buying new rig

[pounds 0]

Im a student looking to buy a new dolpin rig with FCI 7 cell and a raven reserve. Im 5 10 and around 215 pounds. Im just looking to get something thats ready to go and to rack up lots of jumps and not spend so much. What size canopie would you suggest?

[TerminatorSRT4 0]

don't mean to be an A-hole.........but use the search funtion if you're asking about a "first canopy"

[FallloutboyDAoC 0]

220 230 240 would be good. asking your instructors would be an even better choice though. a lot better than this forum. a LOT better.

[theonlyski 8]

honestly, you'd be about a million times better off asking your instructors... they can figure your wingloading, and what type of canopy you should start with. they have seen you jump, and seeing as your profile isnt filled out, we dont even know where you are and who to send you to.

just ask your instructors/staff at your dz

"I may be a dirty pirate hooker...but I'm not about to go stand on the corner." iluvtofly
DPH -7, TDS 578, Muff 5153, SCR 14890
I'm an asshole, and I approve this message

[prodiver913 0]

get a vector or javelin with a skyhook and with a triathlon if your starting out

I'm completely in favor of the separation of Church and State. My idea is that these two institutions screw us up enough on their own, so both of them together is certain death.

[DrewEckhardt 0]

Quote

honestly, you'd be about a million times better off asking your instructors... they can figure your wingloading, and what type of canopy you should start with. they have seen you jump, and seeing as your profile isnt filled out, we dont even know where you are and who to send you to.

just ask your instructors/staff at your dz

It doesn't take much to become an AFF instructor .

A few thousand jumps as an instructor isn't always enough to actually learn anything. I know one AFF-I with thousands of jumps who broke her pelvis because she didn't know how to fly parachutes and make safe braked turns.

Instructors who haven't travelened haven't seen that much. Given a huge rural landing area with predictable winds people should stay out of trouble, but the skills needed to survive in that situation won't help you when you go someplace with constantly changing winds and a tiny landing area with pitbull and alligator farms on either side.

Instructors at small DZs don't see enough students to figure out the statistics of what's happening even if they have the disposition to do so.

Brian Germain has over 10,000 jumps, designs parachutes, builds parachutes, teaches canopy flight around the world, writes books on sports psychology, etc. He knows more than your instructors.

Start with his recomendations:


http://www.bigairsportz.com/pdf/bas-sizingchart.pdf


If one of your instructors tells you that you should jump a bigger canopy, listen. If they tell you to jump a smaller parachute don't. People (including rating holders) told a small woman at my DZ that she should downsize (still under a pound per square foot) because it would make landings (which she was having problems with) easier. She broke a wrist or two because she couldn't land. After upsizing and learning to fly parachutes she was fine.

If you're a guy sufferring from merely average levels of testosterone poisoning you'll go through 6-7+ canopies and 2-3 rigs getting to the size you stick with indefinitely. That's fine. Provided that you start with used gear, you'll be spending a couple bucks a jump on depreciation regardless of how many rigs you go through. If you are patient and do a good job shopping it'll be less.

What's safe now is different than what will be safe in 100 jumps. Buy what you can jump now (used) and sell it when you have motivation, training, and experience to jump something smaller.

Less than a pound per square foot (a 240 for you once you add gear) is still more than enough to break your leg bones into a handful of pieces and run up $30K-$40K in medical bills for you and your insurance (Really, I did that).

[DrewEckhardt 0]

Quote

get a vector or javelin with a skyhook and with a triathlon if your starting out

No.

Get something cheap enough to resell quickly without loosing enough money it hurts. That's probably not a skyhook equipped rig.

People buying new gear which may loose a few thousand dollars (there are lots of nice nearly new rigs for $3000 and change sans AAD, although you can spend $5000 for new in your colors) are a lot more likely to get something they can "grow into." Given the number of fatalities that occur under fully open functioning canopies compared to the number of skyhook saves that's not the right trade off to make since you're more likely to be killed or injured by a canopy you can't fly well than you are to be saved by a skyhook.

Especially as a beginning skydiver where you're likely to deploy at a reasonable altitude and will be jumping canopies with relatively benign malfunction characteristics.

[phoenixlpr 0]

Someone should write a FAQ and make it sticky......

[shropshire 0]

Quote

don't mean to be an A-hole.........but use the search funtion if you're asking about a "first canopy"

So why would you even answer the post?

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[phoenixlpr 0]

Quote

Quote

don't mean to be an A-hole.........but use the search funtion if you're asking about a "first canopy"

So why would you even answer the post?

You did the very same thing.

[shropshire 0]

Actually no I didn't - I slagged off an ignorant, wasteful post.

That sort of sniping at a low post number (the OP has 1 post ... and that's no way to welcome them to our oh so friendly family), beginner in our sport really pisses me off. We should be helping and encouraging people not show how clever we are with crappy "Search you fool" posts

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[shropshire 0]

Hey welcome and enjoy the sport.

What canopies have you been jumping to date?

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[Scoop 0]

You are right Tony. I was going to suggest the OP read the material available in the safety section of the website but its so out of date it talks about round reserves still

Yes, at some point you will need to talk to your instructor before making that decision to buy however I enjoyed my 210 Silhouette canopy. I loaded it just over 1:1 and found it fun but really steady and easy to control. Dependent on your canopy experience and skill level you might also like that or might be more suited to something sportier or maybe even more tame. Thats when you need the opinion of someone who knows you to help with that judgement.

Cant do any harm to look under the "gear" tab in the dark blue bar and read some of the reviews.

[Scoop 0]

Quote

Im a student looking to buy a new dolpin rig with FCI 7 cell and a raven reserve. Im 5 10 and around 215 pounds. Im just looking to get something thats ready to go and to rack up lots of jumps and not spend so much. What size canopie would you suggest?

You might want to look at this. Looks like could be ideal. Fairly cheap too so ideal for first rig as will probably sell and look to buy again when you know what you want from the sport discipline and canopy wise: http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/classifieds/detail_page.cgi?ID=71084;d=1

It's an old dolphin. I've never really had a good look at one but I understand they aren't very secure for freeflying. This could be a myth so have a good look at the reviews and start forming a relationship with one of your local riggers to bounce questions off and seek advice.

Hope that helps

[jumpwally 0]

With 33 jumps i ask you not to act like an a hole,,,,i get tired of that "do a search" comment. Lack of respect around the world today, i tells ya ! Most folks know you can do a search, hell you don't even need DZ.Com to do a search, the plain old internet will do, i think most folks ask questionms cuz they want some type of interaction with others, i know i do. If you dont want to answer then don't waste your finger tips, there are plenty of helpful skydivers on here...

smile, be nice, enjoy life
FB # - 1083

[phoenixlpr 0]

Quote

Actually no I didn't - I slagged off an ignorant, wasteful post.

I don't think so. The next 3-5 might search first.....