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so, i know it was designed to be impossible, but has anybody done it?

including non-jumper contorsionistyish people?

i ask because the rig im building will have either fixed leg straps, or a fixed chest strap. just went through my head that it would be pretty cool to have both fixed.

i doubt its possible, i tried a few times, i could only do it if the leg straps are, at my knees.

and i dont want to have to do that every time.

(i mean, besides the knee thing, standin up.)

You can get out through the "butt" hole [as you described, requires sitting] or - depending on how you wear your chest strap - between the MLWs.

I would fix the leg straps and consider velcro for the chest strap. It's often surprising just how much pull force is required to unhook velcro in a lateral direction. If you have doubt, you could probably sew two chest straps out of type 8 webbing; one directly above the other. Cover their *entire length* with velcro and your potential problems should be solved.

Of course, I'd do some research on the exact pull force that velcro can resist when pulled in that direction. Does anybody have any idea about how much force is put on a chest strap on, say, a four-second delay slider-down deployment?

Ok, that's a tangent.

Through the hole where your butt is or between the MLWs.

[edit:]

Here's a video that migliore posted a while ago showing how to get out of his rig in the way I barely described. It'd be tricky, but you could get back in in the same way.

Requires a relatively new version of Quicktime.

A coupla things:

A few weeks ago I was flying to a distant landing area, employing the technique of lifting my knees to my chest to decrease my surface area when it occured to me that I could (easily?) slip out of my harness backwards if I were to lift my legs up High enough. This would get you out of your harness the same way the poster above me described (Not the description of the technique used in the video).

Secondly, I am an EMT (ambulance goon) and occasionally I have to restrain a psych. pt. with loops of velcro around both wrists and ankles.The velcro made very strong by using three layers instead of two. The strap against the body (bottom strap)has hooks on it. The second strap is then layed down on top ofthe bottom strap just like any other normal velcro.on top of the second strap is more loop velcro. A third strap witch originates from the bottom strap (It splits off from the bottom strap forming a "y" shape) has hook velcro on it witch is layed on top of the second strap. This three strap system is extremely strong and I have never seen it come undone prematurely. I am always confident in its ability to hold down the biggest and strongest crazies the city has to offer.

I think it would be possible to employ this three strap system into a chest strap, but it would require fresh, new velcro, and plenty of testing.

Good luck!

It's already been described, sort of, but I think my technique may be slightly different since it doesn't involve sitting. Wearing any rig without a cord across the back of the leg straps, bend over and pull the rig up over your head. You don't have to be a contortionist to do this, but I doubt it would be a good way to put the rig on.

Michael

I climb out of my rig like this sometimes because I have trouble quickly releasing the chest strap - yes, I know, it's not ideal for water landings or quick getaways.

consider doing a double wide leg strap, side by side webbing sewn between the two pieces.

I think some Javelin harnesses were recalled because of a problem like this. I did a quick search but can't find the details. Maybe someone else knows more.
And then not so long ago there was the horrible death of a paraplegic tandem passenger who fell through the harness on opening.

Ironically, I thought of that while sitting on the toilet just after making my post

Why do you want to make a rig with a fixed chest strap and leg straps? Are you trying to make it metal-less?

 

^I'd assume that a knot would be too big of an inconvenience. If one is planning a jump that requires a metal-less rig, then the quicker that the rig can be removed and stashed, the better. We've all clumisly fumbled to get our chest straps undone and get our rigs into stashbags after the adrenaline jolt of a high-key jump... imagine trying to undo a figure eight knot

Another idea would be to just tie on a chest strap. it wouldn't be pretty, but it would work.

Use a disposable chest strap and a hook knife.
eg: sewn loops on both sides of lift web at chest level. Use 5/8" or 1" tubular tape to tie yourself in using your secure knot of choice. Jump, whip out your hook knife, cut. done.
On low pressure/legal jumps, you could just take the time to untie in the landing area if you want. A bit more expensive, but I imagine you're OK with losing a couple feet of sling a few times a week, no?
cp

Sounds like the best idea yet Pope

I have no problem useing as much webbing as i need, the original idea was to make the rig seem a bit cleaner than a tied up rig, but that is a good idea. hook knives dull really fast though. not that im doing a lot of high profile jumps.

I KNOW you're not telling me you can't tie a neat knot...right?
pope

um..... yeah....