FAQ
-What canopy sizes is Pack Monkey appropriate for?
I have tested it on canopies as small as 120 (square feet) up to 230 without issue. If there seems to be enough interest, perhaps building a family of Pack Monkeys (Daddy, Mommy, and Baby?) might be appropriate.
On canopies smaller than 120s two things come into play: 1) you are probably an experienced skydiver that knows how to pack (and smaller canopies pack a little easier), and 2) you fly a cross-braced high-performance canopy, so packing is much more important.
For larger canopies, both new and slippery or old and beaten up, I think Pack Monkey is a great tool in your packing toolkit. Especially for the young slippery canopies! So much easier.
-How about your openings?
I have found that my openings have been more reliable and on heading, but there are so many other variables and (as of this writing) I only have about 100 jumps with Pack Monkey. It would be just speculating to say anything conclusive about better openings. While it does promote symmetrical packing, which makes me WANT to say that my openings are better, it would be dishonest to make that claim at this point.
-Is Pack Monkey safe?
I have used it 200+ times without incident, and a few of the early adopters have also not had incidents. That said, packing carefully is of utmost importance. And if anyone out there can think of a way that this could be dangerous, please email me at james@packmonkeydesigns.com and let me know your concerns! The last thing I want is for there to be anyone hurt.
-Do you have a patent?
I have patent pending status, and will apply for a full patent.
-What are the naysayers saying?
There have been a few people that have not been keen on Pack Monkey. I have found that more experienced skydivers (who already went through all the packing hardships and have developed their own packing style) tend to be less interested. Though this does baffle me, since I know how to pack (I have about 500 jumps and have been packing for myself since the beginning) and still prefer to use Pack Monkey. Some people (who are also experienced packers) also think that it is an “extra, unneeded step”. That might be true if you happen to be a packing ninja, but there are a lot of us out here that could use a helping hand.