Need advice on 1st reserve purchase

[justinbaker27 0]

So I'm about to buy my 1st Reserve for my first Rig and I need some help on this one. I have already decided to purchase a PD 281 reserve and I can get a brand new one for $1,250 thru my rigger or I can buy a Brand new in the bag PD 281 Reserve that has never been taken out of the bag according to www.square1.com with a manufactures date of 2001 for $800 shipped. So with that being said I'm not worried about reselling it anytime soon and will very likely keep this reserve for a long time. "My questions is that is it worth it to save $450 on one that was produced that long ago? And is it safe?"

Thanks for your input! :)

[justinbaker27 0]

P.S. www.square1.com the site that has the reserve in question for sale told me they had a customer put half down and order it a long time ago and never picked it up, that's why it's so old yet brand new and never been packed or opened..

[gowlerk 2,216]

It is safe. There is no real difference between the new one and the 2001 version. Buy it right away before someone else on this list sees it is available and snaps it up.

Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

[yoink 321]

I don't know if PD reserves have a life expectancy on them.

Some are only good for a certain number of years before they need to regularly go back for testing. 20 is a number that I seem to remember.

As a big guy you may well never change your reserve - IF that's the case and IF there was a 20 year shelf life on that PD one, you'd only get about 7 years out of it rather than 20 for an extra $450.

Others (maybe PD) stipulate a certain number of pack jobs, rather than shelf-life and if that's the case then the 2001 one is a bargain. There's essentially no difference in the two other than price.

I'd call Sqaure one and ask them to hold it for you for a day, then I'd call PD and ask them.

[justinbaker27 0]

yoink

I'd call Sqaure one and ask them to hold it for you for a day, then I'd call PD and ask them.

I called PD and they said assuming it's in the original bag and hasn't been packed or stored in extreme temperatures it will have almost no loss of (some technical term) and will be fine. They said I could even send them the canopy and $40 to do some test in it to see how much wind flows thru the skin to test it, but didn't think I need it.

[likestojump 3]

yoink

I'd call Sqaure one and ask them to hold it for you for a day, then I'd call PD and ask them.

You crack me up. No one is going to hold anything for anyone for a day. It doesn't happen. However, I am sure the reserve will be in stock for a bit, as 281 isn't exactly a high-demand size.

On another note - I urge people to do their research, not seek handouts. A simple read of the manual or the forums will tell you that PD has no life limit imposed, and needs to go back to the factory after 40 repacks or 25 rides, whichever comes first.

And for the love of all things nylon, please stop remembering the so vague and phantom 20 year rule. Stateside, it's a lot more of a folklore and personal preference of some crusty or myopic rigger, rather than anything that is written as a rule of law.

Rigga, pah-leeze.

[mattjw916 2]

just buy it...

NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

[riggerrob 643]

Agreed!
The primary reason most riggers refuse to repack 20-year-old Phantoms, Pioneer K-series reserves, etc. is because some of those round reserves were made with acid-mesh. Some of that acid-mesh chewed holes in canopy fabric.
I would love to see all those round reserves - from the acid-mesh era - disappear into museums.

As for square reserves - made of similar material ... few manufacturers publish shelf-life limits. ... and even fewer riggers care.
The greatest risk to modern skydivers jumping 20-plus -year old square reserves is stupid, fat, white men loading Micro Ravens at 3 pounds per square foot, then wondering why they don't flare!
Hah!
Hah!

If I were the original poster, I would phone Square One FIRST THING IN THE MORNING to pay for that PD 280 reserve, because you are never going to see that good deal again on a like-new reserve.

[peter.draper 0]

riggerrob

Agreed!
The primary reason most riggers refuse to repack 20-year-old Phantoms, Pioneer K-series reserves, etc. is because some of those round reserves were made with acid-mesh. Some of that acid-mesh chewed holes in canopy fabric.
I would love to see all those round reserves - from the acid-mesh era - disappear into museums.

As for square reserves - made of similar material ... few manufacturers publish shelf-life limits. ... and even fewer riggers care.
The greatest risk to modern skydivers jumping 20-plus -year old square reserves is stupid, fat, white men loading Micro Ravens at 3 pounds per square foot, then wondering why they don't flare!
Hah!
Hah!

If I were the original poster, I would phone Square One FIRST THING IN THE MORNING to pay for that PD 280 reserve, because you are never going to see that good deal again on a like-new reserve.

what he said......... :)

[justinbaker27 0]

likestojump

***I'd call Sqaure one and ask them to hold it for you for a day, then I'd call PD and ask them.

You crack me up. No one is going to hold anything for anyone for a day. It doesn't happen. However, I am sure the reserve will be in stock for a bit, as 281 isn't exactly a high-demand
Rigga, pah-leeze.

I'm not worried about them selling it, if it was gonna be sold that easy it wouldn't have been sitting there for 12 years without a buyer. I also talked to PD and they told me I had nothing to worry about. I guess I was just asking some advice from people that have been in the sport for awhile and have dealt with this kinda thing :)