Consistent Hard Openings on Brand New PD Pulse

[BobxMarley 1]

I just got a brand new rig. My main is a PD Pulse loaded at 1:1. I've put 8 jumps (5 hop n' pops and 3 belly jumps) on it. I've had 2 hard openings that have put me down for the count in this 8 jump span. I have no idea what is causing it but I need to figure it out. Maybe someone here can help.

I had my packer watch my pack-job (ProPack) from start to finish. He said everything looked good. He did suggest double stowing the first three stows. I've been single stowing the lid stows with large rubber bands. The rest of the stows I've been double stowing. Other than that, he didn't have much critique.

Others have told me it could be my body position. I feel stable and smooth during pull time. Also, I didn't have issues on my previous rental canopies for the last 75 jumps. So, I don't think body position is the issue.

Can anyone offer any advice? I really don't want to take the rig back in the sky without feeling confident I've eliminated the problem. :/

Klaasic

[JohnnyMarko 1]

I bet the people at PD would be of great help to you....

http://www.performancedesigns.com/contactus.asphttp://www.performancedesigns.com/contactus.asp

[lyosha 46]

BobxMarley

I just got a brand new rig. My main is a PD Pulse loaded at 1:1. I've put 8 jumps (5 hop n' pops and 3 belly jumps) on it. I've had 2 hard openings that have put me down for the count in this 8 jump span. I have no idea what is causing it but I need to figure it out. Maybe someone here can help.

I had my packer watch my pack-job (ProPack) from start to finish. He said everything looked good. He did suggest double stowing the first three stows. I've been single stowing the lid stows with large rubber bands. The rest of the stows I've been double stowing. Other than that, he didn't have much critique.

Others have told me it could be my body position. I feel stable and smooth during pull time. Also, I didn't have issues on my previous rental canopies for the last 75 jumps. So, I don't think body position is the issue.

Can anyone offer any advice? I really don't want to take the rig back in the sky without feeling confident I've eliminated the problem. :/

Get someone to videotape your opening. Get a packer to pack your rig - does it still open hard?

[NewGuy2005 51]

Contact PD. I had a hard opening problem and they fixed it.

[PiLFy 0]

Something is clearly wrong. The Pulse is the sweetest, softest opening canopy I've ever jumped. Get ahold of Rusty @PD.

[Skydivesg 6]

First off:

I've been using large rubber bands and double wrapping all the stows for about 15 years. If anyone tells you this is bad, they have no clue to that of what they speak.

Double wrap all the stows.

Second: Go to this site,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhEHdKemr1M

watch these videos and compare them to what you are doing.

Almost all hard openings can be traced back to how well (or poorly) you are controlling the slider during the bagging process.

If you jump at Elsinore, I know someone who jumps a new Pulse who will be more than willing to help you out.

Third: PD does not want you to have hard openings and they will do everything they can to correct it.

If you have not contacted them - shame on you.

[email protected]

Please come back on here and report your outcome so others can learn.

Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

[BIGUN 1,051]

Theory: Needs a bigger slider. Check with Rusty.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[PiLFy 0]

BIGUN

Theory: Needs a bigger slider. Check with Rusty.

Why would he need a bigger slider? The Pulse is well known for sweet openings, for all sorts of body types. @1.03 under a 190, He's hardly out of the normal range.

I see you've got en times my jump numbers. It's an honest question.

My theory? PD's excellent, but not infallible. Someone might've sent it out, out of trim or not sewn correctly.

[bodypilot90 0]

or could have put the wrong size slider, measure it and give them a call

[BIGUN 1,051]

PiLFy

***Theory: Needs a bigger slider. Check with Rusty.

Why would he need a bigger slider? The Pulse is well known for sweet openings, for all sorts of body types. @1.03 under a 190, He's hardly out of the normal range.

I see you've got en times my jump numbers. It's an honest question.

My theory? PD's excellent, but not infallible. Someone might've sent it out, out of trim or not sewn correctly.

I recognize it as an honest question.

1. Because it's happened before on more than one occasion (and with just about every manufacturer).

2. And, as you say...

PD's excellent, but not infallible. Someone might've sent it out - but, with the wrong size slider.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[PiLFy 0]

Ah, I forgot about that one.

He's had five hard openings on that new canopy. That has had to do some damage to, & adversely affected the longevity of the expen$ive new canopy, right? I think I'd be wanting a properly made replacement canopy from PD.

Thoughts?

[BIGUN 1,051]

PiLFy

Ah, I forgot about that one.

He's had five hard openings on that new canopy. That has had to do some damage to, & adversely affected the longevity of the expen$ive new canopy, right? I think I'd be wanting a properly made replacement canopy from PD.

Thoughts?

That does not necessarily equate to any damage to the canopy or its longevity.
We don't know the definition of "hard opening."
For me, a hard opening is when you go to gray and/or blow out a cell, and/or bottom skin and/or top skin and/or new lines start busting.

What's important now is for him to contact PD, check out the situation, get resolution and get a couple of jumps to relieve the gear fear... and hopefully tell us what was wrong.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[BobxMarley 1]

Hey all. Thanks for the help. I received a private message from a user suggesting that i'm suffering a line dump due to fact I'm not double stowing my locking stows. I'm going to call PD and discuss this with them. It sounds on point.

I'm willing to bet that the issue is with my packing rather than the canopy. But, for my sake, I need to rule out every possible cause. Especially because the only way to find out is to jump it again. I'd rather not experience another slammer. My neck is already tore up from the first two. :/

Anyways, thanks for the help!

Klaasic

[DougH 270]

That isn't my guess, unless you have a grossly over sized pilot chute. I single stow my locking stows, and as long as the line bites are long enough, and they aren't loose in the bands that should keep the canopy bagged until line stretch. Double stows are fine too. They key here is that the bites of line for the locking stows need to be long enough, and the bands need to have enough tension around the line bite.

Are you struggling to bag the canopy? That is often when the slider comes back off the slider stops.

I would think that you are either losing control of the slider, or something is wrong with the canopy. You may have gotten the canopy either out of trim, or with the wrong size slider.

"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

[BIGUN 1,051]

One other suggestion... ask your local most experienced rigger to watch you packing it the way you have been and ask him/her to test jump it.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[BobxMarley 1]

Nah, I find the Pulse pretty easy to pack. I have no issue getting it into the bag. It always looks fairly clean as well. All my stows are about 2 inches.

Klaasic

[sundevil777 93]

Quote

Almost all hard openings can be traced back to how well (or poorly) you are controlling the slider during the bagging process.

Isn't that what PD said about the original Sabre?

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[mattjw916 2]

PiLFy

Something is clearly wrong. The Pulse is the sweetest, softest opening canopy I've ever jumped. Get ahold of Rusty @PD.

Not really. They open very consistently but I would never characterize them as "soft" openings. Brisk and predictable in my experience but never close to "hard".

NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

[PiLFy 0]

I've only jumped four different models of canopy in my brief time in the sport. I'm older, & have back & neck issues. I appreciate soft, drama-free openings. The Pulse was hands down, the softest, easiest-opening canopy of the bunch. When I eventually buy a brand new setup, it will include a Pulse.

[BobxMarley 1]

Anyone think its possible that I'm having "bag-dump(s)"? On my 3 locking stows, I used large rubber bands and only single stowed them. On the other 4 stows, I used large rubber bands and double stowed them. I don't know much about "bag-dumps" but it seems viable.

Klaasic

[stayhigh 2]

if it is consistently hard, I really doubt that it is a line-dump issue.

Some canopy just plain out sucks, you think that it should all be same but they are not.

My friend's sabre2 190 opened really hard every single time, he sent it back to PD, PD put couple test jump on it and they sent him a new sabre 2 190.

Whenever I see people having issues with hard or bad openings I will just tell them to sell it to someone else.

I'm guilty of doing the same thing, however the next buyer had no problem with the opening, while I thought it was the worst opening canopy in the world.

any PD canopy opening is bit snappy, except Velocity, and Comp Velo.

any Icarus canopy opening is bit slower, except FX and VX's they are brisk as shit.

Bernie Sanders for President 2016

[Skydivesg 6]

sundevil777

Quote

Almost all hard openings can be traced back to how well (or poorly) you are controlling the slider during the bagging process.

Isn't that what PD said about the original Sabre?

I put 1000 jumps on a Sabre 1 - 170 and the only time I had a hard opening was when I rushed to put in the bag (4 or 5 times) to make a load. I knew I was going to have a bad opening and I did - user error.

My son then put another 400 on the canopy and never had one hard opening. But then he's always been a better packer than I.

Question for you: When people with few jumps and with various canopies, (regardless of brand) complain about multiple hard openings what is the first thing you suggest they check?

Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

[Deyan 31]

Skydivesg

Question for you: When people with few jumps and with various canopies, (regardless of brand) complain about multiple hard openings what is the first thing you suggest they check?

If it's a new setup, I'll go PC/size and material/, rubber bands/ or whatever is used/, fit in the bag, line trim check, slider size check, how the harness fits the person.

If it's the same setup only a different canopy, I'll start with the line trim check and the slider size.

"My belief is that once the doctor whacks you on the butt, all guarantees are off" Jerry Baumchen

[Skydivesg 6]

Deyan

***
Question for you: When people with few jumps and with various canopies, (regardless of brand) complain about multiple hard openings what is the first thing you suggest they check?

If it's a new setup, I'll go PC/size and material/, rubber bands/ or whatever is used/, fit in the bag, line trim check, slider size check, how the harness fits the person.

If it's the same setup only a different canopy, I'll start with the line trim check and the slider size.

I'm a bit confused. I don't see anywhere in your list that you would advise them to be certain to control the slider during the packing.

Do you not consider that to be a possible factor?

Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

[JohnnyMarko 1]

stayhigh

if it is consistently hard, I really doubt that it is a line-dump issue.

Some canopy just plain out sucks, you think that it should all be same but they are not.

My friend's sabre2 190 opened really hard every single time, he sent it back to PD, PD put couple test jump on it and they sent him a new sabre 2 190.

Whenever I see people having issues with hard or bad openings I will just tell them to sell it to someone else.

I'm guilty of doing the same thing, however the next buyer had no problem with the opening, while I thought it was the worst opening canopy in the world.

any PD canopy opening is bit snappy, except Velocity, and Comp Velo.

any Icarus canopy opening is bit slower, except FX and VX's they are brisk as shit.

Ever jump a Spectre? Silhouette?