Reflex BOC

[Eugene 0]

I have container Wings made on the 2002 with outside pocket made of cordura. But my at home dropzone (Ukraine) and on russian dropzones they need to use pocket made olny of spandex. Is it fare? Is the new cordura pocket more dangerous than spandex pocket?

Thanks.

[freeflir29 0]

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Is the new cordura pocket more dangerous than spandex pocket?

My personal belief.....YES....I think it holds the PC MUCH less securely. I think the idea behind making a Cordura BOC was for it to last longer. C'mon....it only cost me like $30 to replace my spandex last time. It's not really a big issue to do this once every 1 or 2 years.

[riggerrob 561]

I think it would be fine for our Ukrainian friend to jump with the original Cordura BOC on his Reflex.
Cordura BOCs are not quite as forgiving of sloppy packing as Spandex, but if you pack that sloppily you are asking for trouble. Spandex is not the total cure-all as I have seen some mighty ugly Spandex BOCs!
Let's remember that half these rumors about Reflex faults were started by other manufacturers who were trying to discourage the new manufacturer on the block.
Why anyone would want to go through the hassle of spinning the Pop Top on a Reflex is a mystery to me.
As for the Pop-Top on a Reflex working loose, your rigger clearly needs a lesson on seating the pilotchute. If he/she does not form and preserve a large enough crater for the pilotchute to nestle into, no amount of tugging after the fact will make it look pretty.
As for sizing and quality control problems, all manufacturers have them. I could give you a long list of the material and quality control problems that Rigging Innovations experienced while I worked for them, but I am tired of this childish bickering. If you have not experienced a malfunction first hand, please don't repeat it.

By the way Bill Booth, Strong Enterprises has been using Spandura BOCs on their tandems for many years. They are not perfect, but spandura does last longer than straight Spandex.

[freeflir29 0]

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Cordura BOCs are not quite as forgiving of sloppy packing as Spandex

After my last EXTREMELY hard pull from my Spandex BOC I re-examined how neatly I packed my P/C. Haven't had a problem since.....

[Eugene 0]

Is it forbidden in England and Spain to use cordura BOC pockets? Have they certain rights to forbid to use new equipment with cordura BOC pocket at any dropzone?
Thanks.

[riggerrob 561]

A national organization may grounding any gear it deems un-airworthy. BPA is especially vigorous at grounding gear and people.

Granted there were a few problems with parapack and Cordura pilotchute pockets built back in the 1970s.
One third of those problems were just the usual problems associated with any new concept. Another third of those problems were caused by packers ignoring manuals. The final third of problems were caused by people mixing and matching components from different manufacturers when they did not understand compatibility.
Fortunately, we have learned a lot since the 1970s.
BPA seems to have learned that Spandex is better than its predecessors, but has not bothered to look seriously at post-Spandex BOCs.
Spandex is the most popular BOC material because it takes a complete idiot to pack it badly enough to create a hard pull.
There are plenty of complete idiots in skydiving.
The disadvantage of Spandex is that it wears out fairly quickly (ergo Spandura BOCs on tandems) and the average skydiver is too lazy to replace worn Spandex.
By the same token, Velcro has almost disappeared from skydiving because the average skydiver is too lazy to replace worn Velcro.

Oh well, eventually BPA will catch up with the rest of the planet, but I doubt if it will happen before TSE introduces a Cordura BOC on its Teardrop container..

[diablopilot 2]

Rob,
You always seem to have a wonderful bit of insight to add, and while I don't always agree, I don't always disagree either. Thank you.

As a side note and not to detract from the infomation of you last posting, I would like to highlight one item for eveyone to ponder about.

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There are plenty of complete idiots in skydiving.

Not pointing any fingers right now. Nuff said.

----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[riggermick 6]

I just found this thread, I'm off for two weeks R&R in NZ and OZ'.I'll comment when I get back. TTFN.
Mick.

[Eugene 0]

So in comon should i remake my BOC pocket from cordura to spandex? Or should I prove at my dropzone that I'm not dumb and cordura pocket has right to exist to?
Thanks.