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azureriders

WOW, misrouted chest strap

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Several times I have buckled my helmet down before pulling up my gogles (never jumped that way) and a couple of weeks ago had a low pull from a hard to find PC handle. For these reasons I have been really stressing the importantance of a high altitude gear check to myself. I have found that it helps me to be thorough on my own check, if I scan the gear of jumpers around me after I finish. As I am normally one of the least experienced on the load, I figured it would be a long time before I ever caught something major on someone else, but it helps anyway.

Jump #25 for me, I do my last check, look over to my coach and another up jumper infront of me, then back to the guys behind me and do a double take. I grab the guys chest strap and and shake it, he looked at me funny so I pulled a little harder and It almost came all the way out of the friction adapter with only the elastic keeper holding it. This was an experieced jumper, (no idea how many jumps but he has been jumping in groups with the rest of the up jumpers for the entire yr that I have been in the sport) He fixed it with a pale face and for a minute I thought he might not even jump, but ofcourse he did, and was fine.

Talk about reassure myself of the importance of a last minute gear check. Also made me feel good to give something back, the instructors, coaches, and average up jumpers on my DZ have all given us students so much.


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Jump #25 for me, I do my last check, look over to my coach and another up jumper infront of me, then back to the guys behind me and do a double take. I grab the guys chest strap and and shake it, he looked at me funny so I pulled a little harder and It almost came all the way out of the friction adapter with only the elastic keeper holding it. This was an experieced jumper, (no idea how many jumps but he has been jumping in groups with the rest of the up jumpers for the entire yr that I have been in the sport) He fixed it with a pale face and for a minute I thought he might not even jump, but ofcourse he did, and was fine.



Nice catch, good job looking out for your safety and the safety of others.

However, I'm not sure that grabbing and pulling at somebody's chest strap is the best way to call their attention to a problem.
I, for one, would be extremely irritated if somebody I don't know, and I wasn't jumping with, came up and started grabbing and pulling on my gear before a jump.
Shouting or gesturing might have been a better alternative as a first attempt (grabbing as a last resort).

That's just my opinion of course, and like I said, good job at noticing a problem :)

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Not making someone aware would be worse! :S
I wouldnt care how you told me, the fact that you may have just saved my life outweighs any irritation it may course. Plus puts you in line for some seriously good karma and beer from the DZ bar ;)

NICE ONE! B|

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Good job, glad us newbies arent completley worthless. If someone grabbed my cheststrap I would assume they thought there was a issue with it, so that being said if I am ever next to someone in a plane, and you see my chest strap all screwed up, please feel free to yank me, smack me, knock me upside the head (that wont hurt as I leave my helmet on the from ground, to jump run, back to ground)
Sudsy Fist: i don't think i'd ever say this
Sudsy Fist: but you're looking damn sudsydoable in this

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Good catch, and keep paying attention like that. We all need to look out for each other.

Honestly, if something was wrong, I don't care if you grab my chest strap or smack me upside the head to get my attention ;)

Like you, I do a gear check before putting anything on, before getting in the plane, and about 2K from altitude. I also try to keep an eye on everyone else.

Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

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Good catch, everyone catches someone at some time, its important to look out for your fellow jumpers.

I would recommend that you don't just grab people's gear, though. That will greatly upset folks. You might want to just point to it and tell them. If they blow you off, then maybe something a little more "agressive" is needed to tell them.
--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

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It did feel good as many of you have said. He fixed it, that was good enough for me. No beer needed, as I don't drink the stuff. Yes, I have been told that you can not be a skydiver if you are not a beer drinker, but I am tring really hard. The only thing I think anyone owes for haveing someone look out for them, is the same in return.


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I've caught several. The person fixed it, that's good enough for me.



Me too. I usually lean over and whisper it to them. They quietly fix it. I have seen it, at least once, every year.

The only one that irritated me was the one in 2004 that met me after the debrief and said, "I probably would have been ok". I sure wouldn't want to bet my life on it. :S

I check myself. Then, I visually check everyone that I can see. Chest straps and cutaway handles. Every ride. Ask anyone who has been on a plane with me.

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I check myself. Then, I visually check everyone that I can see. Chest straps and cutaway handles. Every ride. Ask anyone who has been on a plane with me.

Honestly, women, when we're sneaking peeks at your chests on the way to altitude, it's only for safety reasons.:)



I had a woman give me one of the "looks".
I told her, "Gear check. Buy me a beer later and we'll discuss your boobs."

Either Johnny or I usually announce, "11,000 ft people, gear checks. Cheststraps, cutaway handles, bridles, and pins." I wish more people would.

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I caught my first misrouted chest strap on another jumper last week. I told him about it, he looked down at it, said "yeah" and fixed it.

Wow, not even a "thank you"?



Nope, but doesn't bother me. It was an interesting experience... I've formed such a habit of looking at every chest strap I ever see... on the ground, in the air... that when I saw one that was misrouted it was downright shocking. I think my heart skipped a beat before I told him.
I really don't know what I'm talking about.

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