Problem with Slinks

[Gravitymaster 0]

I just installed slinks on a new canopy. The problem is when the slider comes down it covers my toggles. I have to push it back up to release the brakes and then it slips back down again and blocks my vision. Any advice?

[ChileRelleno 0]

Pull it over your toggles and down behind your head.

ChileRelleno-Rodriguez Bro#414
Hellfish#511,MuffBro#3532,AnvilBro#9, D24868

[scotts 0]

If you have mini risers with a non collapsible slider, slinks don't work very well. That's what happened to me.

[drenaline 0]

collapse slider and pull it over the toggles to the back of your head. If you can't collapse the slider talk to the rigger to see if he can put a velcro system on it or the kill line.

HISPA 21
www.panamafreefall.com

[Gravitymaster 0]

I did a search through the threads. Gotta decide if I'm going to keep them or go back to metal connectors with slider bumpers.

[quatorze 1]

I was under the impression that is one of the main reasons to get slinks was so that you could slide your slider down behind yuor head and reduce even more drag for better performance during canopy flight.

I'm not afriad of dying, I'm afraid of never really living- Erin Engle

[skybytch 273]

  Quote

Gotta decide if I'm going to keep them or go back to metal connectors with slider bumpers

What you're describing is the exact reason I'm staying with metal links. I have no desire or need to pull my slider down behind my head, so for me soft links would only be a pain in the butt.

Soft links have become fashionable over the past couple years. imho this is another area where following the fashion in gear may not be the best choice for you.

[sdctlc 0]

Slinks are great for putting the slider behind your head or under your chin, personal preference. If your slider is not a collapsible or you do not like to pull the slider down slinks are probably not for you.
I collapse my slider and pull it down before I even think about releasing the toggles. I am fine with controlling the canopy with rears or shifting weight while I get the slider down. The speed of getting the slider down with the slinks vs. rapide links is worth it to me but again it is my personal preference...

Scott C.

[Faber 0]

Its made for better fligth preformance for the chute..
If you collaps the slider,take it down to your neck,then you reduce the drag,and migth even give the lines more room,so the chute will fly better.(look at all thouse hot swoopers around..).
Have Fun!!!

Stay safe
Stefan Faber

[PhreeZone 20]

Another option is to use the slinks to move the slider to the risers but still above the toggles and dive loops. Leaving the slider on the lines leads to additional wear and tear on the lines right on or above the fingertrapped areas. Slinks do not mean you can't used slider bumpers. I've seen cloth slider bumpers used quite successfully with slinks.

Reasons for still using slinks and not metal links are they are stronger and they never work themselfs loose. Coupled with cloth slider bumpers they are pretty much a set and forget component if there is one on a rig. They still need examined for wear, but not as often as metal links.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[Jimbo 0]

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Soft links have become fashionable over the past couple years. imho this is another area where following the fashion in gear may not be the best choice for you.

Lisa, I'm not sure I agree with this, I believe that Slinks are certainly more than just fashionable these days. Slinks are stronger than their metal counterparts, and unlike their metal counterparts, when Slinks fail the failure is catastrophic. IMNSHO, this just makes Slinks the better choice. If you can't deal with the slider coming down, you can still install slider bumbers.

You've mentinoed before that you don't pack for yourself, are you certain that you packer is checking the metal links before every jump? It sure would suck to find out that the packer missed something as you're coming onto final.

-
Jim

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

[skybytch 273]

  Quote

when Slinks fail the failure is catastrophic. You've mentinoed before that you don't pack for yourself, are you certain that you packer is checking the metal links before every jump? It sure would suck to find out that the packer missed something as you're coming onto final.

It would suck even worse to have a catastrophic failure of a soft link on final.

I've had soft links on a canopy before. I chose metal links for this one because I like the slider to stay above the risers. Besides, I'm used to metal links; I know how they work and I know how to maintain them. The slight increase in strength that you cite isn't an issue for me - I fly a light wingloading and I rarely if ever do high G manuevers under canopy.

My current canopy has less than 75 jumps on it. I assembled it, I had a knowledgable friend check my assembly, and I've checked the tightness of the barrels three times since it was new. I don't see a need to check the links after every jump beyond a visual to see that they aren't bent. I do that while I'm stowing my brakes in the landing area.

[PhreeZone 20]

>I don't see a need to check the links after every jump beyond a visual to see that they aren't bent

Are you at least checking the marks (you did mark them right?) on them to make sure they have'nt started to work themselfs loose?

And a complete failure on a slink will happen at opening.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[billvon 3,119]

>It would suck even worse to have a catastrophic failure of a soft link on final.

Fortunately, since they tend to fail under load, they are most likely to fail on opening.

>The slight increase in strength that you cite isn't an issue for me - I
> fly a light wingloading and I rarely if ever do high G manuevers
> under canopy.

Maximum loadings nearly never occur during canopy flight; they occur on opening, specifically those rouge hard openings.

I see a few advantages to slinks:

1. stronger
2. no need for bumpers; can help prevent sliding-bumper mals

and a few drawbacks:

1. slider wants to come down
2. harder to swap riser/canopy combos

[AggieDave 6]

You've already had one instance of a rapid link working its self loos on you on a jump, luckily it was the one holding your D-bag and PC on, but checking the tightness on those things don't happen as much as it should 97% of the time. Then you end up with situations like John Rich had (remember the r-link/slink debate and the pic he posted of his r-link?).

If rapid links were only fasionable not actually an improvement, do you think that PD would advocate using them on their reserves?

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[ernokaikkonen 0]

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If rapid links were only fasionable not actually an improvement, do you think that PD would advocate using them on their reserves?

Trying to say 'soft links' there I assume?

[AggieDave 6]

Yeah, I was, that's what I get for posting under the influence of a LOT of cold medicine. Thanks for catching that.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[sar911 0]

and a few drawbacks:

1. slider wants to come down
2. harder to swap riser/canopy combos
_________________________________________________

3. Slinks are more abrasive. Nylon against moving nylon is not good. As such it requires more inspection time more frequently.

[Jimbo 0]

BillVon said:

  Quote

>It would suck even worse to have a catastrophic failure of a soft link on final.

Fortunately, since they tend to fail under load, they are most likely to fail on opening.

and then Sar911 said:

  Quote

3. Slinks are more abrasive. Nylon against moving nylon is not good. As such it requires more inspection time more frequently.

While that may be the case, I'll take Slinks over Rapide links any day. I would much rather have my abrasive slinks fail on opening than have them come apart on final or flare. What about you, malfunction at 2500 or malfunction at 50?

-
Jim

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

[sar911 0]

I will let you know in about five years when there is some quantitative real world data to compare. And I didn't say that I was for or against slinks, I just stated another issue to consider.

[Kirils 1]

I thought that getting the slider below the toggles was the advantage of Slinks.

"Slow down! You are too young
to be moving that fast!"

Old Man Crawfish

[RichM 0]

  Quote

I thought that getting the slider below the toggles was the advantage of Slinks.

Heh, unless you are not familiar with pulling the slider down, then having the slider cover your eyes near flare time could be nasty

Rich M

[weid14 0]

  Quote

I will let you know in about five years when there is some quantitative real world data to compare. And I didn't say that I was for or against slinks, I just stated another issue to consider.

soft links have been around a LOT longer than 5 years, shoot I had them on my system 5+ years ago.

[sar911 0]

How long they have been around doesen't mean anything by itself. What does matter is the data from their testing and use in the field under varying conditions over an extended period of time and the quantity of their use. And I would like to see some data like what is the average failure rate per thousand jumps, what causes them to fail and under what conditions? What is the failure rate of soft vs. rapide links, etc. The only data and test that I have seen is that under static conditions they are stronger than rapide links.

[riggerrob 643]

sar911,
First of all, P.D. does not make Slinks out of nylon. Rather, they look like they are made of 1000 pound Spectra suspension line.
Secondly, P.D. has been selling slinks for two or three years now and we have only heard of one failure. That slink failure occured when a rough edge on a slider grommet chewed through a slink. The rough edge was a hang over from when the same canopy had metal links.
One slink failure in two years sounds like an almost zero failure rate to me.