Line Sets. On a Zero-P canopy the canopy will generally outlast the line set by several times.
Spectra AKA Microline (Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene) :
Spectra line has a limited life and will generally need replacing any where from 300-600 jumps for 500lb line and 500-1000 jumps for 725lb line. Note: your canopy may need re-lining sooner as a result of being out of trim (refer above).
Vectran (Liquid Crystal Polymer) :
Vectran has become a popular choice due to its superior dimensional integrity. In other words, they won’t shrink or distort nearly as much as will Spectra. As a result your canopy will retain better openings and flight characteristics for the duration of the line sets life.
NOTE: Vectran does not have as much abrasion resistance as Spectra, and the lines will “fuzz out” sooner than Spectra
It is recommended that you check line wear regularly. In particular, check out the lower control lines; they wear out fastest.
Once again we recommend a line set replacement anywhere between 300 and 600 jumps but due to the variables involved, we recommend that you pay close attention to line wear and if in doubt at least replace your lower control lines regularly.
The life of your lines will depend on several factors like your weight, the cleanliness of your packing environment, the number of lines (7-Cell or 9-Cell), how well you look after them and the condition of your slider grommets. Linesets should be monitored for wear and trim and retrimmed or replaced as you would a set of tires on a car. The things to look out for are trims, wear spots, snags and worn stitching. Often wear spots can appear quite bad but still retain much of their strength (such as wear by Velcro) and sometimes a line can appear in quite good condition and be weakened considerably (often underneath a fingertrap). A simple test is to squeeze the line between your thumb and finger and slide it along, if the line or wear spot gets thinner it is more than likely weakened. Other common wear spots are the lower brake lines and the corner lines where they meet the connector links. You can monitor the condition of your lines easily while packing, about every 50 jumps have a closer look, If you are unsure of something check with your rigger. One of the best things you can do to improve the life of your lines is to use soft links and monitor the condition of your slider grommets
If your canopy is equipped with brake set loops rather than a cats-eye configuration, check them periodically for wear. These finger-trapped loops are especially susceptible to wear and, if not in top shape, can result in premature brake release.
