Questions on learning to pack for the first time

[slizzap 0]

Hey everyone,

I got my A license last fall and I've just been lurking on these forums for a little while soaking up info. I finished up my last season with 50 jumps under my belt. I recently ordered my first rig and am expecting it to show up in the next couple weeks. Since I live in the Midwest I'm going to use my downtime over the remainder of the winter months learning to pack my chute. I've got a few seemingly stupid questions, but I figured I'd better ask just to be on the safe side.

Just to preface, I did do a single chute packing class during my A license. Not much was retained because I didn't understand all the working parts at the time, but watching videos is definitely refreshing my memory in regards to what I saw. Also, I picked up Brian Germain's No Sweat packing video, so I'll be using that as my reference going forward.

1) Is there any problem/issue with unpacking my new chute and repeatedly re-packing it without jumping it? The only way to learn is repetition, and due to the winter I'm at least a couple months away from being able to jump it.

2) Is there any part of the experience I'm missing in re-packing without actually jumping it? I'm sure there would be instances where I might get line overs or something if it wasn't properly gathered after landing, but more importantly I ask that question for the reasons I haven't thought of.

3) Any tips/tricks for a first timer learning to pack? Any good supplemental videos I could use in addition to Brian Germain's packing video?

Thanks!

[sammielu 3]

Practice is a great idea and totally ok to do to your canopy; given you have proper space where people/kids/pets won't mess with it.

Canopies fill with air when flown. Shaking out a canopy after you unpack it is an ok simulation, but expect it to be fluffier and harder to get the air out once you're at the dz.

I recommend getting some 1:1 packing lessons. You can't ask questions to a video or have a video correct mistakes/bad habits you may be forming.

Fyi: brand new canopies are hardest to pack - having a pro pack the first 5 pack jobs on a canopy is money well spent. Keep in mind that it gets a little easier every time. Especially if you bought a canopy sized on the large end for your container, getting it into rhe deployment bag is going to suck at first.

Good luck, keep trying, and just remember that the time and frustration you spend learning now is time you can spend jumping when the season starts.

[Hellis 0]

Pack on a carpet and it will be easier.

Except for air in canopy as mentioned above the pilotchute could also be different from jumped vs unjumped.
If you have a kill-line PC the PC will be uncooked after a jump but not if you only unpack it.
So uncook the PC when you unpack it and learn all the steps

[tred 0]

I did exactly what your thinking of doing and at first it was very difficulty but after 5-10 pack jobs I felt way better about it. my canopy already had a few hundred jumps when I got it though. For me I don't have a season im in florida so if I wasnt able to jump my pack jobs I would have never felt confident that I was doing it correctly. once I realized that it would open I wasn't as overwhelmed with every little detail and your more willing to just shove it in the bag without wondering if you ruined everything you did flaking, etc

[randyb 0]

I did the same as you, with that video and another by Nick Grillet. After about 5 really frustrating practice pack jobs at home, I asked an instructor to do a 1:1 session with me (helps to be generous with some beer money on this one). After that it got way easier.

[wolfriverjoe 1,341]

Others have answered most of this, but here goes:

1) No. You won't hurt anything, provided you don't do something stupid and cause damage or aren't overstuffing the container.

2)Other than it not being as "fluffy" and the Pilot Chute not being uncocked, no. Something you want to keep an eye on when jumping, but not exactly every jump is untwisting your steering lines. I don't know where the gremlins, elves or whatever hide, but no matter that I don't twist them in the air and I re-stow the toggles immediately after landing; I still take a lot of twists out of them every weekend.

3) Real in-person help. All the video and books in the world isn't really an adequate substitute. Anyone from the DZ that you can invite over for a packing session/beer session? An hour or two of direct instruction would be very helpful.

And those aren't anywhere near "stupid questions."

There's no need to apologize for your ignorance...

Unless you do nothing to correct it. (I told you I was stealing that, Sandy)

"There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy

"~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

[skytribe 16]

It may be obvious but practicing the right thing is important.

Any fool can stuff a canopy in a bag and close a container and repeat this BUT especially when new to packing, ensuring that you are packing things correctly is important.

If its been a while since you learnt then taking another lesson whether a group lesson or a 1:1 may be a good idea. having someone watch a couple of pack jobs not a bad idea.

Just taking things out and putting them back in MAY be good and useful if you are doing it correctly. If you are doing things badly or incorrectly then it may merely reinforce bad/incorrect habits.

In many senior rigger courses, they start with 20 supervised reserve pack jobs. Most often people who are attending have packed a few reserves so having someone oversea your first pack jobs may help to ensure your doing a good job.

[yvanpec 1]

I did exactly what you did. Got my A last month and got my rig right away. I packed it maybe 25 times before I got to jump it.

failed the first 4 times, managed to put it in the bag 3 times after that but I wouldn't have jumped it, and then I got better at it and I can now pack it safely in just under 20 minutes. It's a brand new canopy and it will suck. Yes, it will suck even more after your first jump because even if you shake it when you practice, you won't be able to shove that much air in the cells as it does when you fly it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGyvLfdTH1k

this is how I pack when I jump (with a few twists), but I am also practicing pro packing on my down time. I just find I have better control on my canopy and it's easier to get it into the bag with psycho packing. 18 jumps so far and only 1 issue which was a line twist, but i rushed to get on a load and didnt stow my lines properly.....stupid.

some people will tell you to pro pack before you learn how to psycho pack.....to each his own.

Since we have almost the same level of experience, my advice is to pay extra attention to "push fabric out in between As and Bs and Bs and Cs.....blabla" as the canopy will have a nice symmetrical fold and it will arrange the volume of the canopy better.

My .2 cent as a newbie

Better be on the ground wishing you were up there than being up there wishing you were on the ground.

[wmw999 2,123]

On the "pushing fabric" thing I think round parachutes made it easier.

Consider where the air is coming from. Make sure the fabric is downwind of the lines (kind of like making sure the umbrella fabric is outside of the ribs).

Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[slizzap 0]

Thanks for all the posts and PMs...very good info, and it helped reinforce some of the things I've read and seen in videos.

The rig I bought is a brand new stock Javelin Odyssey fit to my specifications, but the main canopy is slightly used...a year old Sabre2 170 with ~150 jumps on it. Based on what I've heard from people that should likely be in the sweet spot where I'm not banging my head against the wall trying to fit it into the bag. So hopefully that's going to be a help as I get started as well.

Thanks again!