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Do you pull the tailgate tight around the lines and wrap the rubberband at the base? Or do you put the rubberband close to the ends of the Dacron? Somewhere in the middle? Would it make any difference in controlling the lines?

I just ponder small details of my packjobs and analyze how each component affects the doployment.

Hope you can understand what I'm asking. I can't really articulate my thoughts that well... need sleep...

Lately I've been using the 'new' black rubberbands I got from JJ on my tail gate. I tend to keep it wrapped at the top (the ends of the dacron), because for some reason the black rubber bands seem a bit grippier than the standard natual colored rubber. After seeing a pretty scary tailgate hangup from above, It makes me pretty wary of how neat my packjobs are. It reminded me to never depend on a tailgate...A tailgate is tertiary to good packing and good body position in preventing lineovers.

I also lark's head the tailgate rubber band to one side of the tailgate, (especially having walked the talus under an [in]famous 'E' in UT.
[ooooo...black death]

I also lark's head the rubber band to the tip of the tailgate. However, a major BASE gear manufacturer advises NOT to do this. Personally, I don't think it makes a bit of difference in the functioning of the tailgate, but it sure does keep one more rubber band from littering the talus.
Actually, I think jumpers often get too focused on the insignificant little things of a packjob that don't mean didly squat when your parachute comes blazing out of the container in a violent ball of fabric and "strings".......

Cya!!

I stopped lark's heading the rubber bands onto my tailgate after witnessing a hangup on a PCA. Since both the jumper and PC holder were very (at that point they had something like 1500 jumps between them, now I'd bet they're over 2000 in combination) experienced, and I had around 200 jumps at the time, it scared me silly.


I've also stopped using the black rubber bands.

I really do think the black rubber bands are more likely to hang up, as is a lark's head.

That said, you can reduce the chance of a hang up with a lark's head by putting the wraps on the 'outside' (away from the lines) of the knot. I believe that the hang-up potentially largely results from entanglement as the wraps try to slide over the knot.

I am aware of four cases of tailgate hangup, two resulting in landings under bow-tied canopies. All four cases have been on PCA's. A while back I tried to induce tailgate hang-up on go and throws (over water) and was unable to do so.

I pretty much think that if you use light rubber bands, with no knot, on the PCA's, you're safe to care for the environment on free fall deployments.

I pretty much agree, Tom.
Lower speed deployments seem like they have a much higher chance of a tailgate hangup--the hangup I saw was a PCA, as well.

I also agree with the reason lark's heads will lock up being wrapping below the knot--but I don't think it's a problem otherwise. I have yet to hear about a TG hangup on a freefall--even a go & throw.

Anyone?