AggieDave 6 #1 March 27, 2003 I'm not sure how new to the market these are, but the anti-Slink crowd will like to hear about this. Helping a buddy hook up his new Sabre2 yesterday, we pulled the slinks out of the box and they had special cloth bumpers with them. I even check the instructions to reaffirm their purpose. They can be used to keep the slider from dropping past the slinks. Thus discounting one of the bigger arguments against Slinks. Just a FYI.--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skydiverek 63 #2 March 27, 2003 Quote I'm not sure how new to the market these are, but the anti-Slink crowd will like to hear about this. Helping a buddy hook up his new Sabre2 yesterday, we pulled the slinks out of the box and they had special cloth bumpers with them. I even check the instructions to reaffirm their purpose. They can be used to keep the slider from dropping past the slinks. Thus discounting one of the bigger arguments against Slinks. Just a FYI. Finally!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yoshi 0 #3 March 27, 2003 no thanks I like to pull my slider to the 3 rings:):) collapse, roll, tuck away and fooorgeddaboutit! -yoshi_________________________________________ this space for rent. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kris 0 #4 March 27, 2003 Quoteno thanks I like to pull my slider to the 3 rings:):) collapse, roll, tuck away and fooorgeddaboutit! Same here. No thanks. Besides, my risers were properly made with hoods on the top toggle lock so a slider-induced toggle-fire isn't an issue on my rig. KrisSky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fozchek 0 #5 March 27, 2003 The SRC's (slink riser covers) as we are calling them at PD are brand new to the market. We wanted to offer the best of both worlds (slider down vs. keeping it up) to PD Soft Link enthusiasts. Not to mention, this seems to be a solution to the major factor that seems to keep some individuals from transitioning to Soft Links. Cheers! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rdutch 0 #6 March 27, 2003 Gillian's first post BEER!!! Welcome to Dz.com Gillibean, youve been talked about here so its about time you started speaking. Ray Small and fast what every girl dreams of! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #7 March 28, 2003 Straight from the source! Thanks for posting. I'm a STRONG believer in Slinks over rapid links, so I'm glad to see this option for those who don't like to pull their slider down (I do, so it doesn't matter). --"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nacmacfeegle 0 #8 March 28, 2003 "I'm a STRONG believer in Slinks over rapid links," Yeppers me too, I've been into soft links ever since PdF (Parachutes de Freedom?) introduced them years ago.... -------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #9 March 28, 2003 QuotePdF (Parachutes de Freedom?) Thats funny.--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkymonkeyONE 4 #10 March 28, 2003 Quote Yeppers me too, I've been into soft links ever since PdF (Parachutes de Freedom?) introduced them years ago.... That is actually far from the first instance of soft links. Jimmy Cazer was making them nearly a decade before then. They were not removable, but served exactly the same function. Having just completed my PD rep training, I saw first-hand how tough these things actually are. Far stronger, in fact, than rapides in any size. Rapides under extreme pressure distort and end up actually cutting through line much like a knife. That is the problem with "the other" links; that the little steel ring could actually cut the other end of the soft link under great pressure. The Slink bumpers are also good for another reason; one which brings up another discussion altogether. "Slida-flappida is a disease only you can cure" is something that anyone who has ever met me will say that they have heard. The problem, other than being totally un-cool, is that a flapping slider will ride right on top of standard rapide bumpers and jump up and down on the lines right at the point where they are bartacked. This up and down motion on those bartacks will ultimately degrade the seam and certainly the lines at that point. Killing your slider will certainly help that "jumping" and wear a bit, but protecting that bartack can only properly be done by keeping the slider grommet off the juncture. This is now addressed with the Slink covers. You simply kill your slider, then pull the slider over the Slink covers. That, of course, is for the masses who choose not to pull their slider down over their risers. Chuck Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skydiverek 63 #11 March 28, 2003 Quote You simply kill your slider, then pull the slider over the Slink covers. That, of course, is for the masses who choose not to pull their slider down over their risers. Sounds like a winner to me! Finally a happy medium! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #13 March 29, 2003 Quote. You are more likely to loose an extremity at those shock loadings or failure of another component. That's funny, since I know more then a couple people personally, that had rapid links open and bend apart on them. They all landed with them, not knowing anything had happened, although a tragic accident could have happened a very low altitudes. To put it short, you are wrong.--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkymonkeyONE 4 #14 March 29, 2003 Quote Actually, I stood right there and watched it. 1600 pounds. I only posted what I observed with my own eyes and what I was taught. I in no way inferred that something would happen to the other type of soft link (or rapide for that matter), only that the condition I stated was a possibility that did not exist with a PD Slink. No more, no less; certainly not "disinformation." Chuck Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RTB 0 #15 March 29, 2003 Quote Quote . You are more likely to loose an extremity at those shock loadings or failure of another component. That's funny, since I know more then a couple people personally, that had rapid links open and bend apart on them. They all landed with them, not knowing anything had happened, although a tragic accident could have happened a very low altitudes. To put it short, you are wrong. I disagree, I think he is right.Saying that a soft link with a metal ring will be strong enough compared to the rest of the system has nothing to do with french links bending open. Most likely this would be a result of them coming unscrewed/poor maintenance. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
eames 0 #16 March 29, 2003 QuoteI know more then a couple people personally, that had rapid links open and bend apart on them.... You know multiple people whose rapide links just came open on them? Just like that? Are you implying that the links failed? If so, please share the details of these occurances... If you're talking about people that left their links loose, well, to put it short, that has very little to do with what is being discussed here. I'm quite sure that multiple canopy components would fail long before anything from the links down.... Jason Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flyingferret 0 #17 March 29, 2003 I am not speaking to the concern of a steel link cutting through the 'other' soft links, because that is a different issue. I do not know the forces involved, but due to different materials and physics, I can understand how steel could sever spectra at high loads. What I am speaking to....I personally know of rapide link failure, including one on a tandem rig, maintianed, by 'professinal-grade-anal-retentive' rigger. I doubt maintenance was an issue. The fact is that they can be overloaded particularly by bigger skydivers.-- All the flaming and trolls of wreck dot with a pretty GUI. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skycat 0 #19 March 29, 2003 Quote Rapide links can fail from side loading or a cracked barrel. But I also have seen slinks fail. In this case the jumper lost the entire line-group and had to cut-away. Fortunately there was sufficient altitude for the reserve to deploy. I have found(once) an incorrectly assembled reserve slink. In all likelyhood the jumper would have lost an entire line group on a reserve deployment! Don't forget though...if/when slinks fail it happens on opening and it's a total failure. When rapide links fail, it's a crap shoot as to when the lines will fall off the link and is usually not found until the jumper is on the ground. I also know a guy who assembled his main slinks incorrectly and put 50+ jumps on them that way before he noticed, they never failed, even installed wrong. (Please don't go out and try this) I have also found rapide links on reserves that during the repack became unscrewed due to the same reason you found an incorrectly assembled reserve slink. Riggers not paying attention to detail. We have a whole photo album dedicated to rigger fuck ups. Some of which could have been fatal. I have both main and reserve slinks, neither my main nor my reserve have ever been on rapid links (grommet are not damaged). Everyone out there needs to make these choices for themselves after reading everything everyone has posted. If you do decide on soft links, and opt to get ones make by your rigger, becareful that they aren't the kind made with dacron line. I just bought a new main that was on risers that used these kind of soft links, one of the 4 was about to fail. Fly it like you stole it! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
crapflinger2000 1 #20 March 29, 2003 Hey, I am not a big fan of soft links (like the kind riggers construct) for one reason... I have seen a lot of risers chewed up at the interaction with the softlink.. I think this is due to the rougher texture of the spectra (the weave), as compared to french links, acting in a hacksaw fashion against the riser... I haven't noticed this with slinks (but I haven't been looking either)... maybe the softlinks I used to make were just a shitty design... can ya'll keep an eye peeled for this? comments? __________________________________________________ What would Vic Mackey do? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #21 March 30, 2003 Quote. You are more likely to loose an extremity at those shock loadings or failure of another component. John Rich, down in Houston had a rapid link bend open on him. He didn't notice until he was packing, he was lucky.--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
eames 0 #22 March 30, 2003 Replying with the guy's name doesn't really help anyone understand the circumstances that caused the incident.... Was the barrel cracked? Was it even threaded? How often did he inspect them? And how many times removed is your account of the incident? Jason Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
eames 0 #23 March 30, 2003 ...and out of curiousity: Why are you replying to me with ZigZag's quote? I didn't say anything about "loosing" an extremity.... Jason Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skycat 0 #24 March 30, 2003 QuoteReplying with the guy's name doesn't really help anyone understand the circumstances that caused the incident.... Was the barrel cracked? Was it even threaded? How often did he inspect them? And how many times removed is your account of the incident? Jason Here is the thread http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=206868;search_string=search_string;#206868 Like every thread where someone so much as whispers s-links, this one became a huge debate also.Fly it like you stole it! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
eames 0 #25 March 30, 2003 Thanks... it looks like his links were just loose. Improper assembly/maintenance is bound to cause failure.... Jason Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
