Stowing excess chest strap

[JustaBill 0]

I Have kind of a wierd question. Why do some people stow their excess chest strap so it covers the buckle? Is there some sort of advantage to it? I caught a misrouted chest strap in the plane this weekend and it got me thinking that with the excess covering the buckle it makes it a lot harder for someone else to check while looking around in the plane. I personally want everyone that can to be able to see my gear is on correctly so just curious why anyone would intentionally cover a vital piece of it.

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I've done so much, with so little, for so long
I'm now expected to do everything with nothing forever

[pilotdave 0]

That's the way it's done on rigs with narrow chest straps with no "fold-over" at the end. It can help stop the chest strap from coming undone, and it also puts the little elastic keeper on the short side with the hardware where it can't fall off. I don't like em either.

Dave

[JustaBill 0]

Ok, thanks Dave. I hadn't noticed that the straps were different, I just noticed I couldn't double check the routing on them. Thanks for the input.

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I've done so much, with so little, for so long
I'm now expected to do everything with nothing forever

[tcnelson 1]

when you say misrouted, i assume you mean misrouted through the reserve metal handle. some rigs also have loop type cutaway handles but, i've never seen a rig with a mini chest strap that also had the loop cutaway (they're all pillows). so, i'm not seeing how having the excess chest strap on the cutaway handle side of the harness would make it harder to see a misrouted chest strap through the reserve handle.

"Don't talk to me like that assface...I don't work for you yet." - Fletch
NBFT, Deseoso Rodriguez RB#1329

[kelel01 1]

Why do you assume that's what he means by misrouted? I assume he means "incorrectly routed" . . . like put in through the wrong side of the buckle/holder/keeper thing. I've never seen one go through someone's reserve handle.

[JustaBill 0]

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when you say misrouted, i assume you mean misrouted through the reserve metal handle. some rigs also have loop type cutaway handles but, i've never seen a rig with a mini chest strap that also had the loop cutaway (they're all pillows). so, i'm not seeing how having the excess chest strap on the cutaway handle side of the harness would make it harder to see a misrouted chest strap through the reserve handle.

When I say misrouted I mean not routed back through the buckle, just around it and then stowed in the elastic keeper. Has nothing to do with the reserve and cut away handles. What I was asking is why would you stow the excess strap covering the chest strap buckle, where someone giving you a cursory look couldn't make sure you actually put the strap "through" the buckle. Hopefully that makes a little more sense.

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I've done so much, with so little, for so long
I'm now expected to do everything with nothing forever

[tcnelson 1]

i've never seen it myself either but, i've read about it here before. i guess i was looking for clarification. so, misrouted might mean that the strap was put into the buckle on the wrong side of the movable piece so that the strap won't hold; i see.

"Don't talk to me like that assface...I don't work for you yet." - Fletch
NBFT, Deseoso Rodriguez RB#1329

[tcnelson 1]

gotcha.

"Don't talk to me like that assface...I don't work for you yet." - Fletch
NBFT, Deseoso Rodriguez RB#1329

[mattjw916 2]

main reason I do it: the slack will never come undone and smack me in the face in freefall

another reason: you can open/remove the chest strap faster since you don't have to feed the doubled-over end through the elastic, you just tug on it and it all comes out at once. Also, like Dave said, the keeper won't fall off since it would have to get over the buckle (not likely).

I have a thick chest strap and it looks cleaner and is easier to remove/loosen under canopy. I don't care if people can't see if I routed it properly, I won't forget to do it since it's the first strap I tighten when I put on my rig. If someone was to yank my chest strap to check since they couldn't see it, I'd probably just smile and say thanks.

NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

[JustaBill 0]

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I don't care if people can't see if I routed it properly, I won't forget to do it since it's the first strap I tighten when I put on my rig. If someone was to yank my chest strap to check since they couldn't see it, I'd probably just smile and say thanks.

Thanks for the reply. I wanted to touch on the above statement though. Granted I'm new and the strap I caught was on a newer person, but they did thiers up first and she said she had checked it 3 times and still hadn't caught it, so be careful

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I've done so much, with so little, for so long
I'm now expected to do everything with nothing forever

[mattjw916 2]

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she said she had checked it 3 times

Sorry, but I call BS on whomever that was. Friction adapters in good repair can't trick you into thinking they are correctly routed. I think she needs more training. I always give mine a firm tug on the way to the door too.

NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

[JustaBill 0]

That very well good be, I was just relaying what she said, and she obviously thought it was good is all I was saying. Everyone makes mistakes, you can't be sure you won't sometime. I know I've made my share.

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I've done so much, with so little, for so long
I'm now expected to do everything with nothing forever

[Frenchy68 0]

Question: has anyone caught a 1" chest strap folded over to the cutaway side being misrouted?

"For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return."