Hard Opening (My ribs really hurt--)

[Dumpster 0]

Man, I got wonked pretty good Sunday -

Hard opening, one of those that everyone on the ground hears - THWACK! Instant canopy. (170 Spectre I packed myself-) Half a line twist that went away before I could think.
Knocked the wind out of me, took a couple seconds for me to get my shit together. I graoned alot though. Flying and landing was pretty normal. No damage to the canopy.

I've got over 300 jumps on Spectres. Had a couple somewhat rough openings, but nothing anywhere near as hard as this. Canopy has about 10 jumps on a new lineset and about 500-600 total. Just back from PD with a clean bill of health.

Not sure what caused it. I could have pitched before slowing down enough after my track, or maybe the slider moved out of place when I packed after my previous jump. I just switched d-bags in my container, maybe the locking bands should be smaller - I'm thinking possible I had a slight case of line dump? sure - A friend jumped the same rig right after me, had a nice sweet soft opening like I usually have.

Didn't hurt too bad at first but today I'm starting to ache pretty good - Pulling some 24" and 36" pipe wrenches at work then coming home and unloading a bunch of hardwood flooring for the house didn't help. Laughing, coughing, breathing deeply all kinda hurt, too. I'm thinking maybe I should stop in and see the sawbones about this, maybe get taped up for a spell.

All on the left side - Right side feels fine though.

Anyone else get hurt like this from a slammer?

Easy Does It

[sum1mom 0]

My Spectre 170 spanked me 3 weeks ago. Still hurts in the middle of my back.

I had just been braggin' about how sweet all the openings were ...then THOINK!!!

Absolutely "breathtaking."

Get well soon.

[Para-viper 0]

Got slammed last year by my Spectre 210; fractured two vertebrae and bruised a lung. I didn't pack it, but you have to work pretty hard to make a Spectre open like that, from what I understand, so I'm inclined to think it was body position. It made me be *real* sure I'm flat, symmetrical and done tracking before I pull...

------------------------------
Of course it hurts. The trick is not *minding* that it hurts.
- T.E. Lawrence

[Dumpster 0]

Quote

Absolutely "breathtaking."

Yeah you got that right! Depending how I feel in the AM, I'll be going to see the doc. I think some tape might be in order. I really want to heal quickly - The season is just starting here.

[Feeblemind 1]

I don't know if this counts as spanked. Had the hardest opening in my limited 50 jumps. I saw stars and was dizzy. After landing my pelvis hurt as well as my chest. I woke up this morning and had a nice bruise where my shoulder harnesses meets my chest strap. I just figured a little pain was God's way of telling me I am alive .

Fire Safety Tip: Don't fry bacon while naked

[GodspeedsC5 0]

I feel your pain brother, I've had two hard openings recently on my Sabre2. Didn't bother my ribs much, but screwed my neck and back royally putting me on muscle relaxants and I could barely stand for two days.

[panzwami 0]

I put about 200 jumps on an FCI Pro Series 170 back in school. It is by far the softest opening canopy I have ever used, with each opening running 700-900 feet.

There was only one exception, on an otherwise routine jump. 3500 feet, look, wave, pull, instant canopy. I had become accustomed to the softness of the openings, so I was far less prepared for it than perhaps I should have been.

It smacked me so hard, I thought I got a full inch shorter. I was in sort of a loopy daze for the ride down, and after I landed everyone was staring at the bleeding 6" gash I had on my neck from the riser slap. It put an early end to my day of jumping, although no permament damage.

I have no idea why it happened. I spoke with a couple riggers about what may have caused it, but I don't think I could have intentionally packed that canopy to open like that if I tried.

[Dumpster 0]

That's one thing that amazes me is that my neck. spine etc. are just fine. I do have a slight bruise on the inside of one leg. There is no visible bruising, and the pain appears to be concentrated where the main lift web and chest strap come together on the left side.

Woke up this morning and getting out of bed was quite uncomfortable. I'll be calling the doc in a couple hours.

Easy Does It

[okalb 78]

I had an opening under my velocity a few years ago that was so hard it busted 3 A lines on one riser. Not only was I seeing stars, but I got pretty dizzy from how fast that thing was spinning me around. The risers ended up wrapping around my neck so when I finally chopped it, I the burns and welts on my neck made me look like I had grown a second head.

The velocity is usually an extremely soft opening canopy, but every once in a while, look out. I think any canopy had the potential to bite you every once in a while.

-OK

Time flies like an arrow....fruit flies like a banana

[lowie 0]

you may have turn the cartilige between your ribs. I have done this before and Ive broken ribs before and cartilige takes the longest to heal so I hope thats not your case.

[dunesurfer 0]

I also jump spectres with about the same nomber of jumps on them as you have made. I have had two openings that made me see stars. Both times were due to poor slider position... not tight against the stabilizers, poor wrapping on the tail,front cloverleaf pushed back into the pack or all of the above allowing the slider to drop too soon.

[chuckbrown 0]

A buddy cracked his sternum from a hard opening on a Triathlon.

[ryoder 1,384]

From personal experience, and reading section "(4)" of this:

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/safety/detail_page.cgi?ID=19

I made the decision to have Dacron on all of my mains. In my experience, slammers occur on about 1% of my jumps. Prior to Spectra, I had only heard of one instance of a serious injury from opening shock. Since Kevlar/Spectra/Vectran/HMA came into widespread use, it's seems to be a common occurrence.

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[murphyka 0]

I agree that the ribs are the longest to heal.

I had a seriously hard opening three weeks ago that blew out two cells in my Stiletto (which I had bought only 25 or so jumps before). I sent it to PD and they condemned the canopy.

The worst part of that story is that they guy that sold it to me failed to mention that he had just got the canopy back from PD after having a hard opening and blowing a cell. Having known that little peice of info, I would probably not have purchased that one.

Luckily, when I contacted him, he made the situation better by agreeing to pay me half of my money back.

Blue Skies!!!
Kimmy

[jumperconway 0]

Kimmie,
I thought he was giving it all back!$

[DrunkMonkey 0]

Got slammed by my Triathalon 160 once.

Was so hard it broke blood vessels in 6 fingertips, and I had to get muscle relaxants to get thru the lower back pain...

Funny thing is I was told to pack it a little more trashy, so it snivels more while unraveling the mushed folds.

Worked well.

[psuCory 0]

That was the Other one she blew up

[jumperconway 0]

Quote

That was the Other one she blew up

LMAO!

[murphyka 0]

Yep, unfortunately I haven't had the best of luck with buying used canopies sooooo....the Brand New Stiletto will be arriving tomorrow just in time for training on Saturday.

Blue Skies!!!
Kimmy

[docjohn 0]

Watch this video. The tandem passenger broke 3 ribs during the opening.

http://manifestmaster.com/video/mike.wmv

Doc
http://www.manifestmaster.com/video

[Dumpster 0]

Ouch! Damn! Betcha there was a packer that got some couseling! (can't blame that on body posistion!)

Went to see the sawbones - She checked to make sure I didn't detach a lung, and took x-rays to rule out a cracked rib. Probably just upset a bunch of tissue. Gave me some good, non-narcotic painkiller, some heavy-duty tylenol-type stuff. Does a good job of taking the edge off the pain. Getting out of bed wasn't that bad. I should be OK in a week or so.

Easy Does It

[Avion 0]

While doing a canopy course and have my rig packed, I had a fast rather than hard opening. The jump was a hop n' pop from 5K. I hopped out with a perfect exit and pitched 3-4 secs out the door. The canopy opened instantly in like 1 sec from pull, and the slider sped down and wacked me on top of my head. Very unusual for that spectre, it usually takes about 750' and a good several seconds to fully deploy.

This jump was just after I had told my packer that he was doing a good job. After reflecting about it for a while, I realized that it would have been a very hard opening at full speed.

Did I violate some unwritten protocol by praising my packer before the day was done?

Being new to the sport, what do I know? I usually pack myself, durning the course there was a time issue, so I used the packers.

[dgm458 0]

I've had a couple of openings on my Sabre 170 that woke me up. Nothing to cause damage or anything.

I had one a few weeks ago that I think line dumped. Just as the bag came out, I was going into saddle position and then BAM. Not sure if it was momentum from my feet going underneath me or what but I ended up with my feet above my face after opening.

Thinking about going with larger bands and doubling them to see what that does. My bands fit pretty loose around my spectre lines.

--------------------------------------------------
Failure to prepare is preparing to fail

[Kris 0]

Quote

I've had a couple of openings on my Sabre 170 that woke me up. Nothing to cause damage or anything.

I had one a few weeks ago that I think line dumped. Just as the bag came out, I was going into saddle position and then BAM. Not sure if it was momentum from my feet going underneath me or what but I ended up with my feet above my face after opening.

Thinking about going with larger bands and doubling them to see what that does. My bands fit pretty loose around my spectre lines.

The locking stows are the only ones that matter. The rest of the stows are just there to keep the lines organized.

Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and
Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™

[skydiverek 55]

Here are some pieces of advice and tips collected from Bill Booth, Performance Designs, Precision Aerodynamics and others, on how to prevent hard openings: http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=1580970#1580970