I SUCK AT PACKING!

[ArmyBitch 0]

Hello all! I am so cursed with not being able to pack. Maybe I just lack confidence, maybe I lack a comfortable level of knowledge of how every fiber of fabric works on a parachute...but I just can't get my pack job just right. I've jumped my own pack, and it wasn't bad, but it wasn't good. I tend to get unnervingly slow openings, off-heading, or line twists when I pack my own. I have heard several people say that I am too meticulous, neat and uptight when I pack. How, then, can my openings come out so screwed up?
Plus, I've seen a bajillion different ways to pack...all I want to know is how to pack for a soft, strait opening. I can sort lines easy...it's getting it into the D-Bag that really irks the crap outta me. What do I do?

Thanks a heap!

~~*HotPocket*~~

"If I wanted it handed to me, I wouldn't have jumped for it."

[mailin 0]

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What do I do?

Practice. Practice. Practice.

It gets better.



Jen

Arianna Frances

[tcnelson 1]

watch others do it, use what works for you, and practice, practice, practice.

don't worry, you'll be good at it soon enough if you keep on trying.

"Don't talk to me like that assface...I don't work for you yet." - Fletch
NBFT, Deseoso Rodriguez RB#1329

[NWFlyer 2]

Yes, you do. You have 28 jumps, and I'd be willing to be you haven't packed 28 times. Even if you have, that's still not a lot of pack jobs. We ALL sucked at packing early on.

Packing is (IMO) one of the most frustrating things to learn in this sport. It's also one of the least fun. But I also think it's the most important because it gets you comfortable with your gear, and in charge of your own destiny.

Keep doing it. Keep packing. If there's a packer at your DZ whose pack jobs you've particularly liked, see if you can corner him or her for a bit of 1:1 time to critique your pack job as you're doing it. A jump ticket or some beer for their trouble would probably be appreciated.

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[rendezvous 0]

If it helps, it took me some 50 odd jumps to get past the frustration of packing. Right when I began I thought I'll never be able to figure out packing, specially getting the canopy in the D-Bag. It took quite a bit of practice and missing loads to get there. I'd say, stick to one packing method or technique and keep at it for a while before you try to refine the process with something else. Sometimes trying too many things just adds to the frustration since most of the tips and techniques themselves have a learning curve. And yes, understanding your gear goes a long way.

[ArmyBitch 0]

That's just the thing...it's a weird world, Germany. Back home in the states, i never packed because I was a student. Here in germany, when I told them I had seven jumps and still didn't know how to pack, they acted like I was a freakin' alien or a mental retard. In fact, when you rent gear here, you pack it before you give it back or pay 10 Euro. I've never even seen a "packer"...everyone does their own...ESPECIALLY students. I actually learned to pack Auf Deutsch (in German). Sometimes I can't think of the english for some parts of the process. The problem with asking people for advice is that most end-up taking-over for me and finishing the job. That's the beauty of the forum...people actually have to tell me and then let me try it myself

~~*HotPocket*~~

"If I wanted it handed to me, I wouldn't have jumped for it."

[phoenixlpr 0]

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That's just the thing...it's a weird world, Germany. Back home in the states, i never packed because I was a student. Here in germany, when I told them I had seven jumps and still didn't know how to pack, they acted like I was a freakin' alien or a mental retard. In fact, when you rent gear here, you pack it before you give it back or pay 10 Euro. I've never even seen a "packer"...everyone does their own...ESPECIALLY students.

Welcome to Europe!

We don't use packing machines, we do pack :).
OK. In most places ....there are some exceptions like East-Europe or Russia.

I was a really slow packer as a student, because of me and the fact that my instructor was the only person who could check/supervise my packjobs. Nowadays more and more people pack slower than me . What is the difference? Maybe that 250-300 packjobs I've done since than.

[tdog 0]

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I have heard several people say that I am too meticulous, neat and uptight when I pack.

Some of my best openings came from trash packs...

Not that I would recommend not being very careful. But I realized soon that it was not as big of a deal as I made it...

An AFF student and friend of mine last weekend (who is almost done with AFF) showed interest in packing. I let him pack my rig step by step with me watching and telling him what to do... I jumped it. He was so worried, but I told him it would open fine. It did... Actually, it was the best opening of the day. I asked him if he would mind always packing for me??

Anyway, the point is, relax and have fun packing and you will learn tricks... Also, watch the "pros" do it. They often have tricks too.

[Elisha 1]

It's OK- I think I do too. But I've jumped my own around 10 times or so now and they've been fine so far. Yup, getting it into the D-bag is the hardest part. I think I've only recently figured out the lines part - and that is one of the hardest part for me (especially rolling the nose for my old Sabre) since I have scoliosis. My back doesn't like haveing to hold the canopy. God bless those places with hooks! SOOOO much easier to pack with hooks.

[kelpdiver 2]

where (esp near Sonoma) have you found hooks to pack with? That would be nice with a big 220.

[piisfish 135]

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I SUCK AT PACKING!

I never managed to do both at the same time

Joke apart, find someone with the same (more or less) configuration than yours and check how they do and ask them what they get.
Try different things, but always make sure the important points of the packjob are respected.

BTW what canopy do you jump ??

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[ArmyBitch 0]

I jump student gear. It depends on where I go. In Germany, more often than not, it's some kind of Performance Variable. The hardest one to pack is the Laser 300. The easier is a Spark 230. The Spark is in A LOT better condition. Plus, I've jumped it way more.

I need to get my own rig and just pack it all the time: jumping or not. It's now a question of $$.

~~*HotPocket*~~

"If I wanted it handed to me, I wouldn't have jumped for it."

[Trae 1]

in reply to: " I can sort lines easy...it's getting it into the D-Bag that really irks the crap outta me. What do I do?'

You could try F111 over ZP . After struggling with new ZP going back to F111 is a breeze. Also getting a bag that's not tuned down to the last molecule (ie using a bag that's just a tiny bit oversize instead of undersize ) can help enormously.

Hand exercises (squeeze ball) to strenthen your hands could also help. If you have smallish hands this is a problem you may have to live with or develop your own special tactics. perhaps some-one with small hands knows a few tricks (jokes aside)

Invent a walk through auto -packer .You'll be a millionaire if you do.

[feuergnom 22]

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I SUCK AT PACKING!

I never managed to do both at the same time

man i love you for that one

The universal aptitude for ineptitude makes any human accomplishment an incredible miracle

dudeist skydiver # 666

[feuergnom 22]

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I've never even seen a "packer"...everyone does their own...ESPECIALLY students.

why is it "ESPECIALLY students"? over here it is normal that students learn how to pack right from the start. at our dz we teach tandem progression- that means you pack a friggingly big snot-slippery zp-tandem-canopy right after jump # 1 of course under the supervision of the teacher. to pack any canopy after this task is a piece of cake

so stop bitchin' and start packin'! before i forget: good luck

The universal aptitude for ineptitude makes any human accomplishment an incredible miracle

dudeist skydiver # 666

[psipike02 0]

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An AFF student and friend of mine last weekend (who is almost done with AFF) showed interest in packing. I let him pack my rig step by step with me watching and telling him what to do... I jumped it. He was so worried, but I told him it would open fine. It did... Actually, it was the best opening of the day. I asked him if he would mind always packing for me?

I'm the friend and student who packed for him...haha...yes i was worried, but it was incredibly reassuring while he was sitting there watching my every move and kind of letting me go, but being there to correct me and show me the right way. It definately helps sometimes just to sit back and watch someone pack. Ask friends and other jumpers to watch you pack and help you out a little bit. With the teaching tdog gave me, i can take that back to school with me in a few weeks and work at the local dropzone up there with more of knowledge of how to pack.....

Puttin' some stank on it.

----Hellfish #707----

[Elisha 1]

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where (esp near Sonoma) have you found hooks to pack with? That would be nice with a big 220.

Cloverdale (Skydive SF) has some - still in Sonoma County technically. Skydive Santa Barbara in Lompoc also has hooks (my parents live in Goleta, so I've jumped there a few times too).

[monkycndo 0]

I was lucky to have a good packing coach who watched me struggle a bunch of times and gave tips as I went. I sat and watched people pack every which way to glean as much as I could. During a Brian Germain canopy course, he gave some packing tips that really helped get the bitch into the bag. Even works with slippery new ZP canopies. After lots of practice, I an fast enough to make next load and my openings are pretty consistent.

If everyone packs their own instead of using packers, after sunset load, offer to pack someone else's canopy with them watching and giving you instruction how they do it. You get the training/experience and they get a free pack job. You will learn lots of different methods and you can find the best for you.

And as has been said many times, the canopy will open in spite of how you pack it, not because of it.

Smile during freefall, makes for a better picture.

50 donations so far. Give it a try.

You know you want to spank it
Jump an Infinity

[ripcord4 0]

When I started my jump training, all students had to learn to pack their own chutes. Your first jump was on a canopy you packed yourself.

[phoenixlpr 0]

Yeah, I was told these kind of stories. I have packed most of my student jumps too.

[Elisha 1]

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I was lucky to have a good packing coach who watched me struggle a bunch of times and gave tips as I went. I sat and watched people pack every which way to glean as much as I could. During a Brian Germain canopy course, he gave some packing tips that really helped get the bitch into the bag. Even works with slippery new ZP canopies. After lots of practice, I an fast enough to make next load and my openings are pretty consistent.

I was in awe of how fast you packed my main up that one time - as if you'd been packing all your life. You see, you actually decided "work" at packing and learn, while I've been very lazy about it. It seems that my knowledge seems to have been poorly retained as well. Plus, my back w/ scoliosis sucks, so draping it over my shoulder sucks as well as holding it out while I fold the nose. I don't think my small hands help a whole lot either. The next time I see you (Byron?) I need you to show me again what you did to the nose, as the was one my nice snively openings.

I like using the hooks like what Cloverdale and Lompoc have. I realize it's getting spoiled, but my back thanks me for it.

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If everyone packs their own instead of using packers, after sunset load, offer to pack someone else's canopy with them watching and giving you instruction how they do it. You get the training/experience and they get a free pack job. You will learn lots of different methods and you can find the best for you.

Yeah, as if!!!! I don't WANT to do sucky work! The corrolary to I SUCK AT PACKING is that PACKING SUCKS!!!

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And as has been said many times, the canopy will open in spite of how you pack it, not because of it.

Smile during freefall, makes for a better picture.

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Something I need to learn to do - actually look like I'm having fun!!

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[aftermid 0]

Practice. Everyone sucks at packing when they're learning. Just remember:
"Either you're rich or you pack your own"

Once you learn it is really empowering to know. I'm my short time I've run into a far amount of people that never pack their own. I'd hate to have to rely on someone else to make the next load.

[aftermid 0]

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In fact, when you rent gear here, you pack it before you give it back or pay 10 Euro.

Note to self:
NEVER RENT GEAR IN GERMANY WITHOUT DOING MY OWN INITIAL REPACK.

[phoenixlpr 0]

Note for you. Why do you thing that you can pack better than her?

[aftermid 0]

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Note for you. Why do you thing that you can pack better than her?

She can probably can pack better than me. I would like to think that if I'm renting a rig it's been packed by someone who is qualified to pack a rig for someone else not some student or newbie(like me) that is exhausted after a long day of jumping and just wants to get the rig returned without being charged 10 euro's.

From what I remember from my a liscense course other than the person who is jumping the rig the only people that can pack a main parachute for another jumper is a rigger or a packer being directly supervised by a rigger. I think that is the rule according to the USPA but I could be wrong.

I'm sure she is a completly competent packer as am I; however, if I packed a rig that was going to be jumped by another jumper, I think the person should at least know that the person packing the rig is an UNEXPERIENCED packer.