There are other methods employed to reduce hard openings,  such as rolling the nose of the canopy to delay the initial  inflation process as the leading edge unfurls. This rolling  technique varies from a single roll to several rolls.  [Figure 4-36]  If this does not solve the opening problem,  riggers should contact the manufacturer for advice. Most  manufacturers are very cooperative and have considerable  expertise in working with their products. is a desirable characteristic, but as the canopy fabric wears  and permeability increases, the openings may get too slow. The manufacturer may recommend modifying the slider size  or deployment brake settings. Of these options, the easiest to  do is to change the brake setting. Reducing the brake setting  results in less pressure on the canopy during opening, thereby  reducing the opening force. The negative effect of reducing the  brake setting is an increase in opening surge. The new brake  setting must find the balance of these results that best fit the  user. If changing the brake setting does not work, then the  rigger may wish to increase the size of the slider to slow the  openings. This usually means replacing the slider with a larger  one. This has the effect of increasing the drag on the slider and  restricting the canopy inflation. Another effective method of  preventing hard openings is to install a 2-inch diameter rubber  band on the center B or C line attachment tab and stowing the  apex of the slider in a single wrap of that band.  [Figure 4-37] The jumpers’ airspeed also has a significant effect on opening  shock. Jumpers should make a conscious effort to slow down  before putting out their pilot chute, and then assume a slightly  head high attitude in preparation for opening. The effect on fabric that originally had a permeability of 0–3  cubic feet per minute (CFM) or 0–5 CFM, such as PIA-C-  44378, may not be as dramatic. With these canopies, pulling  down the tail by deepening the brake setting speeds up the  inflation of the canopy. The rigger must be careful not to set  the brakes so deeply as to place the canopy in a stall during  opening. If this does not work, then decreasing the size of  the slider or the fabric type of the slider may help speed up  the openings. The size and condition of the pilot chute may  also contribute to the perceived speed of opening. Another cause is when the canopy gets out of trim due to  the stretch of the suspension lines or shrinkage of steering/ brake lines. The rigger should check the trim of the canopy  against the manufacturer’s specifications and either re-trim  the canopy or re-line it. This may have a pronounced effect of  improving the openings, as well as the flying characteristics. As canopies age and accumulate substantial jumps on them,  many begin to develop slow openings, commonly known  as “sniveling.” If the canopy was originally packed with  the nose rolled, reducing the number of rolls may speed up  the openings. However, many times the slow openings are  due to other causes. Probably the main reason for canopies  developing slow openings is increased porosity that occurs  with frequent use. It is especially noticeable on canopies that  have a “lip” or a baffled nose. These particular design features  cause a canopy to open slower for softer openings, which  Hand deploy pilot chutes are made from either the  PIA-C-44378 (0–3 CFM) (formerly known as F-111 which  is a proprietary brand name that is no longer manufactured.  4-9 Main Pilot Chute Figure 4-37.  Rubber band on center C-Line attachment tab holding  apex of slider.  Figure 4-36.  Rolling the nose of the canopy. 