These are items we recommend every regular jumper should invest in: goggles, helmet, altimeter, hook knife, and some gloves (whilst technically optional you really will want to opt for some gloves in the winter!). If you want to be completely independent you should also have a: container, main parachute, and reserve parachute (collectively known as a rig). The following items are optional and simply add to your skydiving without being absolutely necessary: AAD (although these are mandatory at some DZ’s) jump suit (FF or RW or both) audible altimeter.

Helmets are mandatory in this country for all jumpers. It must be an open face one until you have your B licence (see progression chart). Helmets are there to protect you from bumping your head on the plane, minor free fall collisions, and minor landing accidents. No amount of protective equipment will help you in any major incident. As always, there are loads of different makes out there, some better than others. Talk to us for our recommendations and for those that you might want to avoid. We can also give you details of a discount the club has with certain manufacturers. It’s worth bearing in mind that there is no certification standard for skydiving helmets so most are made by small specialist companies or are crossovers from other sports.

Soooo many out there. They’re cheap and should be seen as a replaceable item because they will start to wear out and break. There are virtually no specific skydiving gloves; almost all are crossovers from other sports. When buying gloves you should consider if they are going to give you enough mobility, feel and grip to effectively carry out your emergency procedures. If they are slippery or restrict your movement you should not wear them. Try on a load of different goggles and gloves – pick whichever are most comfortable for you. For a little more money you can even buy prescription goggles, but you are probably better off with contacts or goggles that go over your glasses.

Unless you knock it badly this should last you all your life. There are only a few brands and there are only small differences between each model. The most common one’s at British DZ’s are Altimaster’s (nicest and most expensive) and FT50’s (slightly cheaper and lighter with bigger numbers). Handle a couple; see which you prefer. There are also a couple of new digital read out altimeters. You should be sure you will be happy with a digital altimeter over the analogue one you trained with if you intend to buy one of these.

It is mandatory for any licensed skydiver to carry a hook knife on every jump in the UK. The most common one is a cheap plastic “Zak” knife worth about £3. Whilst the odds of having to use one of these are infinitesimally small, many people who have been in the position of having to use a Zak knife suggest that something stronger might be advisable. If you want to spend a little more, there are loads of different makes out there. If not, the Zak knife is perfectly acceptable and you’ll probably be able to find one floating round for free.

It is a little computer that goes over your ear inside your helmet. It can be set to beep at you when you get to a certain altitude prompting you to do something. There are several different makes on the market at the moment; we recommend the Pro-Dytter and the Pro-Track. There are a few older makes that work perfectly fine (and some which don’t). If these can be found cheap enough they may be worth buying as a stopgap for those jumping on a budget, but long term you may want one of the newer models. Check with us for our opinions on any you see.

These are totally optional accessories and should never be relied upon. They can be of great use, especially when starting RW or when free flying. At some DZ’s it is a requirement to have an audible before you are allowed to free fly.

There are two basic types: Relative Work (RW) suits and Free Fly (FF) suits. There are also a couple of much more specialised suits such as wing suits (also called bird-man suits) and camera suits. Wing suits incorporate a ram-air wing just like a parachute in between the arms and the legs, enabling the jumper to fly great distances across the sky. In the UK you must have 500 jumps or at least 250 jumps in the last 18 months before you are allowed to try a wing suit; so get jumping if you fancy having a go at this. Camera suits are often also fitted with a wing of a single skin design that extends between the arms and the body. This provides the camera flyer a great range of movement and can allow them to fly very slowly or close to a formation’s burble. As you cannot jump camera in the UK until you have 200 jumps you needn’t worry too much about this design.

RW (relative work) suits (also called “flat suits” or FS (formation skydiving) suits) look like fancy, tight boiler suits with padded “grippers” on the arms and legs and a section of material pulled taught between the knee and toe called a “bootie”. These are designed for flat jumps with other people and are crucial in giving you the right fall rate and control over your movement. It is highly recommended that you invest in one of these if you want to progress to get your FS1. You should look for one that fits you well and hopefully doesn’t look too gay. Try to avoid ones with obvious damage or wear. If you are buying new, the club recommends Symbiosis Suits but there are loads of other makes out there on the second hand market that are just as good. If you are going to design your own, try to stick to only 2 or 3 colours and be aware that any bright colours can get dirty quickly.

FF suits come in two types – pants (sorry – this sport’s led by America) and suits. Pants are… well trousers; they are designed to fit well but with baggy legs to give you maximum control. Suits are… you guessed it, full suits. Again these look like boiler suits but are much more baggy than RW suits and don’t usually have grippers (usually). Whilst an FF suit can be a great all round jumpsuit, we recommend you develop your RW skills at least up to your FS1 before you start free flying. At most DZ’s in England this is a requirement in any case.

You should already be familiar with AAD’s from your training. The most common make is the Cypres. These have a fixed life span of 12 years, must be serviced every 4 years and must have their batteries changed every 2 years. Because of this predictable pattern their used value can very easily be calculated. Use this program: http://www.cypres-usa.com/usedcypres.asp to figure out how much any given Cypres is worth and get our advice on whether or not you’ve found a good price.

There are a few other makes that are also acceptable: There is the Cypres II (basically the same as the Cypres but it’s water-resistant and you don’t need to change its batteries every 2 years). There’s the Vigil, a new AAD that still has to earn the trust of jumpers. This has all the features of the Cypres with a few others on top and tends to be a little cheaper new. There probably wont be any on the second hand market though as it’s only just come out. You may find that many jumpers are still uncertain about this AAD – there have been many AAD’s in the past that have failed to live up to expectations so older jumpers are wary new developments in this field.

At the moment, you should not consider any AAD other than those listed above. There are a lot of older designs out there that are simply not reliable enough for licensed jumpers to use. Do not consider buying one, you are better off without an AAD than with some of these old designs. If a container you are looking at is equipped with one don’t worry, it is very simple have it removed. We’ll keep you posted as new ones come out as there is at least one new design in the pipeline.

That’s up to your budget really. If you have an unlimited budget (bastard) then sure, knock yourself out; go buy new. If like the rest of us you and you are restricted by what you can spend, we would advise you buy used for your first set of gear. These are cheaper by a long long way. There are used containers out there that will meet your needs but you may find that starter rigs are a little hard to find on the second hand market as there is always so much demand for them. If you’re looking for your first rig your first step should be to approach the experienced members of the club. We can give you some advice on where to look and point you in the right direction as to what you should be looking for. We can also keep our eyes open for something you might like.

As a new jumper it is often better to buy a complete set of gear in one go. While buying kit separately can work well, it can often take a long time to get everything you need. You also need a very in depth knowledge of all the elements of a rig in order to find all the bits you need. Overall its probably better if you can find a complete rig that fits your needs. Should you want to buy items separately then come talk to us and enlist our help.

The first thing to look for is one that fits the canopies you want to jump. It can be the perfect design, condition and colour, but if it holds canopies that only a professional jumper with thousands of jumps can jump, it’s no good. Always look first at how big the canopies it holds are. As a general rule a container can hold a canopy one size either side of that which it’s made for. So if it’s designed to take a 190, it also can easily accommodate either a 210 or 170. Bear in mind though that it will be a pain in the arse trying to pack a 210 into the “little” bag made for a 190!

There are around a dozen makes of container manufactured today. Virtually all containers made today are as safe as one another with very little to chose between them. There are small design features that each designer claims makes their rig better than any other out there but the differences in safety are very small. There are rigs you will be advised you to avoid… but you will probably find that peoples lists differ from one another so even here there are no hard and fast rules. As all new rigs are about as good as one another, your decision can be based as much on aesthetics as safety; bearing in mind any specific safety features you may want to look for. Again, it comes down to reading up on the rigs you’re interested in and talking to us and to instructors. Dealers can be a great source of information, but remember that they may have a vested interest in a certain product. Also bear in mind the fact that most people will swear that the brand they own is absolutely the best on the market.

When it comes to second hand containers there definitely are models that you will universally be advised to avoid. Talk to us, talk to dealers and talk to instructors. Before the early 90’s rig design differed significantly and therefore older models and models that were slow to change their designs will rarely be suitable for free flying. These older style rigs can still be perfectly fine for the sort of flat flying you will be doing immediately after qualification though, so if you are on a budget may be just what you are looking for as they tend to be cheap. It’s still true that some rigs are suitable for nothing but the wall of the DZ bar – seek advice.

Age matters less than the design and wear. So long as the container has been looked after, doesn’t have thousands of jumps and is not of one or two less than perfect designs, it should be fine for you. This is not an area where any more specific advice can be given due to the fact that there are so many options out there. Again talk to us about any rig you are thinking about, most of the experienced members of the club should be able to talk to you about the design you’ve seen and its suitability for you. As a VERY general rule, think about the early 90’s as a kind of cut-off that you would be better staying this side of. The only problem is that there are many exceptions to this rule – again, talk to us.

Err… try it on (sheesh!). If it feels comfortable that’s a good start. It’s also a good sign if its previous owner is roughly the same size as you. It should not be overly restrictive and you should be able to do up all the straps tightly without leaving too much excess. If there are hip rings then these should flex when you bend at the waist. Have an experienced jumper with you when you try it on – it often takes a second set of eyes to see where a rig is wrong for you. If possible jump it; a rig can often feel very different under canopy than it does on the ground.

Remember – the 4 most important factors about the container you’re looking at are its size, its design, its fit, and its condition. You are pretty much going to have to accept the fact that your first rig isn’t going to look as cool as you’d like it to. Don’t worry, everyone’s been there and you are probably only going to have it for a year or two of years at most. Remember too that you are more than likely going to crash land a few times on it (it hurts so much more when you get grass stains on your new and shiny rig).

Wing loading is a simple ratio of your weight against the size of your canopy. It is important in helping you decide on what canopy is right for you as it greatly effects your canopy’s performance. Having too high a wing loading can drastically increase the risk in skydiving. It is a factor that is directly related to the biggest killer in our sport today – landing incidents.

You need to divide your exit weight in lb (clothed, wearing all your gear and your rig) by the size of your canopy in square feet. So for example, if Bob weighs 145lb naked; his gear, clothes and parachute weigh another 25lb and he jumps a 170 square foot canopy, he would have a wing loading of 1:1 (145+25=170/170=1) i.e. 1lb per square foot of canopy. If Bob were to jump a 135 square foot canopy he would have a wing loading of 1.26:1 (145+25=170/135=1.259) or 1.26lb per square foot of canopy.

When you were a student you probably had a very low wing loading (0.6:1 – 0.9:1). This is so when you made a mistake you didn’t kill yourself doing it. As an A licensed skydiver you will still make mistakes. Don’t try and kid yourself –you will, trust us. You should aim for your first rig to have a wing loading of around 1:1 or less. If your wing loading is any greater than this you dramatically increase the risk of killing or seriously injuring yourself under canopy. You will probably find that the DZ would not let you jump such a canopy in any case. It doesn’t matter how many of your landings you’ve stood up so far, this is something that will mean the difference between a bruised ego and a broken leg or worse.

Any canopy under 150 square foot is a radical canopy. Just because you have a low wing loading on it does not mean it is safe for you to jump as a novice. A 190 square foot canopy loaded at 1:1 does not fly the same as a 135 square foot canopy loaded at 1:1. The 135 will want to turn towards the ground easier and faster and overall will fly faster, increasing the risk to the pilot. If you are very light you should still be looking at canopies of 150 square foot or bigger as your first canopy. We normally only recommend canopies of 170 square foot or bigger. You should talk to instructors about this specific issue.

Yes. In the past all canopies were made from a material called F111. It is porous so lets air through it. Most newer canopies are all made from a material which is not porous. This material is referred to as ZP or zero porosity. You would be better off buying a ZP canopy if you can find one. It will last longer, and fly better than an F111 canopy. If all you can afford is an F111 canopy though, don’t worry. It will still be perfectly safe for you to use and will get you in the air but no F111 main canopy should ever be loaded above 1:1.

The majority of canopies today have 9 cells, such as the club Sabre 190. There are also makes that have 7 cells, such as the club Spectre 170. One is not better than the other; they simply have slightly different flying characteristics to each other. Test jump the club canopies if they are the right size for you – see which you prefer.

Yes. The canopies you learned on were rectangular (referred to as square). These are great all-round canopies and for a long time were the only design available. Some canopies are tapered or lightly/semi-elliptical. These are a new breed of canopy designed to meet the needs of intermediate jumpers and tend to be more responsive to their pilot’s control input. Some canopies are fully elliptical. These are very high performance canopies that are aimed at only the most experienced jumpers who do hundreds of jumps a year. You may also hear about design features such as “cross-bracing” or “air locked” canopies. These are new variants of the elliptical canopies and again, are aimed at only the most experienced or professional jumper. These are the Formula 1 cars of the canopy world and would be lethal in the hands of an inexperienced jumper.

For your first canopy you should primarily be looking for a square canopy. You may also be fine on a semi-elliptical/tapered canopy but should seek an instructor’s advice about any canopy you consider before test jumping it. You should not consider ANY elliptical canopy, regardless of its size. Without hundreds of jumps experience on square canopies an elliptical canopy can easily kill. You will probably find that the DZ would not let you jump such a canopy in any case.

There are many different canopies available, each with its own particular flying characteristics. Some are better than others; some are definitely to be avoided. Most are just fine so long as you stick to the guidelines above. Check with experienced jumpers (not just the guy selling) and with instructors before considering a canopy – it may be one of those to be avoided or it may not be right for you in particular. Read up on the canopy on the internet and how it fly’s; read reviews and go to the manufacturer’s web site. On the manufacturers website you will usually find a table of recommended wing loadings for different experience levels. Make sure you are inside their recommended wing loading for your level of experience but remember that it is only a guide. Most importantly – TEST JUMP IT or demo one.

Just as with containers, this is determined by your budget. Brand new canopies fly wonderfully, but are horrible to pack and obviously they are far more expensive. To a good degree, a canopy’s value depends on the number of times it has been jumped so try to look for ones with less than 500 jumps. Don’t be put off by canopies with more jumps than that, (ZP canopies can last for thousands when looked after correctly), so long as they are in good overall condition and are priced to reflect their age they can still be a great buy. You should look for patches or small holes in the fabric and any obvious signs of wear. Also remember that in some cases a canopy may need a re-line. After several hundred jumps, some of the lines on a canopy may have started to stretch or shrink, affecting how the canopy opens and flies. How many jumps this takes will depend on several factors including what type of lines it has. A reline involves a rigger or the manufacturer removing the old lines and installing new ones. This is a relatively simple operation, but can cost up to £200 so this should be factored into the value of the canopy if it is necessary.

So long as you have talked to an instructor about the canopy and they have told you it would be safe for you to try it, ask the seller if you can test jump the canopy. This is just like a test drive in that you get to jump that canopy/rig before buying it; it’s very common and should be free. So long as the winds are not too heavy it may be a good idea to open slightly higher than normal so you can play around with the canopy for longer and get a feel for it. Unless you are buying from overseas, you should always aim to do at least a couple of test jumps on any gear you buy. Talk to an instructor about some safety tips for test jumps and ideas on what to look for in the way the canopy flies.

Any canopy you are interested in can be borrowed from the manufacturer or dealer and jumped to see if you like how it fly’s. Check out the manufacture’s web site and order a demo. There is a small fee and you only get the canopy for one or two weekends but it is worth doing if you are interested in a specific canopy. You will also find there are a very broad range of canopies owned by members of the club. See if any of us have a canopy in the right size we can lend you for some jumps to see how that make flies.

If you’re buying second hand, get use to the fact its going to probably look horrible and will most likely contain some neon pink. Don’t worry – its what everyone else jumps or did jump at one time. No one’s going to question your sexuality or your eyesight. If you are ordering new, you get to custom design your own canopy to look just how you want it. Forget about graphics though unless you have a huge budget (b******d) or just get lucky on the second hand market.

Your reserve should be about the same size as your main or even slightly bigger (although more often you find them slightly smaller). There are “better” makes out their and a couple you really must avoid, but most will be just fine for you so long as they are the right size. You should avoid getting a reserve that is much smaller than anything you have already jumped – remember, you may be low and over obstacles, having never jumped that canopy before; you may even be unconscious under it. You should look at the manufacturers website and make sure you are inside their recommended wing loading for your level of experience on that canopy. It is also worth bearing in mind that reserves have a finite life span. If it is very old (20 years +) it is likely that it is either worn out or of too old a design to be airworthy. Always get some advice from us and talk to a rigger or instructor. If in doubt, always have a rigger check the reserve’s condition before buying it.

We do not recommend you consider a round reserve. Jumping a round parachute requires a totally separate set of skills to a square parachute; skills you have not been taught. It will also decrease the level of wind you can jump in and introduces its own set of risks. Stick to squares, they can be found cheap enough these days. You may also find that many DZ’s will no longer let you jump a round reserve so you will be severely limited as to where you can jump.

The first place should be to come to us. Almost all our old gear is sold to members at a discounted rate – at least you know you get good stuff and won’t get screwed. We will also be able to help you decide what you want and point you in the right direction to find it. Next look at your home DZ. There is always a gear book or shop selling second hand and new gear.

Yes, this is one of the main ways for people to buy and sell skydiving gear. Look at these to start with, but be aware that many will list rigs from all over the world:

Take a look at the manufacturer web sites. Almost all manufacturers have a list of used gear or cheap new gear for you to look at. These are often the best places to find a great deal and you can bet the item is in good condition. There are also a number of large skydiving dealerships in America that often have good deals, such as Square One where you trained (probably). In addition, it’s often worth surfing through DZ’s own web pages as they almost all have a list of used gear for sale.

Always check that it would be safe for you to jump the gear you have in mind. Always test jump the gear and get an experienced jumper to look it over. Check its documentation. Check for damage, obvious signs of wear or any alterations that have been made to the gear. If in doubt have a rigger inspect the gear.

NEVER ever send money straight to the seller unless they are a known shop or dealer. Always have the seller send the gear to a rigger or DZ shop and use them as an escrow service. Have the rigger/shop look over the gear and confirm it is as described. Only then should you send any money. The seller will then contact the rigger/shop and allow them to release the gear to you. You may have to come to an agreement with the seller about responsibility for shipping costs should you decide not to buy the gear and the escrow may charge a small fee, but these are small expenses compared to the risk of being sold a heap of junk or just being plain ripped off. If the seller will not agree to this then walk away from the sale, it’s just not worth the risk.

Talk to us. There are often ways to get equipment into the country without having to pay too much in shipping. Of course we could never endorse tax evasion.