Details on Psycho Packing a Spectre??

[azureriders 0]

I have done the search and have got a lot of useful information, but I was hoping to get some fresh input and specifically for my case. So please forgive the new thread on an old subject.

The Problem:
My Spectre has 400+ jumps and I almost always bag it on the first try so that is not the problem. The problem is my back. Those of you who have lower back problems know that holding any position hurts. Trying to keep my knees 'exactly' where they belong while pushing the canopy into the bag is killing me.

The way I pack:
I DO roll the nose (remember the back) and all together, not into the center. I do not roll the tail to speak of, just enough to get it to the floor in tack. Then PRO pack it into the bag, and I have tried several techniques of this.

My openings:
My sequence on my last several jumps goes as follows: Check Altimeter, wave, throw, snivel, slider down, check airspace, and quickly check altimeter. Delta between the two readings is consistently 1000-1100 feet. I do not want to change anything about my openings if I can help it.

My Questions about psycho packing:
My main question is rolling the nose? I think not, but I have read some that do. What should I expect on my first opening? I do plan to open high of course. As long as I am very careful to get the bridle attachment where it belongs, I should be ok to try this for a weekend of jumps before getting a bridle extension. Right?

Also:
Any tips would be appreciated. I have read as much as I can find and watched a couple really good videos, but there is no one that I know of on my DZ that psycho packs, so its all on me and you. Although I do plan to ask my rigger and others I trust for their input as well.

Thanks in advance.
.

[phoenixlpr 0]

Psycho Packing is not recommended by PD.

[rasmack 0]

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My main question is rolling the nose? I think not, but I have read some that do. What should I expect on my first opening?

Don't know the size of your canopy. I've tried psycho packing on my Spectre 210 just for fun. It opened with a well behaved snivel. Slightly off-heading, though.

Didn't roll the nose. Never did.

Not much help, was I?

HF #682, Team Dirty Sanchez #227
“I simply hate, detest, loathe, despise, and abhor redundancy.”
- Not quite Oscar Wilde...

[beezyshaw 0]

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Psycho Packing is not recommended by PD

That's because the packing method was devised and became the "trademark" packing method of their competitor. But because so many people have given PD positive feedback about their own results using the method, PD now has rescinded their position somewhat and says if you want to do it, go ahead (or something to that effect). Read what they now say on this page...
http://www.performancedesigns.com/pmd_faq.asp#3

[Travman 6]

I have psycho packed a friend's 190 Spectre a few times. I didn't roll the nose or any other special treatement. He has said the openings have been great.

[tbrown 26]

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I have psycho packed a friend's 190 Spectre a few times. I didn't roll the nose or any other special treatement. He has said the openings have been great.

I used to own and psycho pack a 190 Spectre and never had a problem with it. As far as rolling the nose, I can't imagine why anybody would want to roll the nose on a Spectre, unless they want or enjoy 1000 ft + openings. I did notice that your timeline sequence includes waving off and clearing your airspace. You need to realize that you're doing that in freefall and burning up something like 176 ft per second while you are. A fair evaluation of your deployment time & altitude can only begin with the moment you throw your p/c. If you start there, I wouldn't be surprised if you cut your altitude loss almost in half.

I jump a Pilot nowadays and have helped a friend to Psycho pack his Pilot a few times. I definitely notice a difference in the amount of material that can be pulled out to the side of the pack roll, which I attribute to the shorter height of a 9 cell canopy vs the height of a 7 cell. My old Spectre always left me plenty of room to pull material out to the side ( I never did use a bridle extension - they're not really necessary, but are recommended if you decide to settle into Psycho packing for the long term).

Finally, Psycho packing is really just a different bagging method - even PD agrees with that. Until you actually roll the thing up like a sleeping bag, it's identical to a Pro-pack.

Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

[phoenixlpr 0]

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So, you can use the “psycho bagging” technique with your PD main if you want, but it is not the method we recommend.

So they still don't recommend it.

[bwilling 0]

From PD's website...

"We don't recommend the “psycho bagging” technique for a couple of reasons. For one thing, we feel there are easier ways to put the canopy in the bag that work just as well. We also do not think a canopy should be packed with a lot of material in front of the nose, which happens when you psycho pack."

"If all you ever do is all you ever did, then all you'll ever get is all you ever got."

[azureriders 0]

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I did notice that your timeline sequence includes waving off and clearing your airspace. You need to realize that you're doing that in freefall

Well the wave off is in freefall, but the clearing of airspace that I mentioned is under canopy. I clear my air before deployment time before I look at the altimeter the first time. I do however realize that my 1000 to 1100 feet is not all deployment and/or snivel. But it is acurate the way I described it and that is why I described it that way.

I do thank you for the information, and all the rest of you. I read the info on PD's website before posting this thread but if anyone had any negative experience with this I wanted to hear it. I think now I will give it a try and I will post back as to how it went. Thanks again and of course if anyone else has something to add, by all means lets hear it.

[azureriders 0]

Been practicing and everything is going good but I don’t like everything that I am seeing. If I pro pack my canopy and then unpack it by pulling on the bridle until line stretch, the removal of the bag, and keep pulling until the canopy is laying there in somewhat of the cocoon shape that I had it in when you packed it, everything ‘deploys’ in a straight, orderly line. If I do the same test with the psycho pack, everything is pretty much the same until the canopy is completely out of the bag and I keep pulling. As those of you who psycho pack already know, the canopy is pulled in a twisting motion until the bridle attachment point is brought back to the top of the cocoon.

My question is, does this matter? Once a canopy is out of the bag, does the PC keep pulling at it until it is say standing vertical in a cocoon shape then begins to inflate? Once it is out of the bag, does it begin to inflate immediately and the pull of the PC insignificant at this time? I think the answer surely lies somewhere between my two exaggerated examples, but to which one is it closer?

Or is there something else that I am not seeing that makes this twisting action insignificant?

[Jonsmann 0]

You are right it looks strange, but it doesn't matter one bit!
I've been psycho packing for 8 years now and I'm still really happy with it.

Jacques

[payback462 0]

psycho packing is crap, yeah it works, but its not any easier and it looks retarded

roll the friggin tail up top and bottom and youll be able to get it in the bag faster and with less pain

[Slurp56 0]

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psycho packing is crap, yeah it works, but its not any easier and it looks retarded

roll the friggin tail up top and bottom and youll be able to get it in the bag faster and with less pain

Opinions are like assholes...


Use whatever method works for you.

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