how should i stow my excess brake line?

[Newbie 0]

i was just reading the incident on Jan Chandler (http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?do=post_view_flat;post=682571;page=1;mh=-1;;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC) and thought i would ask this.

I don't have slinks, i have normal regular connectors on my Hornet, but right now i don't stow the excess line anywhere. Generally i will just keep it between the front and rear riser when packing them into the container, to prevent wear, but should i be thinking about stowing them properly, rather than laying them between the risers?
On the other side of my risers, where the brakes are set, are some little spandex "cuffs" where i'm supposing the excess is designed to go into, but they are SO tight that it's nigh on impossible to get them in there - i really have to poke them down hard, and i think it produces more wear on the excess line than benefit.

Anyway should i be stowing these things? I was told by some experienced jumpers its more "messy" than anything, not a problem per se, but i want to be 100%. By the way, my brakes are held in place by horns at the top and bottom.

Thanks

"Skydiving is a door"
Happythoughts

[gus 1]

I would definately stow the excess. Why have it flapping around in the breeze when it could be neatly tucked away?
The spandex 'cuffs' on your risers may be tight but I bet if you started using them all the time they'd loosen up quite quickly.

Gus

OutpatientsOnline.com

[andy2 0]

ouch gus thats some bad advice, imo! Your riser keepers are designed to be tight in order to keep the toggles in place in case of a riser cover blowing open. The keepers are there to prevent a brake fire upon deployment. They should remain tight. Arn't a lot of risers now having little seperate excess brake line keepers on the backs of the risers (since all these problems started?)?

---------------------------------------------
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in token rhyme suggesting rhythm...

[mr2mk1g 10]

The answer you seek is here. Check out the pics. This is the official sun path way of safely stowing break line.

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=547630;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;;page=unread#unread

[gus 1]

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ouch gus thats some bad advice, imo!

Quote

Arn't a lot of risers now having little seperate excess brake line keepers on the backs of the risers (since all these problems started?)?

Isn't that what Newbie meant by 'spandex cuffs'?

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On the other side of my risers, where the brakes are set, are some little spandex "cuffs" where i'm supposing the excess is designed to go into, but they are SO tight

I read it as the spandex cuffs on the back of Newbies risers were too tight to stow the excess brake line. My observation was that if he actually started using them they would become less tight and more useable.

Gus

OutpatientsOnline.com

[Newbie 0]

Quote

ouch gus thats some bad advice, imo! Your riser keepers are designed to be tight in order to keep the toggles in place in case of a riser cover blowing open. The keepers are there to prevent a brake fire upon deployment. They should remain tight. Arn't a lot of risers now having little seperate excess brake line keepers on the backs of the risers (since all these problems started?)?

the cuffs are separate at the back of the riser - they are not "linked" to the shoe for the brake horn, so if i used them it would not "open" up the shoe where the brakes are stowed.

"Skydiving is a door"
Happythoughts

[Newbie 0]

Quote

The answer you seek is here. Check out the pics. This is the official sun path way of safely stowing break line.

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=547630;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;;page=unread#unread

thanks that looks pretty good to me.

"Skydiving is a door"
Happythoughts

[Hooknswoop 19]

Quote

ouch gus thats some bad advice, imo! Your riser keepers are designed to be tight in order to keep the toggles in place in case of a riser cover blowing open. The keepers are there to prevent a brake fire upon deployment. They should remain tight. Arn't a lot of risers now having little seperate excess brake line keepers on the backs of the risers (since all these problems started?)?

Gus was refering to the keeper on the front of the rear riser, not the riser covers.

Definately stow the excess steering line. The best place seems to be on the front of the rear risers with either elastic or type IV (binding tape/pull up cord material) Wear on the steeringlines from stowing them isn't an issue.

Derek

[mjosparky 4]

Quote

ouch gus thats some bad advice, imo! Your riser keepers are designed to be tight in order to keep the toggles in place in case of a riser cover blowing open. The keepers are there to prevent a brake fire upon deployment. They should remain tight. Arn't a lot of risers now having little seperate excess brake line keepers on the backs of the risers (since all these problems started?)?

Read what newie said and then what you said.

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[sundevil777 102]

I think that both of the Sunpath recommended methods suck.

They leave you quite vulnerable to placing your hand/finger through the excess 'loop' or pulling the toggle through the loop (if the stowed line becomes a little loose it opens up a loop). There is not much to prevent the excess from becoming loose. When the excess is kept above the toggle 'handle' and secured by the nose of the toggle & keeper, the loop is away from your hands and can't become looser unless the nose comes out of the keeper. In my opinion this is undeniably much more secure.

I think there is no good reason to have the excess routed in the region of the toggle handle.

I put mine through the loop of the slink, not the loop of the riser, then use the nose to secure it. My risers are the wide type, and my slink tabs are very well 'set' into the riser without tacking - it is very hard to get them to move if I try on purpose. From what I've observed mini risers don't hold the slink tab in place nearly as well without tacking.

I also like the method suggested by Aggie, wrapping it around the entire riser and secured by the nose of the toggle. Both of these method keep the excess away from your hands, and if the excess loop is tight enough it should not be possible for a floating toggle handle (bottom part-mine is velcro'd) to go through the excess loop.

I am surprised by what I consider to be poor methods recommended by Sunpath.

Of all the threads on this forum, I think this is one of the most important and interesting subjects. Obviously many have had some trouble and at least one death has resulted from this type of failure.

Of course I want to know of all the failure modes for the methods that I prefer, so what do you think.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[sundevil777 102]

Another point, look at method 1 closely. The nose of the toggle is inserted much too far. A little bit more would put it past the grommet and you would not be able to release it.

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=10193;

This is not what I expected from a mfg'r.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[johnny1488 1]

I use the second method, the one with the keeper on the front of the rear riser. The only difference is I fold the excess and push it down from the top through the keeper. And I have A LOT of excess on my xfire2! Been working awesome for me for the last 60 or so jumps since I got my new risers.

Johnny
--"This ain't no book club, we're all gonna die!"
Mike Rome

[johnny1488 1]

I dont get how that wouldnt release. Could you elaborate?

Johnny
--"This ain't no book club, we're all gonna die!"
Mike Rome

[sundevil777 102]

Quote

I dont get how that wouldnt release. Could you elaborate?

If the brake setting 'loop' gets past the grommet on the toggle handle, it will tighten up below the grommet - you won't be able to get it to go back over while there is tension on it.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[sundevil777 102]

Quote

I use the second method, the one with the keeper on the front of the rear riser. The only difference is I fold the excess and push it down from the top through the keeper.

I do like your idea of pushing it down from the top better than from below.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am