Now the parachute sales have really taken off, especially on the internet where Denbigh Army Surplus do 75 per cent of their business, and one of the most unusual markets is among the drone-flying fraternity in France.Īccording to Rich they snap up the smallest ‘chutes, four feet in diameter, which are used to pull out the main parachute on an actual jump, and fit them to their drones so they can land them safely.īoat fishermen also use them on rivers as sea anchors, dragged from the stern of a boat to keep it on course with the current but principally there are used as tents and shelters and sell for £85 plus the necessary chord and pegs. “It was a 40 foot diameter tent and it could shelter 80 people and it did and since then demand for them has really taken off.” “We took one along to Oswestry Military Vehicle Show as a tepee for our display and the weather was horrendous with squalls of heavy rain and basically everyone started taking shelter under our tepee. “We took our first delivery of chutes 10 years ago and we believe we’ve sold 2000 chutes since then, almost four per week with demand increasing in recent years. Managing Director Rich Brady, 35, whose dad, Mick, and mum, Jan, started the company in Denbigh 28 years ago, said: “Basically we’re just recyclers – and that’s what happened with the parachutes. Some clever students in Scotland have even used them to make a Concorde-shaped display at the National Museum of Flight, near Edinburgh, while another big market is among ‘preppers’, people preparing for the collapse of society.ĭenbigh Army Surplus are now one of the biggest army surplus companies in the country and customers include the National Trust as well as PGL, the UK leaders in school trips and adventure holidays. They are waterproof and wind-proof and make ideal outdoor tepees and shelters and can even be draped from the roofs and walls of buildings to convert them into stylish wedding venues. The parachutes, used by the Parachute Regiment, the legendary Paras, are made from ripstop nylon and the people at North Wales-based Denbigh Army Surplus have hit on a great way of recycling them.

Parachutes used by some of the toughest soldiers in the British Army are in great demand – as tents and wedding decorations.

Military surplus drop tanks