Slow packing Sabre 120 @1.4

[Macaulay 0]

I'm loading my Sabre 120 at 1.4. I got a crazy deal on it used, so I couldn't pass it up. Best seven cell I've ever flown. Feels better than a Stiletto at the same loading, swoops about the same and carves better. However, the openings beat the shit out me. Any tips on slow-packing this canopy? I have a big slider and a small PC. I've tried the tips that PD recommends, but they haven't done me much good. Is this Sabre just too small? I'm right near the max loading that PD recommends for experts. Diagnosis or tips?
TIA,
Mac

[Macaulay 0]

I'm an idiot. I meant to say "rectangular", and for some reason I wrote "seven cell". Just thinking about something else, I guess. I'm taking melatonin right now to aid in correcting my insomnia. I usually spend the twenty minutes after taking it on the Internet. It makes my head "muddy". Sleep now.
- Macaulay

[miked10270 0]

Hi Mac,
Welcome to the world of the "Sabre-SLAM!!!!!"
Common opinion is that the bigger the Sabre, the worse it behaves, and lets face it, the Sabre was never actually designed to be a ZP canopy (it's actually the "PD 9-cell" but made out of ZP instead of F-111 so the design is a good 15-20 years old) but that said, it works and works well.
Anyway... can I suggest you "Wolmari-pack" it.
http://www.parasale.com/wolmari/wpages/wolmarpack.html
Quarter the slider & pull it forward to shield the nose. Don't roll the nose(!), ROLL THE TAIL LOTS!
Hope this helps, it works well on my Sabre.
Mike D10270.

[Kris 0]

You can try one or all of the following:
1. Roll the nose 4+4 and stuff in the center cell.
2. Have a rigger put a camera-pocket on your slider.
3. Learn to psycho-pack.
Kris
I am so NOT going to miss my Sabre-210...

[edid 0]

Mac
I have a Sabre 170 loaded at 1.1 (I won't be jumping it so much anymore as I just got a Cobalt; which is absolutely delicious). Anyway, despite washing off as much speed and getting as big as I could before I dumped, I used to cringe everytime just waiting for my Sabre to spank me.
Here's how I tamed mine.
For a start, I learnt to pro-pack properly. By that I mean, looking inside the stabilisers and making all the material into nice folds inside so that if you pull the slider up out of the way you should see two nice folds of material on each side so it makes a butterfly shape. Making folds means the air can't just rush into the canopy and inflate it straight away. This way you've also got a hollow in the middle down there for the slider to sit in and not just a schmozzle of material.
Secondly, you have three folds of stabilisers on each side. With the canopy hanging over my shoulder I wrap the first two folds away from me around the rest of the canopy and hold them there while I pull the tail up and grab the lines. Then I push the nose (I don't have to roll it) into the center of the pack so it is directly under my other hand holding the lines. So now you've got just the slider and the last stabliser on each side (the ones with the logo on them) hanging there . Take those stabilisers and roll them inwards toward the slider so only the slider is protruding. This, I've found, tends to shut down the end cells on opening (they inflate a few seconds after opening by themsleves as soon as I touch the toggles or rear risers).
The final thing I do is roll the slider into the roll of the tail. And roll that tail tight right up to the first line ribbon. That's what tamed it for me. I only get an occasional brisk opening now instead of about 6 hard and 1 real spanker in every 10. Hope this helps.
Ed.

[PhreeZone 14]

Best tip I can think of... Get a Spectre Whoa... That was cool!

[Geoff 0]

Get a bigger slider or a pocket slider. It's the only sure-fire way to slow Sabre openings.
Geoff

[wildblue 4]

I've got a Sabre 190 loaded about 1.2
All I do is roll the nose 6 & 6 and shove the center cell into it. Make sure the slider's quartered good. It has yet to spank me (about 50 jumps on it) and I've pretty much asked it to a couple times (try packing in the grass with a stiff breeze and hurrying because you can hear thunder, not to mention new zp is a pain) but all my openings have been very smooth

[SkymonkeyONE 3]

Agreed. A big pocket slider is the ONLY sure-fire way to prevent getting spanked. Do that mod and Psycho pack and you should be good to go. Sabres fly fine, but it is not worth the bodily pain to keep jumping a stock one that spanks you. I cannot jump video anymore because of Sabres and Monarchs.
Chuck

[herv 0]

I have only recently joined the sport and only have 44 jumps. I bought a sabre 170 (used) at around my 15th jump. The guy I bought it from told me about the the sabre-spank and said that the best he found was to roll the nose tightly. My first jump on the rig I thought my gonads had ended up in my throat the opening was so hard. However I attributed it to my lack of experience and packed it the same way. Next jump same thing happened. I was told to try a tandem roll (roll the first 4 cells until the Sabre labal begins to become part of the roll, then roll the last 4 cells until the label becomes part of the roll, then tuck the center cell in between the two rolls.) I flat pack and this pack job has worked beautifully for me. Nice snivel, always on heading gentle opening. Also, another trick told to me (which you may already know) is that as my d-bag is deploying I reach up and grab the risers with a slight bend in my arms. This serves two purposes for me. One, my arms kind of act like shock absorbers for the opening and two, my hands are there ready to do a riser turn in the event I end up needing to do an emergeny turn. I don't pretend to have the knowledge or expertice that most of the people in this forum have, I am just telling you what I do. Hope it helps.

[Macaulay 0]

We have a winner! I tried four different ways on eight different jumps. Once I tried the Wolmari method, I thought I had a pilot chute in tow... which I like. Nice, smooth opening.
I was very surprised with the performance of this canopy. I'm not swooping the pond yet, but I have been flying right next to it just to gauge distance, entering the gates, etc.. I cleared the distance of the pond by about ten feet twice yesterday. It's only an eighty foot pond, but those swoops are a hell of a lot longer than I expected to get from a Sabre. I fly towards the pond and try to cross the midpoint at a little over 300 feet, then 180 back to pick up speed. The moment I begin to plan out, I do another 180. The automatic recovery arc was planing me out about two feet above the ground without toggle input... although I'm damn good and ready to dig a bit if needed.
Fun stuff, but I'll definitely move to an elliptical that's about the same size in a hundred jumps or so. I'd like to start my 180s a lot higher, and then control the recovery arc myself.
- Mac

[riggerrob 558]

The main function of all that rolling is to keep the slider at the top of the lines as you stuff it into the bag.
Tight rubber bands are also very important.
I have hundreds of jumps on a Sabre 170 - loaded about 1.3 - and have not been slammed since I sewed on slider pockets.

[Merrick 0]

I'm with Wildblue on this one... I have a Sabre 190 (loaded just under 1.2) that I've put about 50 jumps on, and it has yet to slam me. It consistantly opens in 500 - 700 ft (not too fast... not too slow! lol). I used to roll the nose 4 & 4 & stuff it in the center cell as well as roll the tail pretty tight. Now, after I do the whole 'shake flake' thing that Kris taught me several jumps ago I don't even roll the nose, just quarter the slider & pull the front way out over the nose, then roll the tail tightly.... I haven't noticed a bit of difference in either method (except the 2nd way keeps my heading more consistant). My canopy has the factory slider on it w/out pockets.
I've heard that the wolmari pack is excellent, but haven't tried it yet (haven't really had the need). I've also heard that it's the 150 & 170 that has the 'slamming' problem.... but then again, Kris jumped a 210 & his would kick his ass at times!
"If words were wisdom, I'd be talkin' even more.."

[Kris 0]

Glad that the "Shake n' Flake" is working for you Merrick. As for my Sabre 210, I haven't had a bit of problem since I also started rolling the nose 4+4 and stuffing in the center cell. Now that I do that, I have to bang the risers around during opening to get the canopy to inflate. :)
Sigh, only a few more weeks until I can ditch the Sabre and get an elliptical... That demo Stiletto had me spoiled. No rolling the nose, plain-quarter of the slider and only wrapping the tail together enough to keep it together and it still took 500+ feet to open. . It was even easier to land on a hot, no-wind day than my Sabre is. Excuse me, I have to go bawl now...
Kris

[Macaulay 0]

My next one is a Crossfire. I got a Sabre because I scored it for $350. It's fun to fly, but I have three problems with it.
A. It seems slow now. I can go smaller.
B. I like a LONG, controlled recovery arc to get speed. The Sabre, as with many PD canopies, has an automatic recovery arc. My Sabre 120 planes itself out from a 180 in about 100 feet. I have to do a series of riser turns to build up speed. A Crossfire could get me more speed in a single 180 from 300'.
C. While the openings aren't killing me anymore, I like a good 700 - 1,000' snivel.
I'm definitely happy with it until I can afford something better, though. It's got to be the best square nine-cell out there. The quality of a PD product is also a bonus.
- Macaulay