I had about 100 jumps total when I bought my StratoStar, which was the newest thing at the time. It was the start of summer vacation from SUNY B, I had my first credit card, and I maxed it out to buy that square and so I could jump it all that summer.
Owen Quinn was nice enough to teach me how to use it, and that was my canopy for years and years. It was reliable as could be. The rings and ropes worked just fine, if you could live with an occasional burn on the canopy ... I just kept a bit of F111 patch tape around :-). Until I got them all cut off and went to a slider, like everyone else did eventually.
One time I opened it high some miles from the DZ (cross-country jump), with nothing but woods below and between (this was Shawanga, out in the sticks), and found I had packed it with one line wrapped around all the others. After debating making my first cutaway, I realized it flew ok though a bit near stall with one toggle 3/4 of the way down. So I rode it all the way back and landed it fine like that.
Great canopy for the time, though for a heavy guy (190lb) it was a bit tough on the landing gear sometimes :-)
