Should I change risers?

[airdrew20012001 0]

Got a a new rig (jumped less than 30 times, got screaming deal). It came with 1" risers and velcro toggle stows. I want to switch to tabbed toggle keepers and was wondering if I should also monkey around with switching to smaller risers. Do I need to change the ring on the harness to go to a smaller 3 ring set-up? If it helps I do video a fair amount, jump a stilletto 135, swoop around 180 degree but not huge long styley. What do folks out there think about putting/not putting the slider behind their heads? I have heard there have been problems with video helmets and sliders behind the head. Any thoughts?
Thanks fer yer time!
Drewfus McDoofus

[tigra 0]

Definately get rid of the velcro toggle stows. I think its Relative Workshop that makes the risers with the pin for the excess brake line? They are nice, and I think thats a great way to stow excess brake line. (and I think its a good idea to stow excess brake line, especially with a Stiletto, although I know a lot of packers just leave it loose.)
Why shorter risers, though? Are you having a problem reaching the slider? I asked about mini risers when I got my Wings container, and I was told they came with smaller toggles, so I said no thanks. Wouldn't want to lose a toggle in the middle of a 180 degree hook! But, I'm sort of paranoid about that. I like to keep a firm grip on my toggles, and I don't want to have any problems getting my hands through them, with or without gloves.
As far as the slider behind your head, well I guess you wouldn't be doing that until you had a good canopy, but there were 3 fatalities last year with camera flyers whose gear got caught in the camera helmet after a cutaway, so I guess that is something to consider.
Just my opinion. Don't know about the 3 rings, and I don't fly with a camera.
blues!

[PhreeZone 20]

The toggles are the same size no matter who makes them. Unless you ordered them custom sizing or something.
Micro risers vs Type 8 webbing.... its mainly up to you but the main deal is the coeffecient of leverage that the mini rings lose over the larger rings. Larger rings in theory allow for heavier loading without increasing the pressure transfered to the cutaway cable.
Slider behind the head..... the main reason to do that is to let the canopy sread for better flare and glide. Tough call with Video gear. At least 2 of the fatilities were caused by something going wrong during the opening sequence. Stuff caught on at least one eyepiece as the canopy was opening.
Murphy's Laws of Love - If the person isn't taken, there's a reason for that...

[prost 0]

I fly camera and I always stow the slider behind my head. I don't think you have much to worry about there. Once the canopy is open and flying nicely, the odds of you having to chop it are pretty remote. Also the slider is not much of a worry to tangle with your helmet. It is the lines that usually get tangled. Also the slider would be no more likely to get tangle behind your head than it would directly over it,
William

[USPA 0]

I occasionaly do camera work, and I always put my slider behind my head. This allowes for far better glide and swoops. Had 1 occassion on which the camera got stuck for a moment on the slider, not comfortable, but could clear it with moving my head.
But this is during flight, if I have a mall I cutaway my main (off course) and if nescesarry the helmet. Personally I think a camera helmet should always be able to cutaway, this is also why I don't like the bonehead flat-top, has anyone a solution for this?
Whatver you do, get a helmet you can cutaway!
Blue Ones

[riggerrob 643]

As long as your harness rings are large (stamped RW-1) you can swap large or small risers.
Some companies build wide (1 23/32") risers from Type 8 webbing with small rings, so they will fit on small (RW-8) harness rings. Type 8 risers have several advantages. Type 8's only disadvantage is that it is difficult to pull you slider down.
Being able to pull your slider down behind your head is the main advantage to 1" wide mini risers made of Type 17 webbing. The disadvantages of Type 17 include lower strength and much tighter manufacturing tolerances. Fortunately the lower strength only becomes an issue if you are sloppy enough to pack line dump.

[cameramonkey 0]

But this is during flight, if I have a mall I cutaway my main (off course) and if nescesarry the helmet. Personally I think a camera helmet should always be able to cutaway, this is also why I don't like the bonehead flat-top, has anyone a solution for this?
-----
I'm working on a cutaway for mine... still engineering it in my head tho'. its basically a two pin reserve type system that pops the bolts loose on one chinstrap and the ratchet bolt on the back. in theory, it will just fall off your head at that point since the side is now swinging freely. I think the hardest part will be installing it. This is something that will have to be installed and be time consuming. IF it even works.
I think the hardest part will be finding the proper balance between enough tension on the pins to keep things properly tensioned, without making it so tight that you cant pull them.

[michael 9]

Also consider this, especially if you have anything top-mounted: If you leave your slider sitting above your head at the links and like to hook on risers, remember that when you pull a riser, you pull it down..along with the links and slider that are attached. During the turn, the slider that was sitting just above your head is now sitting on your top-mounted gear, whether it be a video or stills camera. It'd be a shock to release the riser after 180-ing to land and find that the slider had caught on a piece of your helmet.
I prefer the behind-the-head method.