Must See Video: "Helmet Cutaway Idea" by Brian Germain

[BrianSGermain 1]

This is a must see video for all skydivers. Please watch.

Description:
"Safety First's Brian Germain teaches us about a simple way to rig a cutaway system for helmets with a fastex buckle. This is vitally important for anyone with a camera on their head."

http://youtu.be/WuqJV3eRH0g

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[jono 0]

Awesome Brian! Simple, cheap and effective. Honestly, I can't believe no one has thought of this before.

Remember you don't stop laughing because you grow old, you grow old because you stop laughing.

[cpoxon 0]

jono

Awesome Brian! Simple, cheap and effective. Honestly, I can't believe no one has thought of this before.

Brian Germain

I am not the first person to come up with this idea

Also, cheap in the short term, but maybe not in the long term. With the small cameras now, there are simple ways of cutting away the snag point rather than the whole helmet awhich can add several hundred dollars to the loss. Something like this can be adapted to cutaway the mount and therefore the camera.

Skydiving Fatalities - Cease not to learn 'til thou cease to live

[jono 0]

Yep, I have that cutaway system on my open face adapted to the chin strap but I'm having trouble seeing how it could be modded to a Gopro mount.
Any tips/suggestions/photos??

Remember you don't stop laughing because you grow old, you grow old because you stop laughing.

[babz 0]

There is already a couple. Chris from hyrokken has made a nice one for his G2. It's basically the go pro flat mount with two button cutaways (like the 2k composite ones) on one cable that hold the mount in place.

If he cuts away the mount goes, along with camera but the helmet stay in place and looks pretty sweet. The only slight issue is apparently it's not the most stable mount and wobbles a bit but not an issue for FS.

[cpoxon 0]

Stolen from https://www.facebook.com/justin.gumm.33/media_set?set=a.10152092820679762.1073741836.674409761&type=3

I've also seen it done with the lower profile CNC fabricated mounts.

Skydiving Fatalities - Cease not to learn 'til thou cease to live

[Remster 30]

Brian: Fastex buckles may not release when under load.

Remster

[Squeak 17]

Remster

Brian: Fastex buckles may not release when under load.

this was/is my concern have you tested this cutaway under load

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
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How's yours doing?

[diablopilot 2]

jono

Awesome Brian! Simple, cheap and effective. Honestly, I can't believe no one has thought of this before.

What makes you think no one has?

----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[Mej 0]

Squeak

***Brian: Fastex buckles may not release when under load.

this was/is my concern have you tested this cutaway under load

I wonder what the actual pressure/force is of a line snagged and a canopy pulling on the mount? Surely that would give way first? Be interested to see some test data.

Anyone have any experience of this on a full face or open face?

[Remster 30]

Quote

Surely

No.

Remster

[DSE 5]

We did, quite a while ago. In the Photo Forum, there is a discussion and some photos of a Fastex, and how it wouldn't release under a load. Then there was the discussion of how a snag on a GoPro mount wouldn't release with a load of over 100lbs (photos in there somewhere).

I believe this system suffers from the same issue.

[feuergnom 29]

as you only start posts about yourself I think it is time you quit adding your name in the thread(s) title(s)

The universal aptitude for ineptitude makes any human accomplishment an incredible miracle

dudeist skydiver # 666

[BrianSGermain 1]

feuergnom

as you only start posts about yourself I think it is time you quit adding your name in the thread(s) title(s)

That is annoying, isn't it. Sorry.

Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com
Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com
Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

[PiLFy 3]

Looks like a great idea, Brian. Have you hung that helmet from the GP mount, & slung a 50# weight from the chinstrap, yet? Would that be an accurate test of whether or not it releases under load? I hope so. I like it best out of all the options I've seen, so far. Thank You.

[DSE 5]

A static hanging load of 50lbs will likely not reveal issues that may crop up with a 150lb weight spinning (increasing tension).

[PiLFy 3]

DSE

A static hanging load of 50lbs will likely not reveal issues that may crop up with a 150lb weight spinning (increasing tension).

I realize that, but figure hanging 150#s will only crack a perfectly good G3. I've read that as little as six pounds of force, properly applied, can break a human neck.

[WickedWingsuits 0]

Thats the real way to solve the problem. A single cable could cut away multiple cameras.

I have a bunch of those hooks around my house that are glued on using a tape that detaches when pulled. Seems like there is a chemical solution there also.

http://www.command.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/NACommand/?WT.mc_id=www.command.com&WT.ctod=13:14

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[PiLFy 3]

Devil's Advocate: Is the padding in that Helmet thick enough to protect your skull from those (male) metal bits sticking down through the shell? Looks neat, but that's how they slaughter Cows .

[Divalent 146]

So I'm not seeing how this works, exactly.

It appears that pulling on the loop compresses just one side of the release mechanism on the male part, but not the other (i.e., it pulls in the side of the male part that is oriented towards the front of the helmet, but not the side that is facing towards the loop attachment point. )

I didn't make one, but when I try to release the buckle on my HR2 (which I think has the same buckle mechanism) with my fingers by just compressing one side far enough so that it no longer grabs, the whole buckle does not release; I need to compress both sides inward in order for it to become narrow enough to slip out of the female piece.

Unless the loop cinches when you pull on it. (Does it?)

[BrianSGermain 1]

Divalent

So I'm not seeing how this works, exactly.

It appears that pulling on the loop compresses just one side of the release mechanism on the male part, but not the other (i.e., it pulls in the side of the male part that is oriented towards the front of the helmet, but not the side that is facing towards the loop attachment point. )

I didn't make one, but when I try to release the buckle on my HR2 (which I think has the same buckle mechanism) with my fingers by just compressing one side far enough so that it no longer grabs, the whole buckle does not release; I need to compress both sides inward in order for it to become narrow enough to slip out of the female piece.

Unless the loop cinches when you pull on it. (Does it?)

You guessed it. The line pinches in on both sides of the buckle at the same time when you pull sharply downward. It works quite well.

I am not suggesting that this is the only, or even the best way to cut a helmet away. It is merely the easiest to rig up, and therefore the one most likely to be adopted swiftly by the majority of the jumpers. This can save lives. Lots of 'em.

Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com
Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com
Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

[Jvx 0]

cpoxon

Stolen from https://www.facebook.com/justin.gumm.33/media_set?set=a.10152092820679762.1073741836.674409761&type=3

I've also seen it done with the lower profile CNC fabricated mounts.

I wonder how the vibration is on that thing???

[Jvx 0]

feuergnom

as you only start posts about yourself I think it is time you quit adding your name in the thread(s) title(s)

Dink !!!' Pointless comment

[DivingWombat 0]

feuergnom

as you only start posts about yourself I think it is time you quit adding your name in the thread(s) title(s)

Brian adds value to the community with his posts and through many other channels. There are too many guys who just dick around and offer zero value.

I see absolutely no problem adding his name in the title.

Brian, I appreciate your idea and the time you put in this video!

[johnmatrix 21]

What is so hard about BUYING an actual helmet with an actual cutaway system?
"Boo hoo, it costs money! WAAA! WAAA! All I have is this full face, GoPro 3, freefly suit, and entire set of skydiving gear, I can't afford another helmet! No wait - WAIT - I'll use a piece of string to address this potentially lethal problem and spend the rest of my money on a few jump tickets and cases of beer! YOLO lololololololOMG rofl"