Gear Stores

[Wassituya 0]

I was told a repost in here would be good.
I am new to the sport. Level IV AFF on Saturday. I am addicted already. I have a question though. I am looking to purchase my rig. I want to know where I should buy it. I have checked a lot of the online stores and would like to hear comments for/against from experience.
Thanks for the help!

[PhreeZone 20]

Copied from my post in the Talkback since I'm too lazy to type new stuff.

Quote

I like Square1, SkyKat, the classified section on here and rec.skydiving myself. Bad dealers seem to go out of business quickly so look for someone who has been around for a few years.
Look in the gear and rigging area for details on canopies to look at and such. Search for Spectre, Triathlon and Sabre. That should give you lots to read for a while. Private message me for details on some other canopies that might work depending on your size and build.
Basicly, don't but new for your first rig, you will out grow it faster then you think and will lose a lot of money on resale of gear. Plus the number of people that lose intrest shortly after student status is staggering, and they all have gear that they want to sell cheaply.
And don't look at buying gear till after a couple of dozen jumps. Learn all you can on the student gear before looking at getting your own, smaller gear. Post more specific questions in the Gear area if you happen to think of any or shoot me or the SkyBytch a private message. (Shes really cool about helping people pick out gear)
Order of stuff I'd get if I was starting over (and the same order I did use)
1) Altimeter
2) Goggles
3) Helmet
4) Jumpsuit (this requires knowledge of if you want to do RW, Freefly, Style, Freestyle or what ever else you can think of)
5) Rig
6) Misc stuff that is'nt even woth looking at at less then 100 jumps
By doing it this way you are slowly adding new things to the skydive and not everything all at once.

Phree
Canopy Nazi #2
I'm not sure what to put here right now.....

[Phil 0]

Best buy I had was at Square1. Always on top of things and very helpful. Good service and fair prices. Always shop around and get an idea about where the market is for your product.
Have fun
blue ones
Phil

[SkymonkeyONE 4]

I would suggest a different order for buying gear:
1. Jumpsuit. Every suit flies differently settling with one makes things easier on you when you are trying to learn those basic freefall skills. Pick something other than white for your first suit, as you will most definitely be soiling it while you are still learning the ins and outs of canopy landings. While most gear rental comes with a jumpsuit, you really can't be absolutely sure you will get that same suit every time. Buy a suit and be happy.
2. An audible altimeter. This, in my opinion, is the single most important safety item a person can buy. They "wake you up" when you are too busy skydiving to check your altimeter. Some would argue that a Cypres is more important, but the gear you rent will have an AAD, and you can get your own when you buy your own gear. If everyone had an audible, then we would have MUCH fewer instances of AAD saves.
3. An altimeter. There are several types, but I prefer an Altimaster 2 (larger,easier to see) worn on a "Wedge" down on the front of my left legstrap. An Alti 3-sized altimeter worn on the wrist is a good choice too. One way or another, get one type and get used to looking at it at different points throughout your skydive. Buy a used SSE Altimaster or Alti-II, which is the company that owns SSE now). You save money that way, plus they are warranted for life, even if it wasn't "you" that bought it new.
4. A relatively new, not-obsolete, Cypres-ready harness and container that fits you. Large (or small) enough to fit main and reserve parachutes comensurate with your current skydiving abilities. For your first rig, shop at the classified ads on this site, on http://www.enclave.com, on http://www.skydivingclassifieds.com, or one of the big gear stores such as http://www.skykat.com or http://www.squareone.com. If you know what size gear you need, go straight to the classifieds; if you do not, then call SkyKat or Square One.
5. Buy a CYPRES. Get one as soon as you can afford it. It is a smart investment. If you followed the guidance I gave above, then you will already have a rig that one will fit in. For sport use, I would not waste my money on any other brand of AAD. The instances of misfire are much higher with other brands and I would just as soon jump without an AAD if that is going to happen. The in-tune skydiver does not "need" an AAD in order to skydive safely, but the insurance they provide for those unforseen catastrophes is worth the $950 bucks they cost. I jumped for 19 years without one, but am happy I got one for Christmas a few years ago. I still compete without one when pond-swooping, but then I don't have to worry about people running into me in freefall.
Chuck Blue
D-12501
My webpage HERE

[riggerrob 643]

Two points:
1. When you buy a jumpsuit, have it built with double layers on the knees and butt. Especially in the early part of your career, you are going to slide in a few times and it is difficult to sew extra layers on the butt after the fact.
2. Ask a trusted local rigger to inspect any used parachutes that you buy. Try not not to let any money change hands before the inspection.

[scotts 0]

there is lots of info to be learned about gear before spending thousands of dollars. my recommendation is research, research, research. it can be found here @ dropzone.com and many other places. but, it's your money.