Dec 16, 2012, 1:50 AM
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How long should my rig stay packed?
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Hi every1! I just got my very first own rig a few weeks ago and along with that I asked myself, how long should my rig stay packed? I mean, if I pack everything, can it stay packed for like 2-3 weeks until I jump it the next time? Or would it be better to leave it unpacked and just repack it the day before I head out to the dropzone, so the material does not wear out too quickly or so?
Dec 16, 2012, 4:44 AM
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Re: [PhippsAT] How long should my rig stay packed?
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Hi every1! I just got my very first own rig a few weeks ago and along with that I asked myself, how long should my rig stay packed? I mean, if I pack everything, can it stay packed for like 2-3 weeks until I jump it the next time? Or would it be better to leave it unpacked and just repack it the day before I head out to the dropzone, so the material does not wear out too quickly or so?
How are you guys doing this?
Cheers! Phil
You probably should know the answer to this, how long can your reserve stay packed?
Dec 16, 2012, 5:00 AM
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Re: [PhippsAT] How long should my rig stay packed?
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Or would it be better to leave it unpacked and just repack it the day before I head out to the dropzone, so the material does not wear out too quickly or so?
Believe it or not, generally speaking, packing is the part of the canopies life that wears out the fabric more than anything else.
Doesn't matter when you pack it, so long as you're packing on a clean surface (clean carpet, grass without dog shit in it, so on).
Dec 16, 2012, 7:57 AM
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Re: [theonlyski] How long should my rig stay packed?
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UV light does degrade the nylon, especially neons, but poor packing practices will generally damage it faster.
Yes, UV light degrades nylon. And exposure to sunlight is apparant by fading colors. And neon colors seem to fade faster than other colors. All of this is true.
But here's a question I have. Does faded neon mean that it's weaker than faded other colors, given that they've been exposed to the same amount of sunlight? In other words, is fading color really a good indicator of the degree of weakening of fthe fabric?
Let's say you have an orange end cell, and the next one inward is black. The orange is faded, but the black is not. Since we're not talking about a center cell that gets most of the wear and exposure during packing, those two cells should be equal in wear and exposure. So, does the fact that the orange is faded, necessarily mean it's weaker than the black? Or is this just a characteristic of that particular color, and really doesn't correlate to the degree of strength?
Or is it that the black would be just as weak as the orange, but just doesn't show it from fading color. Therefore, we can use the neon colors as an indicator of the strength of the entire canopy?
(This post was edited by Akokisa on Dec 16, 2012, 8:03 AM)
Dec 16, 2012, 10:15 AM
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Re: [jimjumper] How long should my rig stay packed?
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Just for your peace of mind, I watched a guy jump a 3 year old pack job on a hop-n-pop. He said it opened a little slow but was fine!
I am not suprised. When a parachute is packed inside of a rig enclosed by cordura, it tends to stay put....And of stored properly should last a LONG time with no problems.
Dec 17, 2012, 9:26 AM
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Re: [NeonLights] How long should my rig stay packed?
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Just for your peace of mind, I watched a guy jump a 3 year old pack job on a hop-n-pop. He said it opened a little slow but was fine!
I am not suprised. When a parachute is packed inside of a rig enclosed by cordura, it tends to stay put....And of stored properly should last a LONG time with no problems.
I have seen more than one main canopy retain it's brick shape after being packed for longer than a year (Granted this was on the floor and not at terminal airspeeds). Some Zero P fabrics have a tendency to stick together when packed for an extended time. It is my understanding that this is part of the reason that reserves are made from F-111 materials.
Dec 17, 2012, 9:32 AM
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Re: [PhippsAT] How long should my rig stay packed?
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Since no one directly answered your question, 2-3 weeks is no big deal at all. Mine regularly stay packed for that length of time between visits to the dropzone, especially in the slower months of the year. It's a lot easier for me to store my gear in a cat-proof location in my apartment when it's packed up, so I tend to go home with my rig packed even if I'm not coming back for a while.
Dec 17, 2012, 12:28 PM
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Re: [Zymurdoo] How long should my rig stay packed?
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Some Zero P fabrics have a tendency to stick together when packed for an extended time. It is my understanding that this is part of the reason that reserves are made from F-111 materials.
Dec 17, 2012, 3:53 PM
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Re: [NWFlyer] How long should my rig stay packed?
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Since no one directly answered your question, 2-3 weeks is no big deal at all. Mine regularly stay packed for that length of time between visits to the dropzone, especially in the slower months of the year. It's a lot easier for me to store my gear in a cat-proof location in my apartment when it's packed up, so I tend to go home with my rig packed even if I'm not coming back for a while.
Well, I kinda got way more info than I wanted to in the first place, hehe. Very happy about all those responses though :D Thanks guys!
Ok, perfect. Then I will just leave it packed for in between my visits to the dropzone. Thanks for ya help!
Dec 17, 2012, 8:37 PM
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Re: [Zymurdoo] How long should my rig stay packed?
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I once unpacked an X-braced canopy that had been packed in a very tight container for over a year. This particular canopy was a known sniveler, commonly 1000-1500 feet. When unpacked it not only retained it's brick shape but took 15 minutes of prying to get it flaked out. The canopy would not have opened in time to be useful. OTOH I have jumped another canopy that was packed for a year and opened just fine. Based on these experiences I would find it difficult to make a blanket statement on how long a canopy should stay packed.
Dec 18, 2012, 6:16 PM
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Re: [PhippsAT] How long should my rig stay packed?
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You know what really degrades nylon? Leaving an unpacked canopy lying around where the cat can piss on it. It really doesn't matter if you pack before you leave the dropzone, or if you leave the canopy unpacked, but at least put it in a duffel bag or something that will protect it as it lies in the closet.
Dec 18, 2012, 9:32 PM
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Re: [NeonLights] How long should my rig stay packed?
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Just for your peace of mind, I watched a guy jump a 3 year old pack job on a hop-n-pop. He said it opened a little slow but was fine!
I am not suprised. When a parachute is packed inside of a rig enclosed by cordura, it tends to stay put....And of stored properly should last a LONG time with no problems.
Hi Neon
In a ideal world your rig sould only stay packed for 5 days because your jumping every weekend
I know a dude very well who quit jumping for seven years. Left the rig packed in his walk in closet. In a gear bag.
When he finally got the urge to get his knee's in the breeze he got a fresh reserve pack job. The rubbers looked good on the reserve, the reserve canopy flaked nicely.
So he jumped the sabre one that had about 400 jumps on it at terminal and guess what.
I oops me be bad, "He" didn't have to use his reserve.
WARNING: if you leave your gear in a damp basement, a car trunk, or a hot attic or any other harsh enviroment for any length of time etc etc YMMV.
I also recommend being current on your EP's and a current reseve pack job to be on the safe side.
(This post was edited by Krip on Dec 18, 2012, 9:38 PM)
Dec 20, 2012, 5:32 AM
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Re: [PhippsAT] How long should my rig stay packed?
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My Sabre 2 only had 30 jumps on it and was packed for 6 yrs in the bag. Hand unpacked like a brick for the Cypres service and left opened and aired for 8 weeks over winter before jumping. No problems whatsoever..
, "He" didn't have to use his reserve.
