Sabre2 slider not coming down

[FFlyer 0]

Im happy with every aspect of my new Sabre2 so far except that the slider isn't coming down all the way on opening. It usually ends up almost a foot above the risers. I haven't had a single opening yet (done about 20 jumps on it) where the slider has come down all the way.

I usually just hang on the rears a bit and it comes down but id still like to get the problem sorted out. Is there anything my rigger could do to sort this problem out.

If this is not a normal sabre2 characteristic then the only thing I can think of is that it might be because I wear my chest strap quite tight and it may be distorting how the lines spread above the risers. Could this be preventing the slider from coming all the way down?

Any ideas?

thanks, cheers

[Travman 6]

Does it come down if you loosen your chest strap?

[spoons 0]

My sabre2 frequently does that too - I find pulling the rear risers together and down a little (kinda pumping them) tends to pop the slider down that last little bit. Never really been a problem.

[CrazyL 0]

Call PD,they can help you dial in your openings.

[monkycndo 0]

Mine does exactly the same thing. It tends to come down as I loosen my chest strap while I check for traffic. To me, it is just a good sign that I had a soft opening. I have noticed that with more jumps on it, the slider is coming down a little further.

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[jheadley 0]

I've never jumped a new sabre 2 but I've put over 300 jumps on several in the 200-500 jump range and they all have the issue with the slider not coming down. It's just part of the opening characteristics. I just pull on the rear risers a little after opening and it comes down, it's never gotten "stuck" for more than a second or two. It starts out annoying but then you just get used to it and forget it even happens.

[SWATcop 0]

I jump a Sabre2 210. I wear my chest strap tight and I have never had a problem with the slider not coming all the way down. I think its something your rigger could probably help you with.

Kevin

Muff Brother #4041
Team Dirty Sanchez #467

[skytash 0]

mine does that too, and I just put it down to my chest strap - as soon as I loosen it, the slider slides down nicely. I find that my rig is more comfortable if I tighten the chest strap the way I do, and as 'slider-up' isn't really that much of a problem, I carry on tightening it that way.

tash

Don't ever save anything for a special occasion. Being alive is a special occasion. Avril Sloe

[Fab 0]

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I jump a Sabre2 210. I wear my chest strap tight and I have never had a problem with the slider not coming all the way down. I think its something your rigger could probably help you with.

A '120' and a '210' isn't really comparable. I have the exact same thing with my slider on my sabre2 150. Nothing to worry about...one tug on my rears and it's down....It's a sabre2 characteristic I think.

If you are really bothered by it I suggest packing your chute with slider down....

_______________________________________

[ZigZagMarquis 8]

Yeah, that pretty much sounds like a Sabre2 to me.... I've got over 500 jumps on mine and it behaves that way... usually with collapsed end cells too. After opening, I get a hold of the rear risers and haul down on them to pop the slider the rest of the way down and to open th end cells, then collapse the slider, then unstow the breaks is the typical sequence of events for me.

I'd like to hear what PD says about this as I've heard similar reports from many other Sabre2 jumpers... PD is supposed to be at Cal City later this month, I'll try to remember to ask then too.

I've never heard the "loosening your chest strap will bring your slider down" theory.

[vdschoor 0]

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I've never heard the "loosening your chest strap will bring your slider down" theory.

But it makes perfect sense.. what makes the slider come down in the first place? Your canopy opening right?
By opening up your chest strap you allow the canopy to "open wider" which pushes the slider further down..

[ZigZagMarquis 8]

True enough... but its kinda like opening all the windows in your car to increase the "drag" on the vehicle to slow it down when coming up on a stop sign rather then use that pesky break peddal, sure in theory & practice it works, most effective means though, that's a different story...

[inextremis 0]

Not much of a problem. If you have brass grommets, you could replace your slider with one with stainless steel grommets, which are a bit heavier and will take your slider down a little faster as a result. Slightly quicker opening. But I would just get used to pumping your slider down a bit and enjoy your nice, soft openings.

[rmsmith 1]

Typically your first corrective steering manuever to get your canopy headed toward the DZ after the deployment is done with the rear risers prior to collapsing the slider and releasing the steering (brakes) lines, which will also help the move slider downward as well as insure end-cell inflation.

[g2gjump 0]

I have over 50 jumps on my sabre 2 150 and never had the slider come down

[FFlyer 0]

Well thanks for the replies, it seems as if this is quite a common Sabre2 characteristic. My openings have all been extremely soft and coupled with my tight chest strap I guess its to be expected that my slider doesn't come down all the way.

I have always loosened my chest strap after collapsing my slider but I might just have to change the sequence of things I do after opening.

Ill have a chat to my rigger anyway, because even though this is not a serious problem, its still a bit annoying if nothing else.

cheers.

[bofh 0]

I'm perhaps missing something here, but if the cheststrap is tight, the line-groups are more V shaped and the slider should have an easier time coming down, should it not?

[vdschoor 0]

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I'm perhaps missing something here, but if the cheststrap is tight, the line-groups are more V shaped and the slider should have an easier time coming down, should it not?

Yes and no.. your slider is "supposed to stay up"
It stays inflated and it will stay up as far as it can based on how wide the lines are spread apart.

If it was just gravity talking, your statement would be correct.. but because wind is inflating your slider, it is keeping it up on the lines.

Hope this helps..

[bigbearfng 9]

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Yeah, that pretty much sounds like a Sabre2 to me.... I've got over 500 jumps on mine and it behaves that way... usually with collapsed end cells too. After opening, I get a hold of the rear risers and haul down on them to pop the slider the rest of the way down and to open th end cells, then collapse the slider, then unstow the breaks is the typical sequence of events for me.

I'd like to hear what PD says about this as I've heard similar reports from many other Sabre2 jumpers... PD is supposed to be at Cal City later this month, I'll try to remember to ask then too.

I've never heard the "loosening your chest strap will bring your slider down" theory.

Collapsed end cells too.....so it's not just my sabre 2.(170) Does most everyones sabre 2 also hunt around on opening? Tried my packing and different packers, filmed openings-not dropping a shoulder etc....So if it's just another trait of the sabre 2 I'll live with it.

[ZigZagMarquis 8]

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Yeah, that pretty much sounds like a Sabre2 to me.... I've got over 500 jumps on mine and it behaves that way... usually with collapsed end cells too. After opening, I get a hold of the rear risers and haul down on them to pop the slider the rest of the way down and to open th end cells, then collapse the slider, then unstow the breaks is the typical sequence of events for me.

I'd like to hear what PD says about this as I've heard similar reports from many other Sabre2 jumpers... PD is supposed to be at Cal City later this month, I'll try to remember to ask then too.

I've never heard the "loosening your chest strap will bring your slider down" theory.

Collapsed end cells too.....so it's not just my sabre 2.(170) Does most everyones sabre 2 also hunt around on opening? Tried my packing and different packers, filmed openings-not dropping a shoulder etc....So if it's just another trait of the sabre 2 I'll live with it.

Yeah, I was of that opinion too about Sabre2's when I first started jumping them... they like to hunt on opening... but now I figure it has to do... mostly... with bad body position either at toss or as the canopy opens. I know you say you're not dropping a shoulder, but I found that Sabre2's will high-lite any bad habbits you have at toss or right after more so then say a Stilletto will. I found that the best thing to do is toss, DON'T watch the bag leave your back, look at the horizon and arch as the bag leaves your back, line strech, sits you up, etc. and then get ahold of the risers and spread them to keep the opneing in heading... that solved most of the Sabre2 "hunting" I experienced early on... and it puts me in the position where I've got ahold of the risers and then I just haul down in the rear ones to get the slider the rest of the way down and the end cells open as mentioned before... collapse the slider then... unstow the breaks... land... pack... repeat...

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[Martini 0]

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But it makes perfect sense.. what makes the slider come down in the first place? Your canopy opening right?
By opening up your chest strap you allow the canopy to "open wider" which pushes the slider further down..

Loosening your chest strap only allows your canopy to "open wider" if your slider is already down. The lines can't spread any wider than the span of the slider. My Xaos has a severe slow slider problem, what brings it down is pushing the rears together.

Sometimes you eat the bear..............

[2cmyzx 0]

I had a Sabre2 150 loaded at 1.33 and in the 200+ jumps I put on it only a handfull of openings would put the slider down or the end cells open. I have been told that PD designed the canopy to open like that for softer openings and they address this issue on the website with a small video. http://www.performancedesigns.com/canopyinfo.asp
I found that by the second example of the video was the best way to deal with both.

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[Skydiverjenn 0]

I have a Sabre2 150. Slider ALWAYS is up on opening, end cells almost always collapsed. Lately, the tips of my end cells have been through the grommets of my slider. A couple of pumps on the rear risers, everything is fixed. I kinda want to talk to my packer about it, but the openings are so soft & gentle, (& I know first hand about Sabre slammers) I think I'll just keep my mouth shut & my hands on the risers on opening.

*Clever, thought provoking saying coming soon.....*

[yardhippie 0]

If you have material coming THROUGH the grommets on your slider during depolyment you should SERIOUSLY consider getting some advice on packing techniques and/or have a rigger look at your gear.

No only can that type of sequence cause damage to your canopy material, but the possibilities for the slider to wedge that material against the lines and stick if very high. The result being a tension knot style malfunction.

Goddam dirty hippies piss me off! ~GFD
"What do I get for closing your rig?" ~ me
"Anything you want." ~ female skydiver
Mohoso Rodriguez #865