Tightening Chest Strap In Plane

[Kramer 0]

I've been seeing this a lot lately, and was wondering if I could get any imput from the older-wiser crowd.

What I do: Tighten my leg straps and chest strap on the ground, then leave it as is (aside from checking it before I jump)

What I've seen a couple people do lately: Tighten their straps on the ground so they fit comfortably, then re-tighten their chest strap a lot while sitting in the plane.

Isn't that bad? I mean, when you have the weight of your rig lifted off of your shoulders, of course your chest strap is going to seem loose while you're sitting in the plane. I've never said anything to anyone, 'cause I don't really know my head from my ass in this sport yet....but it seems to me that the theory should be tighten your gear properly on the ground, and leave it alone in the plane.

Feedback?

The FAKE KRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMER!!!!!!!!!

[billvon 3,070]

I don't think it's a big deal either way. I tend to tighten everything before I get in the plane (just so I don't have to think about it if I have to bail out or something*) but for most people even a loose rig will allow them to bail out without adjusting anything. And if they forget and jump that way? Generally they will be fine. It all depends on how your rig fits what your habits are; getting repeatable habits can be important when it comes to not forgetting things.

* = with the exception of things like big-ways, where I leave everything loose so my legs don't fall asleep during the 40 minute climb-and-line-up-the-formation process.

[quade 4]

Depends on the situation.

I think it's extremely inconsiderate to be doing a lot of jumping up and down adjusting straps and booties if the plane is packed.

The practice is generally frowned upon during competitions as it's a distraction. Sure, we'll all do pin checks and hand jive, but generally speaking all the teams do that at about the same time and then become quiet again so that people can concentrate.

On the other hand, I see no real huge problems if the plane is lightly loaded and there's a lot of room to play with.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[Scrumpot 1]

I can see your point, and where your "concern" may be coming from, ...from your point of view. I guess it depends precisely on what you also mean by "a LOT"? And as well, whether it actually is indeed being done by the jumper(s) doing it, merely in response to the slack they see in their chest straps, because of the way they are seated. If that is the case, then yes, maybe they are "re-tightening" their chest straps unneccessarilly. But will this cause them any problem for you to be excessively concerned over? Probably not.

Are these jumpers complete, just off AFF neophytes, or are they jumpers that presumably know their equipment? I have a routine personally, as an example. Before boarding the plane, generally I tighten all straps to "jumpable" taughtness. Not neccessarily the full "optimal" tightness that it most likely will be before I exit, but certainly tight enough that should I ever need to emergency exit (which I have), it would be of absolutely no concern. Now, if as I suspect at your DZ, your aircraft seating is bare floor rather than bench, the "rig in the crotch of your buddy" directly behind you does lift the rig so that your cheststrap can "appear" looser than it actually is. Tightening up that extra slack probably is not necessary, but if one does it, is it dangerous? I don't think so. Usually the habit of doing this would change pretty quickly if the jumpers doing this found that the rig was "too tight" or uncomfortable out the door.

Here is also what I usually do. Upon pre-boarding I tighten up my leg straps to full jump/exit tightness (except as Bill Von points out for higher-altitude or big-way jumps where ride to alt. is extended). My chest strap is properly routed and threaded. It is again at a tightness that probably will not be what I will final adjust it to on jump run prior to exit (withour having to do a lot of jumping up & down and scuffling around, Quade ), but with my legs straps having already been fully tightened (and only needing to be quickly rechecked as a part of my final pre-exit routine), it usually does not need to be "retightened" all that much. ...Would that also look to you like I was over-tightening my chest strap, because while I was at your DZ, which causes me to be sitting on the floor resulting in my strap protruding from my body? I can see how you might be wondering that. Generally though, I will tighten my chest strap to the SAME level/spot that I KNOW, regardless of how it may have appeared to the 3rd party observer. So in my case, no ...your observations (and therefore "concerns") are unfounded.

More important however, if you are looking at fellow jumpers chest straps (not a bad idea, as we have read in some other threads just recently) is to be sure it is properly routed, and THROUGH (not just over or around) the tensioner/buckle. In reality, the chest strap only needs to be just tight enough so as to not allow your rig to be pulled over (and off) your shoulders in freefall, or during opening shock. "Super-tight", loose, moderately loose or medium-loose is otherwise just a personal preference.

Hope this little epistle has helped you out!
Blue Skies,
-Grant

coitus non circum - Moab Stone

[ChrisL 2]

I put my gear on on the ground. Fully tightened.
I enjoy the ride up if possible
I check it at 2 minutes out from jump run.

__

My mighty steed

[bodypilot1 0]

I get in the plane as I would want to get out of the plane.
On Birdman jumps my arms are unzipped as is my RW and freefly suit, depending on the weather.
IMO standing up to tighten your leg straps just before jump run is ANNOYING for everyone near you.

Just my .02

-

www.WestCoastWingsuits.com
www.PrecisionSkydiving.com

[weegegirl 2]

hey kramer!

guilty.

i'm one of them who does a final "tightening" on the plane. when i fly on my head, my chest strap has to be wicked tight or else my rig will start to slide off my shoulders.

It's not super comfy to have it that tight while boarding the plane or riding up. tightening up is part of my final gear check.

• Quote

[Ron 10]

As long as your gear is on enough that you will survive if you have to bail at one grand...I don't care.

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

[Brains 2]

I tighten my leg strap on the ground, too difficult to stand up in the plane and do it. My chest strap is connected, but maybe not tight. I wear my chest strap TIGHT for freeflying, and condsiderably looser if i am flying on my belly. When freeflying, i will cinch it up a few minutes before exiting, along the same time i put on my helmet and glasses.

Never look down on someone, unless they are going down on you.

[sunshine 2]

Quote

i'm one of them who does a final "tightening" on the plane. when i fly on my head, my chest strap has to be wicked tight or else my rig will start to slide off my shoulders.

Same here. I tighten everything up before boarding, but really supertighten the chest strap as part of my final gear check. My harness is to wide for my body, so the chest strap has gotta be TIGHT!!!

___________________________________________
meow

I get a Mike hug! I get a Mike hug!

[mr2mk1g 10]

I think when you board the plane you should be geared up enough to exit the plane in an emergency. This doesn't mean goggles and gloves etc, but it certainly includes rig and all straps.

I don't care how many jumps you have but if you're in my way at 1000ft when an engine's on fire, the pilot's yelling at us to get the fuck off his plane and your pissing arround with leg straps; then you've joined the wrong damn club.

I think people who re-tighten their shit at altitude are doing me no harm, but are hardly doing themselves any favours. Ie, they're not going to be able to arch properly with an overtight chest strap and their canopy isn't going to be able to open out fully and fly properly. If they want to make their dive suck it's no skin off my nose.

[FrogNog 1]

I wear it "belly-fly tight" in the plane for comfort, belly-flying, and fire drills. For freeflying (well, free-flailing) I tighten it up before exit.

After opening, I loosen my chest strap until it has slack. I feel my canopy flies fine for the first 15 seconds until this point.

Plenty of other people posted like this. I don't think we do these things to make our dives suck, we do them to make the dive better.

Assuming people who re-tighten their chest straps at altitude don't know what they're doing is sort of silly. I don't need to feel how tight my chest strap is to know when if I have it adjusted correctly - it's the same length every jump so if the stopper is in the middle, it's loose; at the LMLW side it's medium; folded back to the middle again and it's tight.

I assume most people who own their own gear and pay attention to chest strap tightness on various jumps and components of jumps would be in the same boat.

-=-=-=-=-
Pull.

[flyangel2 2]

I think it's just habit with me to tighten the leg straps and check them one more time as I'm going to the door. To me they just feel like they have loosened a little with the ride to altitude. I also give my chest strap a good check.

May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey

[adamUK 3]

My routine:
Check rig
Put on rig.
Check legs, chest (aggressive tugs), cutaway, reserve, hackey.
Get someone else to check everything
Re check lid, alti, goggles & hook knife then get in plane.
At 4000ft examine neighbours alti and check my own to make sure it reads the same - check handles, pads, visual on leg straps & chest strap. Check guts to ensure impending fart is not going to explode.
At 9000ft, check handles, another check on others alti, visual. Another check to ensure fart has got to 50 psi. Start feeling worried about jump and possibility of poisoning fellow passengers
At 10k put on lid, goggles, check legs, handles, pads, hackey and chest strap, by touching. Internal gases now causing excruciating discomfort. Eyes start watering.
red light - it's too much so let rip. Fellow jumpers start retching and looking green. Hopefully not affecting timing between exits as people become desparate to leave.
Green light - wait my turn and exit plane in a flailing mess grinning from ear to ear.

I am just chest-strap paranoid I guess.

And why do I never fart in freefall?

[CanuckInUSA 0]

I'm not sure I understand your motivation for starting this thread. It is one thing is you repeatedly see people getting on the airplane without their rig on or let's say the chest strap is not even done up. But come on dude, haven't you noticed that a lot of RW people like to jump with their chest straps a tad on the loose side? As an example, it's not uncommon to see someone like Omar get up a just before it's time to jump and start adjusting his gear. So are you to tell him that he's being unsafe? LOL ... I'd like to be on that load when you tell him this. As long as people follow what Ron said "that they are prepared to jump at 1k in case of an emergency" who cares if someone needs to adjust their gear before they jump. Just as long as the adjustments are made prior to the airplane being on jump run so as not to hose the people behind the person adjusting their gear.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[SkymonkeyONE 4]

I adjust both my legstraps and my chest strap prior to boarding the plane, but always readjust my legstraps when I stand up on jumprun prior to exit. This a product of the importance of like-adjusted legstraps under sub-100 square foot mains. I don't really make them tighter, I simply ensure that they are equal left and right.

[kelpdiver 2]

Quote

I'm not sure I understand your motivation for starting this thread. It is one thing is you repeatedly see people getting on the airplane without their rig on or let's say the chest strap is not even done up. But come on dude, haven't you noticed that a lot of RW people like to jump with their chest straps a tad on the loose side? As an example, it's not uncommon to see someone like Omar get up a just before it's time to jump and start adjusting his gear. So are you to tell him that he's being unsafe? LOL ... I'd like to be on that load when you tell him this.

Hey, better to sound goofy than to let a possible accident happen, no?

It was a useful discussion for me - I didn't know why people would tighten down their chest straps substantially.

[obelixtim 150]

This really is quite simple......

Anyone who overtightens their chest/leg straps enough to hurt on opening.......will only do it once.....

Its called learning at the school of hard knocks......and everyone goes there at least once..........

My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

[skipro101 0]

I tighten my chest strap and cinch down my leg straps before exiting.

I also enjoy eating apple butter and carrots.


Both statements are about equally important.

[obelixtim 150]

Well it beats eating your chest strap, or an Earthburger!!!.....

My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

[kallend 2,106]

Quote

But come on dude, haven't you noticed that a lot of RW people like to jump with their chest straps a tad on the loose side? .

I've seen it. Doesn't mean it's a good idea.

A few years ago when I did my first 8 point 4-way, it was with a former GK, 4-way national champion. He insisted that the chest strap should be tight for serious RW to prevent the rig from moving on your body during moves.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.