Are you just starting out with skydiving and looking for ways to get better at it? If so, it will help to know these tips for what to do after you've opened your canopy and are getting ready to land.
Look At Your Surroundings
Those moments after you open your canopy are going to be very important, since you want to look at your surroundings and make adjustments as necessary. Look at the other skydivers around you to make sure you are not going to run into anybody else. You should be prepared to use your rear risers to make adjustments to your travel path while the canopy is opening as well.
Check The Canopy
You should then look up at the canopy after it has been opened to give it a visual inspection. You want to make sure that the canopy has fully opened up, that you are squared up under the canopy, and that it is in good condition so that you will be able to land.
Locate The Dropzone
Your orientation may have changed when you opened your canopy. Make sure that you can locate where the dropzone is located so that you can start heading towards it. You may need to use your rear risers to get yourself into the correct position to prepare for the landing and get under control.
Pull Down The Slider
You'll want to pull down the slider of your canopy so that it is behind your head. This will help prevent the grommets from the slider from wearing down the cords of the canopy. It will help prevent those cords from wearing down too fast, and give you more visibility when landing as well. Some people prefer to use a slider stow to hold onto the slider during landing.
Undo The Booties
If you are wearing booties over your shoes during the skydive, now is the time to start undoing them. You can roll those booties up so that you have your shoes exposed for the landing process. It not only gives you more stable footing for when you touch the ground, but prevents the booties from being worn down prematurely.
Loosen The Chest Strap
Once you know everything else is under control, you'll want to loosen your chest strap slightly. This will help change where the weight is on your body, which gives you more movement of your body when landing. One thing to keep in mind is that this can cause your reserve handles to shift slightly in case of an emergency. Make sure you are familiar with where the handles are located once the chest strap is loosened.
