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skyjules 0
Don't get me wrong, I always give myself a gear check, sometimes twice if I don't get someone else to check. The chest strap seems to be a pretty common one, i've heard it enough.
***Free bird Forever
***Free bird Forever
QuoteDoes it really take another person to tell you your chest strap is not done properly? A gear check from someone else is nice, but it should never substitute for you checking your own gear as you put it on. I've still got a hundred dollar bill for anyone catching me on the plane with a misrouted chest strap. Come on, people, it's not that hard.
You're right...it's not that hard. But speaking as a person who did it while on student status and not finding out until I was in freefall (thank God that my instructor Raven recognized the issue), I can tell you that it happens. I could have sworn that I routed it correctly. However, I obviously hadn't and thanks to my instructor catching the issue, I was able to deploy while holding onto my harness and not fall out of the student harness that was too big for me. Talk about being totally freaked out, and yes when I got to the ground we went over the chest strap routing again. I'm now anal about checking my chest strap and as many others as I can. You never know when someone does it thinking they did it correctly and well...they didn't. Having someone else give you a gear check isn't a replacement for doing your own, but my life is hanging in the balance, and I for one appreciate those that will give me a gear check - and yes, it's only those I trust that I allow to give me one.
Life is short! Break the rules! Forgive quickly! Kiss slowly! Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably. And never regret anything that made you smile.
I always check my own gear before I put it on. Even when I use my packer and he has just finished packing and handed me the rig... I still check my pin and riser covers before every jump.
I don't like people messing with my gear on the plane and I'm very selective about who I ask for a pin check if needed. If there is excessive shifting around before jumprun, I will have it checked. I also visually check people around me, but never touch their gear without asking first.
With that said, I witnessed one malfunction this year that could have been prevented by a pin check (terribly mis-routed bridle). If you don't check your own junk, have someone do it for you.
I don't like people messing with my gear on the plane and I'm very selective about who I ask for a pin check if needed. If there is excessive shifting around before jumprun, I will have it checked. I also visually check people around me, but never touch their gear without asking first.
With that said, I witnessed one malfunction this year that could have been prevented by a pin check (terribly mis-routed bridle). If you don't check your own junk, have someone do it for you.
kelel01 1
Some of y'all in this thread are picky as hell. Nobody has ever "hit my rig" in a manner that makes me uncomfortable after checking my pin. They pat your rig, or hit it on the canopy area, but I don't think anyone (or I'd hope), is banging on the location of the pin.
And if someone taps me on the shoulder, I'm gonna turn around . . . if they give a nice bang on the container, it means they're done. Remind me not to give anyone a gear check ever again.
Kelly
And if someone taps me on the shoulder, I'm gonna turn around . . . if they give a nice bang on the container, it means they're done. Remind me not to give anyone a gear check ever again.
Kelly
I'm not trying to be a snob about gear checks. But by the time I am on jumprun, I am mentally preparing myself for the jump. If someone randomly starts picking at my rig without asking me, it breaks my concentration and pulls me right out of the zone. I have my routine that works for me. I am borderline neurotic about checking my own gear at several points on the lift to altitude. At the same time, if someone spots something wrong on my rig, I would hope to God they'd say something to me. 
kelel01 1
Oh, absolutely. Sorry-- let me clarify-- never give one uninvited . . . but banging after a pin check? Please.
sunshine 2
QuoteSome of y'all in this thread are picky as hell. Nobody has ever "hit my rig" in a manner that makes me uncomfortable after checking my pin. They pat your rig, or hit it on the canopy area, but I don't think anyone (or I'd hope), is banging on the location of the pin.
If Rook Nelson felt it important enough to use it as the safety tip of the week in one of his weekly updates, i'm gonna go with his advice. And he stated that it was NOT good to pat or whack someone' rig after the pin check. He's been around the sport his whole life and is (to me) a highly respected skydiver.
___________________________________________
meow
I get a Mike hug! I get a Mike hug!
IMO if your closing loop is not tight enough to keep your pin in place during a pat on your rig, it probably won't stay in place throughout the jump. I mean, how hard are people hitting your rig anyway? Has anyone ever seen a pin come out due to a pat on the rig. I challenge you to try it. Stow your pin in a properly tight loop, close the flap and hit it a few times right on top of the pin. I bet it doesn't move much, if at all.
sunshine 2
QuoteIMO if your closing loop is not tight enough to keep your pin in place during a pat on your rig, it probably won't stay in place throughout the jump. I mean, how hard are people hitting your rig anyway? Has anyone ever seen a pin come out due to a pat on the rig. I challenge you to try it. Stow your pin in a properly tight loop, close the flap and hit it a few times right on top of the pin. I bet it doesn't move much, if at all.
*scanning my post to see where i ever said i was concerned about the pin being knocked loose* Hrm, it would appear i never said such a thing....
Anyhoo, when you're done assuming, read the following statement:
i don't like my rig being smacked/patted/whacked etc. because of my cypres. Though there is no data of the cypres being touched after a gear check and malfunctioning, i'd prefer to not be the first. Besides, I jump at a wonderful DZ where people on the plane won't touch your gear unless you ask them too.
___________________________________________
meow
I get a Mike hug! I get a Mike hug!
kelel01 1
Quote*scanning my post to see where i ever said i was concerned about the pin being knocked loose* Hrm, it would appear i never said such a thing....
I think that's just what it sounded like. That's what I thought it meant, too. But seriously, how hard are people hitting your rig that you're worried about your CYPRES? I'd be much more concerned about something happening in freefall than a pat on my rig to let me know it's been checked.
"Same here. I get so annoyed when someone whacks the back of my rig when they're done doing a pin check. WTF reason is there to do that."
This was all I had to go on sorry, you never mentioned your cypress until jumping on me for assuming. As far as your cypress goes, unless they are standing up and kicking you in the back where your unit is stored between the padding of the main and reserve, I'ld be willing to bet it will be fine.
"Besides, I jump at a wonderful DZ where people on the plane won't touch your gear unless you ask them too."
Sounds like a nice place.
This was all I had to go on sorry, you never mentioned your cypress until jumping on me for assuming. As far as your cypress goes, unless they are standing up and kicking you in the back where your unit is stored between the padding of the main and reserve, I'ld be willing to bet it will be fine.
"Besides, I jump at a wonderful DZ where people on the plane won't touch your gear unless you ask them too."
Sounds like a nice place.
skycat 0
It's not the cypress I'm worried about, it's the reserve pin getting bent or pushed up that worries me. I have been hit hard enough on the reserve pin cover that I almost fell off the bench. (It was by someone just off student status) Plus, I always turn around after they are done checking and ask if they saw color in the pilot chute window, you'd be amazed at how many people don't remember. They went threw the motions of checking but don't remember what they checked, they became complacent because they had never found anything wrong with someones gear.
To the person who said pulling on the hacky will show if you have a monkey fist: Pulling 3 to 4 inches of the pilot chute out then trying to stuff it back in is more than likely to cause problems than leaving it alone. For example a premature deployment due to that material sneaking back out.
Every person when they get on the plane is taking a risk and has to make a choice when it comes to thier gear. 1st when they buy the gear, poptop/simi-exposed top/non-exposed top, RSL/no RSL, Cypres/no Cypres. Then when they maintain thier gear, reserve packjob every 120/pencil pack every 120s, replace lines per jumps/replace lines when they break. For example I fold and tuck my pilot chute in a very specific way to prevent a hard pull and a premi, by someone tugging on it both of those are lost because they will never be able to get it back in the pouch right on jumprun.
Finally do they let anyone give them a pin check, someone they trust only, or no one?
For some people the answer is yes anyone can, but for most it's not. The best person to check your gear is someone who is familiar with your gear, it could be someone with the same kind of rig (ie. someone else with a Mirage should know how to check the reserve pin without opening the side flaps), someone you have shown how to check your gear, (ie. my reflex main tuck tab had to be tucked only under the side flaps not sides and top).
The rule of thumb is never start pulling, fixing, checking someones gear without asking them 1st. Some people will say yes, some people will say yes but tell you what you can and can't check, some people will say no. No matter what they say it's not personal, they don't think you will do a bad gear check, they have just made a choice as to what they will allow people to check.
Remember just cause someone has checked you gear does not mean they knew what they were looking for on your gear and you could still have problems. Every person needs to be as educated as they can be on thier gear and understand how it works and what it's specific weaknesses are, then they must check it on the ground more than once a day to make sure nothing happened. Pack your own gear as often as you can, cause it's rare for a packer to tell you when something is about to break or something is wrong.
To the person who said pulling on the hacky will show if you have a monkey fist: Pulling 3 to 4 inches of the pilot chute out then trying to stuff it back in is more than likely to cause problems than leaving it alone. For example a premature deployment due to that material sneaking back out.
Every person when they get on the plane is taking a risk and has to make a choice when it comes to thier gear. 1st when they buy the gear, poptop/simi-exposed top/non-exposed top, RSL/no RSL, Cypres/no Cypres. Then when they maintain thier gear, reserve packjob every 120/pencil pack every 120s, replace lines per jumps/replace lines when they break. For example I fold and tuck my pilot chute in a very specific way to prevent a hard pull and a premi, by someone tugging on it both of those are lost because they will never be able to get it back in the pouch right on jumprun.
Finally do they let anyone give them a pin check, someone they trust only, or no one?
For some people the answer is yes anyone can, but for most it's not. The best person to check your gear is someone who is familiar with your gear, it could be someone with the same kind of rig (ie. someone else with a Mirage should know how to check the reserve pin without opening the side flaps), someone you have shown how to check your gear, (ie. my reflex main tuck tab had to be tucked only under the side flaps not sides and top).
The rule of thumb is never start pulling, fixing, checking someones gear without asking them 1st. Some people will say yes, some people will say yes but tell you what you can and can't check, some people will say no. No matter what they say it's not personal, they don't think you will do a bad gear check, they have just made a choice as to what they will allow people to check.
Remember just cause someone has checked you gear does not mean they knew what they were looking for on your gear and you could still have problems. Every person needs to be as educated as they can be on thier gear and understand how it works and what it's specific weaknesses are, then they must check it on the ground more than once a day to make sure nothing happened. Pack your own gear as often as you can, cause it's rare for a packer to tell you when something is about to break or something is wrong.
Fly it like you stole it!
JohnMitchell 14
I'll throw this question out to the military jumpers. Isn't the "pat pat" on the back the signal on military jumps that the gear inspection is complete? A lot of my early instructors were former airborne, and maybe that's how that started. No disrespect to Rook, but I don't mind a pat on the back. Maybe being a government employee I get so few of those. I laughed when someone wrote "if they tap my shoulder, I'll turn around." I think I would too and say "What's wrong with my gear?"
Edited for bahd spelliling
Edited for bahd spelliling
QuoteQuoteDoes it really take another person to tell you your chest strap is not done properly?
Sometimes. Every year (except this one) at WFFC, I have found someone with a misrouted cheststrap.
Yes it does, if you're a woman and you wear your chest strap beneath your breasts...I can't even see any part of my chest strap or buckle without moving the twins. -Not to say that I shouldn't do it myself by tugging out and peeking over said peaks to check, but it's a helluva lot easier if someone else can take a look for me to double check it.
QuoteQuoteCome on, people, it's not that hard.
New people make mistakes, long-time jumpers get complacent. It is not such a big thing to look out for our fellow jumpers a little. I don't mind it at all.
No it's not hard...but a weird situation came up a few weeks ago where I had to undo my chest strap while waiting to board the plane to adjust something, then I misrouted it when I tried to put it back on...now I caught it at 1000 feet when my audible beeped, I took my seatbelt off (and I always check my gear again when I take my seatbelt off) and I took my helmet off...but it woulda been nice if someone had noticed before I climbed aboard. Of course, I didn't check anyone getting on the plane either, so I am just as much to blame for not helping out someone else should they have done the same thing...
~Jaye
Do not believe that possibly you can escape the reward of your action.
Do not believe that possibly you can escape the reward of your action.
I've had people give me a rationalization. That is ok with me. Some people need to keep their dignity and are willing to bs me to do it. As long as I'm not carrying up their ashes next week, I'll listen to the excuse, nod, and smile. Not a bad trade.
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