3-ring release system

Invented in its original large ring form by Bill Booth,[1] and subsequently scaled down for thinner Type 17 webbing risers[2] the three-ring system allows a skydiver to quickly cut-away a malfunctioning main parachute with a single motion.

Releasing the cord loop by removing the cable with a tug causes the three-ring system to cascade free and quickly disconnect the riser from the harness.

The reasons for the development of the mini ring system and the associated smaller risers were mostly aesthetic; the mini rings do not increase safety but actually reduce the mechanical advantage inherent in the system thereby increasing the pull force a jumper must apply to cut-away.

[7] The tolerance in the manufacture of the fabric risers and their connection to the rings is critical in maintaining the mechanical advantage of the 3-ring system and this has been compromised in some designs.

Replacement of the Lolon-F coating with Teflon impregnated compounds has caused both cracking[8] and cable stripping[9][10][11] problems.