Necessity is the Mother of Invention

Closely behind the three ring release system, the Skyhook RSL is one of the greatest skydiving innovations from our founder, Bill Booth.

Effectively using the malfunctioning main canopy as a pilot chute for the reserve, the Skyhook RSL dramatically speeds up the process of deploying a reserve canopy after cutting away a malfunctioning main canopy.

Due to the nature of its design, it is effective in both high, and low speed malfunctions and is suitable for all types of jumping, including camera flying.

Here is a list of the Certified Skyhook Installers

The integrated Skyhook RSL

  • Releases Non-RSL Riser
  • Pulls Reserve Pin
  • 3-4 Times Faster Than A Pilot Chute Alone
  • Extracts Reserve Bag | 0.2 Sec
  • Line Stretch | 0.4 Sec
  • Reserve Out | 0.5 Sec

Field tested, tried and proven

  • Tested: 250+ R&D Deployments
  • Tried: 300+ Intentional Cutaways
  • Proven: 1,600+ Estimated Actual Emergency Skyhook Deployments

RSL vs Skyhook RSL

While a normal RSL automatically pulls the reserve ripcord pin following a breakaway, the new UPT Skyhook RSL goes two steps further. It automatically releases the non-RSL riser in case the RSL riser was released prematurely (ensuring your reserve will not deploy with half your main still attached). The Skyhook then uses your departing malfunctioned main canopy as a super pilot chute to deploy your reserve canopy, taking about ½ second from breakaway to line stretch (reserve canopy out of the bag). This is 3 to 4 times faster than a pilot chute can do alone. The Skyhook also causes the reserve bag to leave your back with such speed that it becomes far less likely you will entangle with your main canopy in the case of a spinning malfunction.

Heading Malfunctions

Breakaway from a Partial Malfunction
During a breakaway from a partial malfunction, the Skyhook RSL will pull your reserve pin and then lift your reserve canopy out of the container, getting it to line stretch in about half a second. Even though the Skyhook gets your reserve to line stretch faster than ever before possible, it does not make it open any harder.

Main Total Malfunction
In the case of a total malfunction (your main is still in it’s container when you pull your reserve), the reserve free bag bridle will automatically release itself from the SkyHook Lanyard after the pilot chute travels five feet away from the container. It’s like a race, whichever is traveling away from you faster – your cutaway main or your pilot chute – will control the deployment. In this case, the main isn’t going anywhere, so the reserve pilot chute wins.

Main Horseshoe Malfunction
In the event of a main horseshoe malfunction, the broken away main risers will start to deploy your reserve but wouldn’t finish the job because, let’s say the main pilot chute is entangled with you. When your main risers stop pulling, the reserve pilot chute takes over and deploys your reserve. The Skyhook may help you even in this situation, by assisting the reserve pilot chute out of the burble before it lets it go, thus making entanglement with the still attached main less likely.

In a spin
If you have a spinning malfunction, the danger of going unstable during reserve deployment and possibly entangling with your reserve is greatly reduced. So if your plan is not to use an RSL, and “get stable” again before pulling your reserve, the Skyhook system will get you under reserve in 6-7 times less distance. This is due to the 400-500 feet you will fall trying to get stable before pulling your reserve ripcord.

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