Will a RavenIII reserve and a Raven 4 fit niceling in a J7 container?

[doug925 0]

Quick bio:
27 jumps
I will have my A card signed off this Thursday night after my packing class.
230lb. male (on a diet too)

I like some other over eager students bought gear mid -way thru my AFF course WITHOUT talking to my instructor. (doh!)
I bought a 10y/o Racer elite with no RSL, Raven 4 main, Raven 3 reserve, and an 8 y/o Cypress. All with 60 jumps.
Cool right?

Not according to the looks I got from my instructor when he did the FAA repack on the reserve.

I was told in no uncertain terms, that while my gear is in good/great shape, I *might* want to think about getting another container Hence the question about a J7 container.

I have already downsized on student gear below what I bought.
I completed jumps 12-27 on a Navigator 260 (@1:1 wing loading), standing up all of them, in no-wind thru gusting 25.

I would like to downsize *eventually* to a Sabre2 230, but in the meantime I was planning on jumping my Raven4 in the short term, OR buy a PD260.

Will the various combo's fit nicely into a J7?
Mains= Raven 4, PD260, Sabre2 230
Reserve= Raven 3

Thanks,

Doug.

I have never developed indigestion from eating my words.
Winston Churchill

[SpecialKaye 0]

My 1st question is why are they telling you that you need to buy the J7 container if the Racer is in "good/great shape"? Is your rigger/instructor trying to sell you the J7?

It is no problem to either A. make an RSL to replace the missing one; or B. contact Jump Shack and have one shipped.

The J7 is going to have the Sabre 230 swimming in the container when you downsize. I would not recommend buying a PD260 when you already have the Raven 4 for a main...both are F111 and don't have a long life. The Sabre 230 will have a much longer life expectancy.

I guess it's my food for thought as a rigger.

Kaye

[faulknerwn 36]

What did he say was wrong with the container?

Some people will bad-mouth Racers for no reason. They're good rigs. If there is a legitimate problem with the container its one thing, but don't get a different container just because he doesn't like Racers...


W

[peregrinerose 0]

Some riggers don't like packing Racers, don't let that make your decision for you If the container is in good shape, there's no reason not to jump it.

Both my husband and I jumped Racers for the last 3 years... we bought the containers used. We both had RSLs added, only cost about $50 (sure beat buying a new container!). I'm the rigger that packs both of them.

Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

[doug925 0]

Kaye,

[They] are not telling me to buy a J7, or trying to sell me on one. Only that I might want to get another container. For whatever reason, the Racer does not have a good name around my dropzone. ??? ( I don't know anything about anything...I'm a nOOb)
As told to me "Racers have had a bad habbit of 2 canopys out, and horseshoe malfuntions while *freeflying*
Also, there was a problem with some of the older RSL's causing fatalities"

I have no intention of *freeflying* since I am still new, and will be bellyflying for quite some time.

There are sayings around my dropzone you might hear as you walk thur the hangar "Friends don't let friends jump Racer, Reflex etc."

Are the expressed concerns about the Racers exagerated? Should I not worry about it?

I will say the the container fits me like a glove, and is for all purposes like new. (it is just 10 years old.) :D

They J7 is in the classifieds, and is one I was curious about. My dropzone does appear to be partial to Javlins. So that is why I was looking into those.

Thanks for answering my question about the container size. The only reason I was considering the PD260 is to downsize from what I have. The Raven 4 is a 282ft. canopy. I am already jumping a 260.

Thanks,

Doug.

I have never developed indigestion from eating my words.
Winston Churchill

[doug925 0]

Faulknerwn and Peregrinerose,

I suspect that as you both said, there is a bais about the Racer, but I am doing what has been repeated on the board ad nauseum. Talking to my instructors.


I'm glad to hear that maybe the pack won't kill me right off the bat, or try to eat my first born ...
Cool!

Does the new RSL still connect to both risers?

Thanks,

Doug.

I have never developed indigestion from eating my words.
Winston Churchill

[SpecialKaye 0]

The same people that are bad mouthing the Racer would probably tell you not to buy a Dolphin...I own 3 of them. The main thing I've seen on the older Racers is the velcro on the riser covers and making sure it is in good shape.

If the container fits you good, and is in good shape, don't fix what ain't broke. And, the RSL is an easy fix.

Regarding the Raven4, jump, get comfortable with your canopy skills and keep it...you may need it later...demo jumps and big canopies...ummm fun!

If you think you need another opinion, go to another DZ and have the rigger there give their opinion. You go to another doc when you're not sure, I'm positive of that. I got 3 opinions when I blew my ACL.

Good luck, be safe and have fun!
Kaye

[doug925 0]

Quote

The same people that are bad mouthing the Racer would probably tell you not to buy a Dolphin...

Verbatim!

Thanks again.

Doug.

I have never developed indigestion from eating my words.
Winston Churchill

[peregrinerose 0]

You can send the Racer to Jump Shack, they will put on the 2 sided RSL. Or you can take the same Racer to a Master Rigger and he can put on the normal 1 sided RSL (which is what my husband and I did). Actually, I'd recommend Greg at Skydive Temple... he used to be the master rigger at our DZ and did Chad's RSL.

Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

[popsjumper 2]

Quote

...and horseshoe malfuntions while *freeflying*

Go back and tell them that there are many who say that Javelins are not freefly friendly and are prone to premature deployments while freeflying.


If the Racer is in good shape, airworthy and fits you and the canopies you fly...have fun with it! Forget the Javelin for now. You have not screwed up as badly as you thought...luckily.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[RMURRAY 1]

Quote

Not according to the looks I got from my instructor when he did the FAA repack on the reserve.

a lot of riggers are not confident about packing racers. there is an excellent dvd out now. If he needs a copy I can send him one free. racers are very comfortable rigs. I will jump nothing else. I get the same comments - unless you are going quickly into freeflying, it is a good choice - i.e. there are more secure rigs for freeflying, like the racer 2k3. I replace the velcro on the sides and top every 200 jumps - my rigger charges me 20 bucks.

rm