Mar 17, 2009, 2:09 PM
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Belly reserve?
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I'm kicking around the idea of buying a chest mt. reserve. I have a para-commander in an old Style-master back pack.
Which reserve would you recommend? Any ideas where I might pick one up? I was also wondering what a person might have to pay for a safe set up.
Back in the 70's a 26' conical was a good reserve to own. I had a couple rides on two different 24 foot, flat reserves. I sure don't want to try that again....
Strong lopo in a style master or super pro, pop tops are nice too, free if find the right old timer or any where from 50 to 200 bucks, look around and ask around. Most of mine I got free or for 50 bucks.
Super pro reserve containers totaled. I had a line tied from the handle to the top flap to yank it open. The 26 foot lopo still the best round reserve. I have a tri-conical I sell ya cheap. They opened and then you got to the end of the lines.
IMO any of those containers listed by other posters would work quite well. Terry Urban just picked up a PopTop somewhere ( I think from ebay, maybe he'll update us ).
Any 26 ft LoPo should work just fine.
I've never heard of a SuperPro reserve container totalling; during a test jump this last summer one of them worked as designed.
If you have a hard time finding a complete set up or container you can always go with a T-10 chest container. You can get a 26’er in them. Just add a belly band and your good to go.
I third the Strong Lopo.Stick with conical Lopos made by Strong or Free Flight Enterprises, because they were the only manufacturers to stick with MIL SPEC mesh. During the 1980s some other manufacturers (Handbury, National, Pioneer, Security, etc.) cheaped-out by sewing in non-MIL SPEC mesh, then had problems iwth canopy fabric rotting out. Even if a canopy consistently tested acid-free (bromocreasol or litmus paper) after twenty years of pull-testing, the fabric is definitely weakened.
For example, last week I dribbled bromocreasol green liquid on two GQ Security 26foot Lopos, made in 1983. The first Lopo flashed yellow and got stuffed back in the attic. The second Security Lopo tested blue and got packed into a pilot emergency parachute.
Most older riggers have bromocreasol green and tensile testing tools. Most younger riggers do not want to be bothered with 1980s-vintage round canopies.
Thanks for the advice all! I think I'll check with Fred at Lost Prairie. He's a Master Rigger, and he can probably steer me onto a safe reserve. I'm leary about using an old reserve canopy.
I had a stylemaster reserve container back in the 70's. It was a nightmare trying to get it closed up with a 24 ft. reserve inside.
I mostly jumped a Super-Pro main container, back then. It too was a nightmare to get closed up with a para-commander. Really a tight set-up....
I was wondering what I need to do to get current again, as a senior rigger (to pack a chest mt.) I had a chest mt. rating back in the day. My knowledge is limited, but I have packed a lot of these reserves. They seemed simple enough to pack....
To get re-current - packing chest-mounted reserves - the FAA would probably expect you to repack a few under the supervision of another rigger who is current on chest-mounts.
Well, back in the day...early 70s...when I was jumping a complete Super-Pro system with a PC in the main and a Navy 26' conical in the reserve container (tight fit), I bent the top pin on my main container hitting the top of the doorway on the C-182.
When I couldn't pull the main, I rolled over and pulled the reserve ripcord; the container stayed closed. I had to grap the top flap and open the container manually.
Probably a matter of too much reserve in too small of a reserve container! Still, it got my full attention and the adrenaline was flowing rapidly!
(This post was edited by piper17 on Mar 18, 2009, 11:42 AM)
Still, it got my full attention and the adrenaline was flowing rapidly!
That it will!!!!!!
Do you remember if the reserve container was a 2-pin or a 1-pin? The one that I have is a 1-pin with a cone that rotates for various types of ripcords.
Wildman...all you would need to do is install a diaper. Nice openings after that.
Nope. THe one I have has the diaper I built for it. Still bite ya. I use to jump one as a main too. Had a pull down center, french lip and a couple extra drive holes. In a bag and finally with a wrap on it like a Delta 2. Ask Cabone about the time I lent it to him but undid the wrap, cause I knew he was going to hum it. You could hear him grunt from the ground when it bit him. Ask Hank where he got the idea for the Piglet. We were on the Godfrogs together. I even turned the main inside out on opening a couple times, but still landed it.
I believe (after 30+ years) that it was a one pin with a rotating cone. Because of problems with dislocating shoulders (both at different times), I had it converted to a center pull so I could use either hand to pull it.
What type of diaper did you use? Pioneer used on that held the canopy skirt closed with one or two bights of one line group (as I recall after many years) while some other manufacturers used both line groups and stowed all the lines. At Silly's request, we evaluated that system but experienced line dump so we stuck with the type of diaper we had been using. Again...this is after many years and the memory is a "little" fuzzy.
You are talking about the difference between two bite and full-stow diapers. Early Strong Lopos used only two rubber bands and only the left line group was used to hold the diaper closed. All the rest of the lines were stowed in rubber bands in the pack tray. Para-Cushion pilot emergency parachutes are still packed as Type 2.
Later, Type 3 (Phantom and SAC) and Type 4 diapers (Preserve, modern Strong Lopos, etc.) stow all the lines on the diaper.
My first PigRig in 1975 was a Top Secret. I had a 26' Navy Conical that I had to take the sea anchors off of so it would fit. Boy was that a tedious job. Even with the anchors off, it was a very tight fit. It had a four line release. I used that reserve three different times. The four line release worked great.
I had a PC in it at that time. When I got my Strator Star later that year I also got a Security LoPo with a four line release also. I never got a chance to ride that canopy. I think it's still out in the shed somewhere.
Nothing cooler than laying on your back watching your reserve deploy . . . especially when it was a 24' flat made out of TWILL
Even better is laying on your back and watching the POB's pull back the flaps and watching your 24' flat twill NOT deploy ( no reserve pilot chute in those early days ). I just sat there far about a second watching the folded canopy as it just was laying there on my belly and not going anywhere. I finally just swung my hand at it to get it to move. Did that twice, 2nd time I was an 'old hand' at it.
I didn't give mine a chance to sit there. I was just about back to terminal and after finally getting the reserve handle pulled after a hard reserve pull ripped open the container, grabbed a big wad between both hands and chucked it for all I was worth. Put french boot prints on the top of my Bell. Immediately modified my rig with high reserve links. Shoulda learned the first time but Nooo..
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