I really cant pack parachute

[Sabrekakkonen 0]

Hi, i have about 100jumps and i really cant get my canopy to d-bag. (small dbag, slippery canopy). I usually try three or five times, and then somebody else put canopy to bag. This irritates me very badly. I even consider to give up this awesome hobby because of this.

What should i do? There are no packing courses or packers in my dz. And many jumpfriends have given tips how to get canopy to d-bag, but i still cant do it.
Help me please!

(sry my bad english)

[accumack 14]

Practice makes perfect. Practice during the week. Ask experienced packers for tips.

[keithbar 1]

Their is a saying how do I get to Carnegie Hall ? Practice practice practice

i have on occasion been accused of pulling low . My response. Naw I wasn't low I'm just such a big guy I look closer than I really am .

[timrf79 0]

and then practice some more.

Google for the youtube video on packing from PD and follow them in detail

[timski 80]

youtube is your friend. There are many great packing videos. Patience is key and of course good technique and PRACTICE! Controlling the fabric is important. Perhaps flat packing? I had a hard time packing my first rig as well but when I learned to jump I was taught the flat method and never had any trouble...food for thought.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JiAegc8EOw

[Di0 1]

When I had about 100 jumps and I was working on packing, I was a grown ass man crying. I also thought I would never get it.
Now I have a few jumps south of 1000 and, well, I'm still a relatively slow and clumsy packer compared to most BUT you'll get it to a decent point.
As someone said, practice during the week: what I would do if you have space, leave the rig unpacked and practice only the part where you put it in and out of the bag, don't even bother reflaking the cocoon or closing the container, just redo that part from canopy on the ground to first stow (which is the part that requires some manual skill) until you feel like you got it 4 or 5 times in a row.

Then of course undo everything and start your packjob from step 1 for the "real" packjob before jumping.

I'm standing on the edge
With a vision in my head
My body screams release me
My dreams they must be fed... You're in flight.

[wasatchrider 0]

I do the first fold put it in the bag then do the send and third folds in the bag, it works for me Ive never seen anyone else doing it but I can get any canopy in its bag pretty easy

BASE 1519

[daffes 4]

Do it at home, repack it several times, no need to rush, watch the videos and watch carefully how people use their elbows, knees etc... and break it down. Remember that if you don't need to jump it, you can focus on getting into the bag without being stressed out about messing the packjob. Then unpack it, and try to do it a little better, until you feel confident, there are a few simple "a-ha" moments on how to control the canopy that should get you set.

No Sweat Packing video from Brian Germain helped me a bunch, but you can find some good free content on youtube as well.

[Lawndarter 3]

This video from PD really helped me.

I don't cry but I sweat profusely.

[gowlerk 2,092]

This is what happens when new jumpers buy new gear. They generally get the largest canopy they can possibly squeeze into the smallest container so that they can have "room to downsize".

You have given yourself the most difficult pack job you possibly can to learn on. Keep trying to learn, or get a hybrid canopy that is less slippery, or get a larger container, or hire packers until the slippery canopy is more broken in.

Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

[craigbey 0]

Quote

I do the first fold put it in the bag then do the send and third folds in the bag, it works for me Ive never seen anyone else doing it but I can get any canopy in its bag pretty easy

Reverse S-Fold...
http://www.skyxtreme.com/archive/april_may2001/safety04.html

[PeteW 0]

I struggled with packing as well. I felt like it took me a long time to figure it out. I would pack it at home 3-5 times a week until I got it. Even now the hardest part is getting it in the d bag. I too have a newer slippery canopy. Take your time. Ask for help. You will get it.

[tikl68 6]

There are some subtle techniques to use when packing a new slikery canopy. I taught the aff packing course, and was a packer for years at Elsinore. One of my students had to take her packing class right after the school replaced the old canopies with brand new ones.She was a petite girl but I showed her some slightly different tricks and she was able to get it with out much extra struggle, which is the goal, to struggle as little as possible. The good news is when she got her new canopy at about 150 jumps she had no problems. A lot of it is easier to show you than to type for you on the internet.It has to do with getting as much air out, consolidating it to a size not wider then the opening of the bag, making the fold at the top first and make sure it is an actual fold and not just bunched up. Before you get up from smushing the air out of it stick you hand under it and find where you rolled the tail and squeeze that closed, then get up and make the fold. Like an earlier post said make the top fold first, then while carefully kneeling on the folds put it in the bag, then stand the bag up between your thighs and put the fold at the lable down between the other two folds. Practice. You can do it!!!!

[sundevil777 98]

Consider psycho packing. Search for it on this site and look for it on youtube, different people do it slightly different, but psycho packing is all about getting it into the bag.

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

[RMK 3]

Treat is more as "putting the D-bag around the canopy" than putting the canopy in the D-bag.

Once you get your s-fold and your controlling it with your hands/knees/legs/etc stop and take a breather before trying to bag it. Relax, one more step and once you get the first bungee done you're home free - you can even take a break at that point.

"Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

[Maddingo 21]

Check out Collin Scott Thomsons packing video. It helped me with some packing tricks and most of all firstly you have to UNDERSTAND how canopy works while inflating, what you should really take care off and what can be left a bit sloppy.

I've noticed that most modern AFF courses give you all the hype around jumping but teach you very little about ground procedures and preparations. Old school courses with static line were much better. First learn packing and how parachute works then start jumping.

[unkulunkulu 0]

Quote

to a size not wider then the opening of the bag

When I was already confident in packing my canopy, I discovered that it's as important not to make the cacoon too narrow, because it will be too wide in the other direction after the s-folds (too "thick"), this improved the neatness of the pack job. So I adopted "to a width _really_ approximately the same as the opening of the bag".
But it's beyond the point of this thread, just wanted to put it out there :)

[Sabrekakkonen 0]

Thanks for tips and support!
I hope some day i can pack a parachute.

[wasatchrider 0]

craigbey

Quote

I do the first fold put it in the bag then do the send and third folds in the bag, it works for me Ive never seen anyone else doing it but I can get any canopy in its bag pretty easy

Reverse S-Fold...
http://www.skyxtreme.com/archive/april_may2001/safety04.html

kind of but they did the first two folds then put it in the bag I slide it in the bag as im doing my first fold

BASE 1519

[riggerrob 598]

sundevil777

Consider psycho packing. .....

-------------------------------------------------------------

Yes!
Even if you only learn how to psycho-roll the canopy, it is way easier to "bag."
When you roll a canopy, you reduce it to a single "log"'with only one outer surface: center cell. The single outer layer of fabric helps prevent all the rest of the fabric from sliding sideways.

As for practicing on your own???????
I have mixed emotions about solo practice. Your first few practice pack jobs should be done under the direct supervision of a coach or rigger. THEN go practice at home. Next Saturday, ask the same coach to watch your first pack job of the weekend.
I also helps to do the same step a dozen times to burn it into longer term memory.

Finally, learn to match your packing pace to the pace of the canopy. Because it is difficult to squeeze air out of new canopies, you can jump up and down and scream at it for 5 minutes, or you can lay on it quietly for 5 minutes. Either way, it will take 5 minutes to squeeze the air out.

Once you have squeezed the air out, clamp the canopy with a knee and move onto the next step. By clamping the (partially folded) canopy, you prevent ai from sneaking back in.

[Sabrekakkonen 0]

I have not own rig, but i just got the loan spectre120 canopy and dbag.
Now i have packed it many times at home and i can get it to dbag. Still my packing is far away from neat packjob, but i dont care :)
We will see can i get next time the 150 sabre2 to wings w5 (2011).
Btw, what is maxium recommended canopy size for year 2011 wings w5?

[danornan 78]

Can't say if this will help a student, but learning how to flat pack (all that we did in the day) sure seemed a lot easier to learn. You can lay it down and look at it the way that it flies and see if everything is where it needs to be. Line checks are simple and the only knowledge is the fold and placement into the D-Bag. ZP's are harder, but doable that way too. Easy to learn by video with a flat pack too.

Dano

[skydiverwannabe 0]

Watck the video on youtube with the sabre 2 packjob. I was struggeling a lot with my almost brand new sabre2. Now I dont even break a sweat. I dont even lay my body on the canopy anymore. I take the mindset of getting the canopy to the size of the bag. It takes no effort, I can do this all day.

[Di0 1]

Bet ya you can still do a better job than what I did yesterday... LoL

https://youtu.be/4FPa5qDqRYE

I'm standing on the edge
With a vision in my head
My body screams release me
My dreams they must be fed... You're in flight.

[Slimrn 6]

I like that you "called your shot" Babe Ruth style.