packing

[crotalus01 0]

did my 1st (unassisted AND unsupervised) packjob on last saturday, and had trouble getting my chute in the bag as well as stowing the lines. my stows looked like shit, and i had to stuff the canopy into the bag. i fucking hate packing. anyways, what are the odds that i packed a malfunction? i know the stows are correct sequence-wise, i am more worried that i moved the lines around when the canopy reinflated in the bag and i had to stuff all the excess material into it.
i am debating whether to jump it as is or to repack it - but a repack will most likely be more of the same shit. any input?

edit to add that i have faith in my rigger, but i dont want to pay for a reserve repack if avoidable. and i have been told that there is not much that i can do while packing that will cause a mal, even when inexperienced....other than obvious stupidity of course.
edit #2 for spelling - i am anal about spelling.

As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD...

[NWFlyer 2]

I did my first pack job like that at home and came into the DZ the next day having thought all day about how bad my pack job was. What I ended up doing was having our very experienced packer unpack it and repack it, and as she was unpacking it, she looked at my pack job and critiqued it. Bottom line? It was ugly but it would have opened.

If it's what you need to get peace of mind, I'd recommend that approach next time you're at the DZ if you can find someone who can take the extra few minutes to look at your pack job as they're unpacking it.

Edited to add this really helped me and now I can (and do) pack for myself unsupervised. Just keep getting help and asking questions for as long as it takes to get it. It's frustrating but it does get easier and you will get better!

"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

[MrBrant 0]

My, unprofessional newbie, opinion:

If you have to ask, you should already know the answer.
Perhaps get somebody at the DZ to help u out a bit.

[FrogNog 1]

If an instructor watches you pack it but doesn't correct you while you're packing it, you have the opportunity to ask them whether they would jump it. That's another good gauge on how bad you did.

Personally I only care about the basics: lines in the middle, slider up, line stows don't look like they'll wrap around each other. Other than that it could look like cat barf and I'd jump it.

-=-=-=-=-
Pull.

[RfukfreeflyingW 0]

DUDE my first pack job was HIDIOUS come to think of it the one currently in my rig is hidious too. It'll open. sometimes the Dbag just doesnt cooperate, and u have to encourage it a bit. its all good. ur not going for a beauty contest.

----
-God, you are the perfect amount of dumb...

[stratostar 5]

unpack it, repack it, unpack it, repack it, do this about a 50 times and take another packing class as well as sit in with your rigger to see and learn how your reserve is packed, you may learn a few tricks, if your fighting with zero P then your trying to hard, take your time and learn to do it right. In time you'll be a better packer, if you take to easy way out and pay a packer you learn nothing, other then how to spend money and be a lazy ass new schooler.

~

you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

[flyangel2 2]

You should see what mine looks like sometimes. Really, that parachute wants to open.

Edit to add: Take another packing class and learn more so you are comfortable. Don't depend on packers.

May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey

[Kimblair13 0]

How to pack...
Get a job that allows you to pay a packer to do it for you! Packing SUCKS. Only do it if you have to. Side note...pay packer well and buy them dinner/beer. Also give them a massage. But seriously, I've seen/done some pretty shitball looking packjobs and they all have opened. But still, just practice and listen to other peoples advice. With time packing will get easier.

[katzurki 0]

I learned/practiced packing on a Crossfire 97 whose owner was either very brave, or very lazy, or both, to jump my pack jobs. Packing a canopy this small made it easy and gave me a confidence boost, so last weekend I finally packed my own 170 ft monster, both pro and psycho (with just a teeny wee bit of trash pack applied generously to both methods :P). Psycho is indefinitely easier than pro at this current stage. Not only that, it also opens better.

[Travman 6]

I packed and repacked mine several times at home to get the hang of it. I was a bit worried about jumping it for the first time.
But I did, and the opening was great, on heading.
Now I have no problems packing my own and jumping it.

[Feeblemind 1]

I have packed with assistance, but I have REALLY banged up knees. After packing a good friends spectar 170 several times she finally jumped it, said the opening was "intresting" but okay. The problem i have is after packing her chute my knees hurt for 30 minutes and the time frame increased after each subsequent pack. I am looking for suggestions due to the fact every three packs I pay for cost me a jump

Fire Safety Tip: Don't fry bacon while naked

[Travman 6]

Would knee pads help at all?

[Blueskies14k 0]

Have you tried flat packing? I think it is easier to see what's going on every step of the way---I don't know what kind of room you have, but it may be worth looking into.
I didn't start pro-packing until about 50 flat packs. By then I was pretty confident in myself and equipment.
Once you jump your first self-packed chute your confidence level will rise--in fact, it was the first time I felt like a skydiver.

EDIT to add: Like others have told you--it really is pretty hard to fuck up---

[VampireGirl 0]

Once you jump your first self-packed chute your confidence level will rise--in fact, it was the first time I felt like a skydiver.

Yep, I can relate to that. I am still crap at packing, but keep at it 'cos I know it'll get easier one day. I have recently started getting flat packing lessons and it really helps to learn more about the equipment. I have always pro-packed and in fact packed my own on level 3!!

It's a bitch, but it gets easier, just hang in there. If you aren't sure, definately ask someone to watch, supervise etc.

I also want to add that as I am still learning, I have done some very bad pack jobs, and had some interesting openings, but she keeps on opening, those canopies mate, they have a love affair going with that air and most times they'll work unless you do something really silly.

Gear fear; when you are afraid of doing something to your equipment 'cos you don't understand it, pack, pack and pack again mate, you'll feel much more confident if the day you have a mal DOES come.

Just my two cents worth.

XX

Sarah

www.sneale-create.com

[lowie 0]

Hey Sarah
Do you cheat then and get packers to pack for you when your in Spain or do you still pack for yourself.

Mike

[stratostar 5]

Get a job that allows you to pay a packer to do it for you! Packing SUCKS. Only do it if you have to.(quote)

Sounds like one of those new school fuckhead yuppies who throws around money because that's easier then just sucking it up and doing the work.
Anyone who bitches about how hard it is to pack today needs to take a time trip back to the good old days, you people got it good today! It only takes one person to pack today.(only took one person back then if you knew what your doing)
So shut up and pack your own rig then jump.

On that note I think all packers should charge more money for the service like 10 or 12 bucks. Why?
Because there will always be the lasy ass crowd who will spend the money and you'll make more cash at the end of the day.
Such a good idea in fact, I'm now charging 10 bucks for a main pack job as of this season.
I have my own rigs to pack (5 of them) so I don't have time to waste on some lasy ass for 5 bucks.
So 10 is the going rate now, if you bitch about it, then it's 15.

~

you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

[flyangel2 2]

I agree. Hold tension on a T-10 or a PC or do a flake job on one of those, and you'll love packing a square.

When I was a student I paid for most of my skydives packing T-10s

May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey

[stratostar 5]

YEP< that was when packing was real work.
And trying to get some of those rig's closed on a hot summer day.... No wonder I'm so fat, just don't sweat like that today.

~

you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

[Kimblair13 0]

Quote
"Sounds like one of those new school fuckhead yuppies who throws around money because that's easier then just sucking it up and doing the work."

Actually...I've packed for myself ever jump I've ever done. Including the tandems I did and AFF. Started packing way before I ever jumped. And I'm still a packer.

I was more or less being sarcastic. Sorry your old and had a hard time packing "back in the day".

[sfzombie13 313]

i actually watched a rigger in the army daisy chain the suspension lines and stuff the canopy in the pack tray, and then jumped it. guess what? it opened. it took almost 1000', and had a bunch of line twists, but it got out there. it was a chopper jump and they took him up to 2500'. talk about cool.

_________________________________________
Si hoc legere scis nimium eruditionis habes

[stratostar 5]

Cool is free packed into a brown paper bag from the store and then tossed.

~

you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

[stratostar 5]

1. I'm not as old as you might think.
2. we didn't have "a hard time" packing back in the day, but it was work.
3. Sorry I didn't get your being sarcastic, but I hear this kind of talk all the time from young ones.
4. That is good you pack for yourself, more people should.

~

you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

[karenmeal 0]

Quote

Anyone who bitches about how hard it is to pack today needs to take a time trip back to the good old days, you people got it good today! It only takes one person to pack today.(only took one person back then if you knew what your doing)

Are you being sarcastic? Rounds are freaking easy to pack! And you're making holding tension sound as if its really a big deal or something.

I can't actually believe that you think that packing a slippery new square is easier than a round. Sorry but your sarcastic comments needed to be followed by something!


-Karen

"Life is a temporary victory over the causes which induce death." - Sylvester Graham

[stratostar 5]

Yes a round is easy to pack, the point is it was and is more work, then todays gear.
Holding tension is not a big deal, but most need people need someone in the harness to do so.
I use a table if it will fit on it.
Closing containers today is much easier then on older gear and less work.
If you don't think so, meet me at the richmond boogie for the all round load and you can pack and close all 35 rigs we have, and then you tell me how much work is involved and how easy it is.

~

you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

[DrewEckhardt 0]

Quote

did my 1st (unassisted AND unsupervised) packjob

what are the odds that i packed a malfunction?

The skydiving main malfunction rate is about 1 in 600 including twitchy elliptical canopies combined with trim problems and people who neglect to fly through the openings. You're less likely to have a malfunction.

If you manage to get a hundred or three square feet of nylon into the 120 MPH breeze it's going to open. Although I've seen people mis-route bridles arround flaps such that they'd have a total malfunction if they jumped that's pretty hard to do with a little instruction. You could also pack a bag-lock but as long as your sloppy stows aren't too long that's not going to happen.

Sub-optimal skydiving main pack jobs are more likely to cause line burns on the canopy (an expensive piece of equipment) or uncomfortable openings

Quote

i am debating whether to jump it as is or to repack it - but a repack will most likely be more of the same shit. any input?

If I wasn't comfortable I'd repack it. The repack will probably have no effect on the parachute's reliability. It will make you more comfortable which means you'll perform better on your next jump.