riser cover getting loose solution?

[Airowpoint 0]

Hi,

I am having trouble with my riser covers getting loose on my atom. New stiffeners did not help. The reserve is slightly too large but I don't see how a smaller reserve would solve the problem in my case and it is hard to find a cheap one.
It is mainly the left riser cover because the cable/cable housing connecting the 3 rings is pulling the riser to the side.
I have now routed the cable housing round the other side so the riser is pulled to the inside. The cable housing is now going directly under the reserve risers. This seems like a good solution.
What do you experienced riggers think of this?

Thanks,
Tristan

Tristan
Will you answer "NO" to my next question?

[darnknit 0]

i think you should ask your rigger face to face, and bring your rig with you so he/she can look at it.

pulling is cool. keep it in the skin

[riggerrob 558]

Too big reserve canopies frequently force riser covers open pre-maturely.
Sometimes riggers can re-distribute bulk to ease the problem, but the long term solution is usually buying a smaller reserve canopy.
As for re-routing cutaway housings ...
I tried that on my 1985 Mirage and the housing rubbed on the harness so much that I had to replace the confluence wrap around the shoulder joint!!!!!
Scary!!!!!!

You would be wiser to consult Parachutes de France - or at least your local rigger - before re-routing cutaway housings.

[Airowpoint 0]

Ah, thanks riggerrob.
This idea was actually suggested by someone that used to work at pdf. But he also wasn't sure of it. Thanks for the scary story!
I really don't think a smaller reserve would help. It's not that the big reserve is pushing the riser cover open. It's more that by movement the flap creeps out of the pocket.
Another idea was to remove the flaps and put on the older kind of atom tug flaps instead. These older kind should not bend back and try to free itself from the pocket. I hope you understand what I'm talking about, it's hard to describe.
I'm pretty desperate now. My old Invader was more freefly proof than this one. But there the leg straps would not stay tight. I'm afraid I can't resell this rig either. I'm pretty much done buying second hand skydiving gear.

Tristan
Will you answer "NO" to my next question?

[diablopilot 2]

Quote

The reserve is slightly too large

There is your problem. The geometry of the rig is different which is allowing the tuck tabs to work themselves out.

Oh, and re routing the cable is possibly a bad idea. You could be adding a signifigant amount of force to your cutaway pull when the system is under extreme load (read: spinning malfunction) as well as adding a new wear point to your harnness. Additionaly, hopefully you did not route the housing under your reserve ripcord housing as that could be pulled to tension when your main deploys opening a new can o worms,

Suggestion is to select the proper canopy for the gear or a proper sized container for the canopy.

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

[ernokaikkonen 0]

Getting the riser covers to stay closed on older Atoms is tricky even when the reserve is the right size.

Bulk distribution in the reserve packjob is critical; the "ears" of the molar bag must be left practically empty. If the top part of the finished packjob(the molar "ears") doesn't feel very soft compared to the rest of the packjob, the flaps will have trouble staying closed. Also if your risers have anything else but the original Atom toggle system(which has very low bulk) that will contribute to the problem.

Have another rigger take a look at your rig, preferrably one that has lots of experience with Atoms. With a reserve that's too big, you may be out of luck in any case.