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I love to skydive. If the pilot will fly, I’ll jump. That goes for the freezing days of winter in Georgia as well. But there is one thing about skydiving in cold weather that kills me every year: stinging fingers from a bit of “frostnip.” At least one time each winter I get caught under canopy with the wrong gloves. I was doing great this season until Sunday. For some reason I thought I would be okay with my summer Neuman’s because it was an AFF jump and I wouldn’t be under canopy too long. Well what I didn’t figure into the equation was a slightly long spot, having to open a bit high and then having to hang on my rear risers all the way back to the landing area. It was –10 degrees F at 12,000 and only a tad bit warmer when I was under canopy at 3500 feet. By the time I landed, my hands were numb. Most of you have been there...where you can barely coil up your lines and then as you get in the hangar and start warming up, your hands feel like they are sandwiched inside a glove of needles. My hands are starting to hurt just thinking about it now. It took my fingers about 10 minutes to finally warm up and feel normal again. Cold-weather skydivers must be prepared for the worst scenario when selecting gloves for winter jumping. You not only have to take in account warmth, but also how well you can get a hold of all your handles as well as toggles and risers. Many jumpers use two layers of thin gloves or use an under layer of latex gloves on really cold days. Other jumpers are comfortable with a thick, rubberized or insulated glove. Whatever you choose, practice your emergency procedures to make sure you can grip all the necessary handles as well as your toggles. And finally, don’t forget to actually use your cold weather gloves if you have any doubt you’ll need them. Frostnip or stinging hands is absolutely no fun! If you do get a touch of frostnip, several medical resources suggest warming your fingers in your arm pits or under warm air, but do not rub the affected area.

One of Atlanta Skydiving Center’s student canopies, a Sabre 210, recently was sent to Performance Designs for some major repairs. Upon return, PD enclosed articles on deployment problems as well as advice on how to extend the life of a canopy. The information is well-written and clearly describes how to solve and prevent hard openings. The article breaks down deployment problems into four areas: packing method, line stow method, pilot chute and deployment airspeed. Recommendations for packing method include slider position. “It is vital that the slider is all the way up the lines, with each and every slider grommet seated against the slider stops that are sewn onto the stabilizers,” PD states. “There should be no twists in the lines above the slider, since this would tend to push the slider down the lines prematurely.” As for placing the canopy into the main deployment bag, PD recommends neat or “organized” folds, making sure the slider does not move down the lines. For line stows, “it should take 8 to 12 pounds of force to unstow lines,” according to PD. “Replace Tube Stoes or rubberbands that appear worn. Do no wait until they break!” It is very common for Chuting Star Rigging Loft to replace rubberbands on main deployment bags when asked to repack a main. We find many jumpers who wait until rubberbands break, and set themselves up for hard openings as the rubberbands get stretched out and barely hold the lines in place. PD advises using a pilot chute with “moderate” drag. Your parachute’s manufacturer or an experienced rigger can help determine if you have the right size pilot chute for your canopy. And finally, deployment airspeed is critical to smooth openings and is directly related to how well the preceding items were addressed. “Grab every bit of air you can!” PD states. Click here to read the entire article. Next week we’ll look at how to get the most life out of your parachute.