To tape or to patch, that is the question

[tsalnukt 1]

Just curious....What sort of "guidelines" do you use to determine if a little tiny hole (1-4 squares) is a)left alone, b)rip-stop taped, or c) patched?

[JerryBaumchen 1,436]

Hi tsalnukt,

Quote

To tape or to patch

Based only upon the many taped repairs that I have had to re-repair over the years, I would never tape a canopy.

IMO leave it alone ( keep an eye on it ) or do a proper patch.

Tape merely introduces an adhesive into your canopy, and that is not good.

Jerry Baumchen

[gowlerk 2,249]

JerryBaumchen

Hi tsalnukt,

Quote

To tape or to patch

Based only upon the many taped repairs that I have had to re-repair over the years, I would never tape a canopy.

IMO leave it alone ( keep an eye on it ) or do a proper patch.

Tape merely introduces an adhesive into your canopy, and that is not good.

Jerry Baumchen

True, whatever size piece of tape you use is the size of the newly damaged area that will eventually need patching. But ripstop patches in my part of the world last several years. So the estimated life of the canopy becomes a factor for me.

Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

[riggerrob 643]

Taped patches don't last very long in the California desert. First, desert grit sticks to the edge of the patch and grinds on canopy fabric.
Secondly, hot dry weather dries out adhesive pretty quickly and patches fall off, leaving a large, ugly, stained weakened piece of (original) canopy fabric.
These days I only patch drogues with sticky tape and sew a row of E-thread around the edges.

[hackish 8]

Sometimes used up student canopies and nearly EOL tandem canopies or drogues are taped here. Using tape on both sides I've never seen one that came off. I prefer a proper patch but sometimes it's hard to justify if you know the canopy will be retired in 2 months.

-Michael