Lapbar or Over-the-shoulder-restraints?

[CoasterfanSWE]

Hello


I treid with no success to find a thread where this sort of question was answered, so I hope it is okay to ask it. I've noticed that many coasters (apart from the schwarzkopf loopers) that features inversions are equipped with lap bars. Up until this realization I have had the impression any inversion except loops require over-the-shoulder restraints. However, now that since I've seen lapbars on coasters with heartline rolls, cobra rolls and more (Mack and Premier Rides most prominently), I have started to wonder..

Since over-the-shoulder restraints apparently are not required for many inversions, how come they are utilized so widely?

Thank you in advance.

 

[Intricks]

It is still considered the norm.

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[Snoo]

Safety. Some parks want more of it for that 'just in case' while others feel the lap bars are safe enough.

 

[owentaylor121]

Most of the public think that they are safer than lap bars, so I think that Is a big factor for them.

 

[Bottom_Feeder_13]

There's also the fact that they provide upper body support that lap bars can't so braking forces can be higher without rider discomfort since they distribute the force throughout the rider's chest as opposed to concentrating all the force on their gut/lap.

 

[CoasterfanSWE]

Thank you all for your answers.

 

[bergochdalbana]

There's also the fact that they provide upper body support that lap bars can't so braking forces can be higher without rider discomfort since they distribute the force throughout the rider's chest as opposed to concentrating all the force on their gut/lap.

Not really, some may use them for that, but in reality this is a common misconception.
They are, in most cases, there for upper body lateral supports for quick transitions (especially Intamin).
All new lap-bar only rides (Mack, Maurer & Söhne) with quick transitions/inversions have high sides on the seats to keep you in place during these quick maneuvers.

 

[JJLehto]

Those Maurer Sohne ones intrigue me.
I've seen lap bars on loopers (Batman and Robin the Chiller later installed em) but from what I've seen those restraints are practically nothing!

I remember the demo video where those restraints held people (of various sizes) hanging upsidedown.
No idea how haha

 

[Colossus]

I find the Maurer Sohne ones incredibly uncomfortable, maybe because of my fat gut? Either way, very uncomfortable.

 

[bergochdalbana]

^ It depends for me really, if they tightens mid ride like G-Force then they are really awful, but the newer ones that don't I have no issues with them.

 

[Hyde]

OTSRs are really just added safety/rider comfort. If you look at a Premier looping train vs. a Vekoma looping train, both are pretty much the exact same design except for the restraints.