HANDLE GUARD SAVED MY LIFE !!!!

[Ed_Johnson]

Had a major Yard Sale off 5 ball with the result being a Face Plant into the Handle. After 50 years of skiing this has never happen before. Have a huge shiner on my left eye as a result. For the last three years I have always skied with a Handle Guard and it may have just saved my life. This happened so fast that you would never see it coming till you feel your neck snap and lights out.

 

PLEASE, EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT HAVE ONE EITHER MAKE OR BUY ONE.!!!!!!

 

 

 

[A_B]

Thank God you had one installed Ed.

 

I have one that has been sitting in my office somewhere for a couple seasons Bought it and then injuries kept me off water and when I started up again last year I forgot about it. I will find it and slap that puppy on.

 

Thank you for the kick in the pants.

[Wish]

Pics of them and web links to purchase would be good here.

[Jody_Seal]

Ed Glad you are alright. Hope you come up with a better story for the shiner though!

 

I wont ski with out one and have a couple extra's. I took an out the side/front on Sat and saw the handle go wizzing by my head as I was skipping across the water. Having a handle guard on my handle gives me a piece of mind that I have a far less chance to getting injured or worse from the handle. I don't even notice that it is their now.

 

http://www.jagersport.com/index.php?cPath=89&osCsid=fcd40bb6756f9a371e96056a083c7e6c

Could not find any thing on the web about the "original" Arm guard.

 

[swc5150]

I've heard of these, and pictured one in my head, but have never actually seen one. If someone sells them, I'd order one.

[Than_Bogan]

I tried a plastic handle guard for a few months at the start of one season. I kept assuming that I'd get used it, but I never did. With tournaments coming, I took it off.

 

What are some of the options that people have come up with? I'd like to keep trying until I find something that works for me.

 

I think one issue for me was that I use a 12" handle. The good news is, that's hard to get your head through. The bad news seems to be that the guard becomes a real imposition on such a small handle.

 

Anyhow, I'm interested to see and hear about designs people have made or bought.

[swc5150]

Thanks Jody, I didn't see that link at first glance...

[travnews]

http://www.usgearonline.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=USGEAR&Category_Code=CBSR

 

 

I use one of these. They make them for 12" and 13" handles. It's made out of neoprene.

[Jody_Seal]

their is also one designed and marketed out of the great waterski state of

Alaska But I could not find a web site for it. I am sure someone will pipe up and give info on how to acquire an Arm Guard. I utilize the Jager unit I have not had a chance to use the Arm Guard but I am sure it is a quality item and serves it purpose as designed.

 

[HO 410]

twcues at gci dot net

 

There isn't really a website for the original arm-guard. As far as I know there isn't much scale to his production, so everything is still pretty much a customized job. Just send an email with a subject like 'arm-guard information'

 

The new design is segmented to make it easier to roll up the handle. According to Thomas, that segment turned out to improve the function in trends of deflecting hands away from the opening.

 

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n293/ThomasWayne_2006/Generation3-5.jpg

[Ed_Obermeier]

I also use TW's Arm Guard on a 12" handle, have pretty much since they came out and wouldn't think of skiing without one. Over the years I've had two incidents of arm-through-the-handle. Second time I was in up to my arm pit; I had the presence of mind to get my arm straight as the rope came tight so as the handle ripped up the inside of my arm (decent abrasion but otherwise not too much damage) and came to my Clincher glove it ripped the glove right off my hand. When I retrieved the glove it wasn't torn in any manner and was still velcroed shut just as if it were still on my hand. No idea how it was able to pull the glove off without either ripping the glove or seriously damaging my hand but I'm thankful there wasn't any more damage than I got. I have both the original style and the newer segmented design pictured above, the newer design makes switching handles much easier FWIW.

 

Ed

[jedgell]

I've used the TW Arm Guard for 3 years now, rarely even know its there. I have a 12" Radius handle from In-Tow and it fits perfectly. Wouldn't feel comfortable skiing without it, like driving without a seatbelt.

[Ryno]

I believe Kyle Eade once had a nasty slalom crash, where his head went through the handle. He was very lucky, in that he got away with a few broken bones in his face, and not a broken neck.

The trouble is this type of accident is so rare, that it hard to justify the insurance of the guard.

 

Does anyone have a link to purchase the clear arm guard pictured above?

[eleeski]

I wore out a handle with an Arm Guard. I removed the center rubber strip and never knew the handle was different after that. I was quite happy with it for a couple of years.

I restrung a different handle myself. The Arm Guard and other factory products fit on normal bridle configurations. Mine was randomly sized (TLAR). I wanted some protection so I strung a loop of ski rope across the triangle - kinda in the same place as a toe harness. Note that in my many thousands of trick falls, I haven't gotten my arm stuck because it bounces off the toe harness. It is still possible to put an arm through my setup but the target is much smaller. And my fathead won't fit through.

Jody, this IS Ed's better story for the shiner!

Eric

[EricKelley]

I've had a previous incident arm through the handle. Now no medial biceps attachment to clavicle. Three days in hopital vascular surgery, etc......

Rules committee supposedly would not recommend mandating the use of these modified handle bridles because to mandate this might make it easier to sue if an accident still happened with it's use. Another example of the absence of common sense.

Glad your alright Ed, when you have this happen, you see how easy it can happen and how little you can do to control it. Still to this day when I fall I hold on to the handle util the boat takes it away.

I don't buy mine, I sacrifice a tupperware top. All you have to have is a tupperware top. The tupperware brand is a much higher quality material than the cheaper ones. Lay your bridle on the tupperware, strech handle tight, mark the area in between. Cut out. Punch hole about every inch with a paper hole punch for zip tie. Zip tie. Leave several inches for your hands. This works very well. The tupperware plastic is up to the task of dragging behind the boat.

Everyone please take a few minutes to do this.

[RichardDoane]

I've been using a ThomasWayne ArmGuard for the past 3 seasons, it's on an 11" Masterline handle for this (the 4th) season. I've been just recycling the AG with some fresh zip ties every season. The only time you know it's there is when you have to put your handle onto someone else's rope

[rfa]

I was always intrigued by the development of these guards but did not get one until a friend in NY passed away from such a skiing accident. That event changed my perspective from "analyzing" all the pros and cons of a guard, to an immediate "my children will never again ski without one"...we had a guard for our very next ski set...

I now have a guard for each handle and have since ordered handles and ropes with custom, larger loops, to avoid the issue of getting the handle on/off the rope (the segmented design shown above accomplishes the same thing).

For me, the guard did not have any impact on my skiing or required an adjustment period beyond the first couple of sets with it...my two boys did not even comment on it from the very first time. We use 12in handles.

 

 

[The_MS]

Duct tape works great.

[Than_Bogan]

Duct tape! I should definitely try that.

 

I hear all the stories of "I don't even know it's there" but has anybody out there found it really distracting and then found some way to make it work for them? I tried the older version of the Arm-Guard for almost 2 months, and, unfortunately, I definitely knew it was there -- almost every regrab was a distraction. It seems my natural motion is to hit with my fingers straight and THEN curl them onto the handle. So I hit the guard routinely and wasn't able to retrain myself to not do that (nor to just ignore it).

[The_MS]

Start at the V and work your way up. I have seen it in use many times and it works fine.

[Jody_Seal]

http://static.cl1.vanilladev.com/ballofspray.vanillaforums.com/uploads/FileUpload/73/8bf196c9c35c00b86f8d33f9bed13c.jpg

 

another option!

[ski6jones]

News Flash! A previously unidentified volcano is erupting in AK. With no outlet for currently rising pressure the eruption is expected to be severe. The new volcano has been named Mt. Wayne.

 

[acmx]

I had a minor fall around a bouy one day, kinda fell to the side and when my head just touched the water the handle hit my jaw right where it curves up by your ear, never had anything like that happen before and it got my attention! Made a handle guard the next day similar to what Eric described above. @Than, I had the same problem you had with my fingers hitting the guard, I just trimmed a little at a time off the gaurd untill my fingers didn't hit anymore.

[jipster43]

I love my FM handle guard. It rolls up easily when switching ropes and I never notice it on my 12" handle, but like acmx says - just trim material away until it works for you.

[Chef23]

Anybody use a handle guard with clinchers? I got one at the beginning of last season then got hurt so I never used. I will put it on for this season. I put one on my son's handle after he got dragged while tricking and he doesn't notice it.

[Ed_Obermeier]

Clinchers are all I use Chef. Had Thomas make one for me with a slightly larger opening at the handle end, don't even know it's on the handle. Not an issue at all. I do take off the center strap thingie though.

 

Ed