Stored rig packed or unpacked???

[Flying_Mike_D]

Background here....

I recently acquired two skydiving rigs of a deceased friend from his widow. The rigs have been sitting in his closet for 4.5 years. I took them out for inspection/repack and was amazed at how the chutes stayed balled up even after extraction from the bag. I've jumped them both after I let them air out.

Do BASE specific rigs/containers (being F-111 fabric) do/have the same effect if they have been left stored and packed for long periods of time? Are they difficult to go from a packed S-folded condition to open or is this more closely related to the Zero-P of modern skydiving mains?

If they are difficult do most of you leave your BASE rig unpacked when in storage at home or do you pack and if so how long would you leave it packed before pulling it out for a repack before a jump?

[hamsandwich]

store rigger rolled.

pack for your jump.


-

[Flying_Mike_D]

Thanks Abbie! I have a bad habit of showing up at the bridge (and the DZ) unpacked and then everyone is waiting for me. LOL, yeah, I'm a slacker.

If you do pack your BASE rig and for some reason don't make the jump how long is too long to leave it packed before you would pull it out and repack it? One month? Two? Or longer?

[Cloudtramp]

It seems like that would depend on your comfort level. I would think that no matter how long it is packed it is going to open. Look at Skydive reserves. F-111 and packed WAY tighter than any BASE pack job. I've gone over 2 years pencil packing mine and had reserve rides that opened just like normal.

Of course if you are standing at the top of a 300' object and you can't remember if that last packjob was slider up or down I think I would repack it

[Flying_Mike_D]

It seems like that would depend on your comfort level. I would think that no matter how long it is packed it is going to open. Look at Skydive reserves. F-111 and packed WAY tighter than any BASE pack job. I've gone over 2 years pencil packing mine and had reserve rides that opened just like normal.

Of course if you are standing at the top of a 300' object and you can't remember if that last packjob was slider up or down I think I would repack it

I thought about skydiving reserves after I posted my original question but left that out because you are generally deploying them at a much faster fall rate. I pencil packed my rig for 4 years, thank The Flying Spaghetti Monster I never had to find out if the damn thing would work right!

The only reason I asked is based on what I saw when I opened my friends skydiving rigs up, and I wondered if I pack my BASE canopy up and stuff it in the closet for two months will it come out of the container like a brick... No slider up jumps for me yet so I don't have to worry about that. I've never even had the slider on my main... I lug it around and move it from stash bag to truck and back again, maybe someday I'll go huck something requiring it!

[Cloudtramp]

I thought about skydiving reserves after I posted my original question but left that out because you are generally deploying them at a much faster fall rate.

only sometimes. If you think about it... When you chop from a slow speed mal your not really going much faster than a couple second delay on a base jump.

[Flying_Mike_D]

only sometimes. If you think about it... When you chop from a slow speed mal your not really going much faster than a couple second delay on a base jump.

True, but I have no experience in this either. 15 years of skydiving this August and I still have never had a reserve ride. LMAO....almost had one taking the IAD course with Jay Stokes at Abbie's DZ a few months ago and decided to fight the damn thing as long as I could, ground rush is always fun right??? It cleared (line twists, spinning main) but is was one fucking wild ride. Only reason I fought it was to keep me from jumping Abbie's student rigs so I could finish the course with my own gear... Yeah, I'm not very intelligent.

[kiki32]

My apex manual says to store the rig packed. My gear is currently sitting in my closet in my stash bag unpacked. I should stop being so lazy.

[Mac]

A long packed rig is easier to pack than a shoved in the closet/stash sack parachute. As long as I know how the rig has been treated and stored and you know its packed for the jump you want to do, why not jump a pack job 6 months or even 12+ months old?

[Flying_Mike_D]

Thanks Mac...That's my point. Most of you have been at this a lot longer than I have and I wanted to get some opinions (pro/con) from fellow jumpers that have been around a while.

Thanks to everyone that has responded.

[Outrager]

I've comfortably jumped a base rig (subterminal slider-up) that was left packed for a year and half. In fact i have a rig sitting at a friends place that will have been packed for over 2 years when i get to it. I certainly won't bother to repack

[mknutson]

In fact i have a rig sitting at a friends place that will have been packed for over 2 years when i get to it. I certainly won't bother to repack

That is just WRONG! Get the bitch and jump it! ;-)

[Huck]

This is a good question however it is very similar to asking what is the best canopy or container out there. All sorts of opinions will come flying your way. You will get answers/opinions based on exp. but that usually comes from each individuals own comfort level. If someone doesn't feel comfortable jumping a canopy that has been packed for 6 months they will tell you, "don't jump a long pack canopy." Visa vera for others. I understand you were also asking about the material itself.

One thing to keep in mind, these things are built to open....period. My personal comfort level is similar to hamsandwich, store rigger rolled, pack for jump. I just feel better knowing I did every step only a few hrs./days before the jump.

This subject reminds me of a (true) story in which most of us have heard. Some of the long time jumpers could chime in and tell the long version......I believe base428 was actually there. Some dude jumped a daisy chained, "field packed" rig off TS in moab. It open (not pretty) and I think he landed w/o incident. Fuckin' classic!!!!

[speedphreak]

That is just WRONG! Get the bitch and jump it! ;-)

This is my take on it also, I can't imagine having a packed rig sitting there and not using it; especially after two years. If you are intentionally storing it for a long period of time, I see no reason to do so packed.

I try to keep mine packed "just in case"; also, I don't like keeping it crammed in my stuff sack, I'm afraid the stiffeners in the rig might take a set.

[Mac]

This subject reminds me of a (true) story in which most of us have heard. Some of the long time jumpers could chime in and tell the long version......I believe base428 was actually there. Some dude jumped a daisy chained, "field packed" rig off TS in moab. It open (not pretty) and I think he landed w/o incident. Fuckin' classic!!!!

Lesson learned