I HATE packing!

[CHRCNF 0]

Is it possible that I will never be able to "get it?"

Every time people shows me various packing methods they make it look so easy. Then when I try to employ these methods on my own I turn it into a hot mess.

I can get everything laid down onto the ground okay. It's getting it into the D-bag I have trouble with : \

I was hoping not to be someone who pays a packer EVERY jump either.

[TiaDanger 0]

Are you packing all s-folds in the bag all at once? If getting it in the bag is your problem, try having someone show you how to do 1 s-fold, put it in the bag, then finish with the second s-fold near the lines. This is where I had a problem too, and once I learned how to do this, packing was no longer a PITA
Practicing one method and trying to improve that method will help you much more than trying a different method each time you pack.

And for the record: the appropriate ranking of cool modes of transportation is jet pack, hover board, transporter, Batmobile, and THEN giant ant.
D.S. #8.8

[captain1976 0]

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If getting it in the bag is your problem, have someone show you how to do 1 s-fold, put it in the bag, then finish with the second s-fold near the lines. This is where I had a problem too, and once I learned how to do this, packing was no longer a PITA

Great advise. This seems to work well especially with the larger canopies.

You live more in the few minutes of skydiving than many people live in their lifetime

[theonlyski 8]

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Every time people shows me various packing methods they make it look so easy. Then when I try to employ these methods on my own I turn it into a hot mess.

Practice practice practice...

Ill agree with the 1 s-fold, bag it then do the bottom fold, it really does help when packing larger canopies. (tandems too)

"I may be a dirty pirate hooker...but I'm not about to go stand on the corner." iluvtofly
DPH -7, TDS 578, Muff 5153, SCR 14890
I'm an asshole, and I approve this message

[Airman1270 0]

1) No packers. Pack for yourself. When you have 2000 jumps and are making eight jumps a day while training for the nationals, go ahead and pay someone else to pack for you. Until then just enjoy the process. You'll learn soon enough that there's little you can do, short of using scissors or tying knots, that will prevent the main from opening, usually without any damage.

2) Master rule #1 and you'll never need rule #2.

Cheers,
Jon S.

[Andy_Copland 0]

1. Its probably a big canopy oddly enough if you don't know how to pack. So once you do the S folds get both knees on it to control it. Dont throw your weight down, use your toes to keep a healthy balance of pressure to control it and not explode it all over the floot.

2. Get your D bag and choose a corner (im going to use left for example) to wrap the bag around. Simple put the left side of the bag over the left part of the pack job, think rolling a condom (giggle) and once that corner is in lift your left knee, pull the bag as far down as it will go and drop your knee back down. You know have control of half the packjob and its in the bag

3. Get your right hand, grab all the folds on the right hand side and lift your right knee, the packjob wont go anywhere. Now use your free hand to reach over your right arm and grab the right grommot on the bottom of the bag, In one motion pull the grommet under and push the pack job in. Done

Sorry if it doesn't make sense, im off my rocker on pain meds and alcohol.

1338

People aint made of nothin' but water and shit.

Until morale improves, the beatings will continue.

[Martini 0]

Obviously you are jumping a canopy that is much too big. If you get a smaller canopy like everyone else it will be much easier to pack.

Sometimes you eat the bear..............

[jsaxton 0]

Quote

Is it possible that I will never be able to "get it?"

Every time people shows me various packing methods they make it look so easy. Then when I try to employ these methods on my own I turn it into a hot mess.

I can get everything laid down onto the ground okay. It's getting it into the D-bag I have trouble with : \

I was hoping not to be someone who pays a packer EVERY jump either.

just keep trying, in under 1000 pack jobs you will "get it" ;)

[trig78 0]

My Sabre 2 is f-in alive. I come close to burning the damn thing!

facebook.com/trig78

[pinkfairy 0]

I rather LIKE packing. I like touching and smelling the fabric, and I like my own openings.

The only way of getting better at packing is doing it a lot. With practice, you'll get faster, and by getting faster, it will actually get easier, because the fabric will have less time to suck in air again.

Keep doing it, and enjoy the nice feeling of a good opening from your own pack job.

Relax, you can die if you mess up, but it will probably not be by bullet.

I'm a BIG, TOUGH BIGWAY FORMATION SKYDIVER! What are you?

[format 1]

- pick a person you like the most, a skydiver person around you
- ask him/HER to show you the easiest way to pack
- enjoy result

There's some magic coming out of mutual attraction

What goes around, comes later.

[GLIDEANGLE 1]

Screw "s-folds"... Psycho pack!

http://www.precision.aero/packing/mvc-002v.mpg

The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

[CHRCNF 0]

...is psycho packing a real thing? I could do that and would have a good opening?

[Andy9o8 2]

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...is psycho packing a real thing? I could do that and would have a good opening?

Yes, and yes.

[ZigZagMarquis 9]

Pick one person / technique and try to stick with that until you "get it".

I've seen a lot of newbs have problems packing and "try this", "try that", "try this other thing" from half a dozen or more would-be instructors and egos at the DZ and that becomes a big part of their issues.

[randompoints 0]

All of the advice so far on how to change is good. Want to improve, practice.
my advice either get a copy of pack like a pro, or one of the many youtube vids on how to pack,
take your rig home
buy your favorite drink
pack about 50 times right there can be stretched over a week, no one watching no stress no hurry. you'll be a 10 minute packer in no time

[fasted3 0]

+1 This worked for me. I got PD Packing by Scott Miller and worked on it at home. Whenever I got stuck, I'd just go watch again then start over.

But what do I know?

[NWFlyer 2]

Quit paying packers till you can do it yourself, reliably and repeatedly. Then it can be an option not a requirement that you pay a packer.

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[smooth 0]

Do a search for "Reverse S fold"

It goes something like this

[Amazon 7]

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Screw "s-folds"... Psycho pack!

http://www.precision.aero/packing/mvc-002v.mpg

Amen to that....


NONE of my 3 cutaways were due to my version psycho pack that I have packed.

First chop... Can't really blame my packer...I opened at a speed WAYYYY to fast... BUT I think if I had packed it with the usual rolls I do when I psycho pack it would have snieveld more and blown fewer lines.

2nd chop... Packed by a packer using a propack.... Tension knot slider hangup on the steering line cascades on one side. I did not look at it for all that long... the tilt o swirl ride I was getting at that point on my Samurai convinced me it was time to use plan B.

3rd shop....Packed by a packer after the sunset load at Lost Prairie.. ....ok I should have seen THAT one coming NEVER get your rig packed when the packers want to party

[LouDiamond 1]

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Do a search for "Reverse S fold"

It goes something like this

+1 for the reverse S fold. It works great and allows you to maintain control of the canopy once you have all the air out of it.I use this technique when packing 380 Sq Ft canopies down to my 97 Sq Ft canopy. Practice makes perfect, no matter which method of packing you decide to go with.

"It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required"
Some people dream about flying, I live my dream
SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING

[Joellercoaster 6]

Keep your chin up. The way to get good at packing is to pack.

All those people you see quickly tucking handkerchief-sized mains into handbag-sized D-bags had to go through what you're going through. I have no practical advice (because I'm a moderately terrible packer), other than what pinkfairy said - try to enjoy the process.

Even big slippery canopies can be packed well, but you just gotta go through this. Packing efficiently is a series of knacks, muscle memories and little epiphanies that can only be acquired through sweat and having it all go wrong. Repeatedly.

Keep trying, it will get easier.

--
"I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan

"You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

[theonlyski 8]

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I like my own openings.

"I may be a dirty pirate hooker...but I'm not about to go stand on the corner." iluvtofly
DPH -7, TDS 578, Muff 5153, SCR 14890
I'm an asshole, and I approve this message

[thrillstalker 0]

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Are you packing all s-folds in the bag all at once? If getting it in the bag is your problem, try having someone show you how to do 1 s-fold, put it in the bag, then finish with the second s-fold near the lines. This is where I had a problem too, and once I learned how to do this, packing was no longer a PITA
Practicing one method and trying to improve that method will help you much more than trying a different method each time you pack.

this was my problem too, and making the last fold into the bag is a big help. i have a new sabre 2 and it is slicker that bat shit.

"Never grow a wishbone, where your backbone ought to be."

[Psychonaut 0]

Yep, you just have to take everyones word here.

I got a brand new canopy when I was at about I don't know, 70/80 jumps. Complete bitch the pack the first time I tried. People showed me a few tricks, but it really isn't that there's tricks out there that you haven't learned that are stopping you, but it's just repitition. I went to a few boogies with it and forced myself to pack it. Every walk in from the landing area sucked because in my mind I was dreading having to pack before getting on the next load, but it helped, and FAST.

After the handful of boogies I went to and a little under a hundred jumps, I could absolutely tell how much easier it got and fast. (Not to mention the ZP had settled down by then..)

TLDR; Force yourself to do it, you'll realize in 50 packjobs that that's all it took and it'll be easy as pie.

Stay high pull low