How bad of an idea is this...

[in2jumping 0]

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...to take your rig home unpacked at the end of the day.

...and then to take it outside to pack it (in the shade, of course) the next day.

I'm too lazy to pack, and too cheap to pay a packer ; )

BUT... Smelling my rig in my car got me to thinking of all the things that could go wrong. Mainly just snagging the parachute on something and tearing it.

What are your thoughts?

CHRCNF

This is called "zipper packing". Do a nice daisy chain of your lines, ball your canopy up into a nice small ball, stuff it into your gear bag then zip it up.

Of course make sure there is nothing free floating around in you gear bag that can damage your canopy.

[airtwardo 7]

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NEVER leave the DropZone with your rig unpacked.

Why? Your statement is not very useful without an explination.

i have a couple reasons...

the only thing more usless than an un-packed parachute is an unloaded gun.

and mine wont fit in the car unless its packed!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[CReW 0]

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The main reason is that's the way I was taught by people that cared about me, people I respect, people that helped me learn how to stay alive. I thought it was common knowledge. What may be of some use to you is to know that at end of the day even if everybody else is partying, laughing and drinking beer You Pack Your Rig. When you do you won't zip a hole in your parachute with you kit bag, Being packed offers you gear some protection, when you crash your car you'll be glad your gear is packed, When you run into a question or problem you'll have good people there to gladly help you. You'll be ready for that surprise night jump, you'll always be ready for the next load. I know you can figure out the other reasons yourself.

[BIGUN 1,314]

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please re-read who wrote what. :)

WHOOOPS!!! Sorry 'bout that. Just glanced at the names.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[drjump 0]

Fumes? What about exposure to the gas fumes from the gas tank vent? Not good for nylon.

[billvon 2,991]

>What may be of some use to you is to know that at end of the day even if
>everybody else is partying, laughing and drinking beer You Pack Your Rig.

That's a good approach. Another good approach may be to not pack in the dark - to wait until you have more time to do a better inspection, or to wait until you can see the rig to better inspect it. (Not all DZ's have well lit packing areas.) If you have to pack outside in the wind, it might be a good idea to take it somewhere less windy; easier to work on that way.

I pack my rig about 95% of the time before taking it home. When I'm going to do work on it, when I need to be doing something else after I land, or when it's impractical (no place to pack there) then I will take it elsewhere before packing it.

[wayneflorida 0]

Saturday I pack it at the end of the day if I will be jumping Sunday.
Last Jump Sunday, fuck packing. I put canopy and container in clean gear bag, into clean truck, and go get a .
Thursday or Friday pull out rig, stretch out, inspect, and pack.
The only downside would be if you find something a rigger would need to fix, you may have to sit out a weekend.

[airtwardo 7]

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Saturday I pack it at the end of the day if I will be jumping Sunday.
Last Jump Sunday, fuck packing. I put canopy and container in clean gear bag, into clean truck, and go get a .
Thursday or Friday pull out rig, stretch out, inspect, and pack.
The only downside would be if you find something a rigger would need to fix, you may have to sit out a weekend.

Or when your buddy calls and says 'free B1 bomber jump if ya can get here in 30....and YOU'RE NOT PACKED!


The only 'upside' to not packing at the DZ is ya get to the beer 7 minutes earlier.

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[CReW 0]

Sure Bill, For every rule there's an exception and for every exception there's a rule.
After night jumps at Perris one night I came across a guy packing in almost total darkness. I ask why don't you pack that tomorrow? He said I'm on the first load and have people depending on me. I kept an eye on him in the morning, it opened. Crazy Perris Jumpers ;-)

[AndyMan 7]

I do it fairly regularly. I don't give much thought to it.

If you can throw fresh laundry in your car without it getting damaged, you can do the same with a rig. All in all, skydiving gear is relatively durable, even when unpacked.


_Am

__

You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.

[sundevil777 102]

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Fumes? What about exposure to the gas fumes from the gas tank vent? Not good for nylon.

What gas tank vent? What cars have it vent into the trunk.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[plorensen 0]

your the only one that seems to have a hook up on that,otherwise you could cutaway before you got there and do a reserve hop n pop since you needed a repack anyways

[wayneflorida 0]

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Saturday I pack it at the end of the day if I will be jumping Sunday.
Last Jump Sunday, fuck packing. I put canopy and container in clean gear bag, into clean truck, and go get a .
Thursday or Friday pull out rig, stretch out, inspect, and pack.
The only downside would be if you find something a rigger would need to fix, you may have to sit out a weekend.

Or when your buddy calls and says 'free B1 bomber jump if ya can get here in 30....and YOU'RE NOT PACKED!


The only 'upside' to not packing at the DZ is ya get to the beer 7 minutes earlier.

I would say to my buddy "I want some of that stuff your smoking"

I'm faster packing than I use to be but not a fast as you.
I sometimes pack if there a load or two left and I'm not jumping anymore before the beer light comes on. I will name those pack jobs "just for airtwardo"

[ChrisL 2]

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...to take your rig home unpacked at the end of the day.

...and then to take it outside to pack it (in the shade, of course) the next day.

I'm too lazy to pack, and too cheap to pay a packer ; )

BUT... Smelling my rig in my car got me to thinking of all the things that could go wrong. Mainly just snagging the parachute on something and tearing it.

What are your thoughts?

CHRCNF

I do it every time I go to the DZ. I dont just throw it in the car though.

I stuff it into my gear bag.

I couldn't recommend leaving it in a big open heap in the car.

__

My mighty steed

[airtwardo 7]

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your the only one that seems to have a hook up on that,otherwise you could cutaway before you got there and do a reserve hop n pop since you needed a repack anyways

I think making an intention jump from an aircraft with only one parachute is frowned upon...no?

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[hookitt 1]

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I'm mainly concerned with packing outside, in the shade, on the green grass.

Do it. Shade is best but if you're in the sun, just do it reasonably quick.

I take mine home unpacked quite often because I've grown lazy. If the sun is going down, screw it, I'm putting the rig in the car.

Grass won't hurt it, bugs won't hurt it. dirt is dirt and dirt gets on it all the time. Handle it fairly carefully and just be smart. It can take it.

I don't suggest packing it in damp grass but even that won't actually hurt anything either.

Good luck.

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[ciscobird 0]

Since my home dz has minimal packing area (always filled with people, especially tandem whuffos mingling around) I prefer packing outside.

I use a couple of heavy welding canvas (cheap from Harbor Freight) big enough to lay my main on the ground.

I place towels both under and on top of the rig to keep it out of dirt and sun.

Fellow skydivers look at me like I'm crazy or dumb for packing outside, especially on hot days. I prefer that very much to dealing with the crowd inside.

I try to pack close or next to my vehicle and/or a large bush to minimize the wind and sunlight.

At end of day I leave it unpacked in a plastic bin with rest of stuff (altimeter, helmet, etc). The idea of having the packed main and rig held under tension, especially with the closing loop closed for a week or longer between dives, really bothers me.

I like to think that leaving the main unpacked in the bin helps it last longer. Also, I love the smell of sweet nylon every Saturday morning when I open the lid.

You do whatever you want to as long as you keep the main away from solvents and anything not related to skydiving. Treat the chute and rig with respect and they will last longer.

When packing, be sure to check lines and untwist steering lines before the first dive of day.

[airtwardo 7]

I like to think that leaving the main unpacked in the bin helps it last longer.

How do ya feel about your reserve?

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[ciscobird 0]

Well, you have a point there.

I might be mistaken but I think there's a difference between placing ZP (what my main is made out of) and non-ZP (reserve) materials under tension. The latter feels more like silk while the former feels and looks like dried & crumbled plastic bag.

Lastly, it's more of personal choice. As long as I can help it, I prefer to leave it unpacked. I would do the same with the reserve except I'm not allowed to.

Edited to add the following:

A friend left his packed rig in the trunk of his car for a week. When he did a rig check in preparation, he noticed that the reserve seal was broken and the pin was barely still under the loop. It was determined that leaving the rig in his hot car caused the reserve to swell and contract on each day, resulting in the pin being pulled out a bit each time.

So try not to leave the rig in a vehicle, especially on hot days. It's bad for the nylon as well.

[airtwardo 7]

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Well, you have a point there.

I might be mistaken but I think there's a difference between placing ZP (what my main is made out of) and non-ZP (reserve) materials under tension. The latter feels more like silk while the former feels and looks like dried & crumbled plastic bag.

Lastly, it's more of personal choice. As long as I can help it, I prefer to leave it unpacked. I would do the same with the reserve except I'm not allowed to.

Edited to add the following:

A friend left his packed rig in the trunk of his car for a week. When he did a rig check in preparation, he noticed that the reserve seal was broken and the pin was barely still under the loop. It was determined that leaving the rig in his hot car caused the reserve to swell and contract on each day, resulting in the pin being pulled out a bit each time.

So try not to leave the rig in a vehicle, especially on hot days. It's bad for the nylon as well.

It's a personal choice for sure.

But don't kid yourself, plastic is permeable and allows some soluble gases to bleed thru, that 'could' have as much or an even greater effect on the canopy materials as storing it packed.

But we're picking nits, as long as you keep it clean, shaded and dry ~it will last until you need to get another one!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[plorensen 0]

I was just joshin ya besides its a B-1 were talking about.I would want to leap out the bomb bay doors.

[airtwardo 7]

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I was just joshin ya besides its a B-1 were talking about.I would want to leap out the bomb bay doors.

Sorry but you can't go...YOU'RE NOT PACKED!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[plorensen 0]

Well then I guess I should always pack before I leave the dz.Who knows you probably can get the Enola Gay out of the National Air and Space museum for one last drop

[tetra316 0]

Temperature and pressure changes due to an enclosed vehicle sitting in the sun and the sudden release of the pressure when the trunk is opened.

[DocPop 1]

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Temperature and pressure changes due to an enclosed vehicle sitting in the sun and the sudden release of the pressure when the trunk is opened.

Fail.

AADs fire when pressure INCREASES, not due to a sudden decrease in pressure. The risk with AADs in a trunk is the sudden increase in pressure when the lid/door is slammed shut causing AAD activation.

"The ground does not care who you are. It will always be tougher than the human behind the controls."

~ CanuckInUSA