Parachute parts...

[OldBaldGuy]

Hi, I have been lurking here, off and on, for a while, and finally decided to jump in with both feet. I was digging thru my goodies today, and discovered something I forgot I even had...a standard OD pesonnel parachute canopy (minus the lines, so I can't use it go jump off of the roof or something). Then I looked at my USAF survival manual and saw all the neat stuff you can make with a few (usually six) gores from the 'chute. Before I cut this thing up, has anyone actually used parachute parts for shelter, sleeping bags, hammocks, etc? Is it worth the trouble? How big would six gores be, rolled or stuffed as small as possible???

OBG

 

[leon-1]

I used a zoot suit many years ago, it was very good. I have recently been thinking about either having one made or making one myself as they are light in weight and comfortable as well as packing down small :wave:

 

[ChrisKavanaugh]

I don't know this guy. A gore is each section of a sewn parachute. If remember my math, area is found roughly by WxL.

 

[tedw]

I've used parachute parts for many of the uses you suggest and would say that it works but you get a better result from using purpose-designed items made from appropriate fabrics. Downed aircrews use the parachute parts because they do not have anything better with them! Parachute material is not waterproof but is quite water-resistant when stretched taught; in a heavy rainstorm you get penetration and a haze of moisture inside the shelter. There is little insulation even in several layers of the fabric so you have to stuff it with dry grass, bracken or whatever to make a comfortable sleeping bag or mattress if you want to be warm. The best applications IMHO would be the “zoot suit” (I’ve no personal experience of this but they are rated by some Bill Oddie mates); the hammock (but even then I binned mine when I got one of the nylon mesh jobs that packs down to half the size of the parachute version); or strung up in a tree as a “tepee” shelter for a large group (get it taught!).

Ted W

 

[Tony]

The fabric will provide quite a good shelter if it's multiple layers with a gap in between. Just 2 layers with say a foot between them will probably keep you dry except for the worst of weather, steep angle to allow lots of run off and what does manage to penetrate will run off the second layer...I wouldn't put insulation between these layers as it will get wet and stay wet allowing for a bridge between the layers. A shoot is quite big though so there would be enough room for a reflector of some sort or insulation in the shelter....IMHO

 

[Ed]

Welcome to BCUK Glad to have you here.
'Zoot' suits mentioned above make great sleeping wear at night, though personally I'd keep it whole and use it for a group shelter....

Ed

 

[gurushaun]

Leon-1, SASS make and stock zoot suits in pertex now, I'll find the link to their site for you as its changed recently.

Cheers

Shaun

 

[tedw]

Me again, just a comment on the insulation issue. My experience of this was using dry bracken laid thickly beneath me as a mattress with a few layers of para fabric on top. It was cold and dry (mostly) and the ground was frozen so the insulating materials did not get wet. If they had, then yes it would be a heat sink and a really bad idea. As long as you can keep it dry it should work. We did not use fires near the shelters, but I was able to sleep in frosty conditions, wearing all my flying clothing and wrapped in a couple more layers of para cloth. If it had been really cold, but dry, I would have stuffed the upper layers with more insulation material.

You might be interested in the shelter construction. The whole parachute was folded into a triangular sort of tube one gore/panel size. A couple of layers were then lifted up and the paracord from the central seam stretched up to a tree branch to form a tent-like shelter. This leaves several layers of cloth on the base you can squirm into as a sort of sleeping bag. Hope that makes sense; it should be simple if you actually try it. It works, anyway.

Ted W

 

[sargey]

sort of like a kennel shaped lean to rather than the usual tipi construction in survival books?

that's brilliant! you could even have the fire on the go in front!

thanks for the tip ted.

cheers, and.

 

[leon-1]

Leon-1, SASS make and stock zoot suits in pertex now, I'll find the link to their site for you as its changed recently.

Cheers

Shaun

Cheers shuan, I have already gone through one pertex zoot suit, the original para silk ones were better, which is why I was thinking of making one.

Good of you to offer though. :super: