Hard opening and your groin

[LionsGrip 0]

Sorry for the title. Just seems the easy one for searches.

This is probably a stupid newbie question, but I'm doing research to get ready for my AFF and came across hard openings. I keep reading things like neck break, knocked out, and life ending. However, the only thing I can think about are the groin straps and if that's a concern.

I guess it's a guy thing, but do any of you wear cups or is this not a factor?

[wmw999 2,439]

I'm not a guy, but consider something: if skydiving hurt that much particularly often, people wouldn't do it. So don't worry too much.

Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[strykr 0]

If the container is a good fit, then it is not a factor. Tighten your leg straps and they should not reach the critical parts :-)

[D22369 0]

No need for a cup but definitely make sure your junk cannot get under a leg strap (guys)

Only happened once but it made a 5 min CRW jump last a lifetime and for some reason my mind kept wandering away from the rotations we were doing...

Roy

They say I suffer from insanity.... But I actually enjoy it.

[LionsGrip 0]

Thanks everyone. Silly question, but I just thought that if a hard opening could snap your neck what else could get hurt. Glad to hear there are no horror stories regarding that.

[piisfish 140]

Fear not the lineover, fear the nutunder

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[JohnMitchell 16]

LionsGrip

Thanks everyone. Silly question, but I just thought that if a hard opening could snap your neck what else could get hurt. Glad to hear there are no horror stories regarding that.

I had a nut-under on my first jump. Amazing that I ever made a second...

I recommend wearing an athletic supporter. Not necessary, but handy.

[sammielu 3]

"Lift your package out of the way and tighten the leg straps enough that no part of your anatomy can get under there during the plane ride or skydive."

Standard instruction for all male students (tandem and static line). Ladies get the chest strap talk as needed (not tight enough to chop off the girls).

[GAjumper84 0]

I can tell you from a recent incident I had, from what the leg strap did to my actual leg (severe bruising and swelling) if anything else had been in between I don't think it would be functioning anymore .

[rmarshall234 13]

Or as my buddy Joe Miller so eloquently says..."the furniture goes in the middle of the room".

[LionsGrip 0]

Thanks guys. I'll definitely make this part of my safety check:)

[stayhigh 2]

If you have a hard opening, you'll probably think about neck or back more than anything.

If you neck or back isn't jack up, it wasn't a hard opening.

Bernie Sanders for President 2016

[dorbie 0]

"A nut under is much worse than a line over." - my instructor during AFF.

[Emu 0]

If you jump often enough the opening shock will gradually stretch out your vagina. The major benefit of this progressive stretching is that it will allow the sand to escape, and over time you will man up.

xoxo

[JohnMitchell 16]

Emu

If you jump often enough the opening shock will gradually stretch out your vagina. The major benefit of this progressive stretching is that it will allow the sand to escape, and over time you will man up.

xoxo

Maybe a nut-under ain't a "big" deal for you, but for some of us it's like a giraffe with a sore throat.

[riggerrob 643]

LionsGrip

Thanks guys. I'll definitely make this part of my safety check:)

..................................................................

Definitely include leg straps in your "last chance check" or "3 of 3s check" or whatevertheheck you call the check you do five minutes before exit.
The key is to ensure that leg straps ride high up in your crotch, firm up against your pelvis, because they will end up high in your crotch after opening shock. If they have to travel, they will leave bruises that are difficult to explain to your wife/girlfriend/significant other ......

[3mpire 0]

Quote

I can tell you from a recent incident I had, from what the leg strap did to my actual leg (severe bruising and swelling) if anything else had been in between I don't think it would be functioning anymore.

I'm afraid of the leg strap failing in the case of a nut-under as well.

[zoobrothertom 5]

STARLITE

____________________________________
I'm back in the USA!!

[Deimian 43]

LionsGrip

Sorry for the title. Just seems the easy one for searches.

This is probably a stupid newbie question, but I'm doing research to get ready for my AFF and came across hard openings. I keep reading things like neck break, knocked out, and life ending. However, the only thing I can think about are the groin straps and if that's a concern.

I guess it's a guy thing, but do any of you wear cups or is this not a factor?

I've jumped a Sabre 1 with stock slider 7 times last Sunday. My groin is fine, but my boxers didn't survive the day, they ended up with a ripped hole the size of my fist . I don't know if that helps or not .

[Andy9o8 2]

Jumping with boxers is an emasculation waiting to happen.

[erdnarob 1]

First of all, there are not stupid questions.

The type of opening one has depends on several factors like :
1) size of pilot chute
2) type of canopy
3) jumper position at pilot chute launch and main deployment
4) type of suspention lines
5) canopy packing
6) set up of the lines on the D-Bag
7) type of rubber bands an their set up on the D-Bag
8) grommets of the slider not against the main stoppers
9) altitude of deployment
10) riser tuck tabs not released at the same time

or a combination of all of the above.

Note: most of the time, IMO hard openings come from when the packer is bagging the main and lets the slider grommets slip from the the stoppers of the main. Just one inch or two is enough to get a slammer.
Remedy : after bagging the main in the D-Bag, comb the lines toward the main to insure that the slider grommets are still against the main stoppers. Those grommets can move a bit when putting the main on the ground or/and bagging.

Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

[riggerrob 643]

Agreed!
I have hundreds of jumps on Sabre 1-135, 150 and 170, but can only count on one hand the number of hard openings.
All the hard openings occurred after rushed pack jobs. I suspect that I allowed the slider grommets to slide away from the slider stops as I crammed it into the D-bag.

[FatTangerine 0]

I wear a cup. Maybe i'm a wuss, but i like to keep my package in one piece. And it's not like wearing a cup is uncomfortable. Or maybe that's because i've worn one all my life in different sports, etc. Anyway, why not add that extra bit of protection...

[Joellercoaster 6]

That might not be a terrible idea for 4-way and (particularly) 8-way. I've been kicked in the goolies pretty hard a couple of times in the tunnel, and it's not awesome.

It hasn't happened yet, but the thought of 8-way block 2 going wrong brings tears to my eyes just imagining it.

--
"I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan

"You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

[Nicknero1405 0]

Hi, I'm a newbie diver myself who only just passed his AFF.
My problem is that after a couple of jumps (Usually 3 on a day) my legs hurt on the inside right where the leg straps are. It's usually after the opening where I feel it the best, but during the whole ride down to the ground it's just irritating.
I asked some folks about it at my local dropzone, and they all say: "Just jump more, it'll get over or you get used to it".

It's hard to describe what I mean, but I'm sure most of you know what I'm talking about.
Is this because my leg straps are too tight and my legs get cramped? Or are my leg straps too lose and they have friction on my legs that cause this issue?

As for now, I've only jumped one day a week and it takes almost that whole week to recover from this annoyance. But summer vacation is coming, and I'd like to jump more. But if this continues to happen after a couple of jumps in a day, I'm afraid it's starting to be too painful to do more than that.