In light of the (few and far between) apparent cases of risers cutting away at inopportune times, I have a few questions. Please keep in mind that I am a new guy, and in no way would second guess Bill Booth or the manufactuters.

I have read through most of the threads on this topic, and have seen a few logical ways to lock off the 3 rings in the event that one wouldn't need to chop. It seems that the method of using a big rapide link in lieu of the teflon coated cable is a pretty sure-fire way to lock the system. However, to me, this would make the locking loop that is, I presume, sewn into the riser, the weak link.

My question, I guess, is that given the fact that we really shouldn't need to cut away a highly loaded canopy, and in the rare case that we would need to cut away while loaded (skydive, tree maybe), the canopy should still be loaded lightly compared to say a small stilletto, couldn't we come up with a more bulky, reinforced system of rigging the 3 ring, even if it lessens the mechanical advantage a little? This seems to be one of the places that BASE gear might could go a different way from skydiving gear. I doubt this is an original idea, but I hadn't seen any thoughts on it. Maybe a thicker kevlar (or something) loop? Am I way off BASE :9 ?

Mike