OK new jumpers, I know you're all desperate to get some gear, and used gear is a great way to go for your first rig. You're broke. this DOES NOT mean that the rig you just found on DZ.com for $1000 that's listed as "perfect for beginner" is actually a good rig. A better listing might be "perfect for sucker." Here's a few things to keep in mind as you search the web for equipment:

1. You are not the only one who's broke. That is to say, people are getting their old junk out of their closets and trying to unload it to unsuspecting new jumpers. Tthey're not necessarily jerks, but they are taking advantage of your inexperience to sell you gear that may not be up to date.

2. A cheap rig is only cheap if you don't need to pay us hundreds of dollar for modifications to make it airworthy. Don't get me wrong -- we'd love to take lots of money out of your pocket and put it in ours. BUT once you pay us a thousand bucks to make your 1988 container airworthy, it's still a 1988 container, and the resale value is still roughly $0.

Every year at least one novice jumper brings us in the rig he/she got a "great deal" on. Then they ask us to resize the harness, put modifications on it to make it freefly friendly and repack the reserve. There are modifications to some rigs which MUST be done in order for them even to be legal to jump, None of this is cheap. We can do it all here, and that's our job. But Kirk and I would much rather see you spend that money on getting some equipment youll be happy and safe in for a season or two -- not just while you scramble to gear that's more like what you want.

Let me help you not waste your money. New gear is going for $6500 right now. If the rig you find is less than $2000, there's a reason for that.

Email me links to what you're looking at before you buy: betsy@para-concepts.com. I'll try to tell you what it's really worth, in real terms before you send some stranger all your jump money! If you miss an "amazing" deal in the meantime, there will be another one soon. Be patient.

Betsy