soft-links - increasing life of line set?

[wilcox 0]

Why does soft-links increase the life of a line set? How big increase are we talking about here?

From Icarus Canopies
"We totally recommend the use of soft links, not only will they make your slider easier to drop down they will be easier to pack with and increase the life of your line set"

[darkwing 4]

you got me. That isn't where lines wear out anyway. I suppose you could say that lines last longer compared to hard links if you don't have slider bumpers, and the messed up grommets wear out the lines,but that is lame.

-- Jeff
My Skydiving History

[Miami 0]

Quote

That isn't where lines wear out anyway.

It can be a wear point, but it's not the most common spot. I've seen a handful of broken lines that broke at the connector link.

I think what they are implying is the point that the slider will not stop at the links and vibrate against the lines there, creating extra wear. With soft links it passes right on by, not damaging either the slider, the lines, or the soft links.

Miami

[bliston 0]

Their rationale is that rapid links can ding up the slider and then the "roughed up" slider is abrasive against the lines. With soft links, the sider grommets stay smooth and therefore the lines stay in better shape.

Ben

Mass Defiance 4-wayFS website


sticks!

[peckerhead 0]

In my experience I have seen many broken lines but none of them were at the connector link.

Soft links are still relatively new. Lets see what the stats are in 10 years.

[diablopilot 2]

Quote

In my experience I have seen many broken lines but none of them were at the connector link.

Soft links are still relatively new. Lets see what the stats are in 10 years.

They have been in use well over 10 years.

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

[peckerhead 0]

Over 10 years huh?

I didn't see any soft links until 2001.

But, I am old school.

[johnny1488 1]

I havent been around ten years but have seen some OLD home made soft links on gear floating around the DZ.

Johnny
--"This ain't no book club, we're all gonna die!"
Mike Rome

[hookitt 0]

Quote

Over 10 years huh?

I didn't see any soft links until 2001.

But, I am old school.

How old school? I don't know how long soft links have been around but the first links I saw, were when I started jumping 15 1/2 years ago.

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

[diablopilot 2]

Quote

Over 10 years huh?

I didn't see any soft links until 2001.

But, I am old school.

Often soft links are confused with S-links a PD company brand name.

Slinks have been around 5 to 6 years.....at a guestimate.....

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

[peckerhead 0]

So they started making soft links in 1991?

I guess I should get out more often.
I saw my first set about 5 years ago.

Boy-howdy!

[hookitt 0]

Quote

So they started making soft links in 1991?

Yep!.. "they" did.. meaning riggers made them for themselves and other skydivers. The first *commercial* soft link I saw was made by Parachutes de France but I don't know if they were the first to make them available from the factory.

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

[sdctlc 0]

Quote

Quote

Soft links are still relatively new. Lets see what the stats are in 10 years.

They have been in use well over 10 years.

I had my first set of softlinks put on a rig when I was in Eloy ain the latter part of 1995. Lasted a long time. They were in great shape when I was showing a guy how to change risers with my rig and in his overzealous hast to help out he cut them off. They were the "French lin" kind that had the metal loop and he just could not figure out how to get them off and assumed that they were to be cut off... As a side he did feel bad and got me a new set..

Scott C.

"He who Hesitates Shall Inherit the Earth!"

[gemini 0]

I've got a set on a Sabre2 that I've had for almost 5 years. No appreciable wear on the Slinks. Slider wore out though! Guess you'll end up paying one way or the other.

Blue skies,

Jim

[BlindBrick 0]

Quote

Over 10 years huh?

I didn't see any soft links until 2001.

But, I am old school.

They've been around in Europe alot longer than in the US.

-Blind

"If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it."

[riggerrob 558]

Homemade soft links debutted in Florida during the 1980s. I never saw published dimensions and you had to cut them off when swapping risers.
Circa 1996, Parachutes de France introduced the first re-usable soft links. P. de F. soft links have steel rings and the risers are supposed to have a "centering stud" which is basically the male side of snap fastener.
A few years later, Performance Designs introduced their "Slinks" with little folded tapes at the ends. PD also added the last piece of the puzzle in the form of a lark's head knot (pass the loop end through the hole below the tape lump, then slip it over the tape lump).
PD sells two different versions of Slinks. Slinks with grey tabs are only for sport mains. Slinks with yellow tabs can be installed on tandems or reserves.
Then all the other manufactures started copying Slinks.
Aerodyne certified (TSO) similar reusable soft links with stainless steel rings.
Precision developed "Cinch links" that wrap around three times and have brass rings.
Then the hill billies in Tenessee and Georgia decided that they did not need any silly little metal rings and just tied large, ugly stopper knots in the ends of their soft links.