mrmanta 0 #1 January 10, 2008 do any of you roll the nose when packing a spectre or does it open slow enough just pulling the slider over it? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peregrinerose 0 #2 January 10, 2008 I have about 500 jumps on a 150 Spectre. I tuck the nose in a little bit and quarter the slider well, but that's it. I don't roll the nose, never have, don't see a reason to since my openings are pretty consistently 700-800 ft as it is. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Scubadivemaster 3 #3 January 10, 2008 Between 6 Spectres, varying in wear from brand new to 1000s of jumps, in size from 150 to 230, I have never done anything to the nose and only roll the tail enough to keep everything neat as I'm bagging it. I always neatly quarter the slider. Never had anything but gentle openings. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nyhus 0 #4 January 10, 2008 I pull the slider out to all four sides, and leave the nose hanging. Great openings Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
councilman24 37 #5 January 10, 2008 The one I jumped opened too damn slow the way it was. 700' subterminal or terminal. Okay until you get out at 2000'. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jakee 1,489 #6 January 10, 2008 Quotedo any of you roll the nose when packing a spectre or does it open slow enough just pulling the slider over it? The Spectre is famous as one of the softest opening canopies out there. What would be the point of rolling the nose?Do you want to have an ideagasm? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jheadley 0 #7 January 10, 2008 FWIW, with about 2500 or so packjobs, I really don't ever roll the nose on any canopy unless it's the following : EZ-384 Sabre 1 Hornet Monarch Triathlon I maybe leaving out one or two but IMO really any modern canopy should open plenty soft with just correct slider placement. (and deploying at the proper airspeed with proper body position) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skytash 0 #8 January 10, 2008 as above, I used to really trash pack my Spectre as it was a 135 being forced into a container built for a 120 - as long as the slider was evenly distributed forward/back/left/right I always had soft openings. tashDon't ever save anything for a special occasion. Being alive is a special occasion. Avril Sloe Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dragon2 2 #9 January 10, 2008 Why a Tri??? I'd add the Merit for sure, but I guess you rarely ever see them (lucky you). ciel bleu, Saskia Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
darkwing 5 #10 January 10, 2008 600 jumps on a Spectre 190. Never roll or tuck the nose, just release it from between your knees and finish packing. Of course quarter the slider, and don't pull it out in the nose direction. -- Jeff My Skydiving History Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jheadley 0 #11 January 11, 2008 QuoteWhy a Tri??? Just in case, I guess. I don't have much first hand experience with them so I'd rather err on the safe side. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
popsjumper 2 #12 January 11, 2008 The safe side with a Tri is to NOT roll the nose. No need for any gimmicks with a Tri...simple nose of the slider placement...no secret.My reality and yours are quite different. I think we're all Bozos on this bus. Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Halfpastniner 0 #13 January 11, 2008 One guy (a rigger) I pack for has a ragged out spectre that opens so slow that he has me split the nose to speed it up. But I definatly don't reccomend doing that without asking a rigger first.BASE 1384 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MagicGuy 0 #14 January 11, 2008 I've actually had owners of Spectres tell me to leave the nose pretty exposed and not to roll the tail too tight because the openings were TOO long. I have never heard anyone tell me they got slammed by their Spectre, or ask me to roll the nose. Usually people are pretty vocal about how they want their canopy packed. I've gotten to the point where if they don't ask me to do anything special, they get the same packjob as anyone else. Rare occasion - original Sabres. However, I've found sometimes that rolling the nose doesn't help anything. Triathlons.. are just weird. I jumped one for about 80 jumps and never knew what it was going to do on opening. One of the camera guys that I pack for always asks me to roll the nose on his. I sometimes think that Gelvenor fabric can cause weird openings. The fabric can get so sticky that I think it starts to open, unsticks and slams the hell out of you. They are easy canopies to pack, though. That's for sure.. Just to throw it out there, hardest canopy I've ever packed was a Spectre 230 that had MAYBE 10 jumps on it. Man, I struggled forever with that canopy. It sucked!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TheSecret 0 #15 January 11, 2008 What made that 230 so tough?Life is good Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iluvtofly 0 #16 January 11, 2008 I know my jump numbers are low but I own a spectre and regularly pack them for others at the dz. I have a spectre 230. I don't roll the nose at all on mine or any others that I pack. Even without rolling the nose, mine takes an average of 800 ft to open. I've never had any complaints about someone else having a hard opening on a spectre i packed for them. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
popsjumper 2 #17 January 11, 2008 Quote ...Triathlons.. are just weird. I jumped one for about 80 jumps and never knew what it was going to do on opening. One of the camera guys that I pack for always asks me to roll the nose on his. I sometimes think that Gelvenor fabric can cause weird openings. The fabric can get so sticky that I think it starts to open, unsticks and slams the hell out of you. They are easy canopies to pack, though. That's for sure.. Then there's something else going on with the canopy, if it's the canopy at all. YOUR Tri is weird...it's only one of hundreds that show that behavior. The material has little, if anything, to do with it. Sticky? Wash the candy off your hands before you pack. My reality and yours are quite different. I think we're all Bozos on this bus. Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skydive51 0 #18 January 13, 2008 I have over a hundred jumps on a Triathalon, similar to a Spectre. I opens harder when I roll the nose - so I don't. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mrmanta 0 #19 January 13, 2008 Triathlons.. are just weird. I jumped one for about 80 jumps and never knew what it was going to do on opening. One of the camera guys that I pack for always asks me to roll the nose on his. I sometimes think that Gelvenor fabric can cause weird openings. The fabric can get so sticky that I think it starts to open, unsticks and slams the hell out of you. They are easy canopies to pack, though. That's for sure.. *** I have to agree with popsjumper, it's your canopy. I jump a tri and the fabric is awesome to pack. I roll the nose and pull the slider way out over the nose and get soft on heading 700' + openings every time. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MagicGuy 0 #20 January 14, 2008 It's not my canopy any more Yeah, the fabric sticks IMO. I have taken it out of the d bag and it just stays in the s-fold shape, for as long as I had left it there. The fabric literally had to be pulled apart at times. The camera guys I mentioned is getting old and kind of raggy. He asks me to roll the nose and I do - sometimes it works, sometimes he gets slammed. I recommended he get the canopy checked out. I never rolled the nose on mine. Only got slammed twice, but the openings were never consistent. The Spectre 230 was just slippery as hell and BIG. I think the container was a tad small for it, too. It was a bitch to pack. Oh, and the d bag was one of those split ones.. can't stand them. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ltdiver 3 #21 January 16, 2008 Believe it or not, I always complained about my Spectre-135 opening too fast. I tried methods to slow it down, but all it did was screw it up more and made it start off heading openings. I finally went back to the PD Spectre manual and followed what they advised, except I did -not- roll the nose. The openings slowed down and are beautiful now. If you skipped this step (like I did), take another look: http://performancedesigns.com/docs/MainUsersManual.pdf ltdiver Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
popsjumper 2 #22 January 16, 2008 I think MagicGuy may not know what to make of the Gelvenor material. My reality and yours are quite different. I think we're all Bozos on this bus. Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mattabram 0 #23 January 16, 2008 If you're talking French canopies,then I'd add the BT65...or any of the BT range!God gave men 2 brains,but only enough blood to fill one at a time....I can live with that. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zarkon 0 #24 January 16, 2008 I bought a Spectre 230 earlier this season and have been wondering about the openings myself. After I had it attached and jumped it the first time it took ~1200ft to open. This was packed by the rigger, who likes softer landings, but I didn't like the fact that I had enough time to sit there and curse at the canopy before it was fully open. Spectre is a very popular canopy at my home DZ so I've heard probably every variation of the packing method imaginable, and I'm still not sure what I should be trying. Right now I push the nose in and pull it back out about 75% of the way and my openings are at ~800-900ft. Is this a good distance or should I try not tucking the nose at all? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mnskydiver688 0 #25 January 16, 2008 Quote Quote I bought a Spectre 230 earlier this season and have been wondering about the openings myself. After I had it attached and jumped it the first time it took ~1200ft to open. This was packed by the rigger, who likes softer landings, but I didn't like the fact that I had enough time to sit there and curse at the canopy before it was fully open. I don't know about you, but I like soft landings. Sky Canyon Wingsuiters Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites