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Pins smiley or frowny? Track or box.
It would be awesome if you give an explanation of why.
Take care,
space
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Re: [base283] Pins smiley or frowny? Track or box.
mine always point straight down so neither
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Re: [base283] Pins smiley or frowny? Track or box.
I don't do "smiley" or "frowney," and I don't mean that I do them vertically, which I have seen more than one person do. I mean to say that I route the pins in whatever orientation puts the PIN TAB on the inside curve of the pin. This means that it will stand the pin up, allowing it to curve out of the closing loop. If the pin tab (the tab attaching the pin to the bridle) is on the back side of the pin head or on the outside curve of the pin, then it has to travel AROUND the pin head before it can stand the pin up in the loop. This could create hesitation, and I am pretty sure nobody here wants that. Just my 2 cents.
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Re: [base283] Pins smiley or frowny? Track or box.
http://www.watchthybridle.com/2014/02/pin-orientation/

This is a decent article that explains what I mean. For my most-jumped rig that is two frowny faces... but it's different for other rigs I've jumped.
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Re: [CF36] Pins smiley or frowny? Track or box.
Exactly what I do. Even for skydiving (though it does matter much) I use the same logic. I have even had jumpers check my pins and tell me they are not smiley and get uncomfortable when I tell them to leave it that way. On my Javelin it had to be smiley for the tab be on the inside of the curve. on my infinity it is the other way (frowny). On my Apex summit both bottom and top are frowny.
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Re: [e.a.hernandez] Pins smiley or frowny? Track or box.
On my Zak2 they are vertical with the inside of the curvature pointing to the right. If I make them smiley (and get the loops really short for a supper tight fit; and I mean really tight) I can pull more than 20 lbs and pin won't pop. Again this is in a really tight rig with flap closed, a smiley pin and pulling bridle perpendicular to the rig. If I pull the bridle in a different direction it pops right off. If I pull it as if I was in a track position I it comes out no matter how tight and regardless of the pin orientation. With a loose to moderately ok pin tension I only have a problem if I pull the bridle parallel to the rig as if you were really head high. Anyway I love all my rigs. I just take the time to get to know them in all they possible configuration and play with them a lot when I am bored and even when I am not bored.
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Re: [e.a.hernandez] Pins smiley or frowny? Track or box.
My Helium is two sad faces pointing right, but I like them clocked between horizontal and vertical.
If I had to make a bridle from scratch, I'd go with sad face setup, and the eye on the side that allowed the pin to have the most space to rotate and be pulled. I don't understand why some bridles are set up for a happy face - with the pull direction coming from the bottom, the pin will have to either rotate to be pulled, or the eye will have to spin (swivel?) in place towards the pull direction, maybe putting pressure against the pin protector flap - hesitation? With a sad face, it can freely slide out without any pressure against the flap.
On my rig, I can easily pop the bottom pin without the pin cover flap even opening. Its reassuring.
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Re: [base283] Pins smiley or frowny? Track or box.
Pin eyelet towards the top off the rig for SO because the PC is pulling from above me
Pins eyelet towards the BOC for SU because the PC is pulling from behind me (tracking)
So basically smiley and frowney respectively but exaggerated
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Re: [base283] Pins smiley or frowny? Track or box.
I don't have an asylum bridle, but based on friends' gear and pictures from his website, i believe Marty sews the pins facing a different direction than Apex gear. Which is why you may typically see Apex customers "frowny" and Asylum customers "smiley".

Just my theory. Someone else can post pictures if they like, I'm very lazy at the moment.
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Re: [Colm] Pins smiley or frowny? Track or box.
Here is the Apex Summit, for a visual
Apex_pin_frowney.jpg