Tailgate Rubber Bands

[hamsandwich]

It's come to my attention that rubber bands actually get STRONGER with use.

I was informed by visiting jumper this weekend that a BASE-GOD told him to change his tailgate rubber band after every jump or else it might hang up.

Man, maybe I can keep one on long enough until it turns into a diamond!




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[iamchriskolegasbitch]

Well at least I now have a life time supply of rubber bands.

[hamsandwich]

chris please elaborate.


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[lifewithoutanet]

I think the only way it might "get stronger" and thus hang up is if it gets twisted and is not un-twisted on the next packjob. But yeah, this sounds kinda ridiculous. Can you elaborate on what you were told?
-C.

[nicknitro71]

chris please elaborate.

Jesus Christ! You sound like the Assholio now!

[hamsandwich]

And your mom sounded like a dying yak last night!

I just want Chris to tell the story himself cause it was pretty funny and retarded when I heard it.


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[nicknitro71]

Bro,

Maybe this self-coined BASE-GOD stores the rubber bands up his ass giving them "super-human" strength.

[iamchriskolegasbitch]

Jesus Christ! You sound like the Assholio now!

So the other day I was packing at the top of the bridge and the rubber bang on my tailgate broke. I didnt have a spare with me so I asked this guy at the top who was teaching a FJC. I dont want to name any names so lets just call him Tom A. He said shure as he was getting them out for me he said you dont replace them after every jump. I was like no, he the stated that he didnt think it was a good idea and that I should replace them after every jump becase they can hang up when they get old. I was like ok what ever then then handed me a bag of them and said here I get them by the 20 pound bags. I then said thank you and he didnt say a word he just turned around and walked away.

[BASE1190]

Okay so I think there is a miscommunication involved here. I know Tom A. does not larks-head his rubber band onto the tail gate because of the slight possibility of the rubber band hanging up if you are careless and wrap the rubber band on the wrong side of the larks-head knot. To eliminate this possiblity Tom instead just wraps his rubber band around the tailgate expecting to lose the rubber band each jump and therefore replaces it after every jump. Obviously the rubber bands do not get stronger with increased use. I personally started out larks heading rubber bands on my tailgate, but now I instead use masking tape in place of a dacron tailgate. I have witnessed at least one tailgate hang up, although I think that person was using one of those black (death) rubber bands.

[hamsandwich]

Well at least that makes a little more sense, but it's still overkill.

I don't know why the supergate hasn't caught on.


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[stitch]

Chris was seen hanging with the Easter Bunny Sunday, so anything is possible. I even think he has video.

[packing_jarrett]

I'm surprised the amount of people still using tail gates. I think the way of the future is the burry the tail method/ miles d method. no need for tail gate, No hang ups, no changing rubber bands, no masking tape issues; i.e. wet tape

Personally I have 125 jumps with no issues and semi neat to semi sloppy packing technique

Miles assured me with his 2K jumps and not a single line over.

[hamsandwich]

Marty (Asylum) has been doing the "burry the tail" thing for some time too but I believe also uses the tailgate, don't quote me. For me a little bit of masking tape or a rubber band is cheap peace of mind, and fuck if others have to go through bags of bands to get peace of mind i guess so be it.

like manship used to say, your entire packjob, no matter how you do it, is just peace of mind.


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[BASE1190]

I'm not sure what Marty does, but Miles' packjob also includes a primary stow. I know some people don't use a primary stow, and I do not see the benefit to not using a tailgate of some kind.

[lifewithoutanet]

like manship used to say, your entire packjob, no matter how you do it, is just peace of mind.
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Not sure how, but for all the trips I made to the Perrine in '05, I never met Manship. The big bald fucker who lives in Twin couldn't believe it when I told him that, either. We were on our '06 Euro-Trip and he'd brought some of Tom's ashes along. You hear a lot about the people that have gone in, but the Manship stories always stuck out.

-C.