Hybrid Question: Best Way To Take Grips?

[Zennie 0]

This issue is being kicked around in the freefly forum, but Jumperpaula suggested we bring it over here for discussion as well. It would be good to get some input from the belly flier's perspective, especially those that have done hybrids before.
The issue is basically this... where is the best place for the hanger to take grips? The three places that have been discussed are the shoulder harness where it meets the chest strap, the chest strap, and the leg harness where it meets the main lift web.
I dug through all my back issues of Skydiving and Parachutist to study as many hybrid shots as I could.
All of the chest strap grips were where the dive had two belly fliers and one hanger. I didn't see any chest grips on dives involving more than one hanger.
On the bigger belly bases, it seemed to be evenly split between grips on the shoulder harness where it meets the chest strap and on the leg harness where it meets the main lift web. The bases on which leg harnesses are taken look from the stills to be stable... they don't appear to be being excessively dragged down by the legs.
I still like the leg harness approach for a few reasons...
1. It's easier for the hanger to get hold of because there's less reaching involved.
2. There's no worries of a belly flier's chest strap being pulled out.
3. Burble issues are reduced.
4. If a hanger corks, since he/she is further back, he won't slam into the belly base as easily. If he/she doesn't funnel the base, a graceful recovery will be easier.
5. The belly flier's cutaway/reserve handles are too far away to be accidentally grabbed.
The more I think about the chest strap approach, especially in light of my own experience, the more I dislike it. Too many bad things can happen. For example, as I fell away I reached up to try and grab the chest strap that I had missed. What if I had accidentally grabbed the reserve handle? It happened incredibly fast and my reaction was more or less instictive.
The leg harness approach just seems to make a lot more sense from a logistical and safety approach. My second choice would be the shoulder harness, but that's a distant second.
Thoughts?
"Zero Tolerance: the politically correct term for zero thought, zero common sense."

[ChromeBoy 0]

How about holding the bellyfliers feet and going head down. Your arms will move n-synch with the formation. Do not know just asking?

[Zennie 0]

I think it's generally easier to pull than push. Plus if the formation did funnel, I sure wouldn't want to be on my head above it .
Most head downers are usually off to the side and holding on with one hand.
"Zero Tolerance: the politically correct term for zero thought, zero common sense."

[BikerBabe 0]

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I think it's generally easier to pull than push

True, but I spent a whole day at Eloy working with Steve Curtis and some others on a dive where we were doing exactly what Chromeboy said, so it is possible. And when it did funnel, there really wasn't a problem with the head down guys being in the way.
Basically, we launched and 8-way stairstep (everyone on their belly), then moved to a sort of modified weed-whacker (I don't know what else to call it) with everyone still on their belly. The 4 belly fliers made a 4-way star, and the four free fliers each had the right leg of a belly-flier with their right hand (sort of a cross-grip). Then when Eliana gave the key, the four of us in the base arched like hell while the four free-fliers flipped head-down, and grabbed the leg strap of the belly flier on their other side. Basically it looked like a the head-down folks were taking pods on the 4-way base. They ended up facing in on their heads, pushing down on our legs straps, and geeking each other and us...by the end of the day it actually worked!
Of course, I had to wear 10 lbs (I never wear weight) and Eliana had on 20 lbs!
That was the only time we've ever had people head-down like that on a hybrid dive...all the others I've been on people take my chest strap. I think taking the main lift web would be just as good...and it actually might help if the guy standing is trying to reach to hold on to two people.

[Jumperpaula 0]

Like I mentioned, I would want the drag and weight of someone sitting for standing as close to my center of gravity as possible, but the idea of someone hanging off my chest strap has always left me feeling uneasy.
Too much drag on my leg straps would seem like it would pull me under, even in a 4 way round with high shoulder grips.
Fly Your Slot !

[Zennie 0]

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Too much drag on my leg straps would seem like it would pull me under, even in a 4 way round with high shoulder grips.

I'll bring the photos next time and show them to you.
My guess is that there is an inital drag when the hangers first kick under, but when your upper body matches fallrate with your lower body the base evens out again.
I'd like to at least give the non-chest strap methods a try. Can't go any worse than my last hybrid jump did.
"Zero Tolerance: the politically correct term for zero thought, zero common sense."

[Jumperpaula 0]

Keep practicing and let me know when you've got it all figured out.
Krista wants me to do some kinda all women hybrid for Jump for the Cause.
Spend the rest of the summer perfecting it, when it's all figured out, maybe I'll try it.
Fly Your Slot !

[coconutmonkey 0]

I've done a couple with folks hanging off chest straps. Like alot of folks, I get that edgy feeling with people playing near my handles. I'll get a few folks together over the weekend and try the leg strap thing. At worst, it might funnel like a horny gorrilla that somebody flipped out of.