New Safety Video on YouTube: Closing Thoughts additional thoughts

[BrianSGermain 1]

Please watch this new short video discussing the "alternate closing method". It might prevent a malfunction for you or someone you care about:

https://youtu.be/lDFIJsO0-KM

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[Di0 1]

I love the "alternative" routing method, although as a rule, I only do it on rigs where the manufacturer mentions it in the owner manual.
From my limited knowledge, to people that ask me about that method when they notice, I always explain why I do it and they say "check your manual, if they allow it, give it a try, if not I wouldn't do it"
I have vector, so I have used it that pretty much since I started skydiving. On the Jav, I didn't do it until a couple of weeks ago, when sunpath came with the addendum and OK'ed the "alternative" method.
Funnily enough, I think they issued an addendum to the addendum a couple of days ago, stressing the importance of leaving some slack, just like you said (but the video is easier to visualize :D ).

Ideally, when I use a packer, it's part of my gear checks to put a finger under the bridle and making sure there is slack, or if not slightly pulling some bridle out, it takes like 2-3 seconds.
I used to do it because -in my mind- it was the same purpose of leaving slack on the "traditional" method, if you grind your main flap somewhere, at least for small movements the slack should slide up and down rather than dislodge the pin. Maybe I was doing it right for the wrong reason? LoL.
I didn't think about it for this issue but... HEY. If anything, one more good reason to do it.
Thank you for this video. Good, quick, easy to understand, solid info.

I'm standing on the edge
With a vision in my head
My body screams release me
My dreams they must be fed... You're in flight.

[Unstable 8]

That is the standard method for the Racer 2k3, printed on the top main flap.

=========Shaun ==========

[JohnMitchell 14]

I've been using that method for a while too, and like it. My first piggyback rig was a Wonderhog with belly band. Because the curved pin hadn't been invented yet, we closed the main container by pushing the bridle itself thru the elastic bungee closing loop. The packing manual showed to run the bridle up from the bottom and back down again, same as the new alternate method.

What's old becomes new again.

[BigMikeH77 0]

Thanks for elaborating on bridle routing. Funny, I was considering how to mitigate this very possibility just last weekend.

[rwieder 0]

Good stuff! Thanks for showing why we should care at the end of the instructional video. Thanks Brian!

-Richard-
"You're Holding The Rope And I'm Taking The Fall"

[EvilGenius 0]

I've been using the "alternate method" with my Vortex 2 (in fact this is the method specified in the manual) but without leaving the extra slack as discussed here. After seeing this video I started adding some slack but inadvertently caused a secondary issue. I had in fact left too much slack and this bulk prevented the pin cover seating correctly resulting in it coming open during free fall, thankfully no harm was done.

I haven't found a sweet spot where I have enough bridle slack to prevent this pilot chute in tow malfunction and still seat my pin cover correctly. I had a chat with some more experienced jumpers at the DZ and now I'm not adding slack but am being careful not to jam the bridle to deep under the flaps.

So watch out and of course any suggestions?!