Noob with gear questions?

[Hayfield 0]

I'll be brief:
Over the winter i purchased a 98 racer elite, with a pd 190 main, a pd143r reserve, and a cypres with 5 years left on it. My exit weight is about 185, closer to 190 the night after a steak dinner and beer.

My questions: Is the reserve too small to allow me to use this rig when i'm off student status? The reserve container is 400cc which means i could go to a pd160 pretty easy or a 176r if microlines are used. Should i buy a bigger reserve? how close to the max pack volume can you reasonably go w/out packing/deployment issues? Any info would be greatly appreciated!
Blue skies

"Remember the First Commandment: Don't Fuck Up!"
-Crusty Old Pete

[wmw999 2,570]

You should seriously consider a bigger reserve. A 143 will give you better than 1.3 loading, which is aggressive for your experience level.

You are more likely to be distracted by recent events on a reserve ride than many other jumps. Do you really want that to be your smallest canopy ever?

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[Hayfield 0]

That's actually what i was kind of thinking...
My other question is about pack volumes. will packing a canopy that has a pack volume near the max capacity of the container (but still listed as under that volume by PD) cause any issues with deployment? is the max container size something that should not even be approached too closely, etc?

"Remember the First Commandment: Don't Fuck Up!"
-Crusty Old Pete

[Fast 0]

Quote

That's actually what i was kind of thinking...
My other question is about pack volumes. will packing a canopy that has a pack volume near the max capacity of the container (but still listed as under that volume by PD) cause any issues with deployment? is the max container size something that should not even be approached too closely, etc?

You should talk to your rigger. Don't have one? Find out from people at your dropzone who you should have your rigging done by. They can tell you the largest size of reserve that will fit in your container.

Beyond that, ask yourself this... If you have a malfunction, cutaway, and are flying on your reserve, probally lower and farther from the airport than you want to be, is that the best time to be jumping the smallest, fastest canopy you have ever flown? You don't know anything about how it flys and its more aggresive than your main. What if you cut away at your decision altitude then have to land off field? Do you want that to be the first time you have ever flown a canopy that small?

Sounds like a bad idea to me.

~D
Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me.
Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

[Hayfield 0]

Thanks for the reply and info.
I will ask around this weekend. there is a pro shop (camper) at my new dz so they'll probably just point me there...

"Remember the First Commandment: Don't Fuck Up!"
-Crusty Old Pete

[tso-d_chris 0]

Quote

I'll be brief:
Over the winter i purchased a 98 racer elite, with a pd 190 main, a pd143r reserve, and a cypres with 5 years left on it. My exit weight is about 185, closer to 190 the night after a steak dinner and beer.

My questions: Is the reserve too small to allow me to use this rig when i'm off student status? The reserve container is 400cc which means i could go to a pd160 pretty easy or a 176r if microlines are used. Should i buy a bigger reserve? how close to the max pack volume can you reasonably go w/out packing/deployment issues? Any info would be greatly appreciated!
Blue skies

Wendy offered you very good advice.

I would add that PR-143s have a pretty good demand and resale value, and it should not cost a huge amount of cash to upsize to a more apprpriate PR 176, when it is all said and done.

For Great Deals on Gear

[riggerrob 643]

Don't waste your time quoting pack volumes from tow different sources (i.e. Racer and PD).
Only trust volume numbers published by the container manufacturer (i.e Jump Shack: the Racer factory).
That is because container manufacturers ask riggers what fits in each size of container, while canopy manufacturers allow marketing managers to publish "numbers" on canopies.

Now kiddies, do you know the difference between a compulsive liar and a marketing manager?

[wmw999 2,570]

Also, if your rigger is used to packing the kind of rig you're jumping (e.g. Racer in this case), then they can probably make it work well with the largest possible size.

If they're not, then they're going to cuss a lot as they pack; it's more likely to have wrinkles and lumps and be less comfortable, and they're more likely to tell you that no they can't do it overnight when you forgot to bring it in time to give them a week.

So if a 176 is at (or slightly above) the top of a reserve, do consult with whoever will be packing it regularly.

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[Broke 0]

Quote

Now kiddies, do you know the difference between a compulsive liar and a marketing manager?

Money lots and lots of money

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