Am I the only one in the world?

[Dopey 0]

Hey

I have been jumping for a while (240+ jumps) yet constantly have the same problem; I do not seem to get packing my main sufficiently under control.

Had four-five private packing lessons with an experienced rigger (during my AFF, the packing part/coaching sucked!), have been trying to pack my rig at home (no success...do not know why), asked tips from fellow skydivers (you all know who you are!, respect), bought DVD about packing, tried over and over again, yet it does not seem to click with me.

Perhaps I am the only one in the world, yet really want to get the hang of it. Is there somebody who really has experienced similar problems ? Tips?

Some mistakes are too much fun to make only once.

[UDSkyJunkie 0]

Tips? Stop hiring packers... EVER! Yeah, it'll suck really bad for awhile, but you'll learn. Trial by fire.

You might also try finding an old F-111 canopy or a well-used ZP canopy that isn't so slippery to practice on. If you've got the technique nailed with a easy-to-pack canopy, it's easier to transition to a tougher one than if you're trying to go strait to ZP.

"Some people follow their dreams, others hunt them down and beat them mercilessly into submission."

[skytash 0]

you are definitely not the only one, anyone who packs well and fast was at the stage you are at now at one point. I remember being taught by instructors and riggers and thinking 'you've got big hands, of course you can control the canopy and I've only got small little hands which is why I can't'. It's all technique. In my experience, everyone packs differently, having picked up one tip from one person, another from another and melded them together to make their own personal technique.

I'd suggest keep going, and ask different people. Work out exactly where it is that you are getting stuck, ask people if you can watch them at that point when they are packing their canopy and perhaps adopt some or all (or none!) of that technique.

The other important thing is that you need to understand how it all works, so why do some people roll the nose, others don't, why roll the tail (or not), why flake the cells, why have an s-fold etc. That way you will find it easier to understand why the different techniques can achieve a very similar outcome and you will be able to pick 'your' part up knowing why you are doing it, not just because 'so-and-so said so'

tash

edited for spelling

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

[LittleOne 0]

Surely you remember the trouble I had in Pattaya?? You already know you are not the only one in the world with this "issue".

What made the difference for me is that a videographer at Cross Keys took pity on me and showed me an alternate method of bagging that I have never seen anyone else use. My own pack jobs are still not the fastest and my openings are not always spot on perfect. Yet, I can bag it every time on the first attempt and still haven't had a line twist or cutaway. Let me know if you want me to try to describe it for you if you are really that desperate.

Else, you could downsize to a sub-100 canopy in your own container.

(Just kidding!! )

[madhatter 0]

Did you ever try packing for the dz?

Packing student & tandem canopies while people are yelling 'cause they're waiting for rigs will do wonders for your technique

But no, really, pack for other people & get some execise... Gary player (SA golfer) once said - The more I practice, the luckier I get

A VERY MERRY UNBIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!
D.S # 125

[repcool 2]

What made a big difference for me was packing at home in front of the TV, or even with a few friends in the same boat. I think the key here is being able to pack in a comfortable environment without the pressures of a load coming up.

I am not saying it made me a perfect packer, it just helped me make progress.

[mjosparky 3]

Niels,

ZP is the worst thing that has ever happened to the world of skydiving. It is like putting 10 pounds of snot in a 5 pound bag. Like people have already said, if you what to become good at anything you need to practice. A paid packer already has the practice so they make it look easy. If you are not willing to practice, and that means failure after failure, than settle into a life of paying packers. Ain’t life a bitch?

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[hackish 8]

Maybe hang around the packing area and watch others. See how they're failing and how they're succeeding and apply that to yourself. If you really want to get extreme videotape yourself trying to do it - the other perspective may help you to see where and how things are getting away.

-Michael

[DrewEckhardt 0]

Quote

Niels,
ZP is the worst thing that has ever happened to the world of skydiving.

I can pack a ZP canopy I'm happy jumping in all conditions (even brand new) quicker than F111 because the ZP canopy can be less than half the size, small enough to roll up and stick in the D-bag with one hand.

Quote

Like people have already said, if you what to become good at anything you need to practice.

Right.

Observe a bunch of people with good techniques. Pick what you like. Practice. Practice more. After 500-1000 pack jobs you should be able to pack a reasonable sized skydiving canopy in 6-7 minutes from shaking it out to putting the pilot chute in its pouch without rushing.

[phoenixlpr 0]

How to bag a new canopy less than 3 minutes



That is a Sabre2 170 in hand, about 20 jumps from DOM X/2007.

You can do it too.

[Dopey 0]

Thank you all for your efforts in getting my own main in my own bag....Trying is the one and only thing I guess. Besides asking questions, practice makes perfect. Just went to a DZ here in Norway and they seem to say the same thing
- Stop hiring a packer
- Do not be afraid to ask for help
- Practice at home.

I have a - according to a packer - really easy Spectre in my Javelin Odyssey so that should be already easy.

Thank you all (especially I know the problems LittleOne had in Pattaya...)

Niels

Some mistakes are too much fun to make only once.

[phoenixlpr 0]

Quote

Just went to a DZ here in Norway and they seem to say the same thing
- Stop hiring a packer
- Do not be afraid to ask for help
- Practice at home.

Have you seen the video on my link?
I really don't know what else can I say ....we had a FS competition here yesterday. 22 of my 26 pack jobs was paid by someone else...

[ficus 0]

I have found that major problems getting the canopy in the bag can often be traced back to a series of smaller things earlier in the pack job.

Until you have the skills to wrestle an S-fold into a canopy that you got most of the air out of, be very thorough about getting as much air out as you possibly can before starting to make folds. Then make your reduction fold very tight and neat. You will have an easier time controlling the stack.

The better a job you do earlier, the easier a job you will have later.

[Grumpy 5]

Dopey, my pack jobs were a bit unruly when I got my new ZP canopy until I started to psyco pack it. Details here (it's called a precision pack here). http://www.precision.aero/information.htm
It made my openings a bit softer too.