The Rigger Rant and Rave is your weekly source of skydiving, rigging and aviation news with a dash of opinion from your favorite Chutingstar rigger!
Monday, September 24th 2007
Price Increase on Containers Coming in October
For those of you skydivers seriously considering the purchase of a new harness/container, buy now to save yourself a few hundred dollars. It seems an industry-wide price increase is on the horizon.
We've already received notice that Sun Path is raising the base price on its Javelin Odyssey containers from $2199 to $2399 on Oct. 1. Because part of the dealer discount is passed along to the skydiver, the real price paid is actually increasing from $1750 to $1920 at Chutingstar. Some of the Javelin options are also increasing in price, which will raise the total price by $200-$300 depending on options. A Javelin recently purchased last week at Chutingstar with several options was $2435. If that same Javelin was purchased after Oct. 1, it would be $2643...a $208 difference.
Right behind Sun Path is United Parachute Technologies, which makes the Vector 3 sport container. The base price is also increasing $200. The Vector 3 base price is currently $2189 and will rise to $2389 on Oct. 15. With dealer discounts, the real base price paid by skydivers is increasing from $1750 to $1915. Options and spare parts pricing will not increase at the same time, according to the manufacturer.
It's been my experience that when a couple of manufacturers in the skydiving industry raises prices, the others will follow. Here is a sampling of retail base prices of other major manufacturers in the industry: Strong Quasar II, $2379; Mirage G4, $2199; Rigging Innovations Talon FS or Voodoo, $2285; Sunrise Rigging articulated Vision Wings, $1750; Velocity Sports Infinity, $1799; Aerodyne Icon, $2099; and Altico Dolphin, $1140.
I fully expect most manufacturers that are still below $2200 for their suggested retail price to soon raise their prices a similar amount over the coming few months.
So if you want to buy new, I would suggest to buy now and save a few hundred dollars on a harness/container you intend to keep for 5, 10 years or more.
mike on 09.24.07 @ 10:58 PM EST
