Taking the Leap
When it comes to military unit coins, the vehicles and equipment that soldiers are trained to operate are often included in the design. We’ve created coins shaped like weapons, 3D jet fighter coins and all kinds of 2D coins featuring things like tanks, trucks and rockets that are unique to a squad of soldiers.
So, when we were asked to create a custom bottle opener based on a static line snap hook, we were intrigued instead of surprised. A static line snap hook is a key component of a paratrooper’s gear. Without it, they can’t make a safe jump. During the design process, we learned a lot about how these snap hooks work in real life and came to realize that they symbolize a paratrooper’s lifeline more than any other type of custom design could.
Using a Custom Shape to Tell Your Story
Static line parachuting is a relatively simple process that only needs a few crucial components to work. A “static line” is a cord attached to an aircraft at one end and to the top of a jumper’s deployment bag on the other. When paratroopers jump, the static line becomes taut and pulls the parachute free from the deployment bag before it breaks away.
The static line snap hooks that these challenge coins are designed after are the clips that keep the static line in place within the aircraft as paratroopers jump. Without it, the system wouldn’t work. To someone who doesn’t know anything about static line jumps, this kind of design looks like nothing more than a carabiner or fancy clip, but to the members of the 307th Airborne Engineers Battalion, these coins represent a familiar and crucial piece of gear.
It just goes to show that using a cut to shape design can go a long way in telling your team’s story. These coins were awarded to members of the 307th Airborne during a military ball in 2018, and the recognizable shape helped the design make a meaningful impact on every person receiving one.
Taking It up a Notch With Snap Hook Bottle Openers
The loop cut out at the end of every static line snap hook is included so paratroopers can tie their static line to the clip before a jump. However, since these coins don’t function as actual clips, they’ll be of little use to paratroopers who are preparing to leap out of an aircraft. While the coin from the previous section included a cut out design for aesthetic purposes alone, these two snap hook coins incorporate a functional bottle opener cut out.
While this coin designed for the 89th Airborne may not be of much use for parachuting, it’s perfect for popping the cap off a cold drink after a successful jump. Like all of the static line snap hook coins we’ve helped design, the shape is entirely 3D. This gives us the ability to create detailed coin molds with realistic depressions and sloping edges. We also added artificial imperfections to the design, giving the coins a unique texture reminiscent of a real-life snap hook that’s been used on countless jumps over the years.
Besides the custom shape, the inclusion of team emblems and mottos helps make a set of coins more special. The next paratrooper bottle opener coins have the 509th Airborne’s emblem and motto, “All the way,” pressed into the antique silver metal. On the front of the coin, there’s another emblem with the same yellow paratrooper and the name Geronimo printed underneath.
Since the earliest days of Airborne soldiers in World War II, it’s been something of a tradition for paratroopers to shout, “Geronimo!” as they leap out of an aircraft. The name comes from a famous Apache warrior. Dropping troops into battle with parachutes was still in the developmental phase in the early 1940s, and the night before the first test jump, one soldier said he would shout the name as he leaped from the plane to prove he wasn’t sacred like the fearless Geronimo.
These types of references to team mottos, emblems and history go a long way in making the design more memorable and meaningful to a group of soldiers. And having a functional bottle opener at hand makes it easy to enjoy a cold drink with your friends at a moment’s notice.
Finding Your Team’s Snap Hook Design
Creating a custom challenge coin is all about finding the perfect way to honor your team. From an outsider’s perspective, these custom-shaped challenge coins are fun to examine, but a static line snap hook means so much more to every paratrooper. By clipping their hook to the aircraft, they ensure that their parachute will deploy as they jump. If the clip is fastened incorrectly or comes loose for some reason, it could mean dire consequences.
Since they’re such an important piece of gear, they’re perfect to include in a challenge coin design. Every team, whether they be in the military, the corporate sector or anywhere else in the world, has its own unique tools or emblems like the snap hook for paratroopers.
As you set out to honor your team with a set of custom coins, try to find a way to incorporate those meaningful emblems or objects that are unique to your squad. It doesn’t have to be an oversized 3D bottle opener design, but including a special nod to your teammates will make the design something to remember.
