Carver 0 #1 April 18, 2006 Hi all, Just wondering if anyone can give good advice on getting the canopy in the bag neatly while keeping everything square and intact. I know it comes down to practice mostly but most of the tips I have received are not really working for me. My canopy is a good tight fit in the bag and I always end up stuffing it a fair bit. I havn't really had any hard openings but yet but theres been a few off heading openings. Any thoughts? Never try to skip a stage of natural progression... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggerrob 558 #2 April 18, 2006 After you roll the tail, gently lay the canopy on the floor and lay on it for a couple of minutes ... to squeeze all the air out. Gently tuck the edges in until the canopy is slightly wider than the deployment bag. Kneel on it - both knees - just above the orange warning label. Fold the canopy in half, so that the top half lays on your lap. Squeeze a bit more air out. Slide the deployment bag under your knees and us your weight to lock the canopy to the d-bag, to the floor. Stuff the half-way fold as deep into the top of the d-bag as possible. The more canopy bulk you stuff into the top of the d-bag, the easier then later stages go. Press down on the mouth of the mouth of the d-bag to squeeze out a bit more air. Push the top quarter of the canopy into the d-bag. Ensure that the bridle runs clear through the grommet in the top of the d-bag. Lift your knees and rotate the d-bag to lay on its bridle end. Push your hand in between the canopy folds to force it even deeper into the top of the d-bag. Grab the lines - just below the canopy - and ensure that the slider is still hard up against the slider stops. S-fold the bottom quarter of the canopy and shove it into the middle of the d-bag. Pull the flap over and stow the first rubber band. Stand up, straighten your spine and congratulate your self on completing the toughest part of the pack job. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Carver 0 #3 April 18, 2006 Cheers Rob, I always 'S' fold first which probably lets more air into the canopy than doing it last as you have described. I guess it would help to leave your slider and tail folds in place too. And you only get off your canopy once reducing the risk of more air inflaing the canopy and movement within. I'll give it bash when I get home. Thanks again wise Guru!! Never try to skip a stage of natural progression... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tdog 0 #4 April 18, 2006 QuoteKneel on it - both knees - just above the orange warning label. I always was told to kneel on it myself too... I watched other people do it... But I hated it when I had a brand new super slippery canopy.... The canopy would slide out, get messy, etc... So, I adopted a different technique. I kneel on the floor with my knees at the width that I want the canopy (slightly narrower than the bag), with the canopy between my legs. As I press out the air, my knees keep the canopy from spreading sideways. When I need to get air out, I can press down with both palms of my hands and my hands are both available to control the fabric... So my feet keep the canopy from exploding out the back, my knees the side, the floor the bottom, the hands cover the top and front... I guess I am saying I make a "box" the size of the bag with my body so I can get it all tightly in the "box" before attempting the insertion to the bag. I taught a guy my technique and he reduced his brand new tight canopy bagging process from 10 minutes of attempt and re-attempt to a 30 second insertion... Just another option... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vectracide 0 #5 April 18, 2006 Carver, I pack exactly like Rob does. It's a very easy and fast way to pack. It works especially well with new canopies, as you are not trying to put a bunch of folds on top of one another and then bag it. Funny thing is Rob is my rigger, but never showed me this technique...... I guess some of his riggerness has rubbed off on me. ------------------------------ Controlled and Deliberate..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Carver 0 #6 April 19, 2006 Heh heh, I'll let you know how it goes when I try it out. Hopefully tonight if all goes well. Tdog, I'll try that too but I like to keep my weight on he canopy as much as possible with little movement. Cheers all... Never try to skip a stage of natural progression... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jumpah 0 #7 April 20, 2006 QuoteSo, I adopted a different technique. I kneel on the floor with my knees at the width that I want the canopy (slightly narrower than the bag), with the canopy between my legs. Interesting...this could help me. Question: Are you putting pressure to hold the lines/slider in place, or is this between your knees with no pressure directly on it? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
beezyshaw 0 #8 April 20, 2006 such nonsense with all this rubbish. two words... psycho pack. you just have to learn it the right way Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mattyblast 0 #9 April 21, 2006 QuoteSlide the deployment bag under your knees and us your weight to lock the canopy to the d-bag, to the floor. Stuff the half-way fold as deep into the top of the d-bag as possible. I'm having trouble visualizing this step. If you're kneeling on the canopy and the d-bag, how is it possible to stuff it into the d-bag? Are you quickly swapping your knees for the hand that is doing the stuffing?"DOOR!!!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tdog 0 #10 April 21, 2006 QuoteQuoteSo, I adopted a different technique. I kneel on the floor with my knees at the width that I want the canopy (slightly narrower than the bag), with the canopy between my legs. Interesting...this could help me. Question: Are you putting pressure to hold the lines/slider in place, or is this between your knees with no pressure directly on it? The slider/lines are held in place by the folds and tight wrapping of the cocoon you make during the propack. Here is a secret for practicing on a super new canopy... No matter how tight I rolled the edge to make the cocoon - mine would explode for the first 50 jumps.... If I was just packing it - ok - it would explode slowly... If I was dinking around practicing different methods, it would explode before I had a chance to try a different way.... If you have discipline to have only ONE pull up cord to use to close your rig - you can take that pull up cord and tie it around the end of the cocoon, over where the slider is, around the lines... This way you can practice a lot without the canopy exploding there... The reason for ONE pull up cord... You will have a mal if you leave the canopy tied up... That would be bad... But, you can't close the rig without the cord - so it is an automatic fail safe that you removed the cord to close the rig... Kind of like a doctor counting his sponges before closing a patient.... Anyway back to your question... I would keep a knee on the end of the canopy where the slider is - protecting the grommets from damage to the lines and themselves - as I squeeze out the air and make the cocoon look more like a burrito... Then I would keep one hand or knee on the slider end - and reach under the burrito to make the folds with the other hand and pinch both sides keeping that tight... Once folded - then use the leg trick described to make the canopy the right size for the bag and to finish pushing out the air. Even if you do the reverse S fold thing - the leg trick still works... I knew my canopy was going to be a headache when I stuffed it in a cardboard box when it was brand new, and the next morning the cardboard was torn and the canopy was laying all over the floor - from it's desire to explode out of things... If your canopy has the same daemons as mine, you will learn a lot of tricks until you break it in. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
phoenixlpr 0 #11 April 21, 2006 Packing technique is like religion. You have to have faith in and you a spread it too. :) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jumpah 0 #12 April 21, 2006 Thanks Tdog...I appreciate the response. I'm packing a student canopy ATM, a NAV 260, and the dbag is a bit tight for it. It tends to ooze out sideways pretty much immediately, so the idea of practicing with one pullup cord is a good one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dmetz 0 #13 April 23, 2006 Quotesuch nonsense with all this rubbish. two words... psycho pack. you just have to learn it the right way I second that. Even though I am surely depriving myself of aquiring all this great pro packing expereince, it makes packing much quicker, and really helps a lot to calm my openings. I only hope I'm doing it the right way._________________________________________ "If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat?" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
G.Anvil 0 #14 April 24, 2006 This video really helped me; http://www.precision.aero/packing/mvc-002v.mpg Along with some help from someone who regularly psycho packs of course! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
beezyshaw 0 #15 April 24, 2006 And that's me packing in that video! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Carver 0 #16 May 2, 2006 Quotesuch nonsense with all this rubbish. two words... psycho pack. Quote Heh heh, Not sure about the psycho pack yet. I've seen the video and seems like it would be fast way to get it in the bag but I'd need to have some supervision I think and no one packs like that over here. Well form what I've seen anyways Cheers... Never try to skip a stage of natural progression... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites angrypeppers 1 #17 June 29, 2007 Thanks for posting this, Rob! I'm practice packing my newish Pilot210, and your instructions worked like a champ. I need to get better folding and stuffing (controlling) the slider end still. The rolls loosen up as I stuff that end in to the bag.Burn the land and boil the sea, You can't take the sky from me. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites popsjumper 2 #18 June 29, 2007 Ahhhhh...that slippery shit...sell it and buy a canopy made with Gelvenor material.My reality and yours are quite different. I think we're all Bozos on this bus. Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites DougH 270 #19 June 29, 2007 Quote And that's me packing in that video! Have you considered putting a new video on that has better resolution? I can psycho pack, I learned from that video to be exact, but when I had 30 jumps and the propack was still unfamiliar a bigger clip would have really helped. "The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall" =P Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites DrewEckhardt 0 #20 June 29, 2007 QuoteHi all, Just wondering if anyone can give good advice on getting the canopy in the bag neatly while keeping everything square and intact. The precision/bat/psycho-pack works well when the canopy is a good fit for the rig. I don't like it when the canopy is too small since you end up with a long skinny pack job that I think catches in the corners of the rig leading to off-heading openings. You can also make the top S-fold, bag that, and then add the left over at the end. The sequence keeps the canopy better under control than the contentional bottom S-fold first method and means bagging less fabric. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites yeyo 1 #21 June 29, 2007 from that video, when you pshycopack, you uncollapse the pc after closing the bag? excuse my english, not sure if 'uncollapse' is a word HISPA #93 DS #419.5 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites adobelover 0 #22 July 1, 2007 I used the pro pack method on a 220 Triathlon with about 100 jumps on it...pretty easy...then I got a brand new Tri 190. Holy shit...that was a slippery mess...it would be a good hour of cussing, sweat & tears ...and it STILL looked like shit...then I started psycho packing...WOW, I can't believe the huge difference! It actually fits in the bag neatly for a change and it's FASTER! _________________________________________ Old age ain't no place for sissies! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Yossarian 0 #23 July 1, 2007 big hands help, but really its just being careful for me, my new pilot (13jumps) was hell when i was packing it how id pack other canopies, but with the first fold i started using my chest to control it while i moved my hands about. wearing shorts helps as well as although trousers tend to have more grip on the canopy material, your knees will slide around inside them, whereas there is more control with bare skin - if that last bit makes any sense... other than that its just a question of quickly replacing hands with knees and vice-versa while you manipulate the bag. after packing brand new i swear i could bag an f111 student canopy one handed... (and dont discount my advice because of low jump numbers, im a packer as well... ) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites chrismgtis 0 #24 July 3, 2007 I've got a 175 Triathlon. When I got it, it had about 50 jumps on it. It's just as slippery now with about another 25 or so jumps on it. It's definitely a pain.Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Join the conversation You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible. Reply to this topic... × Pasted as rich text. Paste as plain text instead Only 75 emoji are allowed. × Your link has been automatically embedded. Display as a link instead × Your previous content has been restored. Clear editor × You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL. Insert image from URL × Desktop Tablet Phone Submit Reply 0 Go To Topic Listing
angrypeppers 1 #17 June 29, 2007 Thanks for posting this, Rob! I'm practice packing my newish Pilot210, and your instructions worked like a champ. I need to get better folding and stuffing (controlling) the slider end still. The rolls loosen up as I stuff that end in to the bag.Burn the land and boil the sea, You can't take the sky from me. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
popsjumper 2 #18 June 29, 2007 Ahhhhh...that slippery shit...sell it and buy a canopy made with Gelvenor material.My reality and yours are quite different. I think we're all Bozos on this bus. Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DougH 270 #19 June 29, 2007 Quote And that's me packing in that video! Have you considered putting a new video on that has better resolution? I can psycho pack, I learned from that video to be exact, but when I had 30 jumps and the propack was still unfamiliar a bigger clip would have really helped. "The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall" =P Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DrewEckhardt 0 #20 June 29, 2007 QuoteHi all, Just wondering if anyone can give good advice on getting the canopy in the bag neatly while keeping everything square and intact. The precision/bat/psycho-pack works well when the canopy is a good fit for the rig. I don't like it when the canopy is too small since you end up with a long skinny pack job that I think catches in the corners of the rig leading to off-heading openings. You can also make the top S-fold, bag that, and then add the left over at the end. The sequence keeps the canopy better under control than the contentional bottom S-fold first method and means bagging less fabric. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yeyo 1 #21 June 29, 2007 from that video, when you pshycopack, you uncollapse the pc after closing the bag? excuse my english, not sure if 'uncollapse' is a word HISPA #93 DS #419.5 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
adobelover 0 #22 July 1, 2007 I used the pro pack method on a 220 Triathlon with about 100 jumps on it...pretty easy...then I got a brand new Tri 190. Holy shit...that was a slippery mess...it would be a good hour of cussing, sweat & tears ...and it STILL looked like shit...then I started psycho packing...WOW, I can't believe the huge difference! It actually fits in the bag neatly for a change and it's FASTER! _________________________________________ Old age ain't no place for sissies! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yossarian 0 #23 July 1, 2007 big hands help, but really its just being careful for me, my new pilot (13jumps) was hell when i was packing it how id pack other canopies, but with the first fold i started using my chest to control it while i moved my hands about. wearing shorts helps as well as although trousers tend to have more grip on the canopy material, your knees will slide around inside them, whereas there is more control with bare skin - if that last bit makes any sense... other than that its just a question of quickly replacing hands with knees and vice-versa while you manipulate the bag. after packing brand new i swear i could bag an f111 student canopy one handed... (and dont discount my advice because of low jump numbers, im a packer as well... ) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chrismgtis 0 #24 July 3, 2007 I've got a 175 Triathlon. When I got it, it had about 50 jumps on it. It's just as slippery now with about another 25 or so jumps on it. It's definitely a pain.Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
