Micron

V E C T O R O W N E R ’ S M A N U A L
THE BOOTH 3-RING RELEASE SYSTEM
INTRODUCTION
The 3-Ring release system was invented by Relative Workshop founder Bill Booth in 1976. It was
the first practical release system that allowed skydivers to jettison their main canopies by pulling
a single handle. The Booth 3-Ring was not only easier to operate than previous canopy release
systems, but it was also more reliable and far less expensive. The Booth 3 Ring release system is
now the industry standard.
GETTING TO KNOW THE BOOTH 3-RING
Knowing how the Booth 3-Ring release works will help you assemble and inspect it properly.
Begin by peeling the release handle (more commonly referred to as a cutaway handle or breakaway
handle) from the hook and loop fastener on the harness. Peeling upward and then down, rather
than pulling straight down, makes it easier to separate the handle from the webbing.
Take a look behind the risers near the harness and observe the movement of the yellow cable as
you pull the cutaway handle. When the cable clears the white loop, the release is disengaged.
Slowly pull one of the risers off the harness. As you pull, you’ll notice that the white loop gets
pulled through the grommet by the action of the smallest ring.
While opening shock may exceed 1,000 lbs the yellow cable never sees a force in excess of about
10lbs. This is due to the mechanics of the Booth 3-Ring release system.
Because of the tremendous mechanical advantage of the system, it is important to understand
the properties of the nylon components of the system.
When nylon stays in the same position for a long time, it begins to conform to that position. This is
sometimes referred to as a “set”. If the 3-Ring release system stays assembled for too long, the
nylon can become so stiff that the low drag from a malfunction (such as a streamer) won’t pull the
riser off the ring.
The 3-Ring release system must be disassembled, flexed and inspected every 3 months. Procedures
for this are listed in the care and maintenance chapter of the manual.
note
A small stick or
object in the white
loop could prevent
a riser from
releasing. That is
the reason why it’s
important to keep
foreign matter,
such as bits of grass
and other debris
out of the Booth 3-
Ring assembly.
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