How NOT 2 Skydive - Soft link break tests!

Eric Johnson brought soft links to the lab to break test. They are a small piece of spectra that connects the skydiver to the parachute or more specifically the container to the canopy. There are 4 of them, but they are the only thing attaching you and they are tiny. Thank you Eric for not only doing this test with me but coming up with our new slogan "Breaking Gear Fear".

Our Results:
Used correctly: 10.9kn or 2,450lbf
Installed wrong! 6.2kn or 1,394lbf
Single wrapped: 6.6kn or 1,484 lbf
Eye to Eye: 3.7kn or 832lbf
Bonus Test: Knot in 6mm amsteel: 9.5kn or 2,136lbf

Please use gear correctly AND be kind to one another!

00:00 What are soft links
04:34 In the lab
06:16 1st test - used correct
7:30 2nd test - installed wrong!
09:45 3rd test - single wrapped
10:42 4th test - eye to eye
12:54 5th test - Bonus test: Knot in 6mm amsteel
14:38 - Conclusions
15:22 - Ryan tries skydiving

[basbastian]

I like the new "How not 2" concept.
Have a guest over. Let him/her talk about their sport / occupation.
It's nice to see someones amazement about the results.

[jonflannery]

Been waiting for the expansion into more extreme sports content since you mentioned it. Like for the simple fact you’re venturing into uncharted territory.

[PeregrineBF]

Notes on synthetic fibers: Dyneema, Spectra, and Dynex are 3 brand names for Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE), Zylon is a brand name for Polybenzobisocazole (PBO), Vectran is a brand name for a liquid crystal polymer (an aromatic polyester produced by the polycondensation of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid and acid, which is far too long to say), Dacron and Diolen are brand names for Polyester, Nylon is a brand name for Polyamide, and Kevlar and Technora are brand names for Aramid.

In "Splicing Modern Ropes, A Practical Handbook" Jan-Willem Polman has a table of properties for these fibers (and polypropylene).

[Steve-bfuy]

This was super helpful. I’ve been climbing since 2007 and recently got into skydiving. I didn’t love the idea of the soft shackles initially, partially because of the fabric-on-fabric connection, and partially because they just “appear” weaker than stainless steel maillons. This was an interesting experiment, thanks for posting!

[therigloftmatthewotto]

Just as a first look as I was watching this I think why they have to be double wrapped so tightly is because you don't want any slack space so the incorrect one has a lot more slack space so that there's room for it to shock load I think is why the riggers for the parachutes probably don't like to see them connected incorrectly. Because small dyneema or Spectra in this case does not like to be shock loaded. This one might be a really good one to test on the Drop Tower once you're finished building.

[marcushofmann]

I like the new kN animations!

Please do a video of your old memorial highline stuff...

[tinodeeck]

WHAT?
RYAN. I love this new channel. THANK YOU

Keep doing the AMAZING WORK

[repeatdopamine]

I'm still fairly "new" to this channel. I feel like I really haven't ran into a "rant" like the one seen @11:11 before from you. Maybe it's just the fact that I'm used to you ranting about highline stuff that I'm sort of "subconsciously" informed of.

I think it would be pretty fun/cool for you to rig up your own sky diving "rig" (could be any sport that you aren't aware of) blindly with just the information you know from your break tests and such and have your guests "assess" what you have rigged.

Love all the content! Glad to have had you and the community while learning to longline and dip into highlining! :)

[TheMalleges]

I love the new topic! Good start with Expansion (including the first canyoning episode)
Good job Ryan

[FrediBach]

I'm flying my paraglider with softlinks, both on the risers and for the connection to the harness. The softlinks to the harness are huge compared to the riser ones and built directly into the harness structure. Guess that's why they overspecd those so massively, as they can't be replaced.

[il_ricciobase]

Wow! Im skydiver and basejumper! And this video is very interesting and cool! Tnx

[Will.i.am.Mitchell]

So much to test for BASE.. Ask Andy about 80lb break cord and static line jumps. Lots of alternative static line materials to test as well.

[reesemartens]

As a polymer scientist that has worked with liquid crystal polymers this is the last place I expected to see them!

[adamwilkinson]

That was cool. Love the sky diving clip at the end.

[Rickshaw_Bohammer]

Lmao love the coban. It’s short for cohesive bandage because it sticks to itself. Comes in so many colors so you can customize your death jump

[borisgrozev]

This was interesting! They are much stronger than I expected.

I'm not a rigger, but I think it's worth noting that there may be reasons other than strength for installing slinks the way the manufacturers recommend. For example increased wear on the lineset, and the tab being a snag hazard if it's sticking out.

[jonflannery]

Moving on up in the lab equipment arena! Sweet new content brother. Can’t wait for the rest of the teased new stuff.

[LifeAtTerminalVelocity]

Excellent video!
I'd love you see you do these tests with the lines on the parachute and with the webbing used to make the harness.

[dylanp]

Would be really curious to know how many KN of force are actually created by the switch from free fall to open canopy catching you. Before you get your drop tower all done you could do some line scale 3's set up on a skydiver.

[jenyates]

Loving the field of green in the background. Makes me think of the drop tower.
If you built it, they will come.