From: king@glacier.Stanford.EDU (Robin King)
Subject: Advice for new jumpers buying gear 
Organization: Center for Integrated Systems, Stanford University, California
Date: Wed, 30 Sep 92 19:15:33 GMT

	I wrote a very long list of suggestions to Daryl F,
	who is just off student status, about buying a first rig
	am posting it for other newbies who might appreciate
	it as much as Daryl seemed to. 

	Feel free to add your own opinions, which are guaranteed to
	be different from mine and everyone else's  :^)

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	(Std. disclaimer edited for brevity)
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	Stay with the top name brands- don't get something  that's 
	not mainstream (or you may end up w/ a main streamer :^).
	Riggers like to deal with familiar gear too and when you need
	something they'll be more likely to have a part on hand or
	fix it quickly.
		
	CONTAINERS: I'd look for Vector, Talon, Racer Elite, Javelin. 
	To me, the container is the most "personal" part of your
	gear-- its style, type and fit affect you most.  Be careful
	with the fit: not too long a harness or too wide on your 
	shoulders, or with a too-high chest strap if you want to
	see a chest-mount altimeter.  The main lift webs (the
	ones in front) should run smoothly down your sides when
	the rig's tightened down.  If it gets pulled back or 
	kinks or bends then it doesn't fit.  The major webbing
	junction should be land at your hip socket.  Get someone big
	to lift you by the shoulder harness to simulate being under
	and canopy and see if it's too long (makes alot of room over
	the sholders).  The container shouldn't be significantly 
	wider than your body or it may catch some air and wash you 
	around a small bit, and it shouldn't ride low on your rear.  
	Check how much air space on your lower back there is when you arch.

	MAINS: Don't buy a zero-p as a first main (hard to pack and
	a little too fast on landings), don't get a main smaller than,
	say, 195 ft2 (for your weight [Daryl's 135#]), stick with a 7 
	or 9 cell; (not an Excaliber 21-celler).  Get something that 
	hasn't had major repairs. Avoid micro lines on mini-risers-- 
	one or the other but not both as it's not a structurally sound 
	combination.  That's why reserve static lines are grounded
	for this combination. I don't like micro lines, personally.  
	They cut people up too easily in a collision, don't stretch
	any on opening, and aren't worth the small pack volume and
	drag-under-canopy saved.

	RESERVES:   Buy a square over a round. Besides landing you hard 
	AND putting you down where the round wants to, you'll have to 
	ground yourself sooner on windy days than with a square reserve.  

	To help guide you in your quest for gear, find a GOOD RIGGER
	NOW and stick with him/her as you would a family doctor.
	Your rigger should be familiar with you and the kind of
	jumping you do in addition to being familiar with your rig.  
	Have your rigger help you select a rig that's right for YOU.

	If buying USED GEAR, get good gear that's in good shape without alot 
	of jumps. Don't try to piece together all the different componants
	yourself, but find a proven working system that was put together
	new and stayed together.  If your rigger finds you compatible
	componants, OK.  Get a copy of Paragear (a catalog of gear) and 
	verify that the individual componants are rated for the container
	-to-canopies and for your weight (remember to add the weight of 
	the gear).  

	DON'T BUY GEAR TILL YOUR RIGGER GOES THROUGH IT CAREFULLY!!

	Test jump the gear first in different wind conditions.  Work
	out some agreement with the seller so you each know who's
	responsible if you damage it.

	Don't jump gear that's been sitting around in someone's closet.
	The WHOLE rig should be inspected; I wouldn't be happy with
	just a reserve repack.  Watch out for "pencil packs," where
	someone just writes in a fake pack job.  Check the lead seal
	stamp on the reserve pin against the card: the rigger's 3-digit
	code should match.  If in doubt call the rigger last listed 
	on the card so he can check his loft record. 
	
	Check the reserve card against the rig to make sure the ID#'s
	match.  I know someone who test jumped a rig which supposedly
	had a reserve repack the week before.  He bought the rig and
	then found a different card in it.  The seller (a rigger, no
	less) had swapped cards to make the reserve appear in date, while
	in reality it was a YEAR out of date!!  It turned out there 
	were small holes in the high-pressure areas (round). Yikes!

	Don't get swept up in having to buy the hottest colors or the
	latest, trendy canopy.  Look at the best jumpers:  lots of them
	stick with their well used but reliable rigs and "don't even 
	have matching colors!"  (horror of horrors :^)  :^)
	TAKE YOUR TIME and get what FITS you.

	Other points:  Get a HARD helmet for more pro-tection. 
	Don't jump in sandals (harder to run out a landing in and harder 
	when the ground is uneven, also butt-ugly).
	YES, get a Dytter but DON'T set it at your normal pull altitude,
	set it lower so if you haven't pulled yet and you hear it
	go off, you know you're BLOWING IT!  If you botch landings
	sometimes, wear knee pads (I know AFF jumpmasters who wear 
	them just in case).  
	
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	Good luck to everyone.