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PussFoots rigger tip of the week, (Winter storage a tip from Shauna). If you have a question for our very own in house rigger please email us at PussfootOG@gmail.com. If you would like your name left out please indicate when you send in your question. Don't forget to send us pics if you have them.
Properly Storing Your Gear
Here’s a question I get frequently towards the end of our season: “Shauna, how would you recommend
that I store my gear over the winter months if I’m not traveling to jump?”
First, I recommend to NOT stop jumping! Travel to other dz’s and get the experience of jumping in new places and get a break from the winter weather; at least here in the Northeast. If traveling is not an option, this is what I suggest. Always check with your rigger or other senior jumpers if you feel that these suggestions may not work for you. This is just what I suggest and what I do with my own gear.
1. I unpack my main, untwist my brake lines and daisy chain it. I also inspect the canopy to see if there are any small holes that it may have sustained that I may have missed previously. Same inspection with the lines. This is also a great time to inspect all components of your main canopy and D-Bag. Check your kill line, if you have one, for wear or if the colored part is fading. The off season is a great time to do maintenance. Check your pilot chute as well for tears and any damage near the hackey/PC attachment point.
Checking over kill line
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Daisy chain and inspect !!!!
2. Make an appointment with your rigger for your next repack. It may not be due for a few months but when Safety Day is announced, their schedules fill up fast for repacks. You can also discuss whether or not to have your rig washed and Scotch Guarded. Washing your rig helps preserve the fabric and it also protects it. I don’t recommend it every year but check with your rigger for specifics. I like to wash my containers every other year, if that, or if it get especially dirty like after a muddy landing. Mention to your rigger as well any additional work you’d like done, too. New leg pad covers are a common request and require some advanced notice if they have to be pre-made.
So Fresh and so Clean
**** Make sure to speak with your rigger prior to washing your rig****
3. I store my gear in a plastic bin in my climate/humidity controlled basement. I hang the daisy chained main canopy on a hook above the bin. Sometimes the rig will be hung up on a rig hanger I also have. I just make sure it’s in a dry place where it’s protected. With older containers, I would caution hanging it up for long periods of time. Some older containers have riser cover that may warp in a way that can damage the tuck tabs to keep them closed. You can always check with the manufacturer if that’s the case with your container. Generally newer rigs are made to withstand being hung up for periods of time.
Perfect Bin - Just Sayin
The off season, if you have one, is also a great time to update your gear that might need replacing before the season. I have noticed jumpers sell quite a bit of gear in the off season for very reasonable prices. Many manufacturers also have year-end sales. This is also a great time to make sure you have pictures of all your serial numbers, reserve data cards and gear you own just in case. Nothing worse than having
something stolen and not have the pertinent info on hand to report it or current pictures to provide.
Shauna Finley
That Smile gets me every time
Thank You Shauna for the great advice
