I bought Steve Campanelli's old Sauve vest last year. I decided to buy it, after I had found myself in bed for several days not able to move as a result of a rather long day of low mode in well below freezing temperatures. The low mode torque along with my extra clothing added enough shifting of my old Masters vest to put me in terrible imobilized pain the next day............
Since I bought Steve's vest (which fits me very very well) I have had no back strain whatsoever, and that has been under a variety of conditions with a variety of cameras from Arricams, BL4 (believe it or not), Millenium XL and a number of HD cameras with and without cables etc.. Back support is superb and energy use is lower than it is with a front mounted vest. Stability of the camera and balance of my body are better with the back mounted vest and control of the arm is easier. Low mode shots and those shots when you end up locking off at a place that was not too comfortable with the front mounted vest are generally a breeze with the back mounted vest.
Recently I had to send the vest in to get repaired, and was forced to borrow a pals front mounted vest. The vest was a brand new Ultra Vest, which is a very nicely engineered vest. Comfortable, easily adjustable, rigid enough and light; very well modified since the original Masters vests. The shot was a crane walk off and then a slow walk for about 150 feet, following Dennis Leary around a bunch of Fire Cadets. By the end of the 3 or 4 rehersals ( they had problems deciding what they truly wanted from the shot), I felt that familiar ache in my lower back that I had gotten from my old front mounted vest, and I was getting tired. Tired of holding my body upright, working against the sleds weight. Don't misunderstand, the shot was fine and I did the job without a hitch, BUT, there was a definite difference the energy exerted, and the comfort felt over the course of the shot. With the back mounted vest, the job would have been easier, plain and simple.
Do I miss my old front mounted vest? Not really. I just wish I had enough cash to buy another back mounted vest and use one as a back up and another a my primary, so that in the event that I had an accident I wouldn't have to borrow anyones front mounted vest again.
Front vs. Back mounted
in Vests
Posted
Regarding Front Mounted Vests:
I bought Steve Campanelli's old Sauve vest last year. I decided to buy it, after I had found myself in bed for several days not able to move as a result of a rather long day of low mode in well below freezing temperatures. The low mode torque along with my extra clothing added enough shifting of my old Masters vest to put me in terrible imobilized pain the next day............
Since I bought Steve's vest (which fits me very very well) I have had no back strain whatsoever, and that has been under a variety of conditions with a variety of cameras from Arricams, BL4 (believe it or not), Millenium XL and a number of HD cameras with and without cables etc.. Back support is superb and energy use is lower than it is with a front mounted vest. Stability of the camera and balance of my body are better with the back mounted vest and control of the arm is easier. Low mode shots and those shots when you end up locking off at a place that was not too comfortable with the front mounted vest are generally a breeze with the back mounted vest.
Recently I had to send the vest in to get repaired, and was forced to borrow a pals front mounted vest. The vest was a brand new Ultra Vest, which is a very nicely engineered vest. Comfortable, easily adjustable, rigid enough and light; very well modified since the original Masters vests. The shot was a crane walk off and then a slow walk for about 150 feet, following Dennis Leary around a bunch of Fire Cadets. By the end of the 3 or 4 rehersals ( they had problems deciding what they truly wanted from the shot), I felt that familiar ache in my lower back that I had gotten from my old front mounted vest, and I was getting tired. Tired of holding my body upright, working against the sleds weight. Don't misunderstand, the shot was fine and I did the job without a hitch, BUT, there was a definite difference the energy exerted, and the comfort felt over the course of the shot. With the back mounted vest, the job would have been easier, plain and simple.
Do I miss my old front mounted vest? Not really. I just wish I had enough cash to buy another back mounted vest and use one as a back up and another a my primary, so that in the event that I had an accident I wouldn't have to borrow anyones front mounted vest again.