Lifespan of a parachute canopy?

Eric Greenwell wrote:
Marc Ramsey wrote:
I think you'll find that just about all emergency parachutes use
rubber bands, my Mini-Softie certainly has them...


Hmmm...curious! I'll put National back on the list long enough borrow
one of the club member's to try one in the glider, but their 20 service
life is still the lowest. Maybe it's type of rubber bands; for example,
ones out of silicone could take an enormous temperature range.

If my rigger is any indication, whatever "special" type of rubber bands
the chute may have been manufactured with, within a few years they'll
all be replaced by the generic rubber bands the rigger keeps on the
shelf. He's always warned me not to leave any parachute in the trunk of
a car or any other area that is going to exceed 120F, if I don't want to
end up with a gummy mess of rubber bands preventing my chute from
opening properly...

Marc