Hang Gliding - FAQ - What's needed?
Important Safety Note #1: Cocoons, spaghetti, knee-hangers, stirrups, and hammock harnesses are all open, across the back. These harnesses will need a back-strap, located below the arms, near the top of the parachute pocket. This strap goes behind the back, and should be pulled almost snug, not tight, when you don the harness. Without this back-strap, it may not be possible to deploy the parachute, in the unlikely event that it is needed, in a zero-G situation. This back strap (with convenient buckles) can be added to older harnesses, which were made before we recognized the need. A skydiver "rigger" or HG harness maker can add this strap, built to skydiving standards, if the harness does not have one, now.
Important Safety Note #2: If you can wear the harness, standing upright, then push the shoulder straps off your shoulders and slide the harness down and off your body, that's a problem. There should be a strap buckled behind the neck, joining the two shoulder straps, to prevent that from happening. This rear neck strap makes the harness much safer, especially if you were ever to need your parachute. In aviation, Murphy RULES. Again, this behind-the-neck strap (with convenient buckles) can be added to older harnesses, which were made before we recognized the need. This is not an expensive modification, if you need to add one to an existing harness. A skydiver "rigger" or HG harness maker can add this strap, built to skydiving standards, if the harness does not have one, now.
Important Safety Note #3: ANY harness can be made with too much Velcro, or deficiencies in the grommets, bungee cord, or safety pins which hold the parachute container closed, on the harness. While hanging in the harness in the shop, do a practice parachute deployment, but do not toss the deployment bag. Identify any difficulties in the process, while in the shop. Grommets, pins, or bungee cords can be replaced (if needed) with the appropriate modern parts. Velcro can be reduced in holding power, by using "blocker strips" to lessen the contact area of the Velcro, if necessary (see the Pod Zipper note below). The parachute container should be secure, certainly, but not so over-built as to make a parachute deployment hard to manage. Consult with HG harness experts, where there is any doubt. Have experienced help available on-hand, to re-install the parachute deployment bag into the harness. Accept NO compromises, on the parachute aspects of any HG harness. It is your last best chance, if the unthinkable were ever to happen up there.
Safety Note for Front-Zipper Pods: This note pertains to the zipper which closes the front of a pod harness, around the legs. It is possible for the zipper-slider of a pod to become jammed, occasionally. This usually could happen when clothing gets caught in the zipper slider. You should allow for an "emergency exit" for your feet, if that ever happens, in flight. Most harness zippers in pods are installed with Velcro. You want to be able to push down with one knee, and force the zipper Velcro to separate when necessary, starting at the knees. Then you can use your leg muscles to separate the zipper Velcro completely, releasing your feet to land. You can ease your mind about a zipper ever getting jammed by going to the fabric store, and buying some new Velcro. Velcro is sold in black, white, and some colors. Use the narrower widths. We use this new Velcro to "block" some of the holding power of the zipper Velcro. Cut each "blocker" strip as long as the zipper Velcro is wide. Peel the existing Velcro (and zipper) partially out of the harness, at the knee area. Install a "blocker" strip (or strips) of new Velcro (either the hooks or the pile), at right angles to the zipper, between where the zipper Velcro mates with the harness Velcro, at the knee area of the harness zipper. Install these new "blocker" strips at the location of your knees, and as far up and down the harness zipper near your knees as you may wish. Two or three "blocker" strips, maybe an inch (2cm) apart, should be enough. The new "blocker" strip should engage either the zipper Velcro or the harness Velcro, so the holding power of the original zipper Velcro is reduced at the knee area. You can use either the hooks, or the pile strips here; you only use one part (hooks or pile) of the new Velcro, on one side of the harness. Use the other half, on the other side of the harness, at a similar location, so either side of the zipper will yield to a knee, pressing down to make a hasty exit. This "blocker" strip of new Velcro will reduce the holding power of the harness Velcro at the knees.
You can cut these "blocker" strips (either the hooks or pile) into narrower strips, or shorter lengths, to give yourself as much or as little holding power at your knees, as you may want. While hanging in the harness in the shop, you can test the new, reduced holding power of the harness zipper Velcro at the knees. By trial and error, you can adjust the holding power of the zipper Velcro to your needs, by installing the new "blocker" strips of Velcro, in various widths or lengths. You should have enough holding power there to zip up and hold your legs comfortably, yet have a weak enough Velcro bond to let you push one knee out, then the other knee, peeling the Velcro apart with your legs, in case the zipper ever gets stuck. Then, if the zipper might ever become stuck (closed) one day, you can still push one knee out, separate the Velcro using your legs, get your legs out of the harness, and land normally.
Install the same size of "blocker" strips in the zipper Velcro, on each side of the harness, at the knees. You can easily change or reverse any adjustments that you make, later. Just add or subtract some of the "blocker" strips, to get exactly what you want at the knees, for the holding power of the harness zipper Velcro. Your harness zipper should hold your legs securely in the pod, certainly, but still yield to one knee pressing down hard, when you need to separate the zipper if it gets stuck, during a landing approach.
Feel free to save and/or print this out. This part is mostly for pods and cocoons, but applies (MORE)