How do you tell if the closing loop is too tight?

[Ruffles 0]

I am a rookie packer and sometimes my bag volumes vary a little bit from packjob to pack job, thereby making my closing loop a little more or less tight. Two questions: Whats a good method for evaluating if the loop is too tight and does anyone know how many (approximately) pounds of pressure a PC puts on the pin when it pulls it out?

[diablopilot 2]

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does anyone know how many (approximately) pounds of pressure a PC puts on the pin when it pulls it out?

60 to 80 at 120mph.

If you can pick the rig up by the bridle, it's too tight in my opinion. Considering the average sport rig is about 20 lbs that should give you an answer.

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You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[hookitt 0]

Ir you can close the rig by hand, it won't be too tight. It's nearly impossible to make a closing loop too tight. Most often, the tighter the better.

Good luck!

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[mjosparky 3]

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Ir you can close the rig by hand, it won't be too tight. It's nearly impossible to make a closing loop too tight. Most often, the tighter the better.

Good luck!

That is correct, if you can close it with out the use of tools, its not to tight. probably 50%the rigs on a DZ are to loose to make them easier to close.

JP,
A decent PC will produce over 100 pounds of pull at 120 mph.
Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[skydiver30960 0]

I'm with hookitt and sparky... if you can get it closed, the breeze'll get it open.

Elvisio

[Ruffles 0]

That makes me feel more confident. I thought it was in the neighborhood of 25-35 lbs! I was just reading the story on the English girl with the PC in tow mal (I understand it was uncocked) and it got me thinking. Thanks guys.
.

[masterrig 1]

You're thinkin'... that's the best part! You're asking questions... keep it up.

Chuck

[GroundZero 0]

You can tell if it's too tight when you close if you touch the pin to the loop under tension and the loop breaks with so much force that you backloop into the wall...

Anything shy of that and it'll work fine (at terminal with even a fair PC...)

Chris

[firstime 0]

great reply and really LMAO. you made my day

[AggieDave 6]

What about the stress on grommets and the system holding the closing loop in, if it is extremely tight?

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[hookitt 0]

Lets see, you're like 250 pounds also lift weights. I'm going to guess that you close your rig pretty darn tight. How does your rig appear to be taking it?

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[AggieDave 6]

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Lets see, you're like 250 pounds also lift weights. I'm going to guess that you close your rig pretty darn tight. How does your rig appear to be taking it?

Well, seeing how I haven't packed for myself in probably 6 months, my 5'1" fiancee who's a packer has been packing it, so the rig is holding up very nicely. (I do still inspect it closely every weekend).

I figured that you rigger types might have seen some sort of damage if there was any out in the field, if it was a problem, thats why I asked. Just trying to learn here, that's all.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[hookitt 0]

You dog!!! hahaha...

Yeah it can happen but generally no. Over stuffing the main container is when it becomes an issue. For the most part the container will handle it quite well. Put 1000 jumps on it, then it may show some wear

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[AggieDave 6]

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Yeah it can happen but generally no. Over stuffing the main container is when it becomes an issue.

Ok, that makes sense.

My question stems from what I saw a pretty new rigger do to a tandem rig once, using a device to pull tension on a reserve closing loop. Bent the hell outta the Sigma reserve pin. Lets just say he had the loop WAY too tight.

Sure, we're not using the same sort of tools to close our mains, but you can flat out get some pull force when using a "packing tool" or "pack boy" or whatever you call the metal bar with loop packing tool.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[hookitt 0]

The positive leverage device sure can be abused that's for sure. I use them sometimes but only if I know I can pull the loop through the grommets by hand.

I've used a Pack Boy only a handful of times and went right back to the trusty 3/4 inch type 3 pull up cord. Besides, if you lose a pull up cord, just look around on the floor

You will see wear and damage from time to time but quite honestly it's "usually" from lots of use. Small tight rigs will distort more than larger softer rigs.

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[rainman 0]

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The positive leverage device sure can be abused [...]

I've used a Pack Boy only a handful of times [...]

I think I get what you're saying, but for clarification purposes: a packboy (5 inch steel 'needle' with 15 inch of suspension line attached to it) is not considered a positive leverage device, is it?

In other words: do you think a packboy increases the risk of damaging your rig?

I really like the packboy because the pullup cords rip my delicate programmer hands to shreds.

Rainman

[hookitt 0]

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In other words: do you think a packboy increases the risk of damaging your rig?

No

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I really like the packboy because the pullup cords rip my delicate programmer hands to shreds

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[jmfreefly 0]

No, packer tools/pack boys are not positive leverage device. (as they don't provide 'leverage'). They are just a more efficient pull tool. The force you pull is the force the loop sees. That being said, it does allow better grip, and therefore increases the force your hands can exert.

A positive leverage device uses mechanical advantage to reduce the force needed to be applied/ increase the force applied to the loop. The
worry about devices like this is that they can be hard to judge what the force you are applying to the loop is.

j

[JustaBill 0]

Man the search function is a great tool

This may be a stupid question, but all the replys to this talk about pulling the pin at terminal. Is it possible to have the loop too tight when doing a hop and pop? Saturday I did one and it seemed like it took awhile for the PC to extract the pin and the bag. Could that just be the reduced speed I was going that caused everything to slow down, or could the pin have been a little snug? Just curious, this was really the only hop and pop I've done since the one I had to do to graduate and this is the only time I've really watched things deploy on a hop and pop. Oh, and before anyone asks the PC was fully cocked

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I've done so much, with so little, for so long
I'm now expected to do everything with nothing forever

[mjosparky 3]

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Man the search function is a great tool

This may be a stupid question, but all the replys to this talk about pulling the pin at terminal. Is it possible to have the loop too tight when doing a hop and pop? Saturday I did one and it seemed like it took awhile for the PC to extract the pin and the bag. Could that just be the reduced speed I was going that caused everything to slow down, or could the pin have been a little snug? Just curious, this was really the only hop and pop I've done since the one I had to do to graduate and this is the only time I've really watched things deploy on a hop and pop. Oh, and before anyone asks the PC was fully cocked

Part of what made is seem longer is a condition called Temporal Distortion. (see attachment)

And part of it is the fact the newer FF friendly gear can trap the bridle and make it harder for the pull of the PC to get to the pin.

And finally the pack trays of newer gear, with the stitched up corners, can make it harder to pull the bag free of the pack tray at the slower speed of a true H&P. The curved pin in even a very tight rig will release with as little as 10 pounds.

Next time you pack, leave the proctor flap open and pick your rig up off the ground by the bridle.

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[JustaBill 0]

Thanks for the info Sparky. That makes a lot of sense now.

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I've done so much, with so little, for so long
I'm now expected to do everything with nothing forever