Cushioning a hard opening

[BlindBrick 0]

I'm a really big guy. Consequently, I have a really high fall rate. The result of this is that my speed at opening time is 150+(That's with a very serious attempt to slow down). Needless to say, I am consistently getting the crap knocked out of me.

Obviously, I need to slow down, and am working on getting a super baggy suit and losing weight.

Until that time though, I need to do something to take as much of the bite out of these hard openings as I can. Any suggestions.

-Blind

"If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it."

[philly51 0]

I would talk to a rigger about how to pack my main to open slower. There are a variety of ways to slow it down, but a rigger should be able to point out the pros and cons of each.

Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, Shouting "...holy shit...what a ride!"

[billbooth 10]

If you are not using Dacron lines, they would help. They stretch a little, and also slow the slider down due to surface friction. Spectra (micro) line does not. If you are already using Dacron lines, and still having hard openings, get a canopy that opens slower.

[Gravitymaster 0]

How consistent are the slammers? Can you remember anything you do differently in your packing when you don't get a slammer? Are you getting flat and stable for a few seconds after tracking and before you deploy? Have you experimented with different methids of packing such as rolling the nose and/or tail more? Are you making sure your lines are all inside and symetrical? Are you quartering the slider and making sure its all the way up? What are you using for line stows?

[diablopilot 2]

As Bill Booth said, Dacron lines may do alot for you, however I don't think they are an option for you on that Safire. You could have a custom lineset made, beware that pack volume will go up quite a bit.

You may want to try a slider pocket. Ask your rigger about this. It will enable your slider to create more drag and stay at the top of the lines to a slower airspeed. It will increase the time and altitude your openings take. Best of all, if you don't like it it's a pretty easy thing to remove.

Good luck.

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

[70sdiver 0]

I have the same problem...I have went to putting new rubber bands on my d bag after every jump and that helped a lot also i reach up and have my hands on the back of the risers this seems to stand me up and the opening dont seem as rough.Good luck

[GravityGirl 0]

With that kind of weight suspended, I've put customers under dacron lines with great sucess. So I'll third that notion....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peace and Blue Skies!
Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

[mjosparky 4]

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I have the same problem...I have went to putting new rubber bands on my d bag after every jump and that helped a lot also i reach up and have my hands on the back of the risers this seems to stand me up and the opening dont seem as rough.Good luck

I don't think the rubber bands do much to slow the openings down. The canopy is still in the bag when the bands release the lines and when the canopy comes out of the bag the bands can do nothing to change what it will do from there on.

If anything tight bands will tend to stand you up more before the canopy clears the bag. In an upright position you will tend to increase speed before deployment starts. jmo

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[Gravitymaster 0]

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I have the same problem...I have went to putting new rubber bands on my d bag after every jump and that helped a lot also i reach up and have my hands on the back of the risers this seems to stand me up and the opening dont seem as rough.Good luck

I don't think the rubber bands do much to slow the openings down. The canopy is still in the bag when the bands release the lines and when the canopy comes out of the bag the bands can do nothing to change what it will do from there on.

If anything tight bands will tend to stand you up more before the canopy clears the bag. In an upright position you will tend to increase speed before deployment starts. jmo

Sparky

I agree. People sometimes don't understand that how tight the bands are, will slow the opening sequence ie. the canopy takes longer to open after deployment, but rubber bands will have little effect on how hard or soft the canopy will open.

[rhys 0]

i jumped a heatwave for 1000 jumps and i jump with a top mount camera helmet most time i got slammed a few times an have learned to pack that thing to open very slow.

what i do is roll the four outer cells int the centre cell at the nose ensuring the centre cell is not rolled at all with good tight rolls then the tail gets tucked neatly between the b's and c's this also helps the prevention of a lineover.

now the important factor i discovered made a big difference is tucking the first section of the stabilisers between the slider and a's and b's(under the grommets)and back out the section of stabiliser between the b's and c's.

symmetry is very important, and roll the tail around neatly and not too tight.

you may experience a little end cell closure with a slow turn but that just pops open when you release the brakes and hold them at half for a touch.

i had to go to physio a few times because of this canopy but now it opens consistantly slow and on heading(ish) it opens even slower than my crossfire.

give it a crack (pun intended)

"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, then the world will see peace." - 'Jimi' Hendrix

[riggerrob 643]

Good point about spreading the slider as wide as possible.

[riggerrob 643]

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I have the same problem...I have went to putting new rubber bands on my d bag after every jump and that helped a lot also i reach up and have my hands on the back of the risers this seems to stand me up and the opening don't seem as rough.Good luck

I don't think the rubber bands do much to slow the openings down. The canopy is still in the bag when the bands release the lines and when the canopy comes out of the bag the bands can do nothing to change what it will do from there on.

If anything tight bands will tend to stand you up more before the canopy clears the bag. In an upright position you will tend to increase speed before deployment starts. jmo

Sparky

I agree. People sometimes don't understand that how tight the bands are, will slow the opening sequence ie. the canopy takes longer to open after deployment, but rubber bands will have little effect on how hard or soft the canopy will open.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I disagree, believing that the properly sized rubber bands make the difference between painfully hard line dump and decent openings.
Most of the anti-Tube-Stows propaganda resulted from people stowing small Spectra lines in large Tube Stows, then wondering why their lines - and slider - dumped in the pack tray.
DHO!

Oh, and a lot of people PERCEIVE that standing them up before opening shock reduces the jolt because it reduces swinging and whip lash. Kind of like the difference between and F-111 Strong tandem main and a SET 400. A poorly packed F-111 (tandem main) canopy delivers line stretch and opening shock while your spine is still horizontal whereas a SET 400 delivers line stretch early enough to pull you vertical, several seconds before opening shock hits.

[mnealtx 0]

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A poorly packed F-111 (tandem main) canopy delivers line stretch and opening shock while your spine is still horizontal

Sounds like a PTCH-11 at terminal... but just think of the money you save on chiropracty bills!

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[stevebabin 0]

One more time....

http://www.performancedesigns.com/docs/hrdopn.pdf

"Science, logic and reason will fly you to the moon. Religion will fly you into buildings."
"Because figuring things out is always better than making shit up."

[Gravitymaster 0]

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I agree. People sometimes don't understand that how tight the bands are, will slow the opening sequence ie. the canopy takes longer to open after deployment, but rubber bands will have little effect on how hard or soft the canopy will open.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I disagree, believing that the properly sized rubber bands make the difference between painfully hard line dump and decent openings.
Most of the anti-Tube-Stows propaganda resulted from people stowing small Spectra lines in large Tube Stows, then wondering why their lines - and slider - dumped in the pack tray.
DHO!

Oh, and a lot of people PERCEIVE that standing them up before opening shock reduces the jolt because it reduces swinging and whip lash. Kind of like the difference between and F-111 Strong tandem main and a SET 400. A poorly packed F-111 (tandem main) canopy delivers line stretch and opening shock while your spine is still horizontal whereas a SET 400 delivers line stretch early enough to pull you vertical, several seconds before opening shock hits.

[jrcrackers 0]

I use a free stow pouch and two blue skybands to close the bag. I have video of my deployments and no line dump. They meter out of the pocket very nicely, much to my surprise. There are no rubber bands to stow the lines "tight" enough prevent dump. I believe this is a myth that is assumed to be true because rubber bands are used so widely, therefore they must be good? wrong, in my opinion. The slider had the most direct effect on the deployment of the canopy. again just my opinion

[Gravitymaster 0]

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I use a free stow pouch and two blue skybands to close the bag. I have video of my deployments and no line dump. They meter out of the pocket very nicely, much to my surprise. There are no rubber bands to stow the lines "tight" enough prevent dump. I believe this is a myth that is assumed to be true because rubber bands are used so widely, therefore they must be good? wrong, in my opinion. The slider had the most direct effect on the deployment of the canopy. again just my opinion

I agree the slider can have a pretty major part to play in deployment, but so can the type of lines, P/C size, body position, packing symmetry, line trim, method of packing etc.

[mjosparky 4]

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I disagree, believing that the properly sized rubber bands make the difference between painfully hard line dump and decent openings.

Your reserve is packed with just 2 locking stows, made of shock cord, and the rest of the lines are stowed in a side pocket.

In my opinion the things that effect opening shock most are slider placement during packing and canopy design.

For the last 5 or 6+ years I have been jumping a main D bag with only the two locking stows and use tube stows. The rest of the lines are in a Velcro side pocket. I have packed my canopy just about every way known to man and have not had a problem that could not be traced to the slider or the design.

The side pocket and/or rubber band stows stage the deployment and may reduce felt snatch force but have no effect on opening shock. They are strictly for staging and not metering or reefing of the canopy.

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[Gravitymaster 0]

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I disagree, believing that the properly sized rubber bands make the difference between painfully hard line dump and decent openings.

Your reserve is packed with just 2 locking stows, made of shock cord, and the rest of the lines are stowed in a side pocket.

In my opinion the things that effect opening shock most are slider placement during packing and canopy design.

For the last 5 or 6+ years I have been jumping a main D bag with only the two locking stows and use tube stows. The rest of the lines are in a Velcro side pocket. I have packed my canopy just about every way known to man and have not had a problem that could not be traced to the slider or the design.

The side pocket and/or rubber band stows stage the deployment and may reduce felt snatch force but have no effect on opening shock. They are strictly for staging and not metering or reefing of the canopy.

Sparky

For the record, I didn't make the statement you are quoting me as making.

[skymedic 0]

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With that kind of weight suspended, I've put customers under dacron lines with great sucess. So I'll third that notion....

and I'll 4th that..(is that even possible).

My Stiletto is lined with fat Dacron lines due to it being a former norman kent canopy. it opens like butter with those lines. actualy more like a fall in to a melting ice cream sunday...yummy.

Marc
otherwise known as Mr.Fallinwoman....

[mjosparky 4]

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For the record, I didn't make the statement you are quoting me as making.

My mistake, have a senior moments. Lets just blame it on BillVon.

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[stevebabin 0]

The stows that close the deployment bag are the critical ones. If the deployment bag is allowed to open before line stretch, the canopy may start inflating before line stretch and cause seriously hard openings. The non-closing stows shouldn't matter as much as long as the lines play out in an organised manner.

"Science, logic and reason will fly you to the moon. Religion will fly you into buildings."
"Because figuring things out is always better than making shit up."

[jrcrackers 0]

couldn't agree more. You would be surprise how many people are terirfied of this bag. I worked the kinks out on mine and have been having our sponsored people test it somemore. No complaint, evrybody likes it, just some worried people until they take it to terminal and find it deploys very nice