Taking Care of Your New Gear

Posted Monday, December 18, 2000

By Lisa Briggs

There is nothing quite like the look and feel of brand new gear. You have invested a lot of money in your new rig; how do you keep it looking and feeling new for as long as possible?

The number one rule is keep it out of the sun! This applies to ALL skydiving equipment from your rig down to your altimeter, but it is most important to your container and main. Sunlight is nylon’s biggest enemy – 70 hours in direct sunlight is enough to lower the strength of canopy fabric up to 50%. If it takes you 15 minutes to pack outdoors in less than 300 jumps your canopy will have been in the sun 70 hours.

Sun and skydiving go together – how do you keep your gear out of the sun? Start with a gear bag. This doesn’t have to be one of the many parachute specific bags on the market; a simple nylon duffel bag will work just as well. What is most important is that your rig be kept in the bag whenever you are not using or packing it.

Speaking of packing, the sooner you pack after you land the less time your canopy is exposed to sunlight. Get a suncover packing mat or a couple of towels and keep your container off the ground and out of the sun while you pack. When you are done, put it all back in your bag.

Keeping your gear in a bag will also protect it from spilled liquids, loose pets and curious children, any of which can damage it in a moment.

Be religious about reserve repack dates, especially if you do a lot of jumps between repacks. The actual repacking of the reserve is not what is important here. What is vital is the inspection of the entire system that the rigger performs along with the repack. This is where the little things can be caught and corrected before they turn into big things.

Develop a relationship with your rigger. Having the same person packing it every time will increase the likelihood that the little things will be found.

Don’t rely on your rigger to catch everything though. In most cases they will only be inspecting the container/harness and reserve, not the main canopy or main deployment devices. Be prepared to pay a little extra if you want your rigger to inspect your main. Even better, learn how to inspect it yourself – most riggers or instructors can give you some pointers on what to look for.

When traveling to and from the drop zone keep your gear bag in the air-conditioned comfort of the front of the car - not in the trunk. Car trunks can get hot very fast and heat is another enemy of nylon. For the same reason, don’t leave the gear in the car for an extended period of time.

At home keep it in a gear bag in a dark bug-free closet. Although bugs won’t eat nylon dead bugs can produce chemicals that will.

Protect your rig from thieves by recording the serial numbers, colors and size specifications and take a clear color photo of each piece of equipment as soon as you receive it. Keep this list, the original sales invoices and the pictures with your other important papers – NOT in your log book cover, gear bag or next to the packing data card! If your gear is ever lost or stolen your homeowners, renters or car insurance may help you replace it and the above items will help prove what you lost.

Never leave your gear alone, even when you are in a place you "trust". Theft is another reason not to leave your gear unattended in your car.

With some care and a little extra effort you can make your new rig look and operate like new for hundreds of jumps to come. It’s worth it!

Taking Care of Your New Gear

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