On Monday, 5 November 2018 06:51:41 UTC+2, John Huthmaker wrote:
Figured I'd update everyone on this. I took the plunge maybe 2 months ago and purchased a used parachute. Its a Softie Mini. The gentleman saw this post and reached out to me directly. By pure coincidence he is a former member of the flying club I am flying with.

The day that it arrived (back home), I was over in the UK for work. I found a very cool glider club not too far from where I was staying. They let me join the club for the day (well month technically) and I got to do two winch launches. It was really good fun. But they all flew with parachutes, and let me use one they had at the club. They mentioned the lighting strike incident being the primary reason everyone in the UK uses them. Honestly I dont really get why you wouldnt. They're not really uncomfortable.

When I got the parachute the log showed it had only been repacked twice. The first at the factory and then one other time. Its about 16 years old or so, and hadnt had a repack in over a decade. But it looked/looks basically brand new. I flew with it the first chance I could figuring it was better as is than none at all. But at the end of that day I took it for its 3rd ever repack. I just picked it up today and went out with it again.

I'm very happy I made the purchase. In fact I plan to go back in to flying power planes, and eventually build myself an RV7. If/when that happens, I'll get an extra one for a passenger to use.

My parachute's repacking interval is 8 months, some have only 6 months. You got to do it more often, canopy fabric needs to dry out completely annually, rubber bands holding the lines become fragile etc.