Please double check youre chest strap!!

[dustin19d 0]

The only reason I'm alive right now is because it was a sub terminal opening

[Hazarrd 1]

mind telling us some more details?

.-.

[freefalle 0]

bet you won't do that again. Glad you're okay

[dustin19d 0]

I put the strap through the buckle then back over it insted of back through it. 2 other guys and I where doing a hop n pop from 3,500. When I did my final checks I just put both thumbs behind my chest strap in pushed out, when I didn't feal it slip I figured it was ok, with out looking down. I jumped, watched them deploy and almost waited a few seconds to get lower than they before deploying, but luckily threw at the same altitude as them.
When I went to take my rig of I saw the strap, the only thing that kept it from comming off was there wasn't enough opening shock to pull the elastic band through the buckle. I went up to one of the guys who was on the jump and showed him. He gave it a little tug and it came completely off

[nightjumps 1]

Pushups

[KrisFlyZ 0]

Glad you are o.k.

I visually check my chest strap. I was giving my instructor(when I was on student) a gear check and did'nt catch an intentionally misrouted chest strap.

I learnt that lesson well.

[gulaz 1]

That is the biggest thing you will find when you give gear checks to people.

Remember gear checks guys!!! I see people all the time going to the plane without getting one, just because they see more experienced jumpers doing that (which is no excuse). Ive caught people with misrouted chest straps, either during a gear check, or just with them walking around, or in the plane.

[speedy 0]

Double check?

I check it when gearing up.
I check it again at least 3 times during climb to altitude.
I check it again just before exit.

I have even checked it during freefall That doesn't happen often though

Glad you're O.K.

Dave

Fallschirmsport Marl

[jerry81 10]

Quote

The only reason I'm alive right now is because it was a sub terminal opening

Well, not really (an open chest strap does not guarantee you'll fall out of the harness on a terminal opening, although it improves the odds), but it was still dumb.
Live and learn (on as few of your own mistakes as possible). Glad you're OK.

---

[yoink 321]

Yup... been there, done that - I can pretty much guarentee that you won't do it again though. Scary isn't it?

[cvfd1399 0]

Everyone at the dz should give you a lick in your arm, then everyone that should have checked you should hit themselves.

[migliore 0]

Quote

Double check?

I check it when gearing up.
I check it again at least 3 times during climb to altitude.
I check it again just before exit.

I'm with you...between gearing up and exit, I probably do 5-8 checks of all straps, handles, and rings. I also look around at those near me for anything obvious. I can't imagine it any other way.

Shane

[ladyskydiver 0]

Actually, you can survive a terminal opening with your chest strap undone. NOT RECOMMENDED!

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=1013885#1013885

Life is short! Break the rules! Forgive quickly! Kiss slowly! Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably. And never regret anything that made you smile.

[ChrisL 2]

I've read enough stories like these to make sure that I check not only that the strap is correctly routed through the buckle, but also to make certain its not mistouted behind the MLW or through the reserve handle etc.

Every jump, no exceptions.

__

My mighty steed

[ryand96 0]

Quote

Double check?

I check it when gearing up.
I check it again at least 3 times during climb to altitude.
I check it again just before exit.

I do the same thing on every jump with the addition of checking before I get in the airplane. Check your three three's compulsively - 3 handles/3 Straps/3 Rings. As skydivers we need to be obsessive compulsive. Our lives depend on it.

[Casurf1978 0]

Glad you're OK. I caught a misrouted strap a few months back, right as jumper was getting ready to exit. Wigged me out more than it did him.

[Nightingale 0]

I check mine during my own gear check, then I usually get a gear check from another jumper, and then I check it again at about 9000 feet, before I put on my goggles. I also do a visual check of everyone around me that I can see. I look at chest straps and three-rings.

[unformed 0]

Heh. I did the same thing this weekend. I signed up for the load about 5-10 minutes before takeoff, so I was going pretty quick and not paying attention. As I'm walking to plane, a JM who was just sitting aside, grabbed my strap pulled it, and said you're dead.

Won't forget that next time.

This ad space for sale.

[JohnMitchell 14]

Change the way you check it, 'cause you didn't catch it that one time. Glad you're still here, dude. Be a good guy and start looking around for others without the cheststrap done right. I've found two on jumprun so far.

[kris12 0]

Quote

I also do a visual check of everyone around me that I can see. I look at chest straps and three-rings.

I am gear check crazy. I caught my own misrouted chest strap in the boarding area once. Now, I check all of my 3s multiple times on the ground and in the plane. In addition, I try to check everyone that I am jumping with and people sitting around me. Once, I caught someone's whose reserve handle was loose. That's also another good thing to check. Make sure that they (both reserve and cutaway handles) are properly seated. It can't hurt.

kristen
swooo #3 MB #3587 P.M.S. #66
"so let go, jump in...what're you waiting for? it's all right 'cause there's beauty in the breakdown"

[lewmonst 0]

Quote

I check mine during my own gear check, then I usually get a gear check from another jumper, and then I check it again at about 9000 feet, before I put on my goggles. I also do a visual check of everyone around me that I can see. I look at chest straps and three-rings.

Elsinore ramper Tony also checks them as your boarding the plane. He's not just starring at everyone's chest and counting...

peace
lew

http://www.exitshot.com

[JohnMitchell 14]

Why are so many people hooking them up wrong? Is it a training problem or a checklist problem, or are people just looping them thru for convenience, thinking they'll "fix it later" before they jump? That last one is especially dangerous.

[freeflybella 0]

I agree here.

Not only does it sound like you need to pay more attention to your 'checks' - but also to your 'gearing up'.

Your gear is the only chance you have of survival once out the door. Keep it meticulously maintained and put it on right.

Glad you're OK. Glad you're shook up.

Action expresses priority. - Mahatma Ghandi

[dustin19d 0]

After that I am now obsesive compulsive about my chest strap. And everyone around me checks it also. Yeah, because I told one person now everyone knows.
7 days left then its back to Korea.

[freeflybella 0]

Just know you're in good company when it comes to making mistakes. I'd bet everyone on this board has a story - and many of them start with "I had 70 jumps" or "I had 350 jumps"...

Mine was around 70 jumps and included lending my visual alti to my jump partner, my ditter battery dying (and me not checking) and big-time loss of altitude awareness.

Needless to say, I've since developed a keen sense of timing and altitude!

It's good to have your friends check on you. And it's OK to obsess over your chest-strap since that's where your wake-up call originated, but let that round out your overall attention to your gear from now on.
S.

I hear Korea is ...lovely?... this time of year?

Action expresses priority. - Mahatma Ghandi