Dislodged Reserve Handel in Free Fall.

[bigG 0]

Yesterday, I was doing some HD jumps with a friend. My friend was talking grips on my harness. The exit went well and then I saw my friend point at me and track away.

When I looked down..my silver D-Ring Reserve handel was dislodged from its housing and flopping freely. I held on to the silver and deployed..the rest of the dive was uneventful.

After looking at the video it was apparent that my friend, let go of his right hand and when he tried to regrip my harness, he just held on to my reserve handel. It could have been much worse but this was a big eye opener for me.

I was against getting pads for both cutaway and reserve handel but after this incident I will most certainly get pads for both handles.

Be careful people when talking grips or while exiting the plane.

Stay safe,

G.

[Caseadilla 0]

I had something similar happen to me around christmas. I was on a threeway RW jump and I sunk down onto a buddies back, and when I came off my handle caught on some part of his rig. I was fixing to close on the three way when my friend pointed at his handle and then to me. I covered my reserve handle, backed out of the formation and pulled my main. I'm also thinking of getting a pillow reserve handle.

[Blahr 0]

Instead of replacing handles with things that are harder to grab, why not just keep peoples hands off your MLW?

Making handles harder to grab doesnt seem like a good idea to me. If I should happen to need them, I want them EASY to grab.

[bigG 0]

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why not just keep peoples hands off your MLW?

Good point but sometime you can't help it. Also I don't think anyone dose it intentionally. In my case my friends thumb went through the d-ring when he tried to release his grip.

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Making handles harder to grab doesnt seem like a good idea to me. If I should happen to need them, I want them EASY to grab.

It not making it harder to grab..its more like not getting things stuck in the D-ring, which can dislodge it. I was very much against pads but now I have changed my mind. IMO..pads are not harder to grab when you need.

[Jimbo 0]

I went through a very similar experience last season. I flipped over onto my back after I had realized what happened and tried to replace the handle. When it came time to pull I opted to go straight to the reserve. At the time I was thinking that I had no idea how much the reserve pin had moved, I was afraid that opening shock from the main might dislodge the pin and result in a two out situation. The thought of two out scares me more than the thought of a terminal reserve opening.

For the record:
* My new container has a soft reserve handle.
* Terminal reserve openings can hurt.

-
Jim

"Like" - The modern day comma
Good bye, my friends. You are missed.

[flyangel2 2]

I have a pad for my reserve handle, and have used it. Didn't have a problem getting to the handle and pulling it. I was under a very ugly, fast spinning main.
I think going with a pad is up to the jumpers comfort level. I'll never understand when people are resistant to changes in the sport. Did you know that when AFF training first came out, people were scared of it and said it would never work? Same with Tandems. Oh, and let's not forget when pilot chutes were moved from the waist band and leg strap to a BOC. People said that was an accident waiting to happen too.
So again, go with your comfort level. Get in a hanging harness and pull a pad over and over again. Have someone spin the harness you're hanging from, and wear gloves. Are you comfortable with your performance?

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

[SickMonkey 0]

I have a friend who had his shoulder dislocated because his D-handle was dislodged. And pulled. He flew from about 10000 ft. and landed in that condition. Ask him how he likes D-handles. I took the proactive approach and have been jumping a soft reserve handle ever since that.

[bigG 0]

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I took the proactive approach and have been jumping a soft reserve handle ever since that.

After discussing this with a lot of people and after this incident, I am changing to pads.

[GravityGirl 0]

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Instead of replacing handles with things that are harder to grab, why not just keep peoples hands off your MLW?

Making handles harder to grab doesnt seem like a good idea to me. If I should happen to need them, I want them EASY to grab.

Is your cutaway handle hard to grab? Do you think you could grab it if you need to cut away?

If you can grab and pull your cutaway handle does it stand to reason that you could pull the same type of handle on the other side?

You don't get to choose your malfunction and sometimes incidents. The best you can do is to weigh the pros and cons of each system and realistically evaluate your personal flying environment. Then decide what is best for you.

I choose to fly with a soft reserve handle. I freefly a lot. Sometimes with newer jumpers. I also do AFF. There are situations that I get into that involve full body contact. Having that D-Ring is a great big hazard. Mirage makes a nice PHAT handle. The new Icons have a VERY easy handle to grab. I have never had a hard time grabbing it. (8 reserve rides. 6 d-ring, 2 soft. Never noticed the difference.

I do recommend that you don't get the same color as your cutaway handle. In fact I usually recommend red cutaway, silver color soft reserve handle.

If you do not think you will find yourself in any of these hazardous situations where the D-Ring is vulnerable, then you may personally choose a D-Ring as being better for you.

Each skydiver has unique variables. That's why it's so cool to have choices.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peace and Blue Skies!
Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

[sundevil777 102]

There are some other reserve handle alternatives. The "small handle" picture shows sticks out much less than a std D-handle, and is still easy to use. The pic was taken before it was installed., that is why the wire is not routed through the housing.

I like this handle much better than other alternative triangular metal handles that still stick out as far from the harness.

As you can see, I also like being able to grab a handle for the cutaway.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[nbblood 0]

First, this thread is very interesting and particularly useful to me as I'm about to order a new rig
I've weighed the pros and cons of the issue and kind of come up with six of one half dozen of the other.

In talking to others about soft handle vs. d ring, one thing that came up a few times is that some people find that the soft handles sometimes fold under the MLW during freefal. I check my cutaway handle after deployment and have never had that happen. However, some people have told me that it tends to happen to the reserve handle more often. This doesn't quite make sense to me that it would happen more on one side than the other.

Just wondering if anybody else has had their soft handles fold under the MLW in freefall.

For the record, right now I'm planning on ordering soft handles for my rig.

Blues
Nathan

Blues,
Nathan

If you wait 'til the last minute, it'll only take a minute.

[billbooth 10]

In almost every case, when you need to use your cutaway soft handle, you are hanging under a main canopy, and your main lift web (to which your "pud" is attached) is pulled upward and away from your body. Even if your breakaway handle had been tucked under in freefall, it would be no more, and it is literally right in front of your nose anyway. In contrast, when you need to find your reserve handle, there is no load on your harness. So it will be much lower. and against your body. Therefore, your reserve handle will always be "harder" to find than your breakaway handle. If it is tucked under, locating it might take more time than mother nature has allowed you on that particular jump. Knowing this, before I let Relative Workshop offer "soft" handles for the reserve, I redesigned our breakaway pup with a solid metal core to make "tuck-unders" less likely. Most other manufacturers have now done the same thing.

[nbblood 0]

Aaahh. That makes sense. Thanks Bill. Does the solid core seem to cure the problem entirely or is does it still occur on occasion?
Nathan

Blues,
Nathan

If you wait 'til the last minute, it'll only take a minute.

[billbooth 10]

The solid core on pud reserve handles makes it very uncomfortable, and therefore very noticeable if they are tucked under. It also makes tuck-unders much less likely. I'll never say anything is impossible.

[GravityGirl 0]

To add to this just a bit. Everey single time you put your rig on, you should touch your handles at least three times.

Once when you gear up. Once before you board the plane, and once before you exit. All three handles. In the order you would most likely use them.

And yes, the soft reserve handle on my rig pokes me in the ribs if it tucks under. It's a nice PHAT handle. So definately ask the question before you buy.

Thanks for dropping in here Bill. I'll be inspecting on of your new rigs in a couple of weeks.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peace and Blue Skies!
Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!