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quadit 0
I am closely watching this post to to see what experienced jumpers say.
When I ordered my rig I liked the pillow reserve handle also, but my instructor suggested the D ring because of my experience level and the fact that I hadn't even experienced a cut away yet.
I'm glad I followed his advice, on jump # 70ish I had a high speed mal that went even worse by ending up on my back. I seriously don't even remember pulling handles. It was like slow motion, but they came out in perfect sequence and timely.
Beautiful rig and suit congratulations new gear is such a great feeling!
When I ordered my rig I liked the pillow reserve handle also, but my instructor suggested the D ring because of my experience level and the fact that I hadn't even experienced a cut away yet.
I'm glad I followed his advice, on jump # 70ish I had a high speed mal that went even worse by ending up on my back. I seriously don't even remember pulling handles. It was like slow motion, but they came out in perfect sequence and timely.
Beautiful rig and suit congratulations new gear is such a great feeling!
ryguy 0
My first rig was also a G4 both handles were soft handles w/ hard inserts. The person who sold me the rig (I bought it new) is also an S&TA highly recommended soft handles for a couple of reasons. The two that convinced me was, his multiple stories of reserve handles getting snagged on something either in the airplane, or in free fall. The second is while using hard housings on the rig and risers which handle has the greatest probability for a hard pull? The cutaway. You only have to pull the reserve pin about an inch. I was also confident that even in a high stress life or death situation I would pull the right handle first as I have practiced it that way so many times, even with my low jump numbers at that time.
"because of my experience level and the fact that I hadn't even experienced a cut away yet."
I chopped a lineover on jump 23 on the Infinity single handle student rigs we had, and even though that's a low speed mal, I had rehearsed emergency procedures so many times on the ground that I had no trouble finding or pulling the handle - I just knew where it was when I needed to. I do realize I'm short on experience overall - but it was that chop that I figured that it didn't matter whether it was soft handles or D rings, just that I knew my procedures front to back and was prepared for the situation.
Plus, smileys rock! And for comments...
QuoteCan I jump your new rig if I bring a hot girl with me and I jump it naked?
That depends on what I'm allowed to do with the hot girl
"Beautiful rig and suit congratulations new gear is such a great feeling!"
Quote
***Schweet call on the handles dude
Thanks everybody, makes having new gear all the better!
"We'll start the ass kissing with you"
AFFI 0
QuoteI would be interested to hear what all you experienced jumpers have to say about this as I have low jumps and a Javelin Odyssy rig with a soft handle for my reserve - the used rig I bought came with it - and I don't know what the issues really are -
I did a quick search for "reserve pillow", there may be some good information:
http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?do=search_results&search_forum=all&search_string=reserve%20pillow&sb=score&mh=25
Mykel AFF-I10
Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…
Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…
voodew1 0
My 2 cents ---- with your experience you should stick with a metal d handle
1. The metal handle is easy to grab and easy to pull --- if you have never had a cutaway and you do not peel the handle before trying to pull it you will find it almost takes 2 hands to pull it (the velcro is new right now)
so you just had a hard pull on the cutaway handle because of the new velcro and now you have to locate the reserve handle while panicking and remember to peel it before pulling it.
Soft handles my look cool but its a life and death issue and nobody will look cool if they don't deal with it quickly
(my experience AFFI 1600 jumps with metal handle and it has never come loose)
And you can always put the soft handle back in use after your experience has grown and your a little more comfortable.
This was not meant to bash your rig by any means just to make you think about your choices and your options
Be safe and remember it doesn't matter what anybody else says its your rig and your choice - just make sure you have all the info to make the right one
The pimp hand is powdered up ... say something stupid
1. The metal handle is easy to grab and easy to pull --- if you have never had a cutaway and you do not peel the handle before trying to pull it you will find it almost takes 2 hands to pull it (the velcro is new right now)
so you just had a hard pull on the cutaway handle because of the new velcro and now you have to locate the reserve handle while panicking and remember to peel it before pulling it.
Soft handles my look cool but its a life and death issue and nobody will look cool if they don't deal with it quickly
(my experience AFFI 1600 jumps with metal handle and it has never come loose)
And you can always put the soft handle back in use after your experience has grown and your a little more comfortable.
This was not meant to bash your rig by any means just to make you think about your choices and your options
Be safe and remember it doesn't matter what anybody else says its your rig and your choice - just make sure you have all the info to make the right one
The pimp hand is powdered up ... say something stupid
If you cant remember which is the reserve and which is the cutaway Id say metal or pillow is the least of your problems, pillow is way cooler. metal looks shite but I'd probably agree with the above poster in that if you put metal there now you can always put pillow later. I cant see it as hugely important, I'm sure, should the need arise, you will pull in the right order and hard enough to release the velcro. and dude you are one lucky *astard, thats all I can say.
voodew1 0
and taking advice from people with 20 jumps who know everything is not in your best interest.
people have never died in this sport from doing the wrong thing
THINK
The pimp hand is powdered up ... say something stupid
QuoteI cant see it as hugely important, I'm sure, should the need arise, you will pull in the right order and hard enough to release the velcro. and dude you are one lucky *astard, thats all I can say.
people have never died in this sport from doing the wrong thing
THINK
The pimp hand is powdered up ... say something stupid
Broke 0
QuoteQuestions for the group:
1) How do you feel about utilization of the reserve deployment pillow (identical to cutaway) in lieu of the metal until more experience has been acquired?
2) What are advantages where safety is concerned?
3) What are detriments where safety is concerned?
Personally I would stick with the metal handel. One because it looks and feels different, and two because you can hook your thumb in it as well thus making it less likely that you would lose your grip.
I wouls assume that the advantage of having a pillow for your reserve release would be that it is less conductive to electricty shopuld you land in power lines.
Dextriments, more easy to confuse the two, and see my first comments about your questions.
Thank you for the food for thought AFFI. You are a valuable asset here if people would listen to you
Divot your source for all things Hillbilly.
Anvil Brother 84
SCR 14192
Anvil Brother 84
SCR 14192
Saweet! How tall are you so I know if I should watch for it to go up for sale when you get tired of falling out of planes. Hope that doesn't happen but I really like it.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Lord, let me be the person my dog thinks I am.
Lord, let me be the person my dog thinks I am.
Krip 2
QuoteSaweet! How tall are you so I know if I should watch for it to go up for sale when you get tired of falling out of planes. Hope that doesn't happen but I really like it.
Damn I was thinking the same thing but didn't want to be the FIRST one to say it.
One Jump Wonder
I got both soft on mine when I bought it but that was after 200 jumps. I was doing some radical jumps w/ crazy people and worried someone else would get THEIR thumb in my D ringQuoteMy 2 cents ---- with your experience you should stick with a metal d handle
1. The metal handle is easy to grab and easy to pull --- if you have never had a cutaway and you do not peel the handle before trying to pull it you will find it almost takes 2 hands to pull it (the velcro is new right now)
so you just had a hard pull on the cutaway handle because of the new velcro and now you have to locate the reserve handle while panicking and remember to peel it before pulling it.
Soft handles my look cool but its a life and death issue and nobody will look cool if they don't deal with it quickly
(my experience AFFI 1600 jumps with metal handle and it has never come loose)
And you can always put the soft handle back in use after your experience has grown and your a little more comfortable.
This was not meant to bash your rig by any means just to make you think about your choices and your options
Be safe and remember it doesn't matter what anybody else says its your rig and your choice - just make sure you have all the info to make the right one
I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.
QuoteI got both soft on mine when I bought it but that was after 200 jumps. I was doing some radical jumps w/ crazy people and worried someone else would get THEIR thumb in my D ring
Soft or hard handles, you should NEVER have another jumper anywhere near your handles.
Jumpsuits have grippers for a reason, and anyone who tells you they need to take a harness grip on you is an idiot. There is always a way to avoid taking a grip on a harness, and any situation where a gripper is not good enough is a situation you don't need to be in.
It may seem like crazy fun at first, but gear problems created in freefall are not fun.
Ever do any rigging or assemble a rig? Now try it with the rig on, in freefall, with the clock ticking.
Protect your rig at all times as if your life depends on it.
MagicGuy 0
I haven't had a cutaway yet (knock on wood) but I think until I do, I'll keep my metal handle. I like the fact that I can hook my thumb in it. I have seen some low profile metal handles that looked awesome. I wouldn't mind switching to one of those.
Quote***
Soft or hard handles, you should NEVER have another jumper anywhere near your handles.
This is the exact reason why I have dual pillows. Nobody ever plans on it, but it can, has, and will continue to happen.
Regardless of experience level, there are situations where people rush themselves. Rushing can easily lead to missing a grip on a jumpsuit, arm, or hand, whatever, and all it takes is one missed grab for them to accidentally find that reserve D-ring. Obviously this level and sense of panic will (theoretically) decrease with the number of a jumps a person has, but shit happens. Jeff Gordon is just as prone to getting t-boned by someone running a red light as anybody else, assuming he drives his own car in public. (Best example I can come up with right now).
I simply feel safer with them. I have been in a few speed-star competitions where the teams are handicapped and 'leveled' by keeping the jump numbers fair (if a team gets someone with 2500 jumps, they will also get someone with 50 jumps, etc). There have been many instances where a collision or missed grip put someone fumbling around my handles. I'm not saying they would have deployed it with a d-ring, but I am saying the probability is a lot higher. With experience comes control, and with control comes the safer situations. In this situation, there is nothing I can do if I am holding my slot in the 5-way and the 6th man out decides he better just bomb in there to try and complete it in time.
All that being said, I think there is something to be said for the "feel" of the pillow. I started using dual pillows around jump 95, and wish I hadn't. The first weekend out with the rig I had terrible line-twists, and for the split second I thought I was going to have to chop it I clearly remember questioning the feel in my left hand (the canopy stopped spinning and leveled out about that time). I think that while it is not a MAJOR factor, it is a factor that should be considered.
In conclusion: I personally feel safer with dual pillows. When I jump borrowed rigs I feel a bit uneasy with the d-ring. Personal preference.
It's all fun and until someone loses an eye... then it's just a game to find the eye
hukturn 0
Enjoy it. My first rig was a double pin Mirage (Thanks MEL) with a Raven III and a 28' Phantom. My jumpsuit was a hand-me-down (thanks Patrick) pair of mechanics coveralls with sewn on grippers. But...I was skydiving. Have fun!!
I'm sure if it was seriously debated you could add it to the list of the great debates such as "Should you cutaway a pilot chute in tow?", "What is better, a Cypres or a Vigil?", etc.
To the OP...Congrats!
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