CanEHdian 0 #1 February 7, 2003 Cordura VS Spandex - thoughts and insight would be appreciated. I'm used to the spandex with my G3 (for sale btw) but curious about the option for cordura. Cheers, CanEHdianTime's flying, and so am I... (69-way, 108-way and 138/142-way Freefly World Records) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkymonkeyONE 4 #2 February 7, 2003 My choice will always be spandex. I have found, in application, that it's just an easier pull. True, you will have to replace spandex much sooner than cordura, but changing a BOC is ten minutes work. Chuck Chuck Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mujie96 0 #3 February 7, 2003 I have cordura on my Wings and I'm not sure what possessed me to pick it. I've had pulls where its taken me more than the by-the-book two yanks (I pull high here so I don't land in the ocean on bad spots) to get it out, and now I check it with a little test pull as part of my gear check. I think Spandax is an easier pull and not hard to maintain-the cordura really doesn't offer much more security either, I've had my PC kicked out during a train exit gone awry and found myself under a fully open canopy way too soon. I can live with it but if I had it to do over it would be spandax. Just keep swimming...just keep swimming.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Austin 0 #4 February 7, 2003 I have the Cordura on my Wings and I love it. There's no was that my pc is going to pop out of that pouch until its time to pull. I haven't noticed any hard pulls either. Austin Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billbooth 10 #5 February 7, 2003 I tried making hand deploy pouches out of Cordura 20 years ago, but quit because I had so many complaints of hard pulls. They work fine for some people, and are dangerous for others. The reason is that there about a dozen sizes of pilot chutes out there, and even more ways to pack them, and I have no idea which pilot chute the user might try to cram into the pouch or how they might pack it. Spandex pouches almost never cause hard pulls, because they take any size pilot chute, packed any way you can think of (well, almost). It's a simple as that. The real solution would be to combine the toughness of Cordura with the stretchness of Spandex. Luckily, such a material already exists. It's called (no brainer) Spandura, and you'll find it on all my drogue pouches. (A word of caution...There are at least 10 different styles of Spandura. Be sure you choose the right one.) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rigging65 0 #6 February 7, 2003 QuoteThe real solution would be to combine the toughness of Cordura with the stretchness of Spandex One way to accomplish this (although it works better, we found, when built into a rig as opposed to retrofitted) is to build a fishmouthed Cordura pouch with elastic tape fitted inside the opening. You stretch the tape out a bit and stitch it in place, when you release tension, it gathers up the opening of the BOC mouth like a ruffle (or something). With both sides/edges sewn into place, the elastic tape pulls the mouth tight against the rig, but the pouch still has room to hold a pilot chute (whatever the size, if you cut the pouch right). It also gives a nice continuous look to the bottom of the rig. Like I said, I think it works better when designed into the rig (like on the old Reflex H&C), but I suppose with some skill you could retro one. One the other hand, as someone else stated, it takes about 10 minutes to change out a standard BOC. "...and once you had tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward. For there you have been, and there you long to return..." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skygod7777 0 #7 February 7, 2003 Quote Cordura VS Spandex - thoughts and insight would be appreciated i can solve this very easily. neither, get pull out but if you have to have boc, then get cordura, it will last longer. but if you have a week shoulder, or have a bit of a hard time pulling or something, stay with spandex like on your mirage. later Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hookitt 1 #8 February 7, 2003 Quote(A word of caution...There are at least 10 different styles of Spandura. Be sure you choose the right one.) Any suggestions to choosing the right one?My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skydiverek 63 #9 February 7, 2003 Quote The real solution would be to combine the toughness of Cordura with the stretchness of Spandex. Luckily, such a material already exists. It's called (no brainer) Spandura, and you'll find it on all my drogue pouches. (A word of caution...There are at least 10 different styles of Spandura. Be sure you choose the right one.) Why haven't I seen this option (Spandura) on any order form for a sport rig, if it is so great??? Just courious... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billbooth 10 #10 February 7, 2003 Quote Quote The real solution would be to combine the toughness of Cordura with the stretchness of Spandex. Luckily, such a material already exists. It's called (no brainer) Spandura, and you'll find it on all my drogue pouches. (A word of caution...There are at least 10 different styles of Spandura. Be sure you choose the right one.) Why haven't I seen this option (Spandura) on any order form for a sport rig, if it is so great??? Just courious... I decided to put this new material on my tandem rigs first for two reasons: 1. Tandem rigs, because they are so big and awkward, go through Spandex drogue pouches pretty quickly. 2. All tandem masters are experience jumpers, so this would be a more controlled test, and they could handle any problem this new material might cause. I often test new materials and devices for years before they see the general market. One particular type of Spandura has worked out very well, and you will see it soon on all Vectors and Microns. You won't see it on our order forms. You will just automatically get it when the test is done. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Emmie 0 #11 February 9, 2003 Do not get Cordura! I have it on my wings, and it is a bitch to get the pilot chute in there. The wings BOC is short and fat, so you have to fold the pilot chute a couple of times to fit it in, and I found that it is either incredibly difficult to fit it into the boc, or else you get it in and find a couple of minutes that half the pilot chute is sticking out. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #12 February 9, 2003 You know, I have the Cordura BOC on my Wings and I never have any problems putting the PC in the pouch and I've never had any problems with the PC trying to come back out, actually quite the opposite, its very secure. The reason you're having problems is probably a direct result on how you fold your PC. If you fold your PC the Brian Germain way, then you won't have this problem (and you'll be safer in case of a horse shoe).--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skycat 0 #13 February 9, 2003 exactly Dave, it depends on how you fold your pilot chute. I have a Reflex (cordura BOC) and a Mirage (Spandex BOC), if I pack my pilot chute the way I do for my Reflex and stuff it in my Mirage I tend to have hard pulls, and if I pack my pilot chute the way I pack it for my mirage and stuff it in my Reflex I have hard pulls. So what works for one kind of BOC does not work for the other. Reflex way is a version of Brian Germains way, Mirage way is the way hooknswoop packs them. Fly it like you stole it! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
craddock 0 #14 February 9, 2003 QuoteYou know, I have the Cordura BOC on my Wings and I never have any problems putting the PC in the pouch and I've never had any problems with the PC trying to come back out, actually quite the opposite, its very secure. I have had both the spandex and a parapack pouch and I can understand Emmie's complaint about putting it in. I have a tiny rig and it requires me to roll the pilot chute up real tight to get it in(24 inch). I have seen several packers struggle with it and I have myself when I have tried to rush and not pack my pilotchute real tight. That said, my pilot chute and bridal are as secure as anything I have seen. I really like my pouch but I can see where others would not. Pros Looks great Lasts forever ? Extremely secure Cons Difficult packing on some rigs/packingstyles Higher pull force The pull force may also be dependent on rig size, pilot chute size, and packing style/care. I have a fairly small pilotchute(24") on a very small rig and I do have a much harder pull than a spandex rig. I borrowed a rig this summer and got a bit freaked for a half second when I went to pull. As I pulled on the hackey it seemed as though the pilothute jetted out of the pouch. I bet my rig has four times the pull force as the rig I was jumping. Josh That spot isn't bad at all, the winds were strong and that was the issue! It was just on the downwind side. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
