Parapak Vs. Cordura

[rapper4mpi 0]

Does anyone know what the benefits of parapak are over cordura as a container material? I never see parapak on containers unless they are really old. Why do manufacterers still offer it as an option? Thanks for your help.
-Rap

[freefallin14 0]

I would suggest not getting parapak, I had it on my first wings container, and it makes the flaps much more slippy i.e. easier to open in freefall. My new one is cordura, will never go parapak again. The cordura has a lot more friction and makes the flaps stay shut that much better. Other than that the parapak held up well, but I only had about 175 jumps on it.
Bret

[rapper4mpi 0]

I never said I was getting Parapak...I want to know why it is still offered. There must be a reason/benefit to it. Please someone with knowledge on this answer. Thank you.
-Rap

[freefallin14 0]

Well for the wings it is the only way to have the patch pattern done. They don't offer it with cordura. Other than that i have no clue why other manufacturers offer parapak.
Bret

[skybytch 273]

In my experience Parapak is less durable than Cordura; I recommend Cordura to anyone who thinks they won't be standing up all their landings. My first container was a parapak Racer and the fabric didn't handle being drug across asphalt nearly as well as the Cordura student rigs I saw suffer the same abuse.
Manufacturers offer it to provide a choice; some people prefer the look and feel of parapak over Cordura, and some colors look better/brighter in parapak than they do in Cordura. I still see containers going out in parapak; just ordered one for a customer yesterday. Many container manufacturers use it exclusively or offer it as a choice for the backpad and inside legpads too.
pull and flare,
lisa
--
What would Scooby Doo?

[Spy38W 0]

I hate being a newbie. I don't even know what parapack is.. when I was filling out my Wings order form I assumed that parapack would be better (ya know, I'm para-chuting, so I should probably get para-pack) :) My dealer talked me into Cordura though.. can anyone give me a quick reference as to what parapack is?

[BadDog 0]

It's not just the asphalt from sliders (an artsy form of landing), it's also the wear you get on the ride up (especially in the back of a Cessna) that will make Parapak show wear more (and sooner) than Cordura. I still prefer the look of Parapak though.
CorporateLawyerDave aka BadDog

[rendezvous 0]

How does one figure out if a container is parapack or cordura ? What is Talon 2 made off ?

[skybytch 273]

Parapak is shiny and smooth. Cordura isn't. Almost all containers can be made from either.
pull and flare,
lisa
--
What would Scooby Doo?

[riggerrob 643]

Parapack was one of the first nylon fabrics specifically designed for parachute containers. In the right application, parapack wears like iron! I have seen many old parapack Racers that were faded, frayed and filthy, but their parapack was still air-worthy. This shiny, slippery fabric is still popular for making backpads and lining leg pads. Most of the parapack used in the parachute industry is about 400 denier.
Nylon Cordura is now the most popular fabric because small scratches are not as obvious in its rough weave and Cordura is more abrasion resistant. The most popular weights of Cordura are 500 denier (most sport harness/containers) and 1000 denier (student containers).
Don't confuse parapack with the other shiny fabric: Antron. To identify Antron, rub your finger along the fabric. Antron will feel smooth in one direction, but rough at a 90 degree angle. Rigging Innovations built some Talons and Flexons out of Antron during the early 1990s, but they had problems with inconsistent quality from the weaving mills. When I worked at Rigging Innovations (1994 - 1997) I repaired a lot of Flexons built from sub-standard Antron, but half the time, we just built them new containers at no additional charge.

[HeatherB 0]

Yeah, I would say only about 1 out of 10 orders that we receive are for all-parapak Wings. And then it's usually because the customer wants the patch option. (Which can look pretty cool if you pick good colors...it definitely stands out in a crowd at least!)
We only use 1000 denier cordura, whether it's a sport rig or a student rig.
Blue Skies!
Heather
www.skydivewings.com

[lazerq3 0]

I know my talon 2 DOM 2001 is cordura!!
jason

[SkymonkeyONE 4]

Yeah, you can still get parapack. All of the rigs used by the Icarus team (team extreme) are parapack; both their old yellow Infinities and their new red Javs. I personally like it, but haven't owned a container made out of it in a very long time.
Chuck
My webpage HERE

[DZDale 0]

Just one question ? I have just ordered my rig which should be ready in about 3 weeks. The rig is cordura, but my colour spec did not allow for one Neon Green on the starburst to be cordura, I chose parapak only for that colour, will this be a problem, will the two different fabrics look O.K. together ?
Cheers
Dale

[riggerrob 643]

That is fairly common. When a manufacturer runs out of a trim color in the first fabric choice, they ocassionally substitute another material. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Half the people don't even notice that the stripes are a different fabric.