Cutaway #2, I like those hard housing thingies in the risers.

[labrys 0]

I have a new Vector 3 with hard housings in the risers. My old rig didn't have them and I found them a little uncomfortable. Everyone told me that I'd get used to them and that my new rig would just "feel stiff" for a little while anyway...

About 20 jumps on the new rig and I had a super weird deployment. As my canopy opened I felt my head get forced down with my chin into my chest. At first I thought my slider had somehow travelled down over my risers and jammed behind my head, but I was able to look up enough to see it over my head.

I could see the large 3-rings on my main lift web but my risers were crammed backwards and out of sight. My best guess is that they were twisted behind my head. I tried to feel my way around back there for a little while but couldn't really figure out what was happening.

I could steer a little and my canopy was flying fairly straight, but I couldn't sort out the risers so I decided to cut away. When I did, I found it very hard to clear the cable. Every inch was hard work. When I finally cleared the cable something gave me a pretty solid smack on the back of the head and tumbled me forward.

I didn't even feel like I had started to fall when my reserve cracked open. That skyhook is snappy as hell.

I'm just guessing that my risers were twisted up at my neck, causing the hard pull on the cutaway cable. I'm really glad I had those hard housings because I think I may have had issues without them.

I'm also really glad that I tuck my ponytail under my helmet. I may have been giving myself a hook knife haircut otherwise.

Owned by Remi #?

[JohanW 0]

Good choice on the gear. Skyhook, hard housings, 170 main loaded 1.1 at 300 jumps (according to profile).

What I do not understand is how you can look up to see your slider (it wasn't caught up in twisted lines?) and could steer a little (so your steering lines were running free?) but fail to mention twisted lines from shoulders to canopy, and 'couldn't sort out the risers' ?

I agree you probably had major line twists, and cutting away was quite probably the correct decision, but could you see the canopy? Could you see the lines? You could see the slider, after all.

Anyway, good job on not losing your hair, uhm head, and solving your problem.

Johan.
I am. I think.

[labrys 0]

The line twists were well below my slider at the base of my neck behind my head. Not so much line twists as riser twists. I could steer with the only part of my risers I could find, my front risers where they attached to the 3-ring. Everything else was stretched backwards behind me... it's hard to describe, sorry.

Edit: I could see my lines, slider, and canopy if i cocked my head hard to the side and looked up from the corner of my eye... it all looked "normal" except that only a little of my front risers were visible. I couldn't see my rears at all.

Owned by Remi #?

[JeepDiver 0]

Your also the lucky winner of an RWS T-Shirt.

"06.13.06

Free T-Shirt for Skyhook Stories!!

If you have experienced a Skyhook cutaway and would like to share your story on our website, we will send you a free t-shirt as way of thanks!! More and more of our customers are requesting Skyhook on their containers as the benefits of this amazing innovation are obvious - and with your help we would like to spread the word!! Please send your story to [email protected] - don't forget to add your contact/address details. "

[labrys 0]

Quote

Your also the lucky winner of an RWS T-Shirt.

Well there ya go.... I was soooo wanting to have a cutaway so that I could get a free t-shirt.

Owned by Remi #?

[labrys 0]

After some Q&A with much more experienced folks at my DZ it appears that the problem might not have been riser twists. It could also have been that my risers were not stowed properly above the middle riser cover and that the riser covers never opened.

I was not aware enough to look at them and I'm not sure that even if I was aware enough that I could have seen them with my head pinned forward like it was.

I was told that this isn't unheard of on new Vectors while the flaps are still very stiff.

Owned by Remi #?

[catfishhunter 1]

I had that happen to me when I had my Rig Converted from Velcro to Tuck Tabs. Risers would not come out and my chin pinned to my Chest. I had a square canopy that was flying straight and I could turn and kinda flair so I landed it. I couldn't see what was hung up and couldn't clear it and decide NOT to cutaway as I couldn't be sure it would clear. Figure out pretty fast what happened and now my tabs have in big BOLD letters RISERS ON TOP!

Glad it worked it for ya. I know when it happend to me it freaked me out....

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