What to do with my gear?

[smurfmws 0]

I will be unable to jump for the next 8 to 10 months because the army has told me that I must go to Korea in November. The question that I have is there any special way that I should store my rig as not to damage it?

[JohnRich 4]

Keep it out of heat, sunlight and humidity. Extreme heat can melt the rubber bands and get goo on the parachute, and sunlight degrades the strength of nylon. A dark closet inside a climate-controlled house is ideal.

Enjoy your tour in Korea. I spent some time around Osan AFB. Thanks for your service.

The once-in-a-lifetime experiences you will have there will be worth more than the jumps you will miss, and the sky will still be waiting for you when you return.

[smurfmws 0]

Should I hang the canopies up or should I just leave them packed in the rig?

[kuai43 7]

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I will be unable to jump for the next 8 to 10 months because the army has told me that I must go to Korea in November. The question that I have is there any special way that I should store my rig as not to damage it?

Send it to me. I'll take good care of it.

Every fight is a food fight if you're a cannibal

Goodness is something to be chosen. When a man cannot choose, he ceases to be a man. - Anthony Burgess

[JohnRich 4]

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Should I hang the canopies up or should I just leave them packed in the rig?

Here's the quote from Poynter's "The Parachute Manual":

"7.98 Storage of Parachutes

For short periods, say up to 90 days, it is all right to store parachutes in a packed condition; i.e., keep the canopy in its protective container. They should be stored away from dampness such as in a bin, off the floor. Temperatures may range from cool to warm as long as the humidity is kept low. Cover the parachute with a dust cover and keep it out of the sun.

For longer periods, say more than 90 days, it is best to unpack the parachute and shake it out in a carrying bag. Put the canopy on the bottom, then the lines and the pack and harness on top. A piece of clean wrapping paper between the lines and container will separate the metal parts from the canopy. The entire assembly should be inspected for cleanliness prior to storage. One my wish to place the assembly in a carton and seal it.

One of the best places for long term storage is on a closet shelf, as this is away from sunlight, off the floor and the heat and humidity should be moderate.

In humid climates where mildew is a problem and where air conditioning is not available, naphthalene flakes may be placed in a dispenser under the stored parachute. Use 1/2 to one pound of flakes for each ten cubic feet of locker space or storage facilities. In extreme tropic conditions, a small amount of naphthalene flakes may be sprinkled directly on the canopy in the carrying bag.

Be extremely careful not to store parachutes near sources of heat. A wrapped up parachute may be severely damaged without telltale signs of discoloration.

Keep it clean, keep it dry, keep it out of the sun."

I believe the concern about leaving it packed for long periods of time is that the hard creases in the folds can create weak fault lines, sort of like making a straight tear in a piece of paper by first folding it with a sharp crease. Although I've never heard of any malfunction actually caused by such a thing, and experiments have been done deploying long-packed canopies, which deploy just fine without problems.

And this book is a bit dated, as the "90 day" number comes from the days when reserve repacks were done at 90-day intervals. Now it's six months.

I also omitted from the quote the parts about old silk canopies, where mildew was a major problem. That is not really a problem with nylon.

[BillyVance 35]

A friend of mine loaned me a Triathlon 160 that had been packed in its D-bag for damn near 18 months. I took it out of the box, took the D-bag off, and the canopy stayed firm. Nothing came loose. Wow.... I held it 5 feet off the floor and let it drop. THUD... Still held its form! Whoa....

Then I spent the next hour carefully prying and pulling all the folds apart. Glad I didn't jump it packed.

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[smurfmws 0]

thanks JohnRich for all of your help.


p.s.

kuai43 - just kept looking in the mail i will drop it off tonight

[JohnRich 4]

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A friend of mine loaned me a Triathlon 160 that had been packed in its D-bag for damn near 18 months. I took it out of the box, took the D-bag off, and the canopy stayed firm. Nothing came loose. Wow.... I held it 5 feet off the floor and let it drop. THUD... Still held its form! Whoa....

Then I spent the next hour carefully prying and pulling all the folds apart. Glad I didn't jump it packed.

I would say that there had to be something wrong with that canopy fabric or the way it had been stored, and that this is certainly not the norm.

[JohnRich 4]

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thanks JohnRich for all of your help.

You betcha! If you get a shot at Kim Jong Il, take it.

[heavydude 0]

I would rigger roll the canopies for storage w/ harness disconnected. Canopies folded loose in a big bag to keep bugs, debri away. Reserves dont take a set like mains but if your past a repack cycle it may be better rigger rolled also. I store canopies this way I am not using with bags inside a plastic box for additional protection. Cool area storage is good as well as placing all stuff in a big Pelican box.

[likestojump 3]

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A friend of mine loaned me a Triathlon 160 that had been packed in its D-bag for damn near 18 months. I took it out of the box, took the D-bag off, and the canopy stayed firm. Nothing came loose. Wow.... I held it 5 feet off the floor and let it drop. THUD... Still held its form! Whoa....

Then I spent the next hour carefully prying and pulling all the folds apart. Glad I didn't jump it packed.

I jumped a Vengeance120 (near new and very slick) that was packed the same way for 4 years in hot Florida. It felt like a solid brick, and I never repacked it.

opened just fine. But I must stress it was an experiment, not something I recommend doing.

[BillyVance 35]

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A friend of mine loaned me a Triathlon 160 that had been packed in its D-bag for damn near 18 months. I took it out of the box, took the D-bag off, and the canopy stayed firm. Nothing came loose. Wow.... I held it 5 feet off the floor and let it drop. THUD... Still held its form! Whoa....

Then I spent the next hour carefully prying and pulling all the folds apart. Glad I didn't jump it packed.

I would say that there had to be something wrong with that canopy fabric or the way it had been stored, and that this is certainly not the norm.

It has the tackified fabric, which I could understand sticking together after 18 months. I made plenty of jumps on it with no problems, even CRW.

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[apt3studiodiver 0]

if your dz is low on rental gear maybe you could let them use it as 'nice' rental gear... when you get back from tour you'll have a bunch of jump credit waiting for you. have it make $$ while your gone. the only downside is poss. cutaway with lost main

www.apt3studios.com
www.musicpromotiononline.com
www.internetcafegaming.com
D.S. # 4321

[JoeQ.Public 0]

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A friend of mine loaned me a Triathlon 160 that had been packed in its D-bag for damn near 18 months. I took it out of the box, took the D-bag off, and the canopy stayed firm. Nothing came loose. Wow.... I held it 5 feet off the floor and let it drop. THUD... Still held its form! Whoa....

Then I spent the next hour carefully prying and pulling all the folds apart. Glad I didn't jump it packed.

Damn, I might want to get the reserve repacked.

Very soon, an honest person will not be able to sing the last 2 lines of our National Anthem:::Practice safe dining....use condiments