]

At what point do you have to pay rental for student gear? Starting jump one of AFF, or when? And I'd really love some input about the cost of the rental.

I need some $$ amounts to quote to the warden (I mean my husband). I already gave him a ball park figure for the AFF program, but I'm not sure if I'm aware of all of the costs or not. (And I'm hoping not to repeat too many jumps...)

[NWFlyer 2]

Quote

At what point do you have to pay rental for student gear? Starting jump one of AFF, or when? And I'd really love some input about the cost of the rental.

I need some $$ amounts to quote to the warden (I mean my husband). I already gave him a ball park figure for the AFF program, but I'm not sure if I'm aware of all of the costs or not. (And I'm hoping not to repeat too many jumps...)

Whether you're explicitly paying a separate "rental fee" or it's included in the cost of the jump, you're paying to rent the gear. I think most if not all DZs bake the gear rental in the cost of the jump through AFF; many also include it in the cost of the jump until you have your A license.

Best bet is to ask the DZ, though, as they do vary.

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[sartre 0]

And after I get my A license, can I continue to rent gear? (typically, I mean. I know I'm not asking about a specific dz).

[Remster 30]

You can rent gear as long as you want, and as long as there is gear available to you. It gets expensive, and going from rig to rig to rig all the time may not be the best idea in the long run.

Remster

[3331 137]

Read How To Select A Parachute Harness/Container System and How To Select The Right Canopy For You, also in the Articles section.

I Jumped with the guys who invented Skydiving.