Psychoz 0 #1 January 30, 2007 I am doing my training right now and have a question, how do I keep from getting inner thigh bruising from the leg straps, my last jump was very painful. Do I tighten the straps hard or leave a little slack. Also will this go away once I am not using a student container and get my own? I am a bigger guy at 5'-10" 230 lbs. I know losing weight will help, which I am in the process of doing, so far I have lost close to 30 lbs. in 4 months. Any assistance would be greatll appreciated.So long and thanks for all the fish!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cadurso 0 #2 January 30, 2007 When I was going through AFF, I experienced the same thing - as I'm sure everyone does. I found that keeping the legstraps fairly tight was better than having them loose. Not tight enough to cut off circulation, but if they are loose at deployment the shock hurts. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TMPattersonJr 0 #3 January 30, 2007 QuoteAlso will this go away once I am not using a student container and get my own? A properly fitted rig will help this alot, also good padding in the legstraps will help some too. Keep them tight like the guy before me said but don't cut off circulation. Deal with it until you can get your own equipment. And for god sakes have fun!!!! Blue SkiesBlack DeathFacebook www.PLabsInc.com www.SkydiveDeLand.com www.FlyteSkool.ws Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
klafollette 0 #4 January 30, 2007 Yes, tighter is better than looser. Be sure to snug them up right before jumprun. I'm at 220lbs, and I did find that once I got off of rental rigs, the thigh discomfort got much better. My first rig was a Mirage G3, and my current Vector 3 M-series is even more comfortable. My other suggestion would be to wear corduroy pants inside-out walk a few miles and build up some callouses Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Psychoz 0 #5 January 30, 2007 QuoteYes, tighter is better than looser. Be sure to snug them up right before jumprun. I'm at 220lbs, and I did find that once I got off of rental rigs, the thigh discomfort got much better. My first rig was a Mirage G3, and my current Vector 3 M-series is even more comfortable. My other suggestion would be to wear corduroy pants inside-out walk a few miles and build up some callouses Sorry but I do not own any corduroy pants, I left those back in grade school. Thanks for the suggestions, I'll keep em tight and deal with it til I get my own. Plus I will look into that Vector 3 M-series.So long and thanks for all the fish!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildfan75 1 #6 January 31, 2007 Two words...oven mitts! Do a search on my posts and you'll understand. I'm not going to post the picture again Ok...so I'll make it easy... http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=2605626;#2605626 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
popsjumper 2 #7 January 31, 2007 Good stuff...I hope the OP reads the entire thread. Much info in there applies to this thread.My reality and yours are quite different. I think we're all Bozos on this bus. Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dorbie 0 #8 January 31, 2007 I had the same problem. I wore mountain bike cycling shorts with a huge butt pad to try and mitigate it but it never helped much. Those adjustable training harnesses just suck. When you get your own rig it will be less of a problem. Some rigs also come with additional legstrap padding as an option, so don't worry about it too much, get through your training and get your own gear. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rhys 0 #9 January 31, 2007 Hi, I don't really know the imperial system so cant really tell your size from those stats. But when i was learning there was a bigger guy in my course that had this problem. He purchased some of those pads that you can buy for your seat belts in your car! you know the ones they have pictures of Tazzie and Buggs bunny etc. on them. I know he found the extra padding to help the problem. Welcome to skydiving, be safe and have fun! "When the power of love overcomes the love of power, then the world will see peace." - 'Jimi' Hendrix Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jwelborn 0 #10 January 31, 2007 Make sure you have the same tension on both leg straps. I learned that one the hard way on my second training jump. Bruise bigger than a softball on my left thigh because my right leg strap was just a little loose.The supreme irony of life is that hardly anyone gets out of it alive. Robert A. Heinlein Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Psychoz 0 #11 January 31, 2007 Thanks for all the advise, I think I will try the seat belt straps for the rest of my training, and then until I get my own container I will make some "strap on" pads for my leg straps. I said "strap on", kind of kinky, but that is just me. So long and thanks for all the fish!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NancyJ 11 #12 January 31, 2007 Harness comfort is a function of harness geometry and use of the correct material for the task. Proper fit is a must. As a big fellow, distributing your weight in the harness, and not allowing it to point load on the insides of your thighs is even more critical. Start with Type 13 webbing, which is heavier and stronger than Type 7 or Type 8. Then be sure to have a harness where the horizontal portion coming out of the backpad joins the main lift web at a 90-degree angle and becomes the top of the legstrap. The main lift web goes around your butt to become the bottom portion of the legstrap. Look at the attached picture, which shows my own harness. Note that I don't even use legpads, as they are not needed for comfort. I do have some little slide on sheaths in the front to keep the ends of the leg straps from flying in the wind. I do just about every discipline in the sport of skydiving, and wear my harness as you see in the photograph, comfortably - never a bruise. I'll re-emphasize the importance of Type 13, specifically developed as personnel harness webbing, and to be compatible with all harness friction adaptors. Type 7 and Type 8 are both intended for use as cargo netting, and have a tendency to roll at the edge, making it less comfortable, and unsuitable for personnel harnesses. Type 13 won't slip. Type 7 and 8 do slip. In the meantime tighten your harness (legstraps, MLW if adjustable and chest strap), and gut it out. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
porpoishead 8 #13 January 31, 2007 oven mitts.....WTF over!!!! that shit is funny as hell, I thought those were for grabbing hot pots and pans.......... I had a hard opening or two under student gear during my training, these were refered to by my instructors as "positive openings". horseshit I said positive my ass, I got fuckin spanked. so I pretty much hung around the DZ every day, learned about a parachute and its deployment system, learned to pack, and different things that can be done to promote a softer opening. I got spanked no mo!! get with your instr/packers get more involved with the packing of the rig youre jumping, or any rig for that matter, and ask questions as to what and why is being done. hope this helps bud, I didnt want to get too specific, as to not interfere with what youre being taught. student gear is uncomfortable, and parachutes open fukin hard sometimes. some time down the road you'll be under your own gear, and understand packing, then maybe you too will get a laugh at "oven mitts" that shit is just silly.. edited to add: are you happy to see me, or is that oven mitts in your pants LMFAOif you want a friend feed any animal Perry Farrell Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bodypilot1 0 #14 January 31, 2007 Your doing static line right? Even tightening the legs straps to, what seems like super tight on the gound, or adding silly oven mits or seat belt covers, you will still get you these bruises probably. Unless you adjust them back up correctly into your crotch area as you climb out of the 182. As you are sitting with your back to the instrument panel the straps will slid down your legs no matter what you do, because you are bent over. A simple one handed adjustment to get them back up is all that is needed as you are climbing out. Just dont fall off as your adjusting them..... Be safe Edwww.WestCoastWingsuits.com www.PrecisionSkydiving.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkyChimp 0 #15 January 31, 2007 OUCH, bet that hurt Does anyone else find it funny that we made a SPORT out of an EMERGENCY PROCEDURE?!?! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Psychoz 0 #16 January 31, 2007 Quote Your doing static line right? Even tightening the legs straps to, what seems like super tight on the gound, or adding silly oven mits or seat belt covers, you will still get you these bruises probably. Unless you adjust them back up correctly into your crotch area as you climb out of the 182. As you are sitting with your back to the instrument panel the straps will slid down your legs no matter what you do, because you are bent over. A simple one handed adjustment to get them back up is all that is needed as you are climbing out. Just dont fall off as your adjusting them..... Be safe Ed I was thinking that mught had made the straps move down, I will definetly try that next time. And luckily I think I only have 1 or 2 more static line jumps, then it is into freefalling.So long and thanks for all the fish!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DSE 5 #17 January 31, 2007 A lot of people have found oven mitts or other padding tools to be beneficial in student rigs. Student rigs rarely fit well, and while you can certainly do a lot to prevent hard openings, there is little you can do about ill-fitting rigs. If oven mitts or seatbelt covers help deal with the hurt of a cheap student rig (and did in my case) then I'd hope that comfort supercedes anything outside of a safety issue. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
porpoishead 8 #18 January 31, 2007 certainly there is much you can do about an ill fitting rig, examples: dont buy it. dont jump it. get educated on its proper adjustment, or have your instr. adjust it for you before you exit. suck it up and jump it till you get your own. go to a DZ that has something that fits better. OR shove some oven mitts down your pants, what do you recomend 4-5 of em ought to do............. just let me borrow one first I got a pizza in the ovenbwwaaaaahaa!!!!if you want a friend feed any animal Perry Farrell Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites