Custom made rig doesnt work right

[skipro101 0]

I have a rig that was custom made for me.

When I sitfly, there is a large gap between my back and the rig, if i try to lean back a bit to drive forward, the rig suddenly moves against my back and changes the airflow/aerodynamics enough to make if very difficult to fly.

I think cut inlaterals would solve the problem.... can I get cut-in laterals on a rig that is already made without them?

The container manufacterer called and asked how I liked my rig after about two months of me having it, but I hadnt jumped it yet (winter) and coulndnt tell them anything.

I will be sure to call them and ask, but untill then...anyone know of a quick fix?

i dont want a belly band

[piisfish 135]

are your legstraps tight enough ??

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[hookitt 0]

Get re-measured.
Take some pictures. Have someone lift the rig off your back as well and take a photo.
Send in the measurements and the pictures to the manufacturer.
Send your rig in for harness adjustment. Ask about the cut ins while you're at it.

Good luck!

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[darkwing 4]

Just out of curiousity, why don't you want a belly band? Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying there isn't another fix, but I am curious.

-- Jeff
My Skydiving History

[bch7773 0]

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Just out of curiousity, why don't you want a belly band? Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying there isn't another fix, but I am curious.

because he looks like a freeflyer, and belly bands aren't cool! geeez do you want him to look uncool while freeflying?!?

MB 3528, RB 1182

[hookitt 0]

Oh give me a break.. the rig doesn't fit. It's obvious from the description.

Fixing the harness would be cool.

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[rmsmith 1]

You probably need to get the harness resized, and it will cost you extra in labor expense, but it's worth every cent. It took me several trials before it got it right, but my rig now fits like a glove and allows total body movement...even without rings. The biggest issue for me was getting the 4-point junction low enough on my hips to allow a sit-fly without having the leg straps loosen. Look-up some old photos of Roger Nelson from his early years, and look closely at his harness positioning; he was free-flying before generation-x was even conceived.

[skycat 0]

does it have hip and chest rings?

Nevermind found an old post where you posted your rig and it does have chest rings.

OK, so I have a theory going that involves fully articulated rigs although so far it's really obvious with the Mirage. So mind you this is a theory that is coming together threw pictures that I've seen.

Ok, so I have a Mirage with just hip rings and do not have an issue. (lateral.jpg) The other picture is my friend Cyndi in her Mirage with full articulation (newbaby.jpg). So as you can see my both side of my legstraps connect to the hip ring and since I don't have chest rings there is very littl movement in any direction.

Now on the rigs with chest rings you can see that they legstraps connect to another piece of webbing then connect to the hip rings. I think his combined with the chest rings allow the leg straps to "shift" back changing the geometry of the rig allowing it to pull back farther than if it had just hip rings. This may just be an issue for people with a certain body type I'm not sure, but remember that girl in Skydiving in the belly band ad that was having the same problem.

So I'm not bashing Mirage, I have one and love it, and it's just a theory and I could be wrong.

Fly it like you stole it!

[GravityGirl 0]

A couple of suggestions.

#1 - Tighten your chest strap.

#2 - Tighten your leg straps.

When the leg straps feel nice and snug rotate them forward a bit, then tighten them again. This pulls the rig a bit tighter onto your lower back.

When the leg straps are secure, check your chest strap again.

Once you find your sweet spot, you'll feel it.

If you snug up your rig as I suggested and there is still a "sag" on the side lateral (not horizontal), then it seems your side lateral or MLW is too big/long.

Can you try this and post a pic?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peace and Blue Skies!
Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

[skipro101 0]

Have tried tightning, adjusting... hasnt worked.

Ill post pics asap.


I dont want the belly band because its just one more piece to secure. I bought a damn custom rig and paid top dollar, it ought to fit right!

[masterrig 1]

Since the manufacturer of your harness-container, has been kind enough to call you and ask how you like your rig, give them a call and discuss the situation with them. They'll be more than happy to help you, I'm sure. They may 'fix' it for no charge or a slight fee.

Chuck

[mnealtx 0]

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Have tried tightning, adjusting... hasnt worked.

Ill post pics asap.


I dont want the belly band because its just one more piece to secure. I bought a damn custom rig and paid top dollar, it ought to fit right!

I've got an honest question, because I truly don't know - do the manufacturers have different measurement sheets for people that state that they will be using the rig for free-fly?

And... is it possible that the original measurements that were sent in were based on a "belly flying" measurement sheet, if the above is true?

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[hookitt 0]

That's a good question.

The measurements are the same. However, humans vary so much in shape that the same measurements on paper, will fit 2 people different. Measurements are often done inconsistantly as well.

A person may be large over the shoulders and have an 18 inch torso measurement. The next person may also have an 18 inch torso measure ment but is much smaller over the shoulders. Even if the chest meausurement is nearly the same, it can be misinterpretted by an inch or so when creating the yoke measurement, length of the lift web, location of the lower junction, length of the laterals...

For the most part, harnesses are pretty simple. Making them fit can be a challenge sometimes.

Hope that helps.

Edit to add: container sizes come into play here as well. large parachutes, large wider container. Small parachutes smaller container. It still has to fit the same person.

Add rings to it, and the geometry is similar, but not quite the same. (rob mentioned that part below)

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[riggerrob 558]

Both Skycat and Gravity Girl make valid points.

I have been through this process hundreds of times.
When I worked at Rigging Innovations, only about 5% of new harnesses didn't fit, but all the ill-fitted harnesses landed in my lap.
Half of the ill-fitted harnesses were blamed on people measuring themselves, and re-inventing measuring methods in the process. There is a good reason manufacturers insist on customers being measured by dealers - or at best tailors.

The other reason new harnesses didn't fit was because Rigging Innovations was in the process of learning how to size ringed harnesses. Since R.I. invented ringed harnesses, it took us a few years to learn that old sizing charts didn't work anymore, and it took us a few hundred harnesses to learn the new "fudge factors."

Manufacturers of cut-in laterals are currently going through the same learning curve.

Since the original poster got a new harness custom-built for him, the onus is on the manufacturer to re-size until it fits. The better manufacturers re-sew harnesses, repack reserves and ship them back to customers for free.

[skycat 0]

I think the issue is that rigs are measured in a standing possition. When you sit down your spine could be arched or curved which will change how the rig fits.

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=1117289#1117289

If you look at the pics in this post, the girls back is arched and the hip rings have moved back to the small of her back.

Fly it like you stole it!

[skipro101 0]

those pics are how i look...albiet less pronounced than that.

I have emailed the manufacterer....we will see.

[riddler 0]

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Now on the rigs with chest rings you can see that they legstraps connect to another piece of webbing then connect to the hip rings.

Could this be a change in design for the Mirage containers? In other words, since (I think) yours is an older rig, could ALL of the new Mirages have the extra fabric connecting the leg straps to the hip ring? I mean, regardless of the chest articulation.

Or do you think the difference on the hip rings is only for containers that have chest articulation too?

Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

[skycat 0]

Well I bought my rig the same year as Cyndi bought hers (4 months apart) and uni-sys was already out. So it might have changed in the last year, but as of last December I have yet to see someone with the unisys legstrap set up with out the chest rings. If someone does have that set up please holler.

I actually don't think there would be a problem if it was just the leg strap setup without the chest rings since the MLW wouldn't bend that far. On the other hand add in cut in latterals with chest rings and you really have a rig that could float on you.

Fly it like you stole it!

[riddler 0]

Oh, I see - it the Unisyn, vs. standard harness. I understand now. I think you're right about the Unisyn always having the chest-strap articulation - that's part of the system AFAIK, and I don't think you can get it without. And it does look like it may be more susceptible to the hip ring moving back. But I'm sure getting a proper fit would alleviate that.

Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

[skycat 0]

Actually I'm thinking more unisys vs hip rings only (which you can still get).

Fly it like you stole it!

[skipro101 0]

Well they have yet to respond to my email. Ill probly have to call.

I hope this doesnt keep going in the direction it has been...would be nice to hear "sure, send it in and well do a mod and have it back out to you in a week"...but hehe... im sure thats too much to hope for.

[skycat 0]

Well when I 1st got my rig it didn't fit right over the shoulders after a month I called them and told them it was painful to wear. I sent them some picutures of me in the rig and after looking at them they had me send in the rig. 2 weeks to the day I sent it in I had it back completely fixed with no charge to me.

Fly it like you stole it!

[skipro101 0]

Okay, never recieved reply email so I called them today.

Its past the 90 day limit so I would have to pay for alterations.

Could be up to 400 dollars.

Im going to buy a voodoo. This sucks.

[Remster 24]

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Okay, never recieved reply email so I called them today.

Its past the 90 day limit so I would have to pay for alterations.

Could be up to 400 dollars.

Im going to buy a voodoo. This sucks.

An email to them? I'd ask to talk to someone else at the company and make clear they did not reply to a previous enquiry if thats the case.

Remster

[diablopilot 2]

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Okay, never recieved reply email so I called them today.

I believe you were talking about a Mirage.

They were closed for their annual holiday all of last week.

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Its past the 90 day limit so I would have to pay for alterations.

Sounds like you should have ahndled it imediately. A harness fit issue can be determined by trying the rig on, it doesn't have to be jumped.

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Im going to buy a voodoo.

I wouldn't.

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