Old/strange gear

[falxori 0]

Hi,
i'm looking for pics of old gear setups, with different configurations than today's common rigs.
for example, i've heard there were rigs where the handles were above the chest strap.

what i'm actually looking for is the evolution of rigs, and why some designs survived and some faded away.

thanks
O

"Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero."

[talon2 0]

Any of Dan Poynters Manuals would be a good place to start.
Mike

[riggerrob 558]

EOS (Para Flite), Jaguar (Parachutes de France) and some Centarus (Troy Loney, Centarus Corporation, North American Aerodynamics, etc.) had handles above chest straps.
Tracey in Kamloops is still jumping an EOS. You should be able to contact her through Kamloops Skydiving Club.
Some early Rapid Transit Systems (Sky Supplies or the Annex) had reversed cutaway and reserve handles.
The first Vector 1 (Relative Workshop) and some Eze-Fliers (Rogersport) had throw out pilot chute pouches on the front of the right leg strap.
Early Security Systems (GQ Security, San Leandro, California) had hand deploy pilot chutes stuffed under the right side of the back pad.
There were a bewildering array of hand deploy pilot chutes (I still have a few "fuzzy rats") in the late 1970s, but the cutest one was the "Kleenex box" throw out on Racers circa 1980.

[Gatzo 0]

I own an Omega H/C from 1986. It has both handles above the chest-strap. I haven't got a digital camera or I would have sent you a picture. I'll send you one if I can get hold of a camera...

[Gatzo 0]

OK, found a picture where you can see at least part of the h/c and the handles.

[falxori 0]

thanks

what configuration seems easier and more user friendly to you?

(sorry for all the questions, i'm doing a research on the human factor in rig design... )

O

"Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero."

[Gatzo 0]

I think it's mostly a question of getting used to a particular setup. I do think though, that you tend to have more strength in your arms for cut-away/reserve-pull when they are not fully bend - that is, more strength when the handles are further down. Also if the handles move up to your shoulders (e.g. due to spinning mal) they could be harder to grab.

[riggerrob 558]

Whether handles are above or below chest straps determines whether chest straps ride high or low. Whether chest straps ride high or low is a HUGE comfort factor for some women

[wingnut 0]

i have a mini system circa 1974 that has the main ripcord above the chest strap... i'm pretty sure that's where it is because of two factors..... rig functionality and not getting in the way for the chest mount reserve container..... same reason thattandem rigs have the handles placed up higher.. so they are usable with something in the way.

______________________________________
"i have no reader's digest version"

[tbrown 26]

You might inquire at Para Gear and ask if they have any backlogs of their old catalogs. The great thing about that is you'd get a whole bunch of different makes and models that were on the market for a given year.

I remember in the late seventies one of the things we repeatedly had to watch for on gear checks were people who accidently routed their chest straps THROUGH their reserve handles. In those days, cloverleaf and the so called Martin Baker handles were common and often mounted right at, or very close to chest strap level.

Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

[RhondaLea 3]

I have an EOS manual. If you'd like a copy, let me know where to send it.

If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb