Hooknswoop 19 #1 April 30, 2003 What is the worst design for a Velcro slider keeper you have seen? By worst, I mean the most likely to not release the slide in the vent of a cutaway after stowing the slider in the keeper. Please explain it in enough detail that I will be able to build it. It has to be able to fit on a Javelin top reserve flap. Hook Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
diablopilot 2 #2 May 1, 2003 I've been told mine is black death, but it's single needle stitched to the binding tape on the yoke of my Infinity. I'm not really worried. Edit to describe it: 1 piece type III 3/4" tape aprox 10" long 1 piece 2" velcro pile aprox 4" long 1 piece 1" velcro hook aprox 4" long sew 2" velcro starting at one end of the type III and the 1" velcro starting at the other. Carefuly attach the 2" end to the yoke of you rig, and shazzam... black death! ---------------------------------------------- You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hooknswoop 19 #3 May 1, 2003 I really don't want to go permantally or even semi-permantally attaching a keeper to my Javelin. Something that I can slide onto the reserve flap or velcro on to the resrve flap. Thanks though, Hook Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
diablopilot 2 #4 May 1, 2003 Ok, sew a loop of type III big enough in diameter to go around the widest part of your top reserve flap, and then attach the above to that....---------------------------------------------- You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 20 #5 May 1, 2003 I thought the one I saw last year was death waiting to happen. Basically its your typical jumpsuit collar design, the hook on the suit, the loop on a flap that you'd stretch over the slider then fasten back down on the hook. Except this jumper had some trouble reaching over his shoulder so he used industrial strength velcro in a 6 inch square on both sides. Sheer force if it was matted tightly... I don't want to guess. I saw one at WFFC last year with 3 loops on the reserve flap to keep al laspects of the slider locked down. Overkill... That or the one where the person was using bungee cords with the big plastic balls on them and basically knotting it down. Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skyblade 0 #6 May 1, 2003 hey hook, I'm curious, why the heck would you ask for the WORST slider keeper design? are you making a cutaway video? >Anything worth doing requires a helmet Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rgoper 0 #7 May 1, 2003 i'd like to test the one i have when i get back from saudi arabia, i will video it as well, i just have to line up a chest mounted reserve, i think lexington has one, i will video it as well. by the way, tonight i tested the pull force on my J-4 with a reserve mounted slider keeper installed on the reserve flap, guess how much force it took to open it, and pull it free? exactly 12 ft. lbs of force. and it's fairly new. if you get to do this before i do, let me know, i'll fly up and help out with the test. there is another train of thought that crosses my mind: "would your slider be in the stowed position" in the event of a malfunction? 98% probably not.--Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hooknswoop 19 #8 May 1, 2003 There is a discussion about wether or not a velcro slider keeper on the reserve flap will prevent the main from releasing in the event of a cutaway. I could either take my design and go do an intentional cutaway with the slider stowed, or up the ante and take the worst design and go do an intentional cutaway. At this point I think I will go with my design and give it a shot. I'll post the design and the results after the jump, hopefully Monday. Hook Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ZigZag 0 #9 May 1, 2003 This brings back some bad memories. I was working as a packer at Crosskeyes part of the 97' season. As all of us often do during spare moments, I was watching some jumpers doing crew with high performance canopies. Mike Chalick was doing the video and we observed how he got very close to the 2-stack, like an end-cell dock on the bottom man. He was flying a Jedei. Within a split second half of his canopy folded under and he went into a violent spin. All of us uttered the word "cutaway". I thought I saw just that, the risers releasing, but he never fell away from the system. Eventually the reserve pilot chute launched off of his rig, but with no effect and we continued to watch him spiral(plummet) towards the horizon until he disappeared behind the tree line. In the final analysis, Mike did cutaway, but the slider got trapped in the gap of his clam-shell style camera helmet, leaving him suspended by the neck. Mike succumbed to a torn aorta the following day. I'll leave you guys to give this some thought.Edit: And yes, he also had a velcro type slider keeper. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hooknswoop 19 #10 May 1, 2003 A slider hanging up on camera hemlet and a velcro slider keeper supporting the weight of a jumper are 2 very different things. I believe a camera helmet can snag a main slider and support the wieght of a jumper, but i don't believe a velcro slider keeper will. Hook Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Watcher 0 #12 May 1, 2003 It makes me wonder why people want to use velcro so much. An easy to design setup that has a very low breaking force but keeps the slider stowed very well. Take a bunge with the plastic ball on the end (can be purchased from Home Depot in the general materials aisle I think) Cut the bunge down to the right length so it fits on the reserve flap of contanier (been used on both a vector and a Javelin without problem). On the tail edge of the slider in the middle a piece of type 3 webbing (I just used one of the small pull up cords from Square 2 cause they are small in width cause they are not good for anything else) cut about a 2.5 inche length, double it over and sew it on. Take one of the small rubber bands and cut it length wise into 3 sections (cutting the width down by 1/3), this can be done with a simple pair of house scissors. Attach the now 1/3 width rubber band to the webbing on the slider (like attaching to a D bag), be careful not to break the rubber band. Pack it up. When under canopy loop the trailing edge around the slider once or twice to get it synched down then loop the rubber band over the head of the ball on the bungee. Wollah (or however you spell it) Stowed slider, no velcro, will not kill you in a cut away, I broke the rubber band by pulling on it with one hand ~6 lbs best guestimate. I dont have a scale so I don't know, it wasn't much. --Jonathan Bartlett D-24876 AFF-I Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggerrob 643 #13 May 1, 2003 Slider catchers are the answer. My latest version of triangular slider catchers sewn to the risers will earn you lots of fashion points. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VectorBoy 0 #14 May 2, 2003 Rob that keeps it down, what keeps it wrapped tight so that it doesn't balloon any? Glen Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggerrob 643 #15 May 2, 2003 Even with slider catchers sewn to your front risers, you still need some sort of Velcro or kill-line(s) to prevent the slider from ballooning. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skygod7777 0 #16 May 2, 2003 QuoteRob that keeps it down, what keeps it wrapped tight so that it doesn't balloon any? Glen roll it up later Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VectorBoy 0 #17 May 2, 2003 I do kill mine but because it doesn't sit at the bottom of the crotch of the risers it tends to float up a few inches and forms a C . kind of like the blade of a doser, only on the ends the middle is effectively killed. Glen Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
