First time psychopack... recommendations

[alienfreefly 0]

Hey everyone, I just got a new Safire II 149 and found out in the Icarus website about psychopacking. I have tried several times propacking but it is just a mess... since here there are not many people (that I know) who psychopack, I have seen a lot of websites and online videos and read lots of posts from the forum, but still don't feel confident enough to jump psychopacking, I know the 180 un-twisting at the end and the bridle recommendations, but I would really appreciate some thoughts and recommendations, do I really need the bridle extension, what else would I need, is it safe to try it with out expert supervision, what are the PROS and CONS?
Thanks

[Jimbo 0]

You're going to have to work really hard to make it so bad that it won't open. Do what you saw in the video and on the Icarus website. Jump it. Make corrections.

Remember, it wants to open.

-
Jim

"Like" - The modern day comma
Good bye, my friends. You are missed.

[wmw999 2,550]

I'm no expert, but I psychopack my Safire.

I don't have a bridle extension, but it would make packing easier. If you don't have one, make sure that you have enough bridle coming out the side as you roll the canopy.
Learn how to maintain some tension on the lines as you toss the canopy on the ground. It makes a big difference.
It's really not that different from propacking except it's upside down for a little while, and you roll it.
Just practice a few times. Jimbo's right, it's a parachute, and it wants to open.

If you'll pay for a ticket I'll come watch

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)

[steve1 5]

I learned to psycho-pack off of a web-site on the computer. I made my own extension on my wife's sewing machine out of some nylon webbing. I'd hate to go back to pro-packing. When you roll it up try "Not" to push the lines down toward the skirt of the canopy. I make a couple folds from the top, and then roll it the rest of the way. Don't forget to take the twist out the right way. I'm no expert on this, but have made about 200 jumps on a psycho pack. It opens great....Steve1

[nightjumps 1]

New canopies go in the D-bag best using a psychopak. I usually Psychpack for about the first 50 jumps on a new canopy. I do not use a bridle extension.

I've had one bad incident from a psycho-pack where I did not either; a) keep my line tension tight during rolling, or B) allowed the bottom part of the tail to not stay wrapped tight around the lines. The result was a BASE type opening and a split top skin on the number 7 cell about 18" long.

So.. learn from this... 1. After you've chopped it into thirds, when you're rolling pull the canopy towards you as you roll to maintain line tension and 2. make sure the tail is tight around the suspension lines at the bottom of the pack job.

I see no difference on the openings between Pro and psycho... psycho is faster, but I still prefer propacking for line order and line tension.

[phoenixlpr 0]

Quote

psycho is faster

Do you mean faster to open or faster to pack?

[nightjumps 1]

Quote

Do you mean faster to open or faster to pack?

Faster to pack...same openings as Pro-Pack

[BETO74 0]

------------------------------------------------------------
Quote
------------------------------------------------------------ Do you mean faster to open or faster to pack?
------------------------------------------------------------
Faster to pack...same openings as Pro-Pack

I don't agree, I get really soft openings w/psco than Pro I started psyco packing with a Safire 169 and I still do it with my Crossfire and when I get a packer who pro packs I can tell the difference anyone with this same experience?

http://web.mac.com/ac057a/iWeb/AC057A/H0M3.html

[alienfreefly 0]

Thanks for your tips, after I finish paying my rig I'll pay for your ticket Wendy, I have tried the psychopack more than 15 times the and I have managed to get some good line tension and still working on the rolling and putting it right in the bag. I see that I don't have any bridle extension and the attachment seems very short to me.
Thanks you all your posts, they are being very helpful

[AggieDave 6]

Quote

get really soft openings w/psco than Pro I started psyco packing with a Safire 169 and I still do it with my Crossfire and when I get a packer who pro packs I can tell the difference anyone with this same experience?

I used to be a paid packer, so I've packed quite a few different canopies, a few different ways (as per owner's instructions). I am however, not a rigger, so do trust a rigger to have the "right" answers.

Anyways.

I've found that it is much easier for me to get a canopy in the D-bag and much faster for me to get a canopy in the D-bag when I pro-pack. That, IMHO, comes down to what you know. I've got a lot more packjobs then skydives and 98% of those were pro-packs, so I'm good at that. Only about 20 packjobs have been psycho packed, so I'm not as good with that.

As for openings, I tried both with the demo XF2 I had (still waiting for the one I bought to come in), I had better openings with a pro-pack then I did psycho packing. They were both on heading, they were both decent openings, but the pro packed openings just seemed to open much softer for me.

Honestly, all in all, I think it comes down to pack how you know and what works for you. If that's psycho packing, then use it, if that's pro packing then use that. If you want to flat pack, get on it, do what you know and what works.

No matter what someone uses, just make sure you've got all the important things done, the slider correct, the lines correct, etc.



Side note: I really don't see how a psycho pack would open any softer then a good pro pack. both packjobs are the same until you go to fold the canopy to put it in the d-bag. It takes fractions of a second after the last line stow releases for the d-bag to leave the canopy and the canopy to be in the initial opening stages. At that point, how you folded it to put it in the d-bag doesn't matter, the design of the canopy and what you did to the canopy before you put it on the ground matters. Once again, that's just an IMHO on my part.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[BETO74 0]

Totally agree

http://web.mac.com/ac057a/iWeb/AC057A/H0M3.html

[tbrown 26]

I just started pscho packing and love it. Openings are same-same as pro packing, but psycho is easier and quicker. And I can't believe how much nicer it fits into the bag and how much easier it is to close the bag up in the container.

Anytime you start using a new packing method, it's not a bad idea to pack it and unpack it a few times at home. It just gets you more used to what you're doing, whether it's figuring out the mess of lines while learning to pro pack, rolling a psycho, or anything else. It's going to open anyway, but the practice will help you do it better and feel more confident in your own packing abilities.

Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

[alienfreefly 0]

Do you have the bridle extension?

[tbrown 26]

No, not yet anyway. It isn't necessary, but would be helpful I'm told that a rigger can whip one out in a couple minutes for about $5, so I plan on getting one next time out. I like the psycho pack enough that I'm sticking with it.

Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !