Aerodyne looking for Opinions: What are the best dive loops.

[aubsmell 0]

In an effort to constantly improve the Icon, I’d like to know what all you guys think is the best front riser dive loop on the market. I know this is a very open ended question and may not net anything more than a bunch of different opinions.

I would like comments on what you guys and gals think are good qualities in a front riser dive loop.

Feel free to either give an example, i.e "X company has the best dive loops ever” or explain what you’d like to see in a dive loop, in terms of arrangement and functionality.

Do you like smaller, bigger (two fingers or the whole hand), do you like them to lay flat, or naturally pop open, side mounted, tacked in two places, anything. I know what I like, but I’d like to know what you’d like.

Instead of us selling you a set of risers with dive loop X, and telling you why it is so great, I’d rather take it to you and see if we can get some sort of over all consensus and build a riser with dive loops that the majority of skydivers will be happy with…

Thanks.
Aubs

"Those who say it cannot be done, should not interrupt those who are doing it"

[aubsmell 0]

if you have made some customized modification to your risers and are proud of it, post a picture that would be cool....

"Those who say it cannot be done, should not interrupt those who are doing it"

[piisfish 135]

I don't like loops, I prefer to use my dive blocks... They allow me to grab my riser much higher than any (AFAIK) loop

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

[AggieDave 6]

I like large dive loops that stand out away from the riser. The dive loops on Sunrise Rigging's mini-risers are nice, although if it was wider webbing it would be easier on the hands (might make it hard to pull the slider down, though).

The smaller dive loops are damn near a death trap for me, I have fairly large hands and wear gloves on every skydive, that's just asking to get a hand stuck.

Even with the large dive loops that Sunrise Rigging has, I still only use two fingers.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[GravityGirl 0]

I know that I don't like the narrow ones that Rigging Innovations sometimes uses.

I've gotten used to everything else.

Something that is easy to pack so they "pop up and open" when the risers come out of the container.

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

[hookitt 0]

Simple straight forward 1 inch type 4 dive loops.

Cut approx 8 1/2 to 9 inches. Mark at 3/4 inch.

Upon sewing the front riser fold over, insert the type 4 at the bottem and stitch it into the pattern. take the free end and place it just above the stitch pattern. Use 2 riser wide Bartacks, or equivelent.

Simple and effective.

Using the type 17 of the riser like Javelin does is, in my opinion, the most uncomfortable and bulky way to do it.

[towerrat 0]

I really like the Wings dive loops. I have found, in my limited experience that the design is good, but they could be a little bigger ( the material and the loop itself).

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes!

[Dazzle 0]

Another vote for the wings loops, preferred them to the Icon ones and they're the only containers I've jumped recently. On a fairly new Icon I found I spent ages trying to open the loops (another person demoing the container thought so as well). The wings just seem to be there when you want them.

What would be nice is some sort of loop / block on the rear risers. The Katana is so floaty on rear risers I spend quite a lot of time in them getting back from spots. At the mo I've got a finger up in the lines but thats not comfortable, a block or loop might work better.

[Spy38W 0]

Very nice that somebody makes a comment to the company about a design feature, and within days a rep is looking for opinions to improve their product.

On the subject, I have jumped Wings risers for most of my jumps, so my experience with different types is fairly limited. I like them because they are always open and easy to grab. I use two fingers, with my hand through the toggle to the bend between my index finger and thumb.

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Hook high, flare on time

[diablopilot 2]

I prefer type 17 dive loops as a continuation of the riser. Similar to the way Mirage risers are built.

Infinity risers, with mirage dive loops, with Miniforce rings....now there is a plan.....

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You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[DrewEckhardt 0]

Small (I use two fingers) and high so the tail doesn't get deflected, open so it's easier to get fingers in there.

[FlyinseivLP2 0]

I like Wings the best also. The way they are sewn makes them easier to grab than the others I have jumped.
Jeff

[RyanofOZ 0]

I like the ones on my Icon. I do agree that they are hard to get open and into at first though. I would like to see them open better on their own.

Oz

[FrogNog 1]

I like dive loops that are a continuation of the riser because it makes me feel confident they aren't going to rip. Yeah, I know, I'm not that strong, but there are parts of my equipment I look at and convince myself are strong enough, and there are parts I look at and say "Damn!".

I also like dive loops that are just as wide as narrow risers. If they are narrower I tend to get unnacceptable finger pain from what I assume is high riser pressure on the (relatively large, tapered rectangular) canopies I jump. I haven't tried super-wide dive loops yet but if I can grip all the way around the loop with my "dive claw" grip, I don't think that would be a problem.

The canopies I have been jumping also seem to have long control ranges, so the higher the grip part of the dive loop, the better. Otherwise I have to lengthen the brake lines so far I don't think I can get the canopy to stop as well in zero wind. (I know the dive loop can only be up so high, so I'm checking other canopies to see if I just need a different model canopy for my needs.)

One kind of dive loop that I find inferior is the mechanical-advantage dive loop. While they halve the felt front riser pressure, they double the toggle input per front riser input if the toggles are kept in the hands, which I always do unless I'm doing something weird way up high, or I'm packing or cutting away.

Personally, I use two or three fingers on my dive loops. I always wear gloves (thin in Summer, thicker in Winter) and have long, narrow fingers. Just in case you care.
Dive loops that pop open would be great. I think I would welcome any additional packing difficulty for this. (And I have one of those rigs with nuclear riser covers, so no problem there.) I've never used such a beastie, though, so I don't know if there are any other downsides I haven't thought of.

[billvon 2,427]

I like the ones on my Reflex. They are similar to the Icon's but are tacked down not quite at the bottom of the dive loop. So if you push up on the bottom of the loop, it opens up very easily, but still packs flat when you're packing.

[VectorBoy 0]

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I know that I don't like the narrow ones that Rigging Innovations sometimes uses.

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Awh shucks these are my favorites.

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[skygod7777 0]

i really like the wings dive loops.

they best i have ever jumped, they are always open, and easy to grab, i never have to fumble arond looking for them, or have to look up to find them (good because i can always keep my eye on traffic).

but that's just my opinion.

lata

[skytash 0]

Sally at Paragone made dive loops for a friend of mine which were discussed a while ago:

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=904993#904993

He doesn't post much here but really likes these loops as they are bigger than standard he can get his fingers into them more easily.

tash

Don't ever save anything for a special occasion. Being alive is a special occasion. Avril Sloe

[fool 0]

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I don't like loops, I prefer to use my dive blocks... They allow me to grab my riser much higher than any (AFAIK) loop

ditto... got used to blocks early on, and honestly, I've borrowed gear before, and because there were loops there, but I don't think they'd ever been used before and they were the flat to the riser kind, my vote is for the stick out kind if you're gonna go with loops.

S.E.X. party #1

"Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting "f*#k, what a ride".

[piisfish 135]

and when I borrow a rig with no blocks, I grab the links anyways....
Maybe I should try to get a couple of fingers in these loops again...

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

[lauras 0]

Ah, yes, the fabled Saloni 2000 dive loops. Aubrey, ask Jody to whip up a set.

[riggerrob 558]

Ah!
Design compromises ...
Make them big - so I can grab them with winter gloves.
Make them high -
Make them stand out - so I can grab them with winter gloves
Make them small - so my slider can slide down past them

[egons 0]

Hey Aubrey!

One of the best assets you have are your sponsored jumpers. Get their opinions - even better get your Engineers to come up with some variations and get some conclusive testing done with them... this has certainly worked for many manufacturers including RWS.
Your Sponsored jumpers are extremely important in the RnD process for development. Put them to the test!!!
Many of RWS's innovations are purely through the input we get from our sponsored jumpers as they are the most current out there wanting the best and safest gear availible to them!

My 02 cents buddy.

Cheers
Egon

"Start doing what's necessary, then what's possible, and suddenly you're doing the impossible!"

[bmcd308 0]

I agree that the Wings loops are good, but I would like them to be little smaller so that you are pulling on a higher point on the riser. I feel like the loop material is too long. Makes you use more toggle stroke to pull them and also makes it so that the effective attachment point is lower.

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www.jumpelvis.com

[nicknitro71 0]

By far the Wings loops. They are much easier to grab because they stay open and there is no "reaching and scooping".

Memento Audere Semper

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