alphawolf 0 #1 December 12, 2004 Hi all, After one takes the AFF course, I see that ZHills FL lists regular jumps at $20 to 13,500 feet. I suppose most everyone rents a basic system until they get enough jumps and know what they want? Or is there a good beginners system one can buy? Actually, is there an article or thread that recommends what one needs to purchase to get into the sport? From looking at the gear pages and follwing links I get the impression to get well outfitted it would cost about $3k. Is that realistic? What are the actual real costs to get into the sport is my question after one takes the AFF course? :) What does one typically rent per jump and what does one buy? TIARegards, AW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brian425 0 #2 December 12, 2004 AW, I would say that your $3,000 budget is about right. I built my rig for $2400 and then add an altimeter, goggles, jump suit and helmet, gear bag and you are just about right. Work with your coaches to help you pick out gear. They will know what is right for your level. Also bring EVERYTHING to a rigger before you buy. When it comes to a canopy, big is good at our stage. I only have 40 jumps. I am 180 out the door jumping a safire 189. I don't see any reason to change my canopy for a long time. I am no where near it's limits. Buy good quality used gear and jump it to death. When you think you can fly it to the limits, get more coaching. You will be surprised what a somewhat modern canopy can do. Have fun and be safe. B The only time you should look down on someone is when you are offering them your hand. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
alphawolf 0 #3 December 12, 2004 Thanks, Brian. Yeah- I was just checking the online store that zhills has. Lots of goodies one can get. Just wanted a ballpark figure for the future.Regards, AW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rwieder 0 #4 December 12, 2004 $$$ should not be a factor in this sport. you CAN'T afford to go cheap. don't sell yourself short make sure you get a rig with an AAD & RSL regardless of popular opinions. after all, what price do you put on your life, along with the price of others in the sky around you, they should factor in your gear considerations as well. buy smart and from the right people.-Richard- "You're Holding The Rope And I'm Taking The Fall" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 20 #5 December 12, 2004 >$$$ should not be a factor in this sport. I disagree. I think $ is a huge factor in this sport, from gear costs to currency costs. I have a few friends that scrape by barely making ends meet most months. There is no way I'd suggest skydiving to them as a hobby. They could'nt afford gear worth jumping and they would be jumping so infrequently that their risk of injury would be too high. Before getting into the sport you sould always look at all the costs... gear, jumpsuits, helmets, accessories, rigging fees, jump tickets, etc and make sure that you will still be able to meet all your other bills too. The sport can be consuming that makes you want to put everything on your credit cards and pay later... >don't sell yourself short make sure you get a rig with an AAD & RSL regardless of popular opinions. Do your research into both of these devices to make an informed decision on how you want to set your gear up. Search for RSL here and you will have reading materail for a month Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rwieder 0 #6 December 12, 2004 QuoteI disagree. I think $ is a huge factor in this sport, from gear costs to currency costs. I have a few friends that scrape by barely making ends meet most months. There is no way I'd suggest skydiving to them as a hobby. They could'nt afford gear worth jumping and they would be jumping so infrequently that their risk of injury would be too high. Before getting into the sport you sould always look at all the costs... gear, jumpsuits, helmets, accessories, rigging fees, jump tickets, etc and make sure that you will still be able to meet all your other bills too. The sport can be consuming that makes you want to put everything on your credit cards and pay later... i agree with everything you just said, you just elaborated a lot more than i did. your words were my thoughts, i just didn't want to be offending. QuoteDo your research into both of these devices to make an informed decision on how you want to set your gear up. Search for RSL here and you will have reading materail for a month my intended inference. no quick decisions! i've seen way too many AFF students go through training, then only to be left jumping sub-par equipment because of lack of research into gear issues prior to having become "hooked" on the sport.-Richard- "You're Holding The Rope And I'm Taking The Fall" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
plowdirt 0 #7 December 12, 2004 Talk to your DZ people they can hook you up and steer you in the right directiion, shop around for used equipment inspect get it inspected and inspect again. My first year Aff,rig,helmet,alt,protrack,jump suit, and 130 incredible jumps 10K When it grabbed me, I didn't even know I spent that kinda money till I sat down and added it up. have fun Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mailin 0 #8 December 12, 2004 Before I get gear (minus a jumpsuit, which is a xmas gift this year). I'll be spending $7k in a matter of a few months. But that also includes 2 tunnel camps and AFF in Florida (I live in Rhode Island). Then enough jumps to get my A before I leave there. Its not cheap, but it's the only way I can do it. JenArianna Frances Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
alphawolf 0 #9 December 12, 2004 No worries. No quick decisions here. That is why I am here. I am still a ways off from even taking my AFF and I'm not moving to Florida until February/March. It's all 1 step at a time. Regards, AW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
op5e 0 #10 December 12, 2004 I only started skydiving in July and just got my License. So I am in a similar position. My dropzone is 3 hours away, I am in Australia so the below amounts are in australian dollars and some fees/requirements may not apply to you. Also I might be buying gear you do not wish to spend as much on etc.. If anyone can think of anything I have left out or can make any suggestions to me please fire away, I recognise this is not complete and also am in the learning phase. AFF - approx $3000 (repeated a few stages) APF Licenses - $160 per year (think its alot more) Club fees - $50 (I cant remember) 12 jumps per year (min. to stay current) - approx $350 If you require gear for the 12 jumps - approx $260 Per jump between - $19 to $35 Gear rental - $17 + $5 packing Jumpsuit - $400 Altimeter - $150 Audible Alti - $420 (when I get my b license) Helmet - $360 Goggles - $50 Logbook - $50 Second hand Complete Rig - >$3000 AAD - $1500 AAD Batteries - ?yearly change? Consumables (rubber bands) - >$20 Reserve repacks (six monthly) - $100 I have started to pay for my B-rel lessons and these cost 85$ per jump. I need to do nine successful jumps so I will assume I have to repeat a few here, mind you depending on height I may be able to do more than one B-rel lesson per jump. B-rels - approx $800 Beers owed - >$100 Transport to DZ - $30 per go. Food consumed etc.. - >$20 per go. Not including boogies during the year, transport to boogies (for me that means flights), coaching, new licenses and the fees that go with it, and my normal jumps throughout the year. I definately do not want to scare you away. Because once you have your license you can then do fun jumps and borrowing gear and it really does not cost that much. Just set a goal for what you can afford and stick to it. If this means you can't do B-rels till next summer then so be it. Ensure you get your A license as soon as possible so time off jumping does not mean you go back a level on the instructed jumps (this can get costly). Btw for me I also needed to buy transport to get to the DZ and a tent and sleeping bag so I had somewhere to stay. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
alphawolf 0 #11 December 12, 2004 Really, it does not seem that bad compared to what you can get out of it. I know people that have spent $10,000/yr just going to DisneyWorld a few times a year. A good motorbike and track time/training isn't cheap either. It's really a matter of how you want to live your life.Regards, AW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
op5e 0 #12 December 13, 2004 I would not have it any other way. It is just handy to know what you are up for before hand. I found my knowledge in what the costs were and what hoops I needed to jump through to get certain licenses was very limited. So again if I could get any more information about other costs that I may want to budget for and so forth it would be nice. I mean I am planning holidays but now I will only travel where there is a good dropzone. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lainey 0 #13 December 13, 2004 i've spent over $11,500AUS this year on skydiving. That doesn't include any transport/food/boogie etc stuff. that's just AFF, jumps, gear, licence, and membership and i don't even get to jump much. could have spent a whole lot more if i had it... but i can't think of anything else i'd rather be spending that money on right now. And you shed not a single tear for the things that you didn't need 'Cause you knew you were finally free - Death Cab For Cutie Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bob.dino 1 #14 December 13, 2004 Buying me beer? Excluding food, transport, accomodation, and probably lots of costs that I've not kept track of, I've spent at least AUD$18,000 in fourteen months of jumping. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
br0k3n 0 #15 December 13, 2004 Im not even going to work it out .... anyway its probably cheaper then a serious crack addiction.----------------------------------------------------------- --+ There are 10 types of people in the world: Those who understand binary, and those who don't.. --+ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thecap 0 #16 December 13, 2004 I run a tight ship. My static-line FJC was on Nov 10 2002. Here are my annual total costs, including gear, transportation (mostly gas money for a car pool), some beer and food, and 165 jumps. I may have not counted up to 5 jumps I made in Germany. In late 2003 I bought an almost new Dolphin container with 4 year old Cypres, and boat-like PD main for about $1700 with my credit card while on a 25% TA income. For me it was a matter of priorities. 2002: $135 2003: $3780 2004: $2665 On of these days I'll put the whole breakdown on my website. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wee 0 #17 December 13, 2004 hehehehehhe i wish they told me how much this would cosy before pushing me out. i got hoked before i was ready to be (financially). note: don't forget res repacks every 3 mo If the world didn't suck, we'd all fall off! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bob.dino 1 #18 December 13, 2004 Quoteits probably cheaper then a serious crack addiction Doubt it. If I'd spent that kind of money on crack, I'd have died long ago . edit: fuck. Just realised I forgot to account for a $2k main! $20k?! Ouchy . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 20 #19 December 13, 2004 Reserve repacks in the US are due every 120 days. In the last 5 years I've spent upwards of $7800 on gear, $16000 on jumps, $1500 to get my licences and thousands on travel to boogies and different DZ's.Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BIGUN 1,314 #20 December 13, 2004 Assume ~$7,500 for your first year in the sport. Training, gear, license fees, first 100 jumps, etc.Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nate_1979 9 #21 December 13, 2004 I think I've spent more than average for my first year, especially considering wind tunnel time.. AFF - Aprox $1,200 (repeated level 3) Gear Rental $440 (prior to my own gear) Pack Jobs: Aprox $180 Pack Class: dont remember.. Coach Jumps: Aprox $450 (I've had quite a few, some of them for costs of coaches spot on plane) Wind Tunnel: Aprox $3500 Rig: $4500 Helmet/Alti's (1 wrist, 1 protrack, 1 proditter)/Jump Suit/Misc Gear: Aprox $1100 Jumps: Aprox $550 Video for first 2 jumps: $150 Over $12,070 since I started this sport in May Above figures figured at 44 jumps with 8 1/2 months in the sport, didnt figure in packing class, reserve packjob, tandem and some other little misc stuff like BEER.. Like stated, I think I'm a little above the average starting costs... FGF #??? I miss the sky... There are 10 types of people in the world... those who understand binary and those who don't. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DrewEckhardt 0 #22 December 13, 2004 Quote make sure you get a rig with an AAD & RSL regardless of popular opinions. Once done with our student instruction programs a lot of us started jumping without an AAD. The guys before us didn't even have them for the student progression. Jumping without an AAD is no more dangerous now than it was then. If you want cheap and an AAD, used rigs with older Cypreses can sometimes be had for under $2000. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kai2k1 0 #23 December 13, 2004 I did it fairly cheaply i think. Here's a breakdown on what i have spent in the past year and a half. RIG- $1850 Jumpsuit- $371.84 Helmet- $50.00 Altimiter- $150.00 Tandem Progression Course- $1967.00 4 coach jumps and a packing class- $300.00 Solo Jumps off of TAF- $800.00 USPA membership and license fees- $140.00 Jumps from the time i got my a till now- $900.00 For a grand total of $6528.00 and some change. Its not counting all the beer and other stuff i have bought. You could figure around 7k in your first year. \ There's no truer sense of flying than sky diving," Scott Cowan Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
alphawolf 0 #24 December 13, 2004 And if you still have a Mom..what does or would she say when you tell her how much it is to do something many people would TOTALLY not do even if they were PAID to do it? Regards, AW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dj-seus 0 #25 December 13, 2004 Quote i wish they told me how much this would cosy before pushing me out. i got hoked before i was ready to be (financially). yup - i am now in the process of selling all my worldly possessions to support my habit... anybody wanna buy a Korg N364 keyboard? -dan Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
