When did you buy your first?

[Fireflyer 0]

I am in the AFF program, and was just curious (daydreaming rather over what to spend MORE $$$ on in the future...) as to when everyone typically bucks up for their own gear(?). Did you buy a jump suit early on? How many jumps before you got your own rig? Any rental issues? Used/New? Bought from local DZ? etc...

[Albatross 0]

Buy an open face helmet, goggles and an alti. Next get a jumpsuit. Try gear and downsize to about 1:1 over 30-50 jumps or whatever amount of time you need. Then get USED gear. The fit should be good bu not always perfect. You can downsize at least one size with that gear. Then at say 500+ jumps you will ahve the experience and developed preferences to shell out $5000+ on new gear. Jumpsuits will come as you figure out what type fo flying you want to do. For Freefly you might get second=hand ones that work well. For RW if you ar doing fun stuff 2nd hand might work. If you go 4-way or 8-way you will need a custom suit that fits you well and helps fall rate.

Chris

[Watcher 0]

Jumpsuit, used from the DZ just after student Status. (8 Jumps)
(14 Jumps) bought rig on ebay, great buy. (got my altimeter too on ebay)
rented on jumps 9-10, then used Club gear after changing DZs.

Also got goggles and log book from DZ after AFF. Bought Helmet at Sports authority. Protec half shell.

Got a really nice pro comp merlin suit used at aroun 45 jumps, and a Full face helmet (would never want to go back).

Around 80 jumps got an audible.

bought main at 50% off deal from precision at 130 jumps,
bought used Javelin NJ and used reserve at 130 jumps. rec.skydiving
bought Cypres at 170 jumps.

200 jumps started team training, spent all kinds of money, got really really nice gear.

Oh, BUY USED GEAR!!!! Buy new when you are ready for something more permanent.

--

Jonathan Bartlett
D-24876
AFF-I

[councilman24 37]

I made my first freefall on my own gear. Of course it was in 1980, was a Comp. Paracommander, Security Crossbow rig, Crossbow reserve and weighed about 50 lbs. Add a Kmart motorcycle helmet and used jumpsuit. The only good thing I had was a new altimaster II on a chest mount, that I'm still using with the original lens. Hmmmm, I guess my experience doesn't apply anymore.

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[ladyskydiver 0]

I bought my jumpsuit, altimeter, and goggles first. Shortly thereafter, I bought my container, main, reserve, Cypres, and full-face helmet and was jumping my own gear by jump # 34.

I bought new gear just because I wanted something that fit me and was in custom colors.

Life is short! Break the rules! Forgive quickly! Kiss slowly! Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably. And never regret anything that made you smile.

[TALONSKY 0]

After AFF, I bought a new altimeter (from my home DZ), and then a new full faced helmet (from my home DZ), then a used jump suit (from a guy at my home DZ). Finally at 35 jumps I bought my own used rig (from a local jumper at my home DZ, I bought used because it was the most cost effective way to get an entire rig). I jumped that main (Falcon 195) for 100 jumps (when I bought the rig main had 800 jumps so it was mostly worn out being F111) then bought another used main (Safire 169 from a classified ad on Dropzone.com). I jumped that for about 350 jumps. After up grading my main I bought a Pro trac (audible altimeter for Ralph local dealer). Then I bought new jump suits 1 RW and 1 Freefly (direct from companies). After that I bought an almost new main ( downsizing, from a classified ad on dropzone.com) with the new main, it would no longer fit in my current rig so I bought all new rig, reserve and Cypress (from my home DZ manager who was a dealer)
Blue skies
Kirk

[beemertec 0]

I bought my helmet and alti as soon as I graduated AFF. At jump 12 I bought my own rig (used), and ordered my jumpsuit.

Blue Skies
Steve
Ok, so it's pink, but I'm secure in my manhood, and I still look cool coming in under it!

[tosca 0]

I bought my gear at my 15th student jump. It was the end of the skydiving season that year and I thought it would be a better idea to buy used gear that time of the year, I´m a stingy student

A half year later when I started jumping again, it felt very nice to have the rig waiting for me. When I landed after my jump 25 I could just put on MY It might be difficult to know what to look for though. But with help from instructors it can work fine to buy gear as a student. I loved my parachute from the start!

If you´re thinking about buying things like altimeter, jumpsuits, goggles, gear bag, helmets, consider that sometimes when you buy used gear all that stuff can be included.

[JJohnson 0]

I had all of first gear before I was done with AFF, went with rental gear for maybe 5 jumps before I had everything put together.

JJ

"Call me Darth Balls"

[fundgh 0]

I already had a helmet that was suitable. I bought goggles and alti by jump 10 or 11. I bought a great used rig at about 15 jumps, but waited till about 30 jumps to use it. I made my own jumpsuit at about 20 jumps, it looks awesome, fits perfect, and only cost me 50 bucks! Buy everything used!

...FUN FOR ALL!

[Iflyme 0]

I started jumping my own gear at around 30 - 35 jumps. I went from jumping a student 288 Manta to a previously owned 210 Silhouette, loaded at about 1:1 ... I plan to put 300 or 400 jumps on it before downsizing again. I spent about $1200 usd to get the main, reserve, and the container (a Dolphin D3). The rig had around 300 jumps on it when I purchased it. I found it in the classifieds on another skydiving website (that was before I found dropzone.com).

[skymedic 0]

for me it was goggles first during AFF, altimiter during AFF or just after, new helmet just after graduation, audible altimeter a few weeks..and jumps later, then my jump bubble freefly suit, then the rig....

Marc
otherwise known as Mr.Fallinwoman....

[nightjumps 1]

Quote

I made my first freefall on my own gear. Of course it was in 1980, was a Comp. Paracommander, Security Crossbow rig, Crossbow reserve and weighed about 50 lbs. Add a Kmart motorcycle helmet and used jumpsuit. The only good thing I had was a new altimaster II on a chest mount, that I'm still using with the original lens. Hmmmm, I guess my experience doesn't apply anymore.

LMAO... My first freefall was a comp paracommander with belly wart reserve and motorcycle helmet in 1981. I had an Altimeter/stopwatch dashboard on the belly wart. Lost the altimeter on my 13th skydive and couldn't afford a new altimeter so I just used the stopwatch for the next 30-40 jumps.

[brabzzz 0]

jump 5 - bought gloves and found a pullup cord.
jump 40 - goggles and alti + battered old protec
jump 45 - jumpsuit and ProDytter + another ProPytter and ordered new rig (still waiting...).

I'm a bit peeved about having to splash out for a new rig but as someone said, good value used ones are as rare as rocking horse shit in the UK, especially to fit someone 6'3.

---------------------------------------
Ex-University of Bristol Skydiving Club
www.skydivebristoluni.com

[mjosparky 4]

Chris,
I bought my first rig before I was off static line. Of course it was a 7-TU and they would not let me jump it right away, it was to high performance.
Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[samp76 0]

I bought my jumpsuit, alti, helmet, goggles @ jump #21, and I ordered new gear to jump and I am just waiting on the container.

Let go of the NUT!!

[Unstable 9]

It seems that most people out here buy their own gear between jump 30 and 60. I have seen however, some guy get his own rig before he was off S/L, and another extream was some guy who didn't own his rig until jump 200-something.
My advice, talk to as many riggers as you can. A lot of riggers will have rigs they are selling, and you know that help with your new equipment won't be far away.
I bought my rig on jump 29 from a rigger down in witchita, and he's been great in helping me learn the ropes of being a good owner.
You dont' really want to go spend a lot on money on your first rig, give yourself 100 jumps and you'll want something different anyways, your first rig is just to see what you like.

- shaun

=========Shaun ==========

[Fireflyer 0]

thanks all for the advice. i am looking forward to more of your insight in the future!!

[c2278222 0]

I bought my gear as soon as possible jump 12 and have been jumping it since. Rental gear sucks and cost too much. You will pay for your gear fast if you buy. I bought a Saber 210 with a 1 to 1.
Later,
A

[aero04 0]

I had all of my own gear by jump 28. Everything but the goggles and helmet are used.

Someone else said talk to many riggers before buying. PLEASE take the advice. I only talked to one rigger and did not do shopping before buying my rig. I regret that decision every day.

[JFC3 0]

I'm abit of a freak but I got a great deal on my first rig ($3900 for everything custom) so I bought a brand new rig before I even got off of student status. It didn't come in for a few months though and in the meantime I bought my RW suit (poor ratty thing is still being flown by me) and helmet while waiting for the rig. The first piece of equipment I bought though was an altimeter. I just didn't like always sharing the schools altimeters with everyone else on student status. To each their own though.

"Five days? But I'm angry now!"

[cuchulinn 0]

After AFF Jump 1, researched and asked my JM questions till he puked. After Jump 4 I found a hell of a deal on sporifieds.com. Complete Rig (with Cypres) Jump Suit, Frap Hat, Factory Diver, Altimeter, Audible, logbook, video's, all paper work, etc. All in perfect condition with 25 jumps on rig. Sent Cypressin for maintenance and batts. Conatiner to Sunpath for inspection and cut down harness (from C-20 to 17) and it was still worth the price I paid for the set up. I actually did my Jump 11 (gear transition, forst hand deploy) with my own rig without having to pay "rental fees". I love it but ready to Down size since I'm not even at a 1;1 wing load on the main.
Good luck in your search.. Blue Skies

SMA#18

[Rookeskydiver 0]

I got my gear around 60 jumps. I wanted to wait untill i downsized enough to a canopy that i will be sticking with for a while

PCSS # 1 Rookeskydiver
"Its a Wonka Bar"....."Go ahead Charlie open it, lets see that golden ticket"

[skybrat68 0]

I bought a lot of stuff used. I also bought my gear one piece at a time. First I got an altimeter and jumpsuit. Next I bought the container and reserve and rented canopies until I bought my own. Basically my first container would hold the PD170 all the way down to a 135. When I bought my first container, I knew I wasn't going to be on such a large canopy for too long. I believe when you purchase a container way early in your career, you have to compensate for stepping down or you will run into spending lots of $$$. I didn't by gear for about 18 months after I started skydiving due to finances and indecision. My brand new rig (ready today) will hold a 107 to a 135 and I'm sure I'll keep this rig for a long time. Money well spent.