Harness Cutting into Me on Opening

[funkcanna 0]

Hi all,

I'm currently jumpin a Dolphin Container with Clipper 195 main while I await my Custom Mirage G3 with Sabre2 Main. On opening, the harness really badly cuts into my groin area and causing bruising and small cuts. I always open stable.

Is the pain caused by the fact the harness doesnt fit properly? Should I be fastening the leg straps tighter? Is it because my Main is rubbish? Is it because the nose is not rolled when packed?

Basically i'm looking for a reason so I can sort it out. I dont want to go through this pain on every jump until my custom kit arrives! Once under canopy I cant even do even slightly fast turns as the pain is too much! I'm not being a pussy, it really does hurt!!

I will obviously ask the instructors at the DZ when I go there, but i'm also interested in what you all think!

Cheers

Funk

To know requires proof
To believe requires evidence
To have faith requires neither.
If you stick with that, we'll never be confused again

[wildfan75 1]

Oven mitts!! They solved all my problems.

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=2605626;#2605626

[riggerrob 643]

The two most likely causes of your pain are:

1. Improperly adjusted leg straps. If your leg pads are tight, but significantly below your crotch, they will rapidly slide up to your crotch during opening shock. Since they are going to end up - high - in your crotch, you might as well adjust them high in your crotch before boarding the airplane.

2. Worn out leg pads. If the foam padding has been compressed - over thousands of jumps - the only solution is new leg pads. Oven mitts are - at best - a temporary fix for worn out leg pads. New leg pads are available from the factory (Altico) and can be sewn on by your local rigger.

[MB38 0]

I had the same problems back when I was jumping student gear. Every day when I got back from the DZ, I'd have nasty bruises and little cuts [friction burns from the leg straps sliding from wherever they were in freefall to where they live under canopy] on my shoulders and inside my legs. It was awful...

That said, the problems mysteriously went away within about 20 jumps. So either I got better at adjusting my rig, got better at packing or started jumping gear that fit me better.

I really don't know what I'm talking about.

[wildfan75 1]

Quote

Oven mitts are - at best - a temporary fix for worn out leg pads. New leg pads are available from the factory (Altico) and can be sewn on by your local rigger.

I gathered from his post that the rig he was having issues with is not his and is student rental gear. Obviously oven mitts are a temporary fix, but he's situation is temperary (new custom rig on the way).

[chrismgtis 0]

Leg strap pads aren't pads anymore?

Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033
Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan

[funkcanna 0]

Thanks for the replies!!

At the weekend (the weekend is Friday and Saturday here!) I tightened the straps up tight and as high as they would go and it definately helped!! I can live with that until my new rig arrives!

Thanks again,

Funk

To know requires proof
To believe requires evidence
To have faith requires neither.
If you stick with that, we'll never be confused again