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I was wondering.
Can we use Reserve Soft links in owr BASE gear??

I think It will be a good way to keep less hardware in owr gear, pluss you don't have to horrie if it become lose.

I'm new to the BASE World. So if im wrong try not to hit me, as hard as you guys usually do!

thanks
.

 

Exactly my thoughts.

But they do have Slider Stopers, Is a peace of Black Fabric that act exacly the same as the Suber stopers

I know a couple experienced jumpers who've used them for years without incident.

Personally, I think I'd only use them on a dedicated slider off rig.

I second Tom. Although a big fan of slinks for mains and reserves in skydiving, I do not use them in BASE unless, as said, I had a dedicated slider removed rig which I don't. I make my own ones for main canopies and I would not hesitate using them for BASE.

Except that I'm almost positive that a Reserve soft link is quite a bit stronger than a Rapide Link.

Soft links don't take that much longer to put on/off...it's just a matter of doing it a lot.

pope

I think soft links are easier to remove and replace.
I've thought about using them on my base gear, but I would like to have some sort of bumpers for the slider.

I'm not sure about full strength, but I'd bet that a soft link is stronger than a crossloaded rapide link for sure. And cross loading doesn't really appear to be an issue with soft links.

Not that I've seen a lot of crossloaded links in BASE, but what's the old saying about planning for the worst?

From PD's Website:

"In our tests, the Performance Design's Slink© survived at loadings beyond the suspension lines and/or riser! In our testing, the failure point of the system was repeatedly the suspension lines or the webbing attaching the three rings to the riser. In comparison tests, the PD reserve soft link survived tests that caused failures and/or severe damage to #4 and #5 stainless steel links! The PD Soft links not only survived these tests, but showed no signs of damage.
"

If you buy a set of regular PD soft-links, they come with 'hats' that, if installed, act as slider bumpers. Assuming, that is, that the grommets in a BASE slider are not significantly larger than on a skydiving canopy.

I've got 4 sets of slinks on 4 different rigs. 2 of the sets each have over 400 jumps between them. while the the other 2 only have about 50 or so. I don't have any bumpers on them, and have never have the slider come down past them on the riser. A loaded type 8 riser is stiff enough under load to stop them from doing that. About 200 of those jumps were at terminal velocity with no isssues. My original set has outlasted a set of lines and risers and still looks brand new. They are far stronger than metal links and once installed, they are virtually maintainence free. I've seen a slider bumper come off a metal link and slide up the lines, where it choked of the slider and resulted in a reserve ride. Luckly it was in a skydiving enviorment. No worries with that with slinks. Once less link in the death chain. I also tie my slider down for low stuff, since it's faster, less chance of a rigging errors and offers the safety net of having a crosslink should one riser release. It's a great KISS system, and I won't ever go back to metal links and bumpers and wrenches and quarter turns and all that crap

The slider stops don't fit standard risers, only mini-risers. You don't need slider stops for standard risers. If you really wanted them, making them out of type-12 works very well. I've made them for tandem rigs to prevent the rapide links from getting side-loaded.

Slinks are stronger than Rapide links, can't get side loaded, don't loosen over time, can't be over-torqued, and don't require a wrench, torque mark or lock-tite. The only thing you have to be careful of is damaged slider grommets (from rapide links) cutting the Slink.

Derek

 


I agree I can't see the slider come down the standard size risers and knocking a toggle lose, only on mini risers would I see that being a problem. So why only use them on a dedicated slider off rig?Any other problems with using them?

Jason Walburn

Just to clairfy, about above post that I wrote. I am using the Reserve slinks, not the normal smaller ones.

I agree. But that's not the problem. The issue is whether the slider grommet might get low enough to trap the toggle stub, and essentially jam a toggle.

After several years I would like to popup this topic.

Now I think more people use them. Do you have some issues with slinks?

I have tandem slinks on my slider-OFF rig
that also has integrated risers, which is a
nice bonus in case I need to cutaway.

nope

I would avoid soft links due simply because a wrongly installed rapide link is very obvious wheras a misrigged slink can be tough to spot. A linegroup release on opening can really ruin your day!

I don't think an incorrectly assembled (or damaged) slink is anymore difficult to spot than an incorrectly assembled (or cracked) rapide link.
A misrigged slink on a base rig would have the same consequences as on a reserve; slinks on reserves seem to be the norm these days.

I am a rigger (as all base jumpers should be in my opinion) and I assemble my base rig with the same attention to detail as i assemble a skydouching rig.

I think both have their advantages and disadvantages. The slink is smaller, lighter, stronger, slightly more expensive, and won't set off metal detectors. The rapide link is faster to assemble but requires tools. The slinks on my integrated riser rigs could i suppose be cut (slowly) with my hook knife if necessary, though i haven't needed to try that out yet so i'm not sure how difficult it would be.

I have been running a set of PD tandem slinks on my rig for about 100 jumps now. Slider down and big wall terminal. No problems whatsoever....

^ avatar winner!

Was going to order a set. Bottom line; Slink or not to slink?

Well, I guess this is a good reason for the RAS Slider.

Guess I will forgo the pleasure of that innovation but the slink does seem a step forward in the right direction. Seems it has been around for a number of years without adding to the statistics. Anyone?

All I can say is that I have slinks in all my rigs and have maybe 800-1000 bas jumps so far with rigs equipped with slinks, from low staticlines to 2000m wingsuit flights and have experienced 0 issues with them. So planning to continue to use them.

Thanks for your reply. If you go SD, how or with what do you attach it to the front risers, given that there are no bumpers?
Have heard of static line, pull up cord, lanyard with clips etc
Just wondering if there is any accepted/preferential way to go by now.

~3" tape loops with snap fasteners in the front risers going through the slider front grommets is a good way.

Will get a local rigger to sort it out; Thank you for the tip, appreciated.

I guess the addition of the RAS slider means i dont have to keep pulling my slider down and stowing it behind my head....

SE7EN canopy, dive loops on the F risers and a removable slider.... Do you think the Lauterbrunnen farmers would mind me setting up a set of swoop gates and siren next to the landing field

You may be on to something. But I think the farmers would be more amicable if you did it in their fields, right before harvest time when the fields are at there highest

Probably applaud you to the sound of gun fire.

I would expect nothing less.

I have been using slinks since I started, I have had no issues or concerns slider up or down.
That being said I put my faith in proper rigging and double checks to help catch possible errors.
Go get some slinks!

Have done, got no issues using them, just doing some thinking about the tapes and snap fasteners to attach the slider down! I try to avoid doing some thing in a hurry, especially in this game!