Aug 11, 2006, 9:15 AM
Post #1 of 75
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Found a packing trick
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Lately I've been double stowing all of my line stows (including my locking stows) and have found I have had nicer openings. The guys from PD gave me the tip and I thought I'd pass it along!
Aug 11, 2006, 10:12 AM
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Re: [adventurechick] Found a packing trick
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Yes, PD's theory is that each rubber band slightly accelerates the d-bag - and canopy - reducing the difference in velocity between the load and the canopy when the d-bag opens.
Twenty-some-odd years ago, that packing method was banned in Canada after two malfunctions. The problem was that free-stowed lines made half-hitch knots around side flaps, rendering the main incapable of inflating and incapable of cutting away.
Mjosparky can provide the details, but if I remember correctly, one guy died and the other guy (sparky?) was lucky that the main pin cover tore off his Wonderhog. Shortly afterwards, Para-Flite (the leading canopy manufacturer of the day) started shipping free main d-bags with new canopies.
Within the past year, someone repeated that mistake.
Granted, container manufacturers may have learned better ways to design main side flaps, but the bottom line is: free-stowing is a malfunction in search of a crater.
Aug 11, 2006, 11:08 AM
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Re: [adventurechick] Found a packing trick
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Not to undermine anyone that told you that about double locking your locking stows, but that is not a good idea. This can end up in a bag lock situation. What would you prefer.....nice openings with potential of back lock..... or a quicker opening with less chance of a high speed mal?
Aug 11, 2006, 11:17 AM
Post #8 of 75
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I use the small bands. If youve got enough band left to make a double stow, you can probably go to smaller bands. Actually, on my first two locking stows I use the large bands. all other stows are small bands. It was a packer that did that one, and it helped reduce the amount of searching my Nitro did. I also use short stows 3/4" to 1 1/4", but that was with uncoated HMA lines, on a recommendation from a canopy MFG.
But then again I never had an issue with poor openings on that canopy.
Aug 11, 2006, 5:31 PM
Post #11 of 75
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Re: [riggerrob] Found a packing trick
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In reply to:
the other guy (sparky?) was lucky that the main pin cover tore off his Wonderhog.
It was a Streamlite and the main was completely free packed, no bag at all. As I went through 1000 feet I fired the reserve. The reserve canopy bounced off the main 2 or 3 times and inflated. Had time to pull the main up between my legs and get turned into the wind. Reserve canopy was a diaper deployed R-4 Performer, 26' conical.
But it can happen when using a d-bag. Just happen to a jumper in Texas last year.
Aug 11, 2006, 8:56 PM
Post #13 of 75
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Re: [Vectracide] Found a packing trick
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Not to undermine anyone that told you that about double locking your locking stows, but that is not a good idea. This can end up in a bag lock situation. What would you prefer.....nice openings with potential of back lock..... or a quicker opening with less chance of a high speed mal?
Can anyone offer factual numbers of instances of bag locks in comparison to line dumps (overall &/or per method)? I think this has been long debated and I, for one, would like some evidence that my double-stowing is going to cause bag lock.
So far, the closest I have come to a bag lock was a pitifully weak throw. I've never had a canopy not want to come out of the bag (they sure don't want to go in the bag!). That doesn't mean it won't happen during a normal throw, but it just hasn't been my experience.
Of course, I'm pretty inexperienced, so I'm open to evidence toward either side of the debate.
Yeah. I wouldn't worry about it. There aren't any real numbers on this. Keep double wrapping the locking stows.
Practice up your EP's for a bag lock. It's really easy. You'll feel the bag come off your back and when you don't feel opening shock you'll already know you have a bag lock. Look up and confirm bag lock, Cut-away and goto reserve. Don't waste time in a high speed malfunction doinking with the main.
Remember to do practice flares under your reserve.
If you have a bag lock, you'll probably decide to stop double wrapping the locking stows.
Aug 11, 2006, 9:38 PM
Post #15 of 75
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Re: [Samurai136] Found a packing trick
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Remember to do practice flares under your reserve.
The most valuable piece of information from your post. I've already flown my reserve, so I know what to expect, but it's a good reminder.
As for practicing my EP's and being ready...baby, I'm always ready! I practice my EP's on the ground, on every ride up, and I check my handles often while under a good flying main.
I'm ALL about survival. I have no fear from double-stowing, just wondered if there were any "numbers" to go along with all the "don't do that!" advice.
Edit: Thanks for your post. It is very helpful.
(This post was edited by Cloudi on Aug 11, 2006, 9:47 PM)
Aug 11, 2006, 10:10 PM
Post #17 of 75
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Re: [Samurai136] Found a packing trick
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I'm in Marketing. Rags doesn't talk about skydiving with us, he just wants t-shirts.
And...numbers? We don't need no stinking numbers!
In all seriousness, though, I get conflicting advice, even from work. Some think small rubber bands are the shi-at and others think double stowing with large rubber bands is the way to go. Me, I just take all advice, use common sense, and make my own decision. I find large rubber bands much easier to work with (I have big, banana fingers) and I can steal them from Tour whenever I need more.
Just 'cause we work at PD doesn't mean they "tell" us anything.
Thanks chicka!! I'll be in deland tomorrow (saturday) if you want to make some jumps together!! There is also a pig roast going on I think. But yea! I hope you have a great day!
Double-wrapping rubber bands make them tighter and more difficult for the lines to come out. Make it too difficult for the lines to come out of the stows and they won't come out, leaving you with a bag-lock malfunction. My one and only bag-lock malfunction was with a tandem and was caused by double wrapping the rubber bands (not tandem bands either).I have deployed some different canopies using a reserve free-bag system without changing how the canopy opened. I strongly believe that there are much better ways to get a canopy to open slower than risking a bag-lock by double wrapping the rubber bands. I also thinnk that given the choice between a harder opening and a bag-lock, I would prefer the harder opening. If you need to make the stows tighter because the bag is being de-accelerated too quickly, maybe your PC is too large. Maybe you are falling too fast when you deploy. Maybe a different sized slider, a domed slider, or a pocket on the slider is what is needed to slow down the opening. As long as the lines are released in order and the locking stows remain in place until all other stows are released, the lines stows are fine and the problem/fix lay else where in the system. I think that double wrapping treats the symptons and not the disease and can cause a bag-lock.
I think that most rogue hard openings are caused by one of two things, 1) not keeping the slider grommets against the slider stops while packing (easily fixed), and/or 2) falling too fast while deploying.
I used to be able to get very soft openings by deploying in a very flat track. I would deploy immediately after a track, and could feel my self begin to accelerate as I went into a neutral body position from a flat track. Most people increase their fall rate during a track instead of decreasing it. Then they must slow down before deploying. A proper track will have a slower all-rate than a neutral body position. Putting on the brakes to stop the foward speed and deploying before re-accelerating always gave me the softest openings.
I know a guy that claims not stowing anything (apart from the first two or so) gives him better openings.
That said, he spends about as long s-folding his lines into the bottom of the packing tray as i do stowing mine 'properly'.
Why doesn't he just purchase a main D-Bag with 2 gromets/stowes and a "pouch" in it (or have someone make one for him) to stow the remaining suspension line?? Works just fine.
I have no fear from double-stowing, just wondered if there were any "numbers" to go along with all the "don't do that!" advice. 
Sorry, Kim. I was responding to the original poster. 
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