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Canopy manufacturer Performance Designs issued a 5-page document on control system malfunctions late last year due to a rise in brake-line induced malfunctions. The article was intended to take the guess work out of stowing excess brake line as well as explain different options for keeping its soft links from contributing to brake line hang-ups.

For several years, container manufacturers had an almost universally standard method of stowing excess steering line with a Velcro closure. This remains the most common method of stowing excess steering lines on reserve canopies.

Velcro has fallen out of favor with many jumpers because the hook portion of Velcro tends to wear out the lower brake lines prematurely. Since reserve canopies are used so infrequently, Velcro is not an issue. But it doesn’t take long for main steering lines to get fuzzy or have broken fibers from the hook Velcro sewn to the riser. The pile toggle Velcro tends to wear out rather quickly, which can lead to the toggles coming unstowed on opening. While Velcro replacement on a toggle is a simple fix, skydivers may not have a rigger on-site or may ignore the excess wear on a main canopy and related components.

A multitude of “Velcroless” toggle setups have since flooded the market. Many early versions did not have a place to stow the excess brake line. A number of skydivers and riggers began creating their own stowage systems due to issues with the excess line getting caught on fingers, helmets and/or becoming tangled with the toggle system.

To add to the confusion, some manufacturers continue to change their Velcroless toggle system so frequently that there is a lack of current information on the correct setup and stowage of the toggles and brake lines in the owner’s manual. We had one recent weekend in Atlanta where three skydivers had brake line hang-ups on Mirage toggle systems due to incorrect stowage of the excess brake lines. (See photo below.)

And while Velcroless toggle systems reduce the wear on the lower steering lines, the systems can get worn out just as easily as Velcro. A loose or worn Velcroless toggle system can lead to an unstowed toggle on deployment.

So how can this problem be avoided?

First, read the owner’s manual to find out how the manufacturer intended the brakes to be set and the excess line to be stowed.

Second, if there isn’t any current or understandable information in the manual, contact the manufacturer for guidance.

Third, if there isn’t a place to stow the excess brake line, have your rigger contact the manufacturer for a recommended update to your risers.

Fourth, inspect your toggle system for wear and tear on a regular basis. If you have any questions on the condition of your risers and toggle system, ask a knowledgeable rigger to inspect the system for you.

And lastly, if you are not packing for yourself, make sure your packer knows where and how the excess brake line is to be stowed.

(Note: The photo below is of a toggle hangup in Atlanta on Mirage Velcroless risers. The brake line looped around the bottom toggle stow and wouldn't come undone under canopy. The jumper, David Aitken, landed using his rear risers to flare.)