When Do I buy Gear?
It is no secret that getting into skydiving or tunnel flying can be expensive. Everything stacks up in front of you and it can be daunting trying to make the right choices on where the cash goes. Taking time to make educated decisions here can make your progression into higher levels of the sport much more efficient. Here are a few of our thoughts to get you started.
Choose a focus
Take a look at all the different types of flying and talk to locals that are proficient in the disciplines that you find interesting. If you don’t have anyone local, reach out online. There are plenty of awesome flyers out there that love to share their experience and advice. Use your biggest goals to set your gear-buying priorities. Here are a few examples. If you’re primarily interested in flying your body, getting an audible altimeter and a rig with a secure deployment system should be top priority. You wouldn’t want to be the guy that has a cool, custom suit and helmet but doesn’t get invited on jumps because you don’t have an audible or you jump a ragged-out rig with a loose BOC and riser covers that pop open as soon as you leave the plane. If canopy piloting has caught your eye, you can skimp on the freefly-friendly rig in favor of a GPS or the right canopy for your progression instead of just whatever is available for the friend discount.
Prioritize training
Although it can be tempting to go ‘all in’ on gear. You don’t want to end up being the best dressed at the drop zone without the skills required to keep up on the jumps you want to be a part of. Talk to a coach about your budget and goals. If winter is approaching and you live near a seasonal drop zone, it might be a wiser choice to put your funds toward tunnel training and hold off on that brand new container. Along the same lines, if your primary goals are in the canopy-piloting world, that old, beat-up container may be working just fine for hop ‘n’ pops and your money would be best spend on coaching vs something new.
Don’t go in blind
Many have walked the path ahead of you. There are endless stories online about skydivers making silly gear purchases and regretting them later. TALK TO PEOPLE!! Find people that are active in the discipline of flying that interests you the most and pick their brain about their equipment choices. As you do this more you’ll start to see trends and common practices that will help guide you in your decision-making.
