Packing Sucks......Packing Sucks.......Packing Sucks!!!

[LGreg34 0]

I'm beat up, My upper arm and shoulder is killing me.......I'm ready to scream!! I CAN NOT get the freakin thing in the bag!! It slides around all over the damn place and gets all distorted. I am not putting a lot of pressure on it. WHY, oh WHY won't it stay where I put it!!

I get the bright idea to practice tonight before going to the DZ tomorrow........looks like I'm takin it in a LUMP, dumping it on the floor with a $5 bill on top of it! I've had it! This sucks! Other people can get this done. Why can't I!!!

[teason 0]

I wish I could show you some trick to putting it in the bag.
All I can say is that it does get easier.
when I had 60 jumps, my brand new Sabre 170 once took 4 hours to pack (much to the amusement of the experienced jumpers. Now I can pack anything.

Ask to see some tricks from other packers, but not too many. Consistant instruction is the best learning tool.

I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

[jjiimmyyt 0]

Tell me about it. Been trying to get a brand new navigator in the bag all day. Bastard canopy.

"This isn't an iron lung, people. You can actually disconnect and not die." -Dave

[LGreg34 0]

Lol.....that's what I hear.......it gets easier. Well, I'm ready for that like..........right now! I just bought my first "new to me" rig. It only has a few hundred jumps on it and it's beautiful. The Sabre 170 is still slippery as hell.

I have sought help from a few, very qualified people and they have been very helpful. I get the concept, just can't maintain control of it while S folding. I can do all the rest of it just fine, just still can't get it in the bag without losin it. Guess I just needed to vent.

Thanks for the encouragement.

[LGreg34 0]

Everyone, please pray for us both...........lol. We could use it.

[jjiimmyyt 0]

I've been hugging that thing tighter than my 1st girl, still doesn't want to go in. Also like my 1st won't let me 'close' the deal

"This isn't an iron lung, people. You can actually disconnect and not die." -Dave

[bunge 0]

just my 2cents,
a common frustration i see is a new packer trying to get the whole canopy in the bag at once.

after you make the S folds, concentrate on one side of the packjob at a time. start with one side, fold it tight, grip as much of that side as possible, and pull the bag undernieth it. it dosn't have to be perfectly square yet, just stuffed all the way in the corner of the bag.

transfer one of your knees on top of the side thats in the bag, and now clean up the other side of the canopy looks like its all over the place by now. (you can make it neat again, just roll all that fabric back into the pack job.

when it looks neat, grip it on the side again, and again lift it slightly and pull other end of the bag around it.

pull the gromets up to the stows and close the center of the bag, then clean up any blowouts, then the outer stowes.


thats the best i can to to try to put into words what works for me when i teach a new packer.

it will get easier and neater with paitence, and redundency.

another 2-cents,

there are many methods to packing, and no "only" way. but give each tip and trick a few tries before giving up on them. and when you do get one that works for you, dont be afraid to try another tip from a different packer. eventuly you will combine all the methods that work for you.

Good Luck!

BUNGE

I don't hate them, I just like us better.

[kallen 0]

You hang in there girl. You'll get it figured out.

From my same experience, bunge is right on. The only thing I could add is to be expedient and efficient in your transfer from laying on it to S-folding it. While you are laying on it, correctly orient your bag to accept it and be quick with your transfer. Don't give it time to expand. Roll off and quickly do the S-folds efficiently and quickly while trapping the canopy and one corner of the bag against your knees as you slip the bag over one end of the canopy. Only then, as bunge said, move your focus to clean up the other end.

When all else fails, I just hire a packer that works under the direction of a rigger.

Oops I misspelled "bunge"

[LGreg34 0]

Whew! Went to Sid's site and found a tip on reverse S folds and put them in the bag as you go. Got it in.........but have no energy left to do the stows at the moment.........lol.

[SarahC07 0]

Which leads me to my saying...

"Love your canopy in the air... make it your bitch on the ground"

I was once taught... "make the canopy your bitch!! Make it go where it neeeds to go!! S fold the hell out of it "

Good luck... and packing frustrated me in the beginning as well... It DOES get easier!!

• Quote

[LGreg34 0]

Got it in.........thanks to Sid's site. Again, thanks for the encouragement. I don't know about packing tomorrow though. My thumb is so bruised from stow bands.........yowwwwch.

[WeakMindedFool 0]

See if you can get someone to show you how to roll down the canopy into the D-bag. It's still a pro pack you just roll it in fron the bridle side (no s-fold) if rigger 66 is on line he can explain it...I can't, I can only do it. It's hell of alot easier to get a new or large canopy into the D bag.
Peace and Good Luck!

Faith in a holy cause is to a considerable extent a substitute for lost faith in ourselves.
-Eric Hoffer -
Check out these Videos

[chaoskitty 0]

If you know anyone who psycho packs... its soooo much easier to get new zp in the bag!
The only difference between psycho and pro pack is that you flip the canopy 180 degrees, lay it on the ground, roll it up and put it in the bag upside down, then flip it back around 180 degrees... walla! Its a nice tight roll instead of s-folds. See if you can watch someone who packs that way and give it a shot.

[flygirl03 0]

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I'm beat up, My upper arm and shoulder is killing me.......I'm ready to scream!! I CAN NOT get the freakin thing in the bag!! It slides around all over the damn place and gets all distorted. I am not putting a lot of pressure on it. WHY, oh WHY won't it stay where I put it!!

I get the bright idea to practice tonight before going to the DZ tomorrow........looks like I'm takin it in a LUMP, dumping it on the floor with a $5 bill on top of it! I've had it! This sucks! Other people can get this done. Why can't I!!!

HA! you sound like me this past weekend.
NO WAY will I jump something I pack.
Once I get that marked off on my A card.. I will HAPPILY pay a packer to do that CHORE for me

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
earthbound misfit

[bunge 0]

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

and the long text version
http://www.precision.aero/packing.htm

I use all the methods (pro, flat, psycho) depending on how I feel, and how much shit I get from other people in the packing tent that day

if you do decide to psycho pack, get a rigger to make you a bridle extension. so your not pulling the center cell way out of the pack job.

BUNGE

I don't hate them, I just like us better.

[mrhoop 0]

bunge has a good point. you have to use your hands and knees to put it in the bag. If you have been watching a packer, dont just look at there hands.

[nael 0]

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Been trying to get a brand new navigator in the bag all day. Bastard canopy.

Ahh it's times like this I love my PD 170 in all it's F111 glory.

www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

[ladyskydiver 0]

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I use all the methods (pro, flat, psycho) depending on how I feel, and how much shit I get from other people in the packing tent that day

Got a good site on how to flat pack?

Life is short! Break the rules! Forgive quickly! Kiss slowly! Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably. And never regret anything that made you smile.

[sid 1]

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Got it in.........thanks to Sid's site. Again, thanks for the encouragement. I don't know about packing tomorrow though. My thumb is so bruised from stow bands.........yowwwwch.

Pleased to help. The idea is to use everything, knees, arms, elbows, but only exert energy where it's needed at the time. I see people struggling and shaking, when all they need to do is focus and control the canopy and push it in the bag. Keep at it, I promise it does get easier......www.packingparachutes.com

Pete Draper,

Just because my life plan is written on the back of a Hooter's Napkin, it's still a life plan.... right?

[LGreg34 0]

Thanks again Sid. The Reverse S Folds in your "Tips and Techniques" worked for me. How do you feel about the Physco Pack on a Sabre 170? There are mixed feelings about it at my DZ. I'm afraid to try it.

[sid 1]

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Thanks again Sid. The Reverse S Folds in your "Tips and Techniques" worked for me. How do you feel about the Physco Pack on a Sabre 170? There are mixed feelings about it at my DZ. I'm afraid to try it.

Lori, I know people who psycho pack and have great openings, but I still encourage people to just persevere and learn pro-packing. It's just technique, and that comes with practice. The P.R.O. pack keeps the canopy on heading and becomes really easy after a few practices. Keep at it, if you need any help pm me and I'll see what I can do (of course you may have to wait until this damn hurricane passes through )

Pete Draper,

Just because my life plan is written on the back of a Hooter's Napkin, it's still a life plan.... right?

[welshKat 0]

Sorry no constructive tips really but just to let you know I understand just how you feel, and so many others do too! Hang in there, I felt exactly like you until only a few months ago... Cut fingers, bruised thumbs, still packing when the guys on my lift came down from their second jump since, laughing at me for STILL being there..!

Ask lots of people to show you their tips for keeping the canopy under control, and unfortunately like everyone says it just gets better with practice. Suddenly when I was packing for 5-6 jumps every day it got easier immediately.

If you have the space, maybe bag it a few times at home whenever you can, then at least some of that frustrating practice time might take less away from your jumping days.

Keep thinking about the shape & size of the bag as you fold the canopy - someone once commented, "your trying to get a round pack job into a square bag!" so I made the folds wider & flatter then it went in a bit neater.

One tip that really helped me, if I can try and word it right!? When you have the first half of your bag around the canopy, and are trying to get the second half in... (I keep at least one knee on the pile until its pretty much in)...
Find the corner of the flap with the grommets and put one knee on it, so that sucker ain't moving anywhere while you to stuff the rest of the canopy into it. (Keep your other knee on the canopy)
Then when the second half's in you can take your knee off the canopy and put it on the other corner of the bag flap, so you have something to really push against with both hands when tidying up the first half.
Hope that makes sense?!

most important, don't let it stress you out!!

[skr 1]

>I'm ready to scream!! I CAN NOT get the freakin thing in the bag!

:-) :-)

This is like some kind of rite of passage or something,
but I agree with Sid, it really is just technique.

But it's too hard to describe in writing; you need to
find the right person or people to show you, and then
practice it at home during the week.

Some people say jump it at Eloy or otherwise get it
dirty and dusty to wear the slippery off, but don't do
that. All those dust particles are sharp little crystals
and they age your canopy fast.

It's better to keep it clean and make 50 or 100 jumps
on it as soon as you can.


It's partly using all your body parts to keep the thing
surrounded and not let it squirt out like a watermelon
seed.

When I have a slippery one I use all 6 legs, thighs,
knees, ankles, 11 or 12 arms, elbows, forearms, both
chests and sometimes even 3 or 4 chins and it goes
in pretty easy.

It's just technique :-) :-)

Skr

[ReLLiK75 0]

I just did my first psycho pack job on Friday. I was nervous as hell to jump the thing, but sure enough...it opened!! And it opened SLOWLY!!! Wow that was a long deployment, but it was right on heading. It's kinda wierd to just roll the thing up like a sleeping bag and then just stuff it in. But I think I like the psycho pack. My first pack was kinda fat and hard to get the bag in the container tray. This is a problem I've been having with a regular PRO pack since I'm jumping a brand new (~40 jumps) Pilot 168. I had been wanting to give psycho packing a try since I saw SkyMamma do it down in Deland as I thought it might shrink the size of my pack job. My second psycho pack was much better and MUCH tighter. I actually had to double over the rubber band on a grommet stow because I had the canopy rolled so tight.

If you can find someone to show you how to do it, definitely give it a try!!!

__________________________________________
Have you Got Flare?

[adamUK 3]

At the end of the video it looks as though he's going to double stow the mouthlock bungee... isn't this a bad idea? I have always been told that it's single stow on mouthlocks only otherwise it's an increased risk of baglock? Can anyone comment on this?