packing a Sabre

[flyhy 0]

I got my first Sabre (2nd hand, 300 jumps) and I'm now wondering how to pack it. People told me that Sabres occasionally open very fast. The PD manual says, they're designed for slow-medium openings...
I learnd to pro pack leaving the nose hanging in front or pushing it a bit into the canopy. The manual now says something about rolling the nose sides and tucking it into its center cell. Never heard about that.
And what about the steering lines? Is it better to leave them hanging or to pull the -I think- end cell around the steering & D lines to keep them tidy when covering in center cell?
What are the do's and don't 's for packing a sabre???

[SkydiveMonkey 0]

If you're worries about hard openings, get someone to show you how to psycho pack. Makes canopies open very nicely.

____________________
Say no to subliminal messages

[Kirils 1]

I agree, Psycho the Sabre. It really helps tame openings and is a fast and easy way to pack a ZP. Check out PA's website:
http://precision.aerodynamics.com/psycho/psysteps.htm
Good Luck!!

"Slow down! You are too young
to be moving that fast!"

Old Man Crawfish

[SkydiveMonkey 0]

http://precision.aerodynamics.com/psycho/psysteps.htm
For us lazy people

____________________
Say no to subliminal messages

[weid14 0]

I believe the manual says NOT to tuck the nose into the center cell, it does say roll the nose though. make sure to keep the slider up against the stops at all times and quarter the bugger so the slider catches air first, that and get a good massuse

[Viking 0]

a friend of mine at the DZ (hey Phil) uses clamps to keep everything in place while he packs his Sabre. He says he gets good openings with this, and has only forgot about a clamp once

I swear you must have footprints on the back of your helmet - chicagoskydiver
My God has a bigger dick than your god -George Carlin

[BPO 0]

Ever since I started tucking the cells into the center cell (four by four, that is), I've had consistently gentle openings (KNOCKING WOOD LIKE A MADMAN!)..

[weid14 0]

I dont' doubt that, but what kind of damage are you doing to said center cell? your grear, your choice.

[BPO 0]

Why do you think my canopy is damaged more when packing like this? If I roll the nose (as suggested by PD) I get slammed 9 out of 10 openings. When folding the nose-cells inwards, I get real gentle openings..

One other jumper I know (who showed me how to tame my Sabre) put about 600 jumps on his 'previously-loved' canopy without damaging it..


But.. please.. seriously: convince me I'm doing it wrong.

BlueSkies!

[SkydiveMonkey 0]

This has been posted on here before somewhere - it can put a lot of strain on the centre cell if you do it this way.

____________________
Say no to subliminal messages

[flyhy 0]

What's the problem with the center cell?

[riggerrob 643]

Tucking stuff into the center cell was fashionable on canopies designed before Sabres. Hint, Sabres were one of the first canopies with over-hanging leading edges. Some people believe that stuff stuffed inside will get stuck if you stuff it too deep.
I get decent openings on my Sabres (170-150-125) as long as I roll 4 and 4 and leave them hanging in front.
There are a bunch of other factors, like keeping the slider all the way up and keeping rubber bands tight that have greater impact (sorry about the pun) than nose position.
Wrapping the tail around everything and rolling the bejezuz out of it makes little difference in how the tail opens. The primary function of rolling the tail is to keep the canopy neat while you are stuffing it into the bag. A secondary function of rolling the tail is squeezing the air out.
In my humble (Ha!) opinion, the only thing wrong with first generation Sabres is that they are un-forgiving of sloppy packing.

[christoofar 0]

Quote

I got my first Sabre (2nd hand, 300 jumps) and I'm now wondering how to pack it. People told me that Sabres occasionally open very fast. The PD manual says, they're designed for slow-medium openings...
I learnd to pro pack leaving the nose hanging in front or pushing it a bit into the canopy. The manual now says something about rolling the nose sides and tucking it into its center cell. Never heard about that.
And what about the steering lines? Is it better to leave them hanging or to pull the -I think- end cell around the steering & D lines to keep them tidy when covering in center cell?
What are the do's and don't 's for packing a sabre???

This technique is the "split roll." I've seen a lot of Sabre owners do it, and I was trained to do it when I learned packing (on a Sabre). You take the 4 left cells and roll them and push it into the canopy gently, then take the 4 right cells and roll those and push those into the canopy (again, gently). Then, pull out the center cell and push it in with your index and middle finger, then pull out your slider and slide it back in. Now you can finish wrapping the tail around.

I'm not sure the technique contributes much to gentler openings on an original Sabre, but probably helps slow the opening a little bit more. I tend to go with what packers say "BODY POSITION!!!" contributes more to better openings.

If you own a Sabre2, however, you should avoid split rolling the nose and just leave the nose alone unless the nose isn't even or it's really lopsided. I usually flake the nose a bit, fix the slider, and finish wrapping the tail on a PROpack.

____________________________________________________________
I'm RICK JAMES! Fo shizzle.

[nicknitro71 0]

Psycho is the answer. I am an unusual packer. I take exraordinary care with the lines, I tight the risers together, but I psycho beg. I've tried several different packings with my Hornet; Pro, flat, nose in, out, half way, rolled...The most consistent, softer, most on-heading openings are done with Psycho packing with the nose tucked in.

Memento Audere Semper

903

[Sinkster 0]

Quote

Ever since I started tucking the cells into the center cell (four by four, that is), I've had consistently gentle openings (KNOCKING WOOD LIKE A MADMAN!)..

I jump a sabre 170 and agree with this packing strategy. The fact is, it works very well, because instead of rolling all the cells at once together where they are 'loose' you are practically stuffing the fabric into the center cell where it stays tightly rolled. It's simply logical that you will get more snivel with the 'split' method and experience validates that.

As for damaging the canopy, I don't see how it can be much worse than other typical wear on it like bag friction, etc. so I don't worry about it. Then again, I also don't plan to be jumping this canopy for very long either so I don't care about long term durability. I value my neck and back health more.

[PhreeZone 20]

>Then again, I also don't plan to be jumping this canopy for very long either so I don't care about long term durability

Do you care about resale value?

And the damage is there on some canopies when you do that... I've had it pointed out by my rigging teacher on student gear at my DZ.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[BPO 0]

I agree with Sinkster. My health is more important than the re-sale value of my canopy..

Then again, I might just get someone to show me the psychopack.

[Jiggs 0]

I just pack the nose straight, you don't need to roll it. I chuck in a couple of rolls in the tail but no need to be excessive.

Just don't try play with the risers during inflation; it can result in some unusual openings. Be ready to turn the canopy by all means! But don't pump the risers as it will have some very interesting effects.

"Don't blame malice for what stupidity can explain."

"In our sleep, pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart and in our despair, against our will comes wisdom" - Aeschylus

[BPO 0]

Quote

you don't need to roll it

As stated earlier, that's different for each canopy! I wouldn't jump my sabre if it's packed the way you describe it.. Only got one neck...

Blue ones..

[Sinkster 0]

I'd like to be able to get slow openings on my sabre 170 without wearing it out faster so I'm going to try a few jumps just rolling the entire nose as a group with the psycho pack and see how it goes. I'll try to post again when I learn how well that works.

[Sinkster 0]

I've made around 15 jumps psycho packing my sabre now and just rolling the nose as a group and have found that that combo works acceptably. No more split rolling for me.

So if ur one of those pro packing split rollers try psycho if u dont want to risk damaging the canopy.

[chachi 0]

I personally think that the single best thing you can do to slow down an opening is to ensure you split the line groups with the slider and ensure it is that it is seated as far up as possible all the way through bagging the canopy. The other point to cover is when you stuff the nose in the centre cell you can have off balanced opening caused by one side coming out earlier than the other. This can cause not so good openings. I owned a Sabre 150 that the guy before me swore he got slammed on all the time and I never so much as even rolled the nose on it and had great openings. Just my 2 cents. ~Peace

[Atom 0]

J got a Merit 190",it is a hybrid French canapie.
The only problem whit the Merit ,is the opnings.
It opend very hard and brutal 9 of 10 times.
Even when "rigger-people" packed it,it was hard and brutal.But when j started psycho pac.it, it was the sweetest opning ever.
J roll the tail hard "on-top",just as in ordenery PRO-pack. Not just pull the tail to eatch side.......

Psychopac. is the only way for me to taim the devil.

• Quote

[f1freak 0]

I had to roll the shit out of the tail to get nice slow openings...

HAVE FUN...
...JUST DONT DIE

[RevJim 0]

There has been some good and some not so good info here, so I'll just add what I have done.

I've jumped mostly original early '90s Sabres, and the only hard openings I have had were on pack jobs not done by me, proceed at your own risk.

This has worked on all of the ones I jumped, including a 210, a 190, a 170, a 150, and a 135 (my present canopy).

I propack basically like everyone else, except I have the line groups seperated over each shoulder while flaking. I flake the nose, and roll all 9 cells together one way, all the way up tight to the A lines. Stuff it between my legs, and flake the rest of the canopy. Quarter the slider, and switch the line groups onto just my left shoulder. I pull the tail up and around the lines, then stuff the nose all the way to the back of the pack job. I then pull the slider way out in front of where the nose should be. Next I roll the crap out of the tail, and I do mean tight! Coccoon, S fold, and stuff in the bag as normal.

This method has yet to snap me, twist me, or spin at all. Every opening has been nice and straight. The snatch force sits me upright, and I am able to look up and actually watch the canopy open 2 cells (1 right, 1 left) at a time.

As everyone said, each canopy is different, but this packjob has never failed me, with 7 different older Sabres, in 5 different sizes.

It's your life, live it!
Karma
RB#684 "Corcho", ASK#60, Muff#3520, NCB#398, NHDZ#4, C-33989, DG#1