jimmytavino 16 #1 April 9, 2007 so whaddaya all think???? if I ask my rigger to modify my Javelin J-5 to change it from a B O C to a legstrap pouch????I have a bum shoulder, ( right side) and frankly my 'behind the back reach' is limited.... I can pretty easily get to, grab and pull my p.c. when i'm standing on the ground, wearing my gear,,, but when I'm tracking away I find that my rig slides a little, and if it runs up onto my neck and shoulders,,,, then the reach to my p.c. handle is sometimes tough for me..... I don't wanna be in that situation at pull time....and had used a legstrap deploy for years... no problem.... and so.... since that's an easier reach. Why not go back to that???... I don't freefly too much and a secure pouch is a secure pouch no matter where it is located.... I'm aware of the need for careful diligence regarding the velcro for the bridle and bottom part of the container, to be sure it mates securely,,, 100 % of the time... I learned years ago how to go around and behind the wing on my camera suit(s) to get to my PC handle, and figure that the new legstrap location will be even further below the wing...than the current B O C position.. I'm ok with the appearance of an "older design" on my current gear..... feedback please... thanx jmy ........... o[:-) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peregrinerose 0 #2 April 9, 2007 How about a left side BOC? There are a couple of people I pack for that went that route due to arm/shoulder issues. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Miami 0 #3 April 9, 2007 Why not flip your pouch for a left handed BOC?Miami Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Glitch 0 #4 April 9, 2007 Seems to me to be a fine solution given your limitations, and I like it a lot better than a left handed boc. I can only imagine burning thru 1500' fumbling to find the damn hackey, only to go "Doh... left hand dumbass, left hand!" Randomly f'n thingies up since before I was born... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stayhigh 2 #5 April 9, 2007 i don't think you should be fumbling with your hackey at 1500. you should've been fumbling with it way higher...Bernie Sanders for President 2016 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tbrown 26 #6 April 9, 2007 What, no poll ?! I feel short changed ! Sounds alright to me. You've got a good reason to do it and plenty of experience with ROL setups. By all means Jimmy, go for it. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity ! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andy9o8 0 #7 April 9, 2007 Hey, maybe I can scare you up an old 4-pin ripcord rig... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ZigZagMarquis 8 #8 April 9, 2007 A problem I see would be if you don't have a "standard" harness, but rather have one with hip rings... routing the Velcro over articulation rings was always a problem, at best, most mfgrs just plain didn't do it... I think Naro was the only one that tried?? If you have a standard harness, shouldn't be a big deal to stitch the hook Velcro on to the harness... but that would be an alteration and you know how Sunpath is as far as alterations go on their gear... ... and you'd probably have to get a rigger to stitch some pile Velco onto your pilot chute bridle too... its been years since I've seen pilot chutes come with the strips of pile on them needed for right side leg strap pouches because of everyone going BOC. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ZigZagMarquis 8 #9 April 9, 2007 QuoteHow about a left side BOC? There are a couple of people I pack for that went that route due to arm/shoulder issues. Yeah, I've seen people do that too. Usually left handed folks that liked to rebel against the right handed world we live in. I've seen complete "lefty" rigs... main pilot chute (BOC or leg strap) was a left handed pull... cut-away pillow was on the left... and reserve ripcord was on the right. Kinda like owning a motorcycle with a suicide shifter on the tank and clutch where the shifter should be under your left foot... it keeps folks from wanting to borrow your gear. I've also known TWO jumpers with shoulder problems that would just have someone dump them at break-off if their shoulder was bugging them particularly bad that day... I'm not kidding. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peregrinerose 0 #10 April 9, 2007 QuoteI've also known TWO jumpers with shoulder problems that would just have someone dump them at break-off if their shoulder was bugging them particularly bad that day... I'm not kidding. That's just freaking scary. We do have one guy who has the BOC open on both ends so that it can be packed either way depending on which arm is bothering him more that day. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ZigZagMarquis 8 #11 April 9, 2007 Quote We do have one guy who has the BOC open on both ends so that it can be packed either way depending on which arm is bothering him more that day. That too is freakin' scary! If its packed for a right handed pull, but gets shoved all the way thorough right to left (or vica versa) its pretty much a guaranteed pilot chute in tow leaving him with not much else of an option, but to fire his reserve into it and hope the reserve launches clear. ... but I'm sure he's thought of that... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimmytavino 16 #12 April 10, 2007 well I did think about left hand B O C but then passed on the idea.... I have been deploying right handed for decades, and muscle memory being what it is,,, I think i'd be too instinctive with right hand and main ripcord.....Plus.... Don't I need my left hand to wave Off??? ZZMar.... good point about the hip rings,,,BUT my Javelin was built just prior to the rings,,,,one of the reasons for me to consider back to the legstrap...... Sure thing bustin' through 2 grand.... and no hackey in hand......been there,,, it stinks.... it's amazing how fast my brain flashed,,, " cypress"..... and then, "beat that cuttter to the punch",, which I did........by pulling silver left handed.... I was pleased to be under my reserve by 1,300 ft. but humbled, as well... I think I want to stay right handed and so the obvious and simple left hand BOC may be too much of a change for me,, "old Dog, new tricks" sorta thing.... Plus R O L always worked fine for me in the past... NOW "belly band" pouch,,,,, don't even get me going!!!!!!... Can you say ? " twisted B band" " P C in tow " !>>>>>> yikes... YES YES it IS very possible to twist a legstrap as well,,,,, but THAT is a gear check issue with which I am already familiar, and so I expect it NOT to be a problem... Plus, I nearly always pack for myself, and so routing the bridle really shouldn't be a concern....as it might be with a packer who is not used to R O L .... If it gets to the point of asking a friend to open my main for me,,,, then sadly I have reached the point in time where safety dictates that I stay on the ground....... Which i do NOT want to do..... gotta go now,,,, time for Phys. Therapy, pulleys, stretches and isometrics... thanks for the ideas...J T Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimmytavino 16 #13 April 10, 2007 QuoteHey, maybe I can scare you up an old 4-pin ripcord rig... NOW I really AM scared..hahahah. but i'd give it a shot,,, IF it came with a "jerry bird" flat pack velcro peel reserve, on the front... sorry Not to make a poll out of it tbrown.... but NOT jumping isn't an option, and a student type "split pouch" which i could pull right OR left,,,, doesn't cut it for me either and paying for a reserve repack after EVERY jump,,, is just plain silly...especially since 5 dollar reserve repacks are a distant memory!!! j t Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fergs 0 #14 April 10, 2007 Hey Jimmy T. I broke my right shoulder back in the mid 70’s. In the same injury, I also busted some nerves and so I lost various movements in my right arm / shoulder. The main one of skydiving significance was the “pull BOC” action. At the time it didn’t matter, as we were all still using the good old ripcord. Enter hand deploy. For the early years, we all used belly mount pilot chute pouches, so still no problem. Then in came the deployment fashion of the day, the pull out. Aha, a problem for me – so I simply built a left hand pull system. This did me well for many years and had absolutely no impact on deployment – apart from when I’d loan my gear, when a thorough deployment brief to the user was necessary. For the last 15 years or so, I have gone to today’s standard – a right hand BOC. But it is not a problem, as the wind always helps blow my arm to the right vicinity. Plus it’s possible that I’ve regained some movement back into my right shoulder over the past 30 years. The only real problem I’ve had with a right hand BOC was one day last year – I made 50 jumps on my (50th) birthday and so used a number of borrowed rigs. On the shorter rigs, I took a little longer to locate and reach for the hackey – due to the old shoulder problem. So I’d endorse the suggestion to simply convert to a left hand BOC. Then use your left hand to deploy. But remember to brief anyone you may loan your gear to. Enjoy, fergs Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 6 #15 April 10, 2007 I jump with an ole buddy with a REAL bad shoulder, R-C surgery 3 or 4 times and it's still not right... He went with (yeah I know) A FRONT of leg strap pouch. It's more of a swing and 'push out' motion that a pull, I guess his arm has more strength with the palms facing back (naturally) then rotated forward. I think the old Centaurus rigs CAME that way for a while...back in the stone age! ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sid 1 #16 April 10, 2007 Hey Jimmy! Pack it so you can pull it - then get your old ass over here to Finger Lakes and jump with us one day willya? Pete Draper, Just because my life plan is written on the back of a Hooter's Napkin, it's still a life plan.... right? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wmw999 2,114 #17 April 10, 2007 I had a front-of-legstrap on a Wonderhog; specially built that way so that the big bad bruising buckles would be on the back. VERY comfortable rig, and yes, a very natural pull. The pud is a little more protected, too, I think. Wendy W.There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkymonkeyONE 3 #18 April 10, 2007 I think I may have been one of the last ROL holdouts at Raeford (minus the creepiest of Stylies that is). I never really saw a reason to convert to BOC, but did so anyway after my ROL spandex wore out the last time. I DO have a number of friends jumping left-handed BOC's now, though, and all adapted to them very quickly after injuries pretty much forced them to do it (or quit). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryoder 1,380 #19 April 10, 2007 Quote He went with (yeah I know) A FRONT of leg strap pouch. It's more of a swing and 'push out' motion that a pull, I guess his arm has more strength with the palms facing back (naturally) then rotated forward. I think the old Centaurus rigs CAME that way for a while...back in the stone age! I had an original Vector V1 with a front legstrap pouch. I bought it from Jim Captain of Mirror Image."There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggerrob 558 #20 April 10, 2007 Yes, my second rig was an Eze-Flyer (Canadian copy of a Wonderhog) with the pilot chute pouch on the front of the right leg strap and the buckles on the back. It was by far the most comfortable harness until Sandy Reid introduced hip rings. It might even be possible to retrofit a pouch to the front of - original poster's - leg strap, providing there is sufficient "acreage" between the buckle and the MLW???? ... kind of like the very first Vectors ... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jdfreefly 1 #21 April 10, 2007 A creative rigger can set up the pockets so they are closed on both ends, and still allow for stowing it on either the right or the left, making the scenario you described impossible. Methane Freefly - got stink? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ZigZagMarquis 8 #22 April 10, 2007 Nothing is impossible. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
councilman24 36 #23 April 10, 2007 Northern lites came with a front of leg pouch for several years. I have one rigging customer whose Javelin has both BOC and ROL. He never changed to the BOC for should reasons. Before rigs were standardized I order a right hand ROL, left hand cutaway, and right hand reserve RC rig. But it came complete left with left ROL. I jumped that for several years interchangable with a 'normal' right hand rig and a right hand RC/capewell rig. Out of several hundred jumps only reached the wrong way once and I barely started before I changed to the proper hand.I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hookitt 0 #24 April 10, 2007 QuoteNothing is impossible. It would be as possible as a normal single pouch. Use one piece of spandex and 2 elastics. Check out the incredible artistry captured all to see in the Awesome Double-Side-BOC Diagram.JPGMy grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jumper03 0 #25 April 10, 2007 What about a front mounted ripcord with a spring loaded p/c? I think John Rich jumps one. S.Scars remind us that the past is real Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
