katzas 1 #1 March 22, 2014 Anybody out there using an Icon NexGen? Curious about how it stacks up to an Odyssey. I am going to order one of those in the next week or two along with a PD reserve but no main yet. Gonna demo a couple or three including the Pilot, Sabre2 and one other to be determined before I buy one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggerrob 643 #2 March 22, 2014 What size of main are you planning to buy? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MrOneNut 0 #3 March 24, 2014 I have 68 jumps currently on my ICON Nexgen with 175 Smart reserve and 188 ZP Pilot main. I bought the container without seeing one in person, based entirely on recommendations from experienced jumpers. I love mine. I couldn't be happier. It seems to actually represent a blend of the best features offered by the other manufacturers. We had an Aerodyne demo day just a few weeks ago at Skydive Panama City. I would recommend making a demo day if you can, you can try out both the container and mains you are considering. Best of luck with your gear purchase. Aerodyne customer service has also been awesome. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
katzas 1 #4 March 27, 2014 Haven't decided on a main yet but whatever it is will be in the 210 range. Looking at the Pilot, Sabre2, Silhouette. Will demo jump them before I decide. My reserve will be a PD 193. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
katzas 1 #5 March 27, 2014 Thanks for the info. I too have not tried one but I ordered a custom a couple of weeks ago. I got the magnetic riser covers, chest rings and a skyhook. The main problem I find with a lot of harnesses is that I tend to hang from them rather than sit in them. Read a few reviews that said the Icon tends to put you in a sitting position more than other harnesses. Another reason I decided on Icon was all the stuff that it comes standard with (stainless, articulated, chest rings, spacer foam etc.) for a reasonable price. I added all the stuff the Icon has as standard to the cost of a Wings, Mirage and even an Odyssey and even the cheapest rig came within spitting distance of the price of the Icon. They do have a longish delivery time (12-14 weeks) but since I won't be jumping again until July of this year it doesn't matter. I received acknowledgement of my order from Icon the next day If that is any indication of their customer service I think I made the right choice. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
degeneration 5 #6 March 27, 2014 I love my oldgen Icon, so if the NEXGEN is an improvement it'll be awesome and you'll love it! I did exactly the same when I ordered mine regarding pricing up the competition with the same options that come as standard with the Icon, and the Icon came out among the cheapest, and I thought it also looked the best. Win win.Sky Switches - Affordable stills camera tongue switches and conversion adaptors, supporting various brands of camera (Canon, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggerrob 643 #7 March 28, 2014 ***... the Icon tends to put you in a sitting position more than other harnesses. ... .............................................................................. Yes. Icons tend to have longer horizontal back straps and shorter main lift webs, which hold you in more of a sitting position. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggerrob 643 #8 March 28, 2014 I just assembled and packed a shiny, new Icon Next Gen. Quality of workmanship was first-rate. But I took me three tries to find the pocket for the packing data card. I eventually found the pocket tucked into the top of the padding that covers the horizontal back strap. Holy parts count Batman! Just the back-pad has more parts than my entire Eze-Fleyer (1980s-vintage, Canadian copy of a Wonderhog). The data card pocket starts with a piece of Type 4 webbing, then they sew on the TSO label, then they bind a plastic stiffener, then they sew the plastic stiffener to the Type 4, then they sew it to the pad ... Have wrinkled data cards become the biggest hassle for yuppy skydivers????? Since this was the first time I had packed a Skyhook into an Icon, I had to go back to the manual three times, before I figured out that photo #6 was taken from thee opposite direction from the other photos. GRRRR! You would have thought that Aerodyne would have learned from R.I.'s (mid-1980's Talon 1 manual) mistake. ................................... Sandy used to say "If you don't understand something, copy it exactly." Ha! Ha! Remind me to give the Aerodyne factory an earful, when I phone them Monday morning to order some soft links. The Icon's (Parachutes de France) Atom heritage revealed itself when I packed it. That icon was as easy to pack as any Atom, all he parts work together so well. The Smart 135 reserve just "fell" into the free-bag. And I did not notice how tight the container was until I started to close the side flaps. By the time I closed the last flap, it was a perfect fit. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
katzas 1 #9 March 30, 2014 Thanks for the info Rob. I had the usual, "did I order the right stuff" feeling but, from what I have read about Icon's stuff (at least the recent comments) I think I made a good choice. By the way, Aerodyne just raised the price by $235.00 on the NexGen. I got my order in under the wire so Aerodyne just gave me a little gift when it comes to resale. I lived for quite a while in TO and did most of my skydiving at Gananoque with Tom. Back then I was jumping a Rapid Transit and a Wizard (Bill Gargano design like a Comet). First "square" jump was on a rental Stratocloud there. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
degeneration 5 #10 April 1, 2014 Out of interest, what container size was the Smart 135 a perfect fit for?Sky Switches - Affordable stills camera tongue switches and conversion adaptors, supporting various brands of camera (Canon, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggerrob 643 #11 April 1, 2014 degenerationOut of interest, what container size was the Smart 135 a perfect fit for? ........................................................................... That Smart 135 was a perfect fit in an Icon I4 ...I14?. Thought the manual says that you can stuff a Smart 150 ... closing the side flaps would be a struggle. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alexg3265 0 #12 April 1, 2014 I4. My wife has a PDr 143 in it. It's easy enough for me to get it in and closed. It's actually easier than my i5 with a firelight 175. I'd say a smart 135 would be perfect fit.I was that kid jumping out if his tree house with a bed sheet. My dad wouldn't let me use the ladder to try the roof... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
