Can you lengthen container straps?

[mike99982 0]

I have a container that I can barely fit into. I love everything about it but it's a bit too small. Is there anyway to have a shop lengthen the shoulder and possibly the leg straps so it'll fit more comfortably? Thanks!

[RiggerLee 61]

Shure. I've got a roll of webbing on the shelf. You just have to build a whole new harness!

Actually it may not be that bad. You just have to replace that section. So on a multi ring harness It might be easy. Find a good master rigger or send it back. It's an easy fix for the factory.

Lee

Lee
lee@velocitysportswear.com
www.velocitysportswear.com

[SansSuit 1]

OK, that has me thinking. Couple of questions.

1. Theoretically, could you cut off the current leg strap, and sew on a longer strap? Could it be done so that it is structurally as sound as the original leg strap?

2. If that is physically possible, why isn't it done? Void the TSO?

Peace,
-Dawson.
http://www.SansSuit.com
The Society for the Advancement of Naked Skydiving

[fluffyduckie 6]

Contact a near by rigging loft with a master rigger.

"I love when humans fly,"

[theonlyski 8]

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OK, that has me thinking. Couple of questions.

1. Theoretically, could you cut off the current leg strap, and sew on a longer strap? Could it be done so that it is structurally as sound as the original leg strap?

2. If that is physically possible, why isn't it done? Void the TSO?

Highly doubtful that you can just splice a longer leg strap on by cutting off the short one and sewing the longer one on. There's a failure point you're introducing that hasn't been tested.

If the harness has hip rings, you can build new leg straps pretty easily, if it's a conventional harness, not so much.

"I may be a dirty pirate hooker...but I'm not about to go stand on the corner." iluvtofly
DPH -7, TDS 578, Muff 5153, SCR 14890
I'm an asshole, and I approve this message

[vanair 0]

Beware!!!!
I think he just wants to take his GF on a cheap Tandem

[billvon 2,990]

>1. Theoretically, could you cut off the current leg strap, and sew on a longer strap?

No. You can't just add on material to a legstrap. You have to take it apart then rebuild it with longer webbing.

[BigMark 1]

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Beware!!!!
I think he just wants to take his GF on a cheap Tandem

I did, it was awesome!

[SEREJumper 1]

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Highly doubtful that you can just splice a longer leg strap on by cutting off the short one and sewing the longer one on. There's a failure point you're introducing that hasn't been tested.

Not true, I've had Sunpath splice new legstrap webbing into two harnesses that were not articulated. Cost me around $75-80 total for both sides if I remember correctly. They do not advertise it in there repair section, they mentioned it. I had this done because the webbing was showing some wear from the older style friction adapters (which work very well, just tend to be a little more harsh on the webbing over time).

We're not fucking flying airplanes are we, no we're flying a glorified kite with no power and it should be flown like one! - Stratostar

[pchapman 279]

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I've had Sunpath splice new legstrap webbing into two harnesses that were not articulated.

Nice. What did they do for stitch pattern etc? Is it a straight lap joint or is there a confluence wrap too? I would guess it would all be be hidden within the leg pads, just below the lateral junction.

[JerryBaumchen 1,357]

Hi Peter,

Just some info on this subject.

On 22 Apr 2010, I tested three samples of a 50 mm ( 2" ) 3-point stitch pattern, using Type 8 webbing, in a tensile test machine.

Sample #1) Failed at a load of 6,720 lbs
Sample #2) Failed at a load of 5,780 lbs
Sample #3) Failed at a load of 6,300 lbs

Failure occurred when the webbing failed.

On 23 Apr 2013, I tested a prototype set of chest pack risers built of Type 8 webbing. The cross-connector was built of Type 8 also.

The test configuration was with one B-12 snap unhooked, loading across the cross-connector strap; see the attached photo.

Test #1) Loaded to 5,000 lbs, held for a moment and load released
Test #2) Loaded to 5,000 lbs, held for a moment and load released
Test #3) Loaded to 5,000 lbs, held for a moment and then loaded to failure. Failure occured at 5,500 lbs; and it was the Type 8 webbing that failed

In none of the above testing did the failure occur within the stitch pattern.

JerryBaumchen

[SEREJumper 1]

Peter,

That was about 3-4 years ago before I really got into knowing about gear as I am today. It was all hidden under the leg pad and I didn't ask how they did it at the time.

They did do it on two containers within a year though, both container have since been sold, so no way to check out for sure.

We're not fucking flying airplanes are we, no we're flying a glorified kite with no power and it should be flown like one! - Stratostar

[PeteS 0]

Check to see if your diagonal straps are too short also. If you feel the harness pull hard at the front of your groin, that could very well be the problem. Can be easy or not so easy for a field rigger to fix.

I have done this to quite a few rigs with good results.

[mike99982 0]

Thanks to everyone for their replies to my original question. I thought it was a stupid question to begin with but I learned a great deal from everyone's posts. Cheers to a great skydiving community and best of luck to all.

[pchapman 279]

PeteS

Check to see if your diagonal straps are too short also. [...] I have done this to quite a few rigs with good results.

You mean the laterals at the hips?
Do you replace the lateral strap, hip junction to hip junction?
I've personally just done quick fixes by converting a couple older rigs to having cut-in laterals. One can free the lateral from the corner of the container, make slot in the jumper's side of the backpad, lead the laterals out -- a couple inches inwards from the container edge -- and resew things.
It doesn't totally fix a too short harness, but does open things up if the rig is constricting to the jumper.
(It would get messier in newer rigs with thicker, fancier backpad padding, but was easy in old rigs. )

[theonlyski 8]

pchapman

***Check to see if your diagonal straps are too short also. [...] I have done this to quite a few rigs with good results.

You mean the laterals at the hips?
Do you replace the lateral strap, hip junction to hip junction?
I've personally just done quick fixes by converting a couple older rigs to having cut-in laterals. One can free the lateral from the corner of the container, make slot in the jumper's side of the backpad, lead the laterals out -- a couple inches inwards from the container edge -- and resew things.
It doesn't totally fix a too short harness, but does open things up if the rig is constricting to the jumper.
(It would get messier in newer rigs with thicker, fancier backpad padding, but was easy in old rigs. )

I think he was talking about the diagonal back-straps in the container.

"I may be a dirty pirate hooker...but I'm not about to go stand on the corner." iluvtofly
DPH -7, TDS 578, Muff 5153, SCR 14890
I'm an asshole, and I approve this message

[pchapman 279]

Yes he mentioned the diagonals but I just hadn't heard of them being lengthened. I'm trying to learn more and expand my rigging knowledge. But given the way that the diagonal is restrained within the container, a longer diagonal would still be restrained by the position of where it wraps around the lateral (at the lower back) and by where it is usually sewn to the pack at the top of the reserve tray, before continuing into the 3 ring attachment area. If the diagonals (usually just one piece of material of course) were lengthened in the back, wouldn't one also want to move the lateral downwards with respect to the container? In the old days of belly mounts, the diagonals were the laterals, if I recall the rig construction correctly.