correct fitting of a rig around the shoulders?

[Jow210 0]

Hi,
I'm looking for some advice please.
My new rig arrived yesterday, and it is uncomfortable on the shoulders and is making them ache after only a short time of wearing it.
The riser covers to the top of the container seems to be at right angles rather than sitting around my shoulders.
The leg pads, don't meet, and if I do the leg straps up tight enough so that they do, i feel really restricted.
Is this something that will 'give' over time, or is there something wrong with the sizing?
Thanks in advance

[erdnarob 1]

That can be the size being wrong or just that you choose an rig which is not confortable or a mistake in the rig making. Check that with a rigger and maybe you will have to return the rig for modification. Being confortable is important.

Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

[likestojump 3]

you need to post pictures, otherwise most of the advice will be speculative and useless

[skybytch 259]

Best advice is to contact whoever you purchased the gear from. It's nearly impossible for anybody here to do anything other than guess without at least seeing pictures of the rig, both on and off your body. And no matter what information you get here, guesses or not, you'll still need to contact whoever you purchased it from to have it fixed (if it needs to be).

There are a number of possible reasons for the yoke area being tight and at least one has nothing to do with the sizing of the harness or container - depending on the container brand, if the rigger who packed it put too much bulk at the top of the container it could be very uncomfortable.

[Jow210 0]

Thanks peeps, having trouble uploading pics,but will try again.

[bigway 4]

Quote

Hi,
I'm looking for some advice please.
My new rig arrived yesterday, and it is uncomfortable on the shoulders and is making them ache after only a short time of wearing it.
The riser covers to the top of the container seems to be at right angles rather than sitting around my shoulders.
The leg pads, don't meet, and if I do the leg straps up tight enough so that they do, i feel really restricted.
Is this something that will 'give' over time, or is there something wrong with the sizing?
Thanks in advance

This is a problem I think I have experienced with my personal rig and a customers rigs. Sounds the same. Each time it has been a wings container and has been easily fixed. Not putting down wings, this situation was when i first discovered how good wings customer service was.

, does it feel like it is pulling DOWN on the shoulders tight.

If that is the case it is your legpads are too small and you need them replaced with the next size up. If you contact the manufacturer they will usually send them out to you straight away and you can have a rigger change them over. The problem will be solved.

The first thing you should do is put the clothes on you jump with and have some take a photo of you front onwards, side on, and the back. Send the photos into the manufacturer of the container and explain to them what you are feeling. it is likely they wil spot any sizing problem in a flash.

.Karnage Krew Gear Store
.

[LyraM45 0]

My wings has the same exact problem. The first time I put it on it felt really boxy and right angled instead of flowing around my shoulders. even in a boxman position the back of the rig doesn't sit right and comes up and pops me in the back of the head. It sucks, and I didn't feel like dealing with it, so I've just gotten used to it now hoping that it some day will break in.

You can see in the attached pic that it's kinda funny looking and not as smooth as some other rigs.

Apologies for the spelling (and grammar).... I got a B.S, not a B.A. :)

[bigway 4]

Your wings looks perfect!

It looks very new. it needs to be broken in.

However, it does sound like you need to put it on and send a photo to them. feel free to send it to me and I can see what they think if you like.
You never know it might be as simple as the legpads, it sure sounds it.

If you do the legpads up and it feels like it is pulling down on your shoulders, it is more than likley the legpads are wrong size.

My wings was aweful when i put it on the first time, once i had the new legpads it was the most comfortable rig i had worn.

.Karnage Krew Gear Store
.

[riggerrob 558]

"The leg pads, don't meet, and if I do the leg straps up tight enough so that they do, i feel really restricted."

.................................................................

It is very difficult to make leg pads that only touch.
Many manufacturers are satisfied with an inch and a half gap between leg pads.
The other issue is that - most of the time - the gap is at the front of the thigh, which does not need much padding.

[Jow210 0]

I've attached a couple photo's as suggested. Thanks for all the help so far ;-)

[bigway 4]

my money is on the leg pads being too small. Contact Ward at Mirage and tell him your troubles with the photos.

.Karnage Krew Gear Store
.

[BKR 0]

Quote

my money is on the leg pads being too small. Contact Ward at Mirage and tell him your troubles with the photos.

MLW is too short, this is why leg straps looks small. Hip rings are to high on the hip (4-5 cm), upper rings are well set.

Jérôme Bunker
Basik Air Concept
www.basik.fr
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Le-Luc-France/BASIK-AIR-CONCEPT/172133350468

[bigway 4]

Quote

Quote

my money is on the leg pads being too small. Contact Ward at Mirage and tell him your troubles with the photos.

MLW is too short, this is why leg straps looks small. Hip rings are to high on the hip (4-5 cm), upper rings are well set.

There you go.

Sounds like this could be an expensive refit.

Did the OP measure themselves?

.Karnage Krew Gear Store
.

[Jow210 0]

Gutted! This is my first rig, and I wanted to get jumping with it....Ok guys, so, the dealer measured me, who pays to put it right? I've emailed Ward & awaiting a response :-(

[bigway 4]

Mirage.

I still think leg pads will make the world of difference but i have no experience with Micrage

.Karnage Krew Gear Store
.

[davelepka 4]

I also think the MLW is too short. The leg pads would probably fit around your legs if they didn't have to go so far up your hips.

As for the shoulders, the short MLW isn't helping that situation either. If it was longer, you'd have a little more 'space' inside the harness.

One thing to keep in mind, from the pics you are either on the shorter side, or jumping canopies on the larger side just based on the size of your body in relation to the size of the container. There will always be some degree of that 'right angle' just based on the rig being as big as your back.

Resizing the harness is not cheap, and I don't know who should pay for it in your situation. I do know that manufacturers will generally put corrections to new rigs on the top if the list, and will have the rig back to you quickly. Before you send it in, measure around your legs again, along the line the legstraps should follow, and then measure the legpads to see how they compare, just to see if you do need new legpads so they can change those as well.

I'm sure it sucks, but you need to get this fixed, and it will be well worth it to have a properly fitting harness. I have jumped Wings that were not made for me, and I found the harness to be quite comfortable, so I would imagine that a properly fitted custom harness from them would be even better.

[Ironmanjay 0]

I have the same problem with my new rig. Shoulder straps are too tight ( different rig manufactuerer)
So Im sending mine back to the company, Im not sure what they are going to do to it, Ill just wait to see if it fits when I get it back.

[Deyan 31]

From your pictures it looks as the rig is a pretty good fit if worn properly. It appears that you’re wearing the rig a bit low on your back from how low the yoke is on your back and how your stabilizer cants downward. Try this... Put your rig on and bend over sliding the rig all the way up until the yoke hits your neck, then put on your chest strap and then keep the rig high on your back and tighten down the leg pads a bit more than you have in the pictures and see if that is comfortable. The leg pads do not actually need to touch as long as there is padding material wherever there is suspended weight

This is just my opinion.

"My belief is that once the doctor whacks you on the butt, all guarantees are off" Jerry Baumchen

[Jow210 0]

Thanks for the suggestion, I have tried to move it further up my back, the net result is that I end up with the yoke hitting the back of my head when I am in a boxman position. and my spine feels like it is being compressed when I stand up :O(
I'm hoping Ward at Mirage to get back to me soon.

[humanflite 0]

Quote

From your pictures it looks as the rig is a pretty good fit if worn properly. It appears that you’re wearing the rig a bit low on your back from how low the yoke is on your back and how your stabilizer cants downward. Try this... Put your rig on and bend over sliding the rig all the way up until the yoke hits your neck, then put on your chest strap and then keep the rig high on your back and tighten down the leg pads a bit more than you have in the pictures and see if that is comfortable. The leg pads do not actually need to touch as long as there is padding material wherever there is suspended weight

This is just my opinion.

No,

Quote

MLW is too short, this is why leg straps looks small. Hip rings are to high on the hip (4-5 cm), upper rings are well set.

The hip rings should be over the hip bone. They are no where near and the MLW is clearly too short, hence this is 'pulling the rig up her thighs too much.

Refit is the only solution IMHO

[LyraM45 0]

Quote

The hip rings should be over the hip bone. They are no where near and the MLW is clearly too short, hence this is 'pulling the rig up her thighs too much.

Refit is the only solution IMHO

Is this true for every manufacturer? My hip rings on my wings vision come about 1.5 inches up from my hip (and I was measured by Ankie (sp?) right in the shop), and I posted something on here a long time back and a few people said that thats the way wings are supposed to fit. As I chimed in on an earlier post... my rig feels really boxy over my shoulders. It doesn't flow, and after just three jumps in the course of a day my back/shoulders are killing me and I am sore the next day. I have pictures I can attach, but I also don't want to hijack this thread.

Thanks!

Apologies for the spelling (and grammar).... I got a B.S, not a B.A. :)

[LyraM45 0]

**Bump**

I wanted to give a little bump for anybody who is interested. I was in the boarding area a few days ago at a DZ I was visiting, and I caught up with an old friend who deals for wings. He looked at my container, and without me even saying anything about it, said the MLW was way too short and the laterals were too long. I asked a friend that previously worked for the company to look at some pics and give me his opinion, and he 100% agreed that it needs to be sent back and refitted.

So, to the OP and for people wondering if their rig doesn't feel quite right on their back/shoulders, go get it looked at! I took the advice of ONE employee at wings last year I talked to who said my hip rings were supposed to be about an inch above my hip bone on the new vision containers, and so I've been jumping in pain and discomfort the whole past year thinking as an employee they knew better than me and that was that.

OP-- definitely go get your stuff looked at (especially if you were in as much discomfort as me... takes a little bit of fun out of a long jumping day for sure!) and post an update on how it all goes. I hope it all works out for you!

Apologies for the spelling (and grammar).... I got a B.S, not a B.A. :)

[LyraM45 0]

OK... another bump and update!!

I sent my rig back to have the laterals taken in and the MLW extended a little bit and it has made a HUGE difference. Just 1/2" an inch will take all the pressure of the rig pulling down on my shoulders/back. So again, if you haven't gotten your stuff looked at, then have somebody take a look because it will save you a lot of physical pain. Who wants to hurt when they're skydiving all day?

PS-- HUGE thank you to Scarlett and everybody at Wings. The customer service was spot on and the adjustments were absolutely perfect!

Apologies for the spelling (and grammar).... I got a B.S, not a B.A. :)