Basejumper.com - archive

I test-jumped my Fox and the brake lines are a little too short when canopy is on full drive.

Q: instead of lengthening the lines (as these is no excess and it would mean putting on new lines), I added a top-ring onto the hard-links. This gives the brakes an extra +- 4" of drive.

Has anyone else tried top-rings? Can anyone think of a reason not to use top-rings?

I'm assuming that you're using this setup for slider-up jumps only?

Yes, definitely for slider-up only!!

I reckon I would try doing the properly. It's not hard to adjust a finger trap.

Surely its not that hard or expensive to replace JUST the lower control lines?

Nice one. not sure how many people really read this....

forwards and backwards

Nope, not hard or expensive, but I would have to lengthen only from bellow the cat's-eye-loop of the control line, so just easier/quicker.
I just think that the top-ring would do the same job, without having to do too much alterations!

^^ Nice catch Mark. I think you're the second person in years to see it. You're either super attentive, dyslexic or into palindromes.

Back to the OP, I've used top rings on my sky-rigs for years with no ill effects other than the potential to misroute them. That said, I think they might add a little unnecessary complication to a tried and true base toggle setup.

You mentioned that there isn't much excess line left fingertrapped at the toggles, but have you let out the excess fingertrapped at the top of the lower where it cascades out? usually there's at least two or three inches of excess up there. Just remember that this will make your current brake settings shallower as you're lengthening the distance between your brake settings and the canopy, rather than lengthening the distance between your brake settings and your toggles.

your option is definately "less desirable".. lets start with the simple reason.. the more links you have.. the more breaking points. beside that.. the shape of the connector link is designed for a pressure in the length.. adding a extra link/ ring will make the possibility of friction/ pressure where is doesn't belong much higher. beside this.. IF one link will twist 90 degrees, that might cause a offheading opening. (its like connecting 2 carabiners to each other with lots of room of movement and friction) I will not say, that it is impossible.. but the fingertrapping option is in my humble opinion much better.
be safe, have fun!

wow.. smart! i had to read it 5 times after you noticed!

 
i'm not sure I'm following this but I've been building my risers foryears with the toggle set at the normal highth to make them easy to reach and perserve the normal breaksetting if I swap canopies. But when I release the break it's held by a ring higher on the riser just bellow the end of the riser. Baseically it lets me lift my hands a bit higher, get more flight, use the same toggle setting that I use slider down, and get about three inches more athority when flareing the canopy. If I'm understanding what your doing I see nothing wrong with it as long as you can retreave the toggle if you drop it.

Lee

Yes, that's it. Cool, thx for feedback Lee.
I really couldn't think of any disadvanteges but thought better to check with more senior jumpers as well.
And yes, the top-ring is low enough for me to grab the risers in case i drop them.