my first rig....affraid for sabre's hard openings

[darren71 0]

Just bought my first rig... With main sabre1 170......just finished reading all the post that says ....HARD OPENINGS.......My neck already hurts and i haven't jumped it jet!!!!!

[slj678 0]

You don't get smoked EVERY jump, the packers usually did a pretty good job of making it a little smoother at my dz, but one time I did think my eyes were gonna pop out of their socket
Couldn't have been much more than 300 ft before that sucker was open

"I didn't know they gave out rings at the holocaust"

[wrightskyguy 1]

1st, there is no such thing as a Sabre 1. There is the Sabre, and the Sabre 2. As for hard openings, yes, a Sabre can slam you if you're not careful, but if you pay attention and don't let your pack jobs get away from you, you should be alright. I put about 1000 jumps on a Sabre 135 and only had a few hard openings.

John Wright

World's most beloved skydiver

[kimemerson 7]

I have maybe 1,000 jumps on one of the early Sabre 135's. Damn wonderful canopy. Make sure your body position is clean - true for any canopy - and DO NOTHING WITH THE NOSE when packing it. Chances are you'll end up loving this canopy.

[Orange1 0]

I felt like you originally after reading the posts here but love my sabre 150. Admittedly I don't have hundreds of jumps on it, but I've had harder openings on a Pilot than the Sabre. It's all in the packing. I was advised by someone I could get a rigger to do a mod on the slider to slow the opening, but I haven't felt that was necessary.

Skydiving: wasting fossil fuels just for fun.

[chuckakers 425]

We used to take the nose on fast opening canopies (Sabre, Monarch, Excaliber to name a few) and roll each half to the center, then shove the roll as far into the center cells as we could reach. It worked quite well to slow the openings.

Flame all you want - it worked.

Chuck Akers
D-10855
Houston, TX

[shropshire 0]

I still love my Sabre 1 150.. never really slamed me. I don't roll the nose but MUST look after the slider...1/4 it and ensure that it's right up on the stops and stays there right up until I put it into the bad.

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[peregrinerose 0]

Every canopy on the planet can (and probably will) slam you once.... are you going to walk around with a chronic neck ache now that you know that? Hopefully not.

I have about 150 jumps on a Sabre, my husband has 400 jumps on a Sabre (both 170s), and neither of us has ever been spanked, not even close. It's a very good canopy, great first canopy... consistent openings, on heading, zippy without being too much to handle, decent flare. I'd jump one again without a second thought.

It's my Spectre that had me in the ER after a hard opening... only truly hard open I have ever had, I was semi conscious, couldn't move anything, I thought I broke my neck. It was more pain than I have ever felt. Spectres are known for soft openings, but like I said, any canopy can bite your ass.

Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

[pirana 0]

I could not get my Sabre 150 to open smoothly with any consistency until I got the factory recommended oversized slider put on. Didn't matter who packed it or how. I had one of my very nastiest openings on a pack job where the nose was rolled very deep and tight.

The oversize slider was about 3 inches wider and a couple inches deeper. May not sound like much, but it was about a 30% increase in surface area; and made a big difference.

It was highly recommended by a very experienced rigger not to do the pockets modification. When he explained the physics of where those pockets are at and what they would do, it made sense.

The big slider was $100, and worth every penny. Should have done it long ago.

" . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

[councilman24 37]

300 ft. is a NORMAL opening (IMHO). It's just harder than you newbies are used to or can stand. The new canopies just open in a streamer that eventually clears.

I WANT my parachute to opening in 300-400 ft. when I'm doing a demo from 2500'. Or a hop and pop from 3000'.

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[councilman24 37]

I have maybe a thousand jumps on sabres. Most on my 170. I roll each side of the nose to the center and make sure to quarter the slider and the parachute opens the way I want. BUT many newbies would consider it hard. I want my parachute to open in 300-400' because I'm willing to get out at 2000'. If I don't grunt when it opens it was too slow.

I demoed a Spectre when they first came out. I didn't buy one because they took to damn long to open 800' whether I go out at 2000' hop and pop or terminal deployment. Not what I want.

One persons hard opening is another persons normal opening. But make sure you slow down. Stop tracking or slow down completely from head down or sitting. Get belly to earth, completely decelerated and body aligned and square. You might decide you like having your life saving device open positively instead of taking a while to decide.

I have had a couple of very hard openings but not with the sabre.

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[slj678 0]

Quote

300 ft. is a NORMAL opening (IMHO). It's just harder than you newbies are used to or can stand. The new canopies just open in a streamer that eventually clears.

I WANT my parachute to opening in 300-400 ft. when I'm doing a demo from 2500'. Or a hop and pop from 3000'.

Ok then maybe it was like 150 ft. lol all i know is that it was not fun.

"I didn't know they gave out rings at the holocaust"

[shropshire 0]

I imagine that it's not the complete height that it takes to open but the progression of the opening sequence.... the deceleration would be best spread out not in a single big jolt.

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[slj678 0]

Lol I know that I was just playin because he punked me as a newbie

"I didn't know they gave out rings at the holocaust"

[ep11300 0]

I have about 300 jumps on a sabre and 400 on a sabre2. Roll the nose like stated above and pull the quartered slider forward until the back of the slider is even with the lines; has more authority when grabbing air out of the bag.

[VideoFly 0]

With an exit weight of about 225, my 170 Sabre opened briskly and beautifully every time. When I switched to a 150 Sabre, it opened quickly and perfectly on every jump. It never whacked me, but the opening took about 300 feet, which was great for opening at about 2,000 feet. When I switched to a 135 Sabre, I had several openings that whacked me to the side and then kaboom, whacked me the other way. I actually thought I broke my neck on one opening, but after a toe and finger check under it, I could tell that I was sore, but not broken. I got rid of that canopy after that jump. Wing loading may have made a difference on my Sabre openings. I rolled both sides of the nose in toward the center and made sure to quarter the slider. In general, my packing needed to be more orderly than is required for my elliptical canopies. All-in-all, I think the Sabre is a great canopy.

[CSpenceFLY 1]

As I recall, most people I knew that had trouble with their Sabre had larger sizes,190 and above. Not to say a 170 can't spank you.

[Chubba 0]

Quote

300 ft. is a NORMAL opening (IMHO). It's just harder than you newbies are used to or can stand.Wink The new canopies just open in a streamer that eventually clears.TongueCrazy

I WANT my parachute to opening in 300-400 ft. when I'm doing a demo from 2500'. Or a hop and pop from 3000'.

Ewwww.

I like my 800ft openings on my Sabre2, like butter.

No wonder all the guys with Sabre1's basically hit terminal on hop n pops, 300ft, ouch.

[councilman24 37]

Quote

Ewwww.

I like my 800ft openings on my Sabre2, like butter.

No wonder all the guys with Sabre1's basically hit terminal on hop n pops, 300ft, ouch.

And I want to know my life is saved just a little sooner.

All you newbies are wimps!!!

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[Andy9o8 2]

Quote

I have maybe 1,000 jumps on one of the early Sabre 135's. Damn wonderful canopy. Make sure your body position is clean - true for any canopy - and DO NOTHING WITH THE NOSE when packing it. Chances are you'll end up loving this canopy.

I used to jump an original Sabre 170, and - pretty consistently - it did tend to be noticeably more brisk unless I rolled the nose & shoved it into the center. Just my own experience on that one canopy.

[CSpenceFLY 1]

I guess an old timer like you could still consider me a newbie but I like my 800 ft openings too.

[darren71 0]

Great all the reactions i love skydiving and my new family

[hackish 8]

Quote

Just bought my first rig... With main sabre1 170......just finished reading all the post that says ....HARD OPENINGS.......My neck already hurts and i haven't jumped it jet!!!!!

I suggest downloading and reading the manufacturer's recommendations. On the sabre they have some specific instructions with regards to not tucking the nose.

-Michael

[buff 0]

Sabre 170 with about 150 jumps on it so far. I don't do crap to the nose, just let it hang. Quarter the slider and put it to the stops and make sure it stays there. Opens in 300' every time. I'm with U Terry, I want a positive opening.

I read all the "horrors" before I purchased the canopy too. I really do enjoy flying it. Slow down, fly good body thru the opening, and you will be fine and learn skills that you will need when you decide to go for that great Stilletto deal later.

It's called the Hillbilly Hop N Pop dude.
If you're gonna be stupid, you better be tough.
That's fucked up. Watermelons do not grow on trees! ~Skymama

[riggerrob 643]

I have hundreds of jumps on Sabre 170, 150 and 135 and Sabre 2 190.
I only got spanked a handful of times, and only when I packed sloppily.