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Quick question, due to the majority of my jumps being slider-up, I've not used my slider-down for six months, just wondered what you thought, should i repack? I ask cos reserves are done regularly and i was thinking maybe i should apply that to my BASE rig...?

Thanks

As long as you are comfortable with the pack job that is in there, it is fine. (this is also assuming that the system was dry when you packed it and it has been stored in a controlled environment)

Bryan

yeah, like bps said. repack your PC though, i dont know how much it matters, but i have heard that it helps. i guess i also heard on dropzone.com that symmetry doesnt matter.

I have a somewhat similar question.I have 2 Base rigs that will probably sit for a year. Obviously they will need a repack.But should I store them for this long packed or not?I've heard you should hang a canopy for lengthy periods.

Don't hang them (not very practical anyway) just separate the harness and do a loose rigger roll and put them into heavy duty plastic bags. Store in the driest darkest spot you have. Good for twenty years . . .

NickD
BASE 194

nick, is it really good for 20 years? i thought that nylon degrades over time no matter how it is stored. i dono though.

Nick, maybe I should clarify.You're talking to a beginner skydiver.No where ready for BASE quite yet.
I'm not sure what loose rigger roll is.

The problem is canopies will be so much better in twenty years, you'll scare people with your 2006 FLiK, or whatever . . .

NickD
BASE 194

Yeah, but I'm realistically only talking roughly 1 year.
I hope in 20 years any gear I have now would be completely worn out.

in doubt just repack it,i mean how long does it take?

If you feel ok about it go jump it,packed corectly you should be ok..

what he said...

I think more energy has already been spent discussing this than would be required to repack it.

and I doubt reading opnions on the net will deliver the same warm and fuzzy feeling as actually repacking the rig.

Thanks ppl, a friend got back to me and told me he had used a 7 month old stale rig with no problems, which reassured me. As for the PC, i never leave that stowed anyway as to not stretch the pocket, just stow it prior to jumping...

Poynter's Parachute Manual volume 1 talks a little about this. Here is a graph from 9.3.1.3

My scanner sucks so it's hard to read. The x-axis shows age in days from 0 to 600. The y-axis shows opening time in seconds from 0-7.
The 3 graphs are high, mean & low.

Their conclusion was that after 30 days, packed time has little effect on opening speed.

This was about rounds though. Is there any reason to think packed time would have more effect on squares?

Perhaps the difference between lopo and F111 fabric can have effect here. Also one may have ZP top skin or foreskin which can weigh in as well. But wwarped said it best - nothing to debate here, if you are unsure - just repack. doesn't take long anyways.

Another thought on skydiving reserve times... The time between repacks is based on a couple of factors, IIRC. One is historical: silk has a tendency to deteriorate easily, so it was important to inspect the reserve often. With newer materials, for example, Canada moved to a 180-day repack cycle. Another factor is wear and tear. If someone spills a Coke on their reserve, but is dense enough not to realize this might be a problem, it's best that a rigger see it within a reasonably short period of time. Opening times are not really an issue.

So, if my rig was stored in a cool, dry place I wouldn't have a problem jumping it a year later. The only questions left on my mind would be, did I pack it slider up or slider down? Brakes deep or shallow? When I'm standing at the exit point, I like to be able to remember specific points of the last packjob. With a year between, I'm not sure I would remember what I want.

Michael

If you need to ask then you need to repack....

I stored my parachute in my closet outside my home in a plastic crate. A rat actually ate a hole through the dry wall, somehow got into the crate, and died. It putrified and became acidic, eating a 6 inch hole all the way through the canopy. A real bummer - I only had 4 jumps on the nearly new canopy.

If you have to ask - repack it.

sit for a year? send them over. i will take a good care of your rigs for you. will keep the canopies nice and aired. i will also make sure the systems work before i sent them back. let me know

I would hope you think you life is worth the time it takes you to repack. Gear fear would sure suck...

I was told to let them sit in a plastic container unpacked in a climate controlled place.With the PC out of the BOC. I don't want to send them anywhere.Thanks.Sorry I kinda redirected the orginal thread.I should have posted under long term storage.

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