Notes on finding used skydiving gear, by Gary Peek, November 2009 This is information you will find helpful when you are first thinking about gear, and have no idea what the various manufacturers and models are, or what advantages or disadvantages a particular type of gear has. ---------------------------- Notes about canopies: "Zero-porosity" material means that the fabric lets almost no air through, and this makes a parachute last much longer, but also increase the price over non zero-porosity canopies. Most people call parachute fabric that is not zero-porosity the name "F-111" (eff one eleven) which is a brand name made by the Harris Corporation. It's like calling all tissues "Kleenex", but most people do that too. Landing performance declines slowly in a non zero-porosity canopy because it lets more air through its fabric as it get more jumps on it. However, a novice skydiver should have a fairly large canopy for their weight for a while, so it should not matter too much except for resale value. Anything over 400 jumps would need to be cheap to be worth it. Something cheap with a couple hundred jumps might be good for several hundred jumps and could then be thrown away. "Square" or "rectangular" means not "elliptical", which is a tapering of the end cells for better aerodynamic performance. There are many degrees of elliptical, and the more elliptical they are, the faster they turn, the less consistant they open, and the less they are appropriate for novice skydivers. Unless otherwise noted, in this document, main canopies will be assumed to be 9 cells, which are generally flatter gliding, and reserves canopies will be assumed to be 7 cells and non zero-porosity (which they all are except some 9 cell tandem reserves.) "Hybrid" refers to having some zero-porosity material in places where it is beneficial, and some non zero-porosity material to provide for easier packing. ---------------------------- Canopy suspension line material: Many canopies (main and reserve) are made with only one type of suspension line material, but some main canopies are available with multiple types. You will need to research the specific canopy if there is a question about what kind of line might be one it. "Dacron" has been used for many years, wears very well, and helps reduce opening shock because it stretches a lot. It is now considered "bulky" by many people, but if your container has room for the additional bulk, it is a good choice. "Spectra" (a name brand) or "microline", (a generic name for the new smaller line) is a type of line which is much smaller diameter for the same strength than Dacron and therefore has less parasitic drag, which makes a canopy fly noticabley faster. When zero-porosity canopies became popular, most of them started being made with Spectra. Spectra, (and similar polymers) suffer from shrinkage when the slider of the parachute generates friction on the suspension lines and the lines get warm. This happens mainly to the outside lines, and this causes the parachute airfoil to change and not fly as well. It also causes canopy opening problems and even malfunctions if the lines are allowed to change length enough. This means that Spectra lines often need to be changed before they look worn out. Now there are many types of suspension line materials, some that are used to reduce the problems associated with other types of materials, but that have their own issues. It requires some research to understand all of the advantages and disdvantages of the various types. (Other line materials may be listed here in later versions of the document.) ---------------------------- Some canopy companies: Performance Designs (PD), has become rather large, does sport and military canopies. Has many good main canopy designs, newer design canopies have good resale value. Makes good reserve canopies too. Icarus, I don't know too much about them, and they have gone through different owners/companies. They make some canopies that are well liked, moderate performance, and suitable for novices. Would require some research by asking someone knowledgeable about them. Flight Concepts International (FCI), not noted for its newer main canopy designs now, has made many "medium performance" canopies, popular student canopies, and reserve canopies. Precision Aerodynamics, not noted for its newer main canopy designs now, has made many "Raven" reserve canopies. (Other companies may be listed here in later versions of the document.) ---------------------------- Some specific main canopy models (what you will see a lot of, and I will mention only the ones that I think are most appropriate for novice skydivers): Performance Designs "PD" series. (PD150, PD190, PD210, etc.) Non zero prosity, medium to high performance. Performance Designs "Sabre", (sometimes called the "Sabre 1", which is incorrect, but distinguishes it from the Sabre 2). An older zero-porosity design, but still a good canopy. Some of these open(ed) very hard, so you might get a good deal on one if the owner wants to get rid of it. The opening can be corrected with a larger slider, which will cost some time and money. Performance Designs "Sabre 2". A newer design, zero-porosity, opens rather well, slightly elliptical. Performance Designs "Spectre". A newer design, 7 cell zero-porosity that opens nicely, and is is very well suited for novices. Performance Designs "Silhouette". A newer design, 9 cell hybrid (some zero- porosity material, some non zero-porosity) that opens nicely, and is is very well suited for novices. (Other canopies may be listed here in later versions of the document.) ---------------------------- Some Harness/container models ("rig"): "Freefly-Friendly". Due to their orientation in the air, freeflying, sit-flying, and head down flying are more likely to cause the air to lift up flaps and covers on a rig if they are not secure. Worn Velcro allows this to happen, and in extreme cases good Velcro allows it to happen. "Freefly- Friendly" means all flaps and covers are very secure, usually without using Velcro. All new models of most rigs are freefly friendly. Older models of most rigs are not as freefly-friendly, and many people are now used to freefly-friendly rigs and discourage others from getting older rigs, even if they do not plan to freefly! But with care, an older rig is just fine, and way cheaper. Velcro is incredibly useful, but it has its limitations. It must be replaced when worn, and this can be much more often than skydivers are willing to do if they jump a lot and wear out their Velcro quickly. "Velcro-less" designs also have their limitations. Some designs are simply not very good at all, and it takes some research to find out which are good and which are not. What you will see the most of: Vector by Relative Workshop/UPT. I consider this the premium rig, designed well, rigger friendly. Talon by Rigging Innovation, designed well, rigger friendly. Javelin by Sunpath, partially exposed reserve pilot chute. Wings by Sunrise rigging, partially exposed reserve pilot chute. Mirage by Mirage Systems, they size their containers so that they are incredibly tight, and very difficult for the rigger unless you lie about the canopies you will put in it, and size it bigger. (Other rigs will be listed here in later versions of the document.) ---------------------------- Automatic Activation Devices (AAD's) Only the microprocessor and solid state pressure sensor types of AAD will be discussed here. Older models that are mechanical in design are so out of favor with skydivers that they no longer need to be mentioned to someone looking for used gear for the first time. The "Cypres" by Airtec GmbH in Germany (serviced by SSK Industries in the US) was the first commercially available microprocessor/solid state pressure sensor type designed. Since the Cypres 2 has been available, the Cypres is now refered to as the Cypres 1. The "Vigil" by Advanced Aerospace Designs nv/sa in Belgium There are others, but I will mention only these, because these two are the only ones that have been sufficiently developed so as to be nearly foolproof for skydivers who will often ignore the important documention that can tell them more about the device they are using.