Advance have redesigned the inner reserve pouch for their popular Impress 3 pod harness, so that larger reserve parachutes deploy more easily.
All new Impress 3 harnesses will have the new reserve container, but if you have a pre-January 2012 model and use a bulky reserve, get in touch with Advance and get yourself the upgraded container, which they will sell you at a discounted price.
Advance say that as a rule of thumb, your reserve’s volume in litres is approximately its weight in kilograms x 2.7. The manual for the Impress 3 says that it will take a rescue chute of up to around seven litres, but it is not an exact measurement as packing method can make volume, and some reserve/harness combinations just don’t work well, even if the maximum volume is not exceeded.
They stress that there is no substitute for testing your own reserve / harness combination, and recommend that all pilots test this for themselves in the presence of a qualified resrve repacker. Remember that under high Gs it will be more difficult to release your reserve than during a simulation on the ground in a harness swing.
Advance’s video for how to repack your reserve in the Impress 3 container can be found here.
Cross Country reviewed the Impress 3 in issue 139, which is on its way to subscribers right now. If you don’t already subscribe, you can do so here:
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