Infinity wrinkles

[ernokaikkonen 0]

I had a chance to repack a reserve into an Infinity a couple of months back. I'd never seen one(they don't seem popular outside of the US), and I was very impressed with the rig. Very neat looking when packed, very clean lines and simple design with nothing unnecessary. For that kind of price/quality combination I'm seriously considering an Infinity for my next rig.

I just went through the "Post your Infinity"-thread, and I noticed something. While most of the rigs look very good, there is are lots of rigs with wrinkles in the same place(see attachment). I realise that some of these rigs may be empty and just "stuffed with something" for the photo-op, but I don't think they all are.

So, a few questions:
1) What's causing that? I'm speculating that it's a canopy with too small a pack volume for the main container, forcing the use of a closing loop that's too short, and that's pulling the side flaps too high.
2) Is that just a packing issue? So that if you pack it just right the wrinkles will disappear?
3) Are some sizes more prone for that happening than others?
4) Can you pack an Infinity "grommet-to-pin" for WS jumps and have the rig look nice when it's closed? I know my Atom really doesn't look very good with the original bag packed upright.
5) Can you get dynamic/open corners on an Infinity?

Any comments?

[FrogNog 1]

KellyF knows more than I do about this, but...
I'm pretty sure wrinkles on Infinitys at that flap point are a packing issue - the main bag not being filled and shaped wide enough, or something like that. Two of my Infinitys have wrinkles on the left side right now - clearly _that_ is a packing error on my part.

-=-=-=-=-
Pull.

[racer42 0]

Mine has those wrinkles occasionaly. But I have a smaller main now and I can usually eliminate them with very careful packing, which I rarely do.

I would highly recommend an Infinity. It is a quality product with great customer service.

L.A.S.T. #24
Co-Founder Biscuit Brothers Freefly Team
Electric Toaster #3
Co-Founder Team Non Sequitor
Co-Founder Team Happy Sock

[teason 0]

The most common cause that I have seen for that type of wrinkle is stacking offset grommets.

All to often, jumpers (and packers) do not take the time to read the manual. The site of offset grommets can unnerve a packer into thinking that the loop is too loose. The loop is often tightened for piece of mind and the rig is deformed.

I speak from experience as I packed my Vector for ten years, stacking the grommets every time. When I became a rigger, I realized (to my horror) I had been doing in wrong all that time.

And all I had to do was crack the manual!

After that, the rig looked alot better after closing.

Here's the manual for all you infinity owners. Please scroll to page 2 (P.11 in the picture) and enjoy.
http://s90422833.onlinehome.us/manual/infnty3.pdf

I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

[BigSky 2]

Mine has the wrinkles as well but depending on how I pack sometimes they are not there as much.

I will say this though. I had my reserve repacked this last time by someone other than my normal rigger and the wrinkles were much much worse. The reserve did not fill up the reserve container all the way to the bottom so it was positioned in there more out to the side. I had my rigger repack it and when I got it back it had almost no wrinkles at all
PS. Infinity rocks!!

“Sometimes when I reflect back on all the beer I drink I feel ashamed. Then I look into the glass and think about the workers in the brewery and their hopes and dreams. If I didn’t drink this beer, th

[brianfry713 0]

I think the Infinity still looks good packed grommet-to-pin. It is a little bulkier, but you can try to compress the d-bag a little bit to fill out the main pack tray. It won't look quite as nice as with the main packed grommet up, at least when I pack it.

BASE 1224, Senior Parachute Rigger, CPL ASEL IA, AGI, IGI
USPA Coach & UPT Tandem Instructor, PRO, Altimaster Field Support Representative

[mark 102]

I sent a new Infinity to VSE because of the wrinkles. Kelly sent it back with no changes except in how the main was packed. His explanation: the main needs to be packed as wide as possible.

I tried packing the main as wide as possible, and it greatly improves appearance. There still isn't much clearance between the side flaps and the midflap, though. I would prefer to see the side flaps and midflap fit together more like a Javelin, more tolerant of so-so pack jobs.

Thread hijack:
How would you replace the BOC on an Infinity?

Mark

[darnknit 0]

Quote

Thread hijack:
How would you replace the BOC on an Infinity?

hijack hijack:
convert it to a pull-out

pulling is cool. keep it in the skin

[hookitt 0]

I don't think Javelins are tolerant as you speak. They only have a thinner decoratice main flap. In general, it's not nearly as secure as an Infinity main flap and it's even less secure if the main canopy fits the main tray loosely.

A wrinkle or 2 on a rig ... in my opinion ... is no big dea. My personal rig does not exhibit wrinkles unless I allow it too though. Put the rig on tighten it up and see if it's still wrinkled. Rigs tend to look a lot different on your back.

-Pack it wide.
-Close the first flap and pull it real tight. (key to adjusting proper loop length)
-Then close the sides.

The flaps should just touch. Often, the closing loop is not pulled through the first flap far enough. (this goes for most rigs), so it gets adjusted improperly.

Packing grommet to pin works fine if the canopy is packed wide enough.

Changing the BOC... well, if it were mine, I'd split the sides, sew on a pouch and stitch it back up.

Well, that's not entirely true, only because I use a pull-out

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

[Slurp56 0]

Its mostly packing issues as others have said. With the Infinity you really need to pack the main wide. I've watched Kelly pack a couple mains and when he was doing the S Folds I was thinking to myself "There is no way THAT is going into the bag". But it did and the bottom corners of the bag were tight. Having a good reserve pack job helps as well.

For closing, stack the first 3 grommets and edge the last one up to the stack. Also when pulling on the pull up cord, pull opposite of the flap. When threading through the top flap (#1) pull towards the bottom of the rig, when threading the right sidebody(#2), pull the pullup cord toward the left, Left sidebody, pull towards the right. Lastly tuck in the corners of the BOC after the pin is in place.

________________________________________
I have proof-read this post 500 times, but I guarantee you'll still manage to find a flaw.

[linestretch 0]

Quote

How would you replace the BOC on an Infinity?

Mark

send it back to Kelly...

actually, it's pretty easy, I've done a few and it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. BUT, it's a for sure 2 person job....one to sew and one to pick their nose and watch....and hold the rig upright. Just unstitch the BOC, I left the stitching in place where it's NOT holding the spandex....the mouth side. Then insert and sew.....slowly.

my pics & stuff!

[Stumpy 256]

Since i got better at packing the wrinkles on mine have disappeared. you just need to pack the D-bag "wider" than you think

Never try to eat more than you can lift

[davelepka 4]

I've never noticed any wrinkles on my rig. I tend to pack it, then put it on and jump it.

I can tell you that the harness is comfortable, and everything has worked as expected, and is showing very little wear for several hundred jumps. I can also say that the ordering, build time, and general service was very good as well.

[KellyF 16]

As others have said, pack your main WIDE. To quote an old Pontiac commercial,"wider is better" This actually holds true for all containers. Think of it this way, a container is essentially a fabric box. If you want the "box" to have a specific shape, whatever you put inside it needs to have that shape also. If the "box" doesn't have support, it tends to cave in. This is why D-bags are built for the container instead of the canopy- you can have all sorts of different shapes to fit 400 C.I., but really only one of those will fit the container properly.

We have done a few rigs with dynamic corners, but as far as packing grommet to pin, it depends on the particular model of Infinity. Some have a nearly square profile for the main D-bag (fine for grommet to pin), and others have a more rectangular profile (not so good for grommet to pin).

For the BOC replacement, it looks more intimidating than it really is. The process is the same as it is for a "standard" BOC, but you don't have to tape the pocket. Simply unstitch the old BOC, insert the new spandex and sew it in. About the only tricks I can think of is to sew backwards along the bottom edge first, making sure the cordura is staying flat, then as you go up the side and top, make sure the cordura is laying flat (pulling away from the binding tape instead of getting pushed towards it). If you do this, you'll probably be surprised at how closely your new stitch pattern lines up with the original one Depending on the size of the rig, you may find it easier to open up the corners so the bottom flap lays flat while you sew

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[ernokaikkonen 0]

Everybody, thanks for your replies. I've got all the information I needed. Now I just need to find some money for a new rig...

[Chizazz 0]

Yayyyy that one on the top left in the pic is mine. Hey-o!

[piisfish 135]

Quote

For the BOC replacement, it looks more intimidating than it really is. ..insert the new spandex and sew it in. About the only tricks I can think of is to sew backwards..

And take the main and deployment bag out... People died by jumping a rig onto which the had sowed stuff with the main still inside... Seems stoopid to precise it but it happened...

P.S. Oh Kelly, say hi to Andy from the Fish in Switzerland. Still have vitamin A available for him if he comes around here again.

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM