Canopies: How old is too old?

[Stomusky 0]

Of course, it's going to depend on how well you maintain it.
So, lets just say that it's in "good condition".

But if I'm looking for an used canopy, how old is too old? 10yrs old? 20yrs old?

And on those canopies, what is considered "good condition"?
I guess more of the question is, "which areas on the canopy (& lines) wear out most that I need to keep in mind"?

[darkwing 5]

The real answer is, unfortunately for you, "it depends." Wear depends on where it was jumped (sunny, dusty desert, versus green grass and high clouds), how many jumps it has, how it was stored, and other things. You really need to have it inspected to decide. There are some worn out 4 year old canopies, and some very serviceable 12 year old canopies.

It would be best if you went over a canopy with a rigger, and they could point out things to look for.

-- Jeff
My Skydiving History

[riggerrob 643]

Calendar age is - at best - a crude way of measuring canopy life.

Some countries ban canopies more than 10 or 12 years old, even if the canopy is still structurally sound.

Canopies are far more likely to fall out of fashion than are likely to wear out.
For example, you would have a hard time giving away a 15 year old canopy made of F-111 fabric.

Lines are usually the first part of a canopy to wear out. Lines can wear out in as little as 300 jumps in the desert. Jump that canopy's twin in Wisconsin and lines might last 800 jumps.

[billvon 3,002]

Use and UV exposure cause canopies to wear out. I have a Nova that's almost 20 years old that's in nearly perfect condition.

Line sets need replacement every 200-500 jumps. A canopy can last 2000 jumps before it gets structurally unsound.

When looking at a canopy, check:

-length of outer lines. If they are way shorter than the center lines, they may need to be replaced. Check the line trim chart to be sure.

-condition of rear center top panel. That's what gets the most sweat/sun/pinch wear, and that's what will show wear first.

-condition of bridle attachement _inside_ the canopy. That gets stressed quite regularly.

-condition of lines near risers.

-Inside of grommet sliders. Banged up/worn grommets cause line wear. Worn brass grommets indicate a lot of jumps on the canopy. Stainless steel lasts a lot longer.

[UDSkyJunkie 0]

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But if I'm looking for an used canopy, how old is too old? 10yrs old? 20yrs old?

This is a lot like asking how old is too old for a used car. Well, it depends... is it a 15-year-old honda from california with 75,000 miles, or a 5-year-old chrysler with 150,000 miles owned by a punk kid and driven in boston where there's a lot of salt?

I own an 8-year-old Sabre 135 that has another 10 years in it easily... needs a new line-set though. My sister has a similarly aged Spectre 150 that has 400 jumps tops on it and a new line-set... practically brand new! On the other hand, I know a guy that owned a monarch for 10 years or so and always dragged it around in the peas and over cement... small wonder it was like tissue paper when he finally got rid of it.

ZP last a LOT longer than F-111, and it's only been around about 16 years, so anything older than that is probably not worth buying.

And billvon, a Nova in perfect condition? I wonder why that is?

"Some people follow their dreams, others hunt them down and beat them mercilessly into submission."

[Elisha 1]

My Sabre 150 has probably 1000 or so on it and Mfg Dt of 3/91....and I was told the ZP is still in pretty good condition. I've put around 40 or so jumps on it and am assuming there is still at least several hundred jumps left if not more.

[Tonto 1]

I don't like new canopies. They are slippery, and they sometimes don't fly right, and they don't fix very well.

I like canopies with a lot of jumps on them, and I prefer to have jumped any canopy I'm going to buy. Not one like it. The one I'm going to buy. ALL canopies are different, regardless of being laser cut, etc.

I bought my Stilleto for $600 with plenty dives on it. I beleive a minimum of 1500 dives since it was right at the end of it's non origional lineset.

I relined it for $120 and have done another 550 dives on it, doing a retrim at 400 dives. I'll be relining it again within the next 150 jumps. Assuming I throw it away when I'm done with it, my current cost per jump is about $1.50, and getting cheaper all the time.

My wingsuit canopy is a Safire. It was bought 2nd hand for $360
as a wingsuit canopy, again at the end of it's lineset. I replaced the lines for $140 and have put 220 dives on the canopy since then. Assuming I throw it away when I'm done with it, my current cost per jump is about $2.30, and getting cheaper all the time.

I don't sell my canopies. I use them until they blow up or I retire them.
That's fine for ZP, but I still see old F-111 canopies out there for sale. Those canopies will never blow up. They just open slower and slower and get worse landing each year. The chances of the jumper getting injured landing one of those things is high.

It's the year of the Pig.

[Andy9o8 2]

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I still see old F-111 canopies out there for sale. Those canopies will never blow up. They just open slower and slower and get worse landing each year. The chances of the jumper getting injured landing one of those things is high.

Having said that, it would be fun to make a couple jumps on an old 5-cell strato-star if it was still in decent condition.