Using the new Fawcett Exo Vest from Tiffen

[Victor Lazaro]

Mike O'Shea tested the Exovest and he uses a WK back mounted vest. He seemed very happy with the prototype and was looking into getting one for himself. The vest is so light that it definitely has an advantage over the other ones on that...

[Peter Abraham]

Hi Mark,

Thanks !! Glad to be back.

Yes I have tried the Klaussen vest. When the front panels are ratcheted closed properly, the compression on my internal organs and the inner pressure against the broken L-3 vertibra ( which broke inward. Had it broken outward, I'd be wheelchair-bound ) made for a fair bit of pain. I'm an odd situation here, what with the stable but unhealed fracture there. Admittedly most others don't feel this when trying a Klaussen vest.

 

It's very heavy. Heavier by far than a U2 vest or PRO vest. By comparison, the Exovest I'm flying is lighter than a U2 vest. It matters.

 

Just my personal experiences with the vests.

 

A note to add. I've had every iteration of main upper back pad that have been tried so far on the Exovest. The combination of different foam materials is just right. Distributes the pressures very evenly I wore it for the first time on the Presidential Inaugural broadcast. 2 hours on my body nonstop. The pads for upper back and the waist pads are extremely comfortable.

 

Best to all,

Peter

[chris fawcett]

Hi Everyone,

 

First let me thank you all for your interest in the vest, second let me apologise for my absence from this thread. Life got busy. You all know how that happens in this business.

 

I'm happy to report that our extended second round of beta-testing has allowed us to iron out issues with the IBC (September 2012) prototype, and to move into the first production run, which is almost completed. I'm delighted with the result. Unreserved thanks to Garrett Brown and Steve Tiffen for injecting the initial blast of enthusiasm into this project almost two years ago, my never-ending thanks to Jerry Holway for his brilliant design solutions and tremendous support throughout, and all praise to Robert Orf and his engineering team for making the Exovest real.

 

To answer some questions, Peter, the degree of pivot is 3 degrees each way, 6 in total. I measured a lot of people before I discovered that despite our great differences in shape and size, some of our measurements are very similar. For instance, distance from the clavicle to the scapula varies by only 1.5 inches over 200+ people. In contrast, waist measurements vary by 25 inches or more. In the case of pelvic pivoting about the coronal plane, I'd expected women's pelvises to rotate more than men's—that's why the NAB (April 2012) prototype had adjustable pivots—but it turns out that because men's pelvises are deeper and narrower than women's, they only appear to rotate less. Three degrees of movement each way accommodates everyone's stride, so far.

 

As to the back-mount question, Mark, I've worn the Exovest extensively in both configurations, and when I close my eyes I can barely tell one from the other—as you would expect from cantilevering a weight forward of an exoskeletal structure that is rigid about the sagittal plane. To the vest, there is of course a difference, but because of the structure's inherent rigidity about crucial planes, this is not translated into the body. The only difference in sensation that I can feel comes when there is extra hardware out back in the form of the third arm section and its mount, which adds counterbalance to the weight out front, reducing the overall torque on the body. That feels nice, and I'm guessing that back-mount vests, being heavy at the rear produce this same counterbalance sensation. For me, however, that in itself is no reason to add counterbalance weight unless it is an extension of the system you are operating, as it would be when you are using the 50% extra boom range the third arm section offers.

 

We cannot alter the fact that the mass of the Steadicam sits out in front of our bodies, and the forces that result from this are a downward one in the form of weight, and a turning moment in the form of a torque. The Exovest tries to deal with these forces in the same way that the body does, by placing them into anatomically-suitable areas.

 

All weight that you carry on your body ends up in your pelvis. For this reason, the Exovest places the bulk of that weight directly into the main pelvic bones, the illia, by means for four pads. Two out front contact the forward protrusions of the iliac crests, avoiding compressing the abdomen. Two out back contact the rear protrusions of the crest, avoiding compressing the sacrum. Both sets of pads avoid compressing the gluteus medius muscles that attach along the crest between these protrusions, so as not to restrict walking. This load-transferring waistband articulates with these pelvic bones during walking for two reasons: so there is no rubbing of the pads against the body when moving; and so that you can move, walk, or run normally without the natural rotation of the pelvis translating to the socket block.

 

The torque resulting from any weight that is held extended from the body by your arms is resisted by the scapula (shoulder blades) that are embedded into the trapezius muscle. This is why the Exovest raises its torque-resisting pad to the same level. By raising it from the level of existing vests (mid-thoracic) to the level of the shoulder blades, we double that lever arm, and halve that force. We also spread it over all of our erector spinae muscle group, instead of resisting it solely at the lumbar level.

 

I hope this answers some of your questions. Keep them coming, but please address the sales questions to Dan!

 

All the best,

 

Chris

[Jameson Johnson]

So, any idea on a release date or a price? :)

[Alfeo Dixon SOC]

Another plus is no adjustments needed after lunch! ;)

 

I look forward to trying the production models soon Chris!

[Peter Abraham]

Have now done several long-format live shows in a row with the Exovest. First, a 4 hour live concert in Bridgeport CT then a few days later the Presidential Inaugural Parade ( 2 1/2 hours without docking )

 

Because of how the vest rides on the body and the ability of the vest to shift and move with me with every step I take, I am able to wear the rig for longer and longer periods of time with little to no back and torso fatigue. My FEET were sore after the Inaugural !! That's about all.

 

Constant input from prototype users such as myself has led Chris and Jerry all others in on this design to evolve key components. The upper back pad is one prime example of this.

 

On an amusing side-note, Adam Keith- my colleague who shot more than I did with his Steadicam during the Election Broadcast at ABC last November- remarked upon how easy it was to spot me because I had those long back rods to grab ahold of if I lost my mind and stepped someplace I should not. :D

 

Count me as one happy comfortable user.

 

Peter Abraham, S.O.C.

[Mariano Costa]

I got a quote from my local reseller on saturday and some additional infos on delivery times etc. regarding the Exo - but as I don`t know how official and final that information is, I would like to ask those in charge about the current official state - and please, dear friends, don`t pm me about those details, as long as Chris doesn`t chime in I would rather not like to spread stuff that may not be 100% correct...

[chris fawcett]

Friends,

 

You need to address all sales enquiries to the Tiffen sales guys.

 

Dan Ikeda for the Americas: dikeda@tiffen.com

Robin Thwaites for Europe: rthwaites@tiffen.com

 

I know there are other parts of the world too,I just don't know who covers what. Anyway, either Dan or Robin will be able to help you out.

 

Sorry I can't be more help here,

 

Chris

[Afton Grant]

I would love it if the next post on this topic contained definitive price and delivery information from a proper authority (i.e. dealer/manufacturer). We've all speculated. We all are interested to know. Those of us who tried it think it feels interesting. It's got a certain number of degrees of rotation around various pivot points. It contains key components. We all have skeletons inside us. Points made. Let's be patient for some reputable new information. I guarantee when it's available, we will know about it.

[JamieSilverstein]

I have to agree with Afton. Enough hype. Let's see a production model, a price. I don't mean this to be a jab at Tiffen, but in light of my last experience with them of an upgrade on bearings on a 2 or 3 year old arm, at my expense, lets make sure that this vest is ready to be used, and be used heavily. I am not in the mood to buy any sort of transitional, or almost complete piece of equipment that needs any additional piece to finally make it whole. If it's ready to be on the market and it'll last as long as all of the other vests (I have and use #15 Savue vest), then it should be worthy of consideration.

[Eric Fletcher S.O.C.]

And maybe some non tiffen employees need to try it and express their opinions about the product....

[Erwin Landau]

I tried the Exo at last years Cinec in Munich. I wore it about 2 hours straight with the heaviest rig I could find at the Tiffen booth. I must say that after the proper fitting by Chris and Garrett it felt, surprisingly and unexpected, very nice and comfortable.

There is some getting used to that there is nothing under your arms and that the front rods will start digging into the chest a little, that was remedied with some additional/different padding. I must say that as it stands now it's not a turn key order, put on and operate set up yet. There was a little fiddling going on, which required some parts exchange from Chris. Unless you will receive a variety of different pads, a proper fitting will/would be required.

 

(As with every vest, it would be best to actually work a couple of days with it to know for sure... also to see the next day what and where it hurts, if at all...)

 

But mostly I liked the third arm section set up that attaches to the back of the Vest. Which will be available separately as an upgrade/accessory.

 

As a conclusion: Even though I was impressed and it felt nice, it didn't feel so much different to my PRO Vest as that I would have to rush out to get it. It's amazing that the design of the PRO is still holding up after 12 years. If you are in the market for a new vest, it's for sure worth a consideration and more then a second look. But for now I'll stick with my Vest.

 

Thanks to all at the Tiffen booth for letting me test it thorowly.

 

Just my 2 cents,

 

Erwin

[joe mcnally]

Tried the Exovest today and very impressed. Felt very solid all over and built like it would last for 50 years easily. If I needed a new vest tomorrow this is the one Id buy. Joe

[JamieSilverstein]

price?

availability?

[GrantCulwell]

Quote from Frank Rush at Tiffen:

 

"Price is $6495. We started shipping this week. We have large backlog. Best to have them referred to Dan in the US or Robin in the UK. We are taking orders and placing names on Priority list."