Mirage and magnet riser covers poll

[Jeffrey 1]

To date I have never receive a single report of a Mirage owners riser cover failing to open or any one side hesitating at line stretch. Video footage I have viewed during testing some time ago showed that Mirage riser covers actually come open some time between the first and last stow of the deployment (after the bag has left the container and before the canopy comes out of the bag.) I can’t say this to be true of all Mirage combinations having not viewed them all. Ground testing showed that it can’t be far off. I personally can’t think of a better time for riser covers to open then after the bag has left the container and before the canopy comes out of the bag.

In the past 9 years I have personally received a total of 8 complaints of a jumpers riser cover coming open prematurely in free fall on a Mirage. In each case the problem was quickly and easily eliminated.

Now with that said and magnets being explored for this application, my 30 years of designing and developing this stuff has taught me to let you decide. What are your thoughts?

Please vote responsibly and honestly. Thank you.

Jeff

[marks 0]

magnets can fuck up electronics.

how close are the riser covers to any wires for the aad? or how close to the controll unit?

just a thought.

[MB38 0]

Quote

magnets can fuck up electronics.

how close are the riser covers to any wires for the aad? or how close to the controll unit?

just a thought.

Bill Booth has already addressed this, it was a major part of testing.

I really don't know what I'm talking about.

[KellyF 16]

You know what they say Jeff........

If it ain't broke, fix it 'til it is

VSE on Facebook

[RTB 0]

I like my Mirage the way it is. But I also like the idea of using magnets.
I tried magnets on the velcro toggles on my tandem last week and it seems to work quite well. (I know, Atair has a patent)
If you don't use magnets on the riser covers, maybe toggles could be tried. Using them on both could of course cause a problem with the wrong magnets attracting each other.
And it is the new cool thing that everyone will want

[Dionysus 0]

I'm on my third Mirage (G4) and I guess I don't see the need for the Magnetic covers. I have never had a riser cover open prematurely.

I have also seen some Mirage containers with quite a few jumps on them and durability of the current system seems to be just fine as well.

However, the one advantage the magnetic covers *may* have is allowing more design freedom of the yolk. Perhaps it will allow future designs to be more flexible or narrow by eliminating some needed layers that are necessary with a tuck tab. Since I have yet to see one in real life this is just a guess on my part.

Now a Skyhook on my Mirage would be really cool.

[AndyMan 7]

To me, magnetic riser covers seem like a solution in need of a problem.

I've no complaints with the tuck-tabs on my Icon, and my wife seems happy with the ones on her Mirage.

_Am

__

You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.

[FreeflyGoat 0]

I love my Mirage G4 and my past G3 and would change nothing on them. Keep on keepin' on.

In 8 years I've personally seen 1 riser cover open prematurly on a Mirage compaired to umpteen covers open on other manufacturers.

Thanks Mirage.

_________________________
goat
derka jerka bukkake jihad

[GEatonSkyfly 4]

I love my G4 the way that it is, I have never had a mirage that had this problem...
Though I do like seeing new inovations and would like to use one for awhile to do a better evaluation! Mirage is simply the best one for me. Grant E.

[Sonicfreefly 0]

Have owned one Mirage G3 and three Mirage G4's. 1500+ jumps. Never had a riser cover release prematurely or hang up. Even if the riser cover was to release, Mirage has the secondary riser cover over the risers for protection. This has been more than enough riser protection for me. If it ain't broke...

[freakyrat 1]

Jeff

I like my riser covers just the way they are on both my G3 and G4

Chris

[riggermick 7]

Quote

You know what they say Jeff........

If it ain't broke, fix it 'til it is

Good one!!

Mick.

[fff3 0]

My G-3 riser covers routinely came open before and after I sent the rig back to have it fixed, at my expense. I Now jump a javelin oddessy and it stays shut. Best, Joel

[mjosparky 4]

Quote

If it ain't broke...

If everyone used that line of thought we would still be jumping rounds with a chest mount reserve. And your Katana would be just a dream.
Michael

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[RMURRAY 1]

isn't one of the problems with tuck tabs that they can affect HP canopy openings. Maybe they do not hang up but if they cause more offheading or spinning openings maybe the magnetic riser covers will be an improvement. I think they may be a step forward especially if they can be adjusted to fit the particular reserve you bought - like velcro does without any trouble.

rm

[Jeffrey 1]

I couldn’t agree more. Plus I would be out of a job.

Jeff

[vesatoro 0]

Over 1500 jumps with my G3, manufactured -99, no premature riser cover openings or hesitations. Canopy FX 79 and 70, no problems with openings. Also I've had no need for repairing the stiffeners. So no need for fixing what ain't broken.

Vesa

"Fear is the path to the Dark side"
(Master Yoda)

[EricaH 0]

I love the way my Mirage G4.1 fits & functions! I've never had my riser covers come open.

My boyfriend's javelin's however come untucked all the time!

There is no can't. Only lack of knowledge or fear. Only you can fix your fear.

PMS #227 (just like the TV show)

[Jeffrey 1]

isn't one of the problems with tuck tabs that they can affect HP canopy openings.***

That may very well be true in some cases. There are many possible contributing factors to off heading or spinning openings. From packing and body position to riser cover design. But this is a Mirage thread and none of the symptoms associated with causing off heading or spinning openings have ever been witnessed in test video or reported from our customers or sponsored jumpers.

I do feel magnets may be more beneficial in some harness and container applications than our current techniques. We have been exploring some of them since George Galloway left some with me over a year ago.

Thank you for your thoughts on this topic.

Jeff

[jerry81 10]

Bill Booth said in the other thread that the new covers on Vectors tend to re-close themselves after opening- I wonder how likely they are to do that in freefall as well, in case they come open for some reason?
I'm asking here cause the only time I've seen it happen on a Mirage was when it was yanked open during a freefly exit that went to hell right out the door and now I'm just curious if that might be another benefit of magnets or not.

[Jeffrey 1]

Bill Booth said in the other thread that the new covers on Vectors tend to re-close themselves after opening- I wonder how likely they are to do that in freefall as well, in case they come open for some reason?***


Considering open riser covers flap when in freefall, they probly would reattach back on top, but I don't think they would have the same strength of being in its pocket. Still a good characteristic if your riser covers have a tendency to pop open in freefall.

Jeff

[genoyamamoto 0]

How about other people's equipment? Can someone's analog or digital altimeter/ditter get screwed up on an exit where the person's alti/ditter comes into close proximity with the magnets?

How about video tapes getting funky on a funneled exit because a video camera got too close to one of these magnets?

How about metal particles being attracted and retained by the magnets and causing excessive wear and tear to the materials near the magnets?

Are any of these legitimate concerns?

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[jakee 1,497]

In the other thread Bill Booth wrote about the testing they have carried out on those areas of concern.

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[genoyamamoto 0]

Thanks for the heads up. I did not see an answer to the concern about metal particles picked up my magnets, also brought up by billvon. Did I miss the answer?

Gotta go... plaything needs to spank me
Feel the hate...
Photos here

[jakee 1,497]

I do remember seeing one, I think Bill said that they had tested by dragging the covers through dirt, dust, iron filings etc and everything just brushed off.

Don't take my word for it though - maybe PM the man himself if you can't find his post.

Do you want to have an ideagasm?