Can’t get my D-Bag to close very well.

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I just received a new wings and new saber2 – after much struggling and sweat I am getting to where I can pack it up to where I feel comfortable jumping it. I have a question about one though however – I can not get the bag to close very well. I’ve got it secured with the rube bands however there is quite a bit of exposed canopy material (see attachment). I guess my concern is that the canopy material can somehow become damaged or snag etc.

Thanks

Neilp

[linestretch 0]

shit, looks good to me....except for maybe those line stows....

my pics & stuff!

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Better Line Stows?

[KCJumper 0]

Those first two stows look huge. Like something i would use on a tandem rig.

Patrick

[Hooknswoop 19]

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Better Line Stows?

Not really, no. They should be very neat to avoid a bag lock.

As for getting the canopy into the bag, pack it wider so it fills up the corners more. Then it won't pack so tall and it'll close easier.

Derek

[cbennettjr 0]

Fits like my Cobalt 150 in my Wings W10. I would recommend using the loops on top of the flap rather than the ones on the corner of the D-bag. It will keep those lines off the side. I'll get a pick if you need it. Oh, and hell yes, those stows are too long.

Other than that....go jump it. It'll get easier, I swear.
chuck

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I'll get a pick if you need it.

Yeah if you could post a pic that would be great! I didn’t notice any other loops on my bag - however will look again.

Thanks

neilp

[Zoter 0]

Damn.....I would be happy to have it closed that well....give me some time and I will post a pic of my bagged canopy and you will piss yourself laughing !!

But I dont have a problem with it at all.....opens on heading, no scary snivel and no line twists

You might want to pay attention to the loose cascades on the 3rd-4th stows.....whilst they look pretty innocent with the bag out of the container......its a possibility they could loop over the mouth lock stows when you are stuffing it in the container.......keep em tight...no slack !

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You might want to pay attention to the loose cascades on the 3rd-4th stows

My bigest problem stowing lines is when I hit the cascades - I can rarely get them to lay in nice without having some extra line sticking up. Sometimes I actually go back and pull the slack to the stows to fix the problem but there’s got to be a better way.

[speedy 0]

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but there’s got to be a better way.

And believe me there is
But those stows in the pics

Dave

Fallschirmsport Marl

[cbennettjr 0]

There are two straps across the top of the flap. You may not have even noticed them. I use long rubber bands for the grommets and short ones for the flap top stows. I'm stuffing a 150 into a rig made for a 135. It isn't always pretty, but it opens nice, on heading and consistantly.

chuck

[redramdriver 0]

Well your working with all "new" gear. The canopy will become easier to work with with more jumps and it will relax. IMHO...maybe try going back and persuading your canopy into the bag just a little bit more after the first few locking stows are made. And, if anyone cares to comment, maybe double "wrap" the locking stows. Myself, I have a 229 Icarus and it is a little work in and of itself, I use large sized rubber bands doubled on the locking stows, and small rubber bands on the remaining stows. Other comments or suggestions anyone?

So, you bring your beer?

Its 5 o'clock somewhere
POPS #9344

[crazydiver 0]

What is with all of these huge stows? You people with microline dont need near that much line outside of the stow bands. For spectra microline, I wouldn't reccommend more than 2 inches outside, but less..in my opinion...is better. I would reccomend taht the longest stows on your dbag be on the locking stows (the grommets) but after that make them smaller and make sure they are uniform with each other. Its most important taht the two, three, or four locking stows are solid to prevent an out of sequence deployment.

Cheers,
Travis

[EvilLurker 2]

I'll tell you what I think (which ain't worth much, but it's free)
Yes, try packing your canopy a little wider so you get more of it into the corners and it's flatter along the center
Once you have it bagged, get your knees down on the center and stretch the closing flap up over the canopy before you make the first 2 stows
Those closing stows are about the right length, I think.
Keep tension on the lines as you "walk" the D bag back to the container, that helps a lot in not having uneven line tension.
You're probably aware of all this, but if any of it helps, you owe me a dollar.

[DJL 232]

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Well your working with all "new" gear. The canopy will become easier to work with with more jumps and it will relax. IMHO...maybe try going back and persuading your canopy into the bag just a little bit more after the first few locking stows are made. And, if anyone cares to comment, maybe double "wrap" the locking stows. Myself, I have a 229 Icarus and it is a little work in and of itself, I use large sized rubber bands doubled on the locking stows, and small rubber bands on the remaining stows. Other comments or suggestions anyone?

Yeah, here's a suggestion: Don't take advice from people on the internet. Those locking stows already look like they're pretty tight. Changing where you double-stow or changing your band size should only be done within the recommendations of the equipment manufacturer.

My reaction to that picture is that those are some extremely large and messy stows. You may have some uneven lines within the canopy. My stows are much smaller and I take measures to keep the lines very neat...but that's MY gear. I know some people who get away with sloppy lines.

Regards,

"I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

[redramdriver 0]

Doug, here's a suggestion, this is the Gear and Rigging forum where there are plenty of people asking for advice and/or opinions. Have you ever read anywhere in any manual you have that says "only" use a certain type or size rubber band or tube stow to close your D-Bag? If you have can you share it with us. The important thing to remember here is that this person was asking for advice and opinions on HIS gear. The person didn't ask what your reaction would be to the picture in regards to YOUR gear. Why is it some people no matter what have to think that their opinion is the only one that matters. Wait a second..that was a statement...glad I didn't offer any ADVICE...c ya

So, you bring your beer?

Its 5 o'clock somewhere
POPS #9344

[Hooknswoop 19]

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There are two straps across the top of the flap. You may not have even noticed them.

He has a Javelin which doesn;t have the option for the stows on the closing flap.

Derek

[mark 104]

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Have you ever read anywhere in any manual you have that says "only" use a certain type or size rubber band or tube stow to close your D-Bag? If you have can you share it with us.

Would this Jump Shack article, Rubber Bands Break for a Reason, qualify?

Mark

[cbennettjr 0]

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He has a Javelin which doesn;t have the option for the stows on the closing flap.

Derek

Ahhh....I miss spoke. What was I thinking!?! Not a Wings! DOH!

As for the comment that my stows are too long....they are 2 inches.

Now I need to go pack.

chuck

[174fps 1]

As has been said make your cigar roll a little wider so that you will fill
the corners better.
Once you have it in the bag, kneel facing the container, bridle toward
you place both forearms on the bag, hook your fingers into the top of
the bag
press down with your forearms and roll them forward.
This will squeeze a lot of the air from the canopy, the top side of the
bag should almost reach the flap on the botton side.
Keeping pressure on with one arm, do your first stow.
Unless otherwise stated by the manufacturer on a 4 grommet bag the first two stows should just reach the outer grommets.
The outer two stows should just reach the edge of the bag.

[redramdriver 0]

Hook you sure about the Javalin? He stated he just got a new Wings. The wings D-Bag that I have has the two straps for attaching stow bands.

So, you bring your beer?

Its 5 o'clock somewhere
POPS #9344

[cbennettjr 0]

You mean I do know how to read? I MUST ask for more money at work!

chuck

[redramdriver 0]

Mark, thanks for sharing. Thats what this is all about, learning, sharing, being safe. Not just Opinions. I have asked before about tube stows and have gotten 50/50 either way...the article sheds some light...Thank You.

So, you bring your beer?

Its 5 o'clock somewhere
POPS #9344

[sundevil777 94]

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Would this Jump Shack article, Rubber Bands Break for a Reason, qualify?

Quite right, rubber bands break. They are especially likely to break when they get stretched so much on the typical locking stow. Not everyone has to really stretch the locking stows, but many do. Then the locking stow band gets even more tension/stretch when the bag is accelerated off your back, the entire weight plus dynamic/inertial force of the canopy is being held back by the locking stows. Once one breaks, even more load is applied to the remaining stows, and even one locking stow breaking might allow the canopy to come out due to the forces applied.

I think that many really hard openings are the result of bag dump, and the only clues are broken locking stows.

I will take a bag lock over a bag dump and the resultant explosive opening anyday.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[johnny1488 1]

One thing I have found when I am teaching packing is how people make the stows.

I have found it much easier to make neat line stows by first making the stow in my hand and then wrapping the rubberband over it. By doing this you can work any unevenness into each bite so it is completely unnoticeable.

I see a lot of newer packers putting 2 fingers through the rubberband and pulling the stow through. This could be the cause of the "sloppy cascade stows" you mentioned.

Johnny
--"This ain't no book club, we're all gonna die!"
Mike Rome