Phillbo 11 #1 July 5, 2016 Should the weight of the packed canopy be taken in to consideration when deciding what size canopy to buy? Sure it adds to your exit weight but doesn't that 8lbs or so go away once it's deployed? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HapHazard 0 #2 July 5, 2016 Yes, the weight of the canopy matters. The aerodynamic lift of the canopy has to support it's own weight, plus that of the pilot. Just like the wings of an airplane have to support their own weight, plus the fuselage. You're only talking about 5 to 10 lbs though, so it's not much compared to the weight of the jumper. Probably only about 4% to 5% of your total jump weight. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #3 July 5, 2016 Yes. It's figured into the wing loading calculation. That said, if 5 to 8 pounds is the difference between living or dying in this sport, then you really, really need to consider carefully what the hell it is you're doing. To some pro swoopers, yes, 5 to 8 pounds is going to be a big deal. To the average jumper, FFS please go another size larger.quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Phillbo 11 #4 July 6, 2016 Trust me, 8lbs does not make a difference to me.. I fly a boat. I was just reading the most recent article on buying used gear and was not sure when it sated to include the weight of the main. I assumed it would cancel itself out once deployed. I learned today . Its a good thing. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
