PocketAlign  by theDigiCar

Parachute Packing

Pack it right, at the track.

A step-by-step summary of the Stroud Safety packing method, written to be followed on a phone with the chute laid out in front of you. Read the four rules first — they matter more than the folding.

Rules that come before the folding

Pack the parachute at the track. Pack it at the event, when you are ready to race — not at home, and not to sit packed in the trailer between races.

A chute left packed can stick. Over time the canopy compresses and the folds set against each other, and it will not deploy cleanly when you need it to.

Unpack it for storage. When the car is put away, take the chute out of the pack and leave it loose and dry.

Inspect after every run. Check canopy, shroud lines and stitching after each pass. Stroud Safety inspects chutes free of charge — send it to them rather than guess.

The packing sequence

  1. Straighten the shroud lines

    Start at the vehicle attachment point and walk toward the canopy, running the lines through your hands. Keep them flat, straight, untwisted and off the ground.

    attach point canopy

  2. Take up the lower lateral band and tension the canopy

    Grab the lower lateral band — the tape running around the bottom edge of the canopy — on both sides of the attachment point, and keep walking until the canopy is tight.

    lower lateral band

  3. Fold the canopy into a pie

    Gather the corners in and fold the canopy down to a compact triangular “pie” shape.

    pie fold

  4. Bridle cord into the D-bag first

    Before anything else goes near the deployment bag, lay the bridle cord into it.

  5. S-fold the canopy in, then the lines on top

    S-fold the canopy into the D-bag, then S-fold the shroud lines on top of it. The canopy goes in first so that on deployment the lines pay out first and the canopy opens last.

    canopy first (green), lines on top

  6. D-bag into the pack, pilot chute on top

    Put the packed D-bag into the main container. S-fold the pilot chute bridle cord on top of it, then set the pilot chute on top of the folded bridle.

    D-bag pilot chute
Order is the whole point. Canopy into the bag before the lines means the lines pay out first and the canopy opens last. Reverse it and the canopy can blossom before the lines are out, which is how a chute snatches.

Mounting, cleaning and service

  • Mounting angle. Mount the pack at roughly 45° from horizontal, up and behind the spoiler — not tucked under it, where it sits in dead air.
  • Cleaning. Wash every 6–8 weeks of use with mild soap and cold water. Air dry in the shade. Never put a canopy through a machine dryer.
  • When in doubt, ask. Contact Stroud Safety about anything you are unsure of, and use their free inspection service rather than guessing at the condition of a canopy.

Source

Source: Stroud Safety packing instructions & Bob Stroud guidance.

Open stroudsafety.com

Disclaimer. This is a summary guide. Always follow the manufacturer’s current instructions for your specific parachute model. When in doubt about the condition of a chute, contact Stroud Safety — they inspect chutes free of charge.