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Back mounted exo vest - advice


Tom Wilkinson

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Hi all

 I’ve been using a Klassen for many years and my legs are taking a battering!

just wondered how the back mounted exo differs from a Klassen. Is it just better at getting though doorways or does it do other things ha I need to know about in order to prolong my operating career!!!

 

thanks. Tom 

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Hi Tom,

I use a front-mounted Exovest, and have only tried the back-mount with the Tiffen x3 arm at NAB briefly. I do remember feeling the weight a bit more in my legs, which I attributed to the common center of gravity of myself and the sled being farther back that what I am used to on a front-mounted vest. Not a feeling of "this is a dealbreaker!", more a noted difference between the two styles. I've never used a Klassen back-mounted vest, so I'm not sure how it compares. 

I imagine the main difference you'd have to get used to are the pivot points in the Exovest; it is very unforgiving if you are out of form, which I find to be a good thing, as I want to be in good posture anyway! You'll need to walk more regularly, letting your pelvic bones rise and fall, which is the opposite of most vests (actually not sure if this is best for the Klassen or not - again, never tried it) where you want to walk with your pelvis level to eliminate footsteps translating through to your sled. 

I went with the Exovest because it doesn't sit on any organs or my spine - it only connects with the pelvic bones in the front and back, as well as the shoulders. I find it much easier to breathe diaphragmatically in the Exovest, which helps me with stamina.  

Hope that helps!

Lisa

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  • 1 month later...

I use the Exovest quasi-backmounted, I just put the socket block on the back! It's like the arm is giving me a hug, less in the way of the monitor, more central weight distribution, and I didn't have to spend $2000 on a back mounted accessory. Attaching the arm is a bit tricky, but I got the hang of it eventually. 

IMG_20200207_100852_126.jpg

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  • 1 month later...
On 3/17/2020 at 10:49 PM, Matteo Di Iorio said:

I use the Exovest quasi-backmounted, I just put the socket block on the back! It's like the arm is giving me a hug, less in the way of the monitor, more central weight distribution, and I didn't have to spend $2000 on a back mounted accessory. Attaching the arm is a bit tricky, but I got the hang of it eventually. 

IMG_20200207_100852_126.jpg

Hi there, 

So you mean you’ve just taken the original socket block and put it at the back rods!?

But how’s that for the arm, doesn’t it take a lot more “beating” and I guess you have to readjust left/right orientation on it? Perhaps I should give it a go..

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Hello @Patrick Berg-Pedersen

Yes that's exactly what I did. I imagine there is more lateral stress on the male end of the socket, but not substantially more than front mounted. The angle is the same, still pulling it down to its side. 

I didn't have a problem with the old EFP arm in this configuration, so I thought the fancy new XArm would handle it just fine. I'm not doing any really heavy setups, nothing over 45lbs. 

Let me know if you try it! I've never seen anyone else use this method. 

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25 minutes ago, PeterAbraham said:

THIS is a fascinating idea.  Wondering how long it took to figure out how to arm in/ arm out by yourself?? Any tricks and tips to this?

It took a while to figure out the technique, I really didn't like feeling helpless (although it was fun to say to my AC "Arm me!"). I go by feel for the male into female socket block, only screwing the bottom screw, which is easier to reach. I wish I had a video to show, maybe when the Offseason is over. You must also remember to flip the socket on the arm so it bends the right way. 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Out of curiosity, I tried this yesterday. I found it very difficult to put on the arm by myself, and even if I were efficient I would not be able to do it nearly as quickly as the front mount. Also, I found it would be difficult to fine tune the adjustments on the socket block with the arm on. There was no good sweet spot to lean to. It felt very different with more weight on my right shoulder (operating regular) and the vest got crooked with the weight being at the back. My footprint also felt much larger than when front mounted. 

Even so, interesting to try and to each their own. This one just isn't for me. 

On 4/27/2020 at 2:21 AM, Patrick Berg-Pedersen said:

 

 

On 3/17/2020 at 5:49 PM, Matteo Di Iorio said:

I use the Exovest quasi-backmounted, I just put the socket block on the back! It's like the arm is giving me a hug, less in the way of the monitor, more central weight distribution, and I didn't have to spend $2000 on a back mounted accessory. Attaching the arm is a bit tricky, but I got the hang of it eventually. 

IMG_20200207_100852_126.jpg

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Edited by Katerina Kallergis
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1 hour ago, Katerina Kallergis said:

Out of curiosity, I tried this yesterday. I found it very difficult to put on the arm by myself, and even if I were efficient I would not be able to do it nearly as quickly as the front mount. Also, I found it would be difficult to fine tune the adjustments on the socket block with the arm on. There was no good sweet spot to lean to. It felt very different with more weight on my right shoulder (operating regular) and the vest got crooked with the weight being at the back. My footprint also felt much larger than when front mounted. 

Even so, interesting to try and to each their own. This one just isn't for me. 

 

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Thank you for your story, Kat.  It definitely sounds like this method is not for you!  The first time I tried it, I loved it, I had the opposite experience and feelings to yours.  One of these days I'll probably buy the Flowcine XBone for proper back-mounting.

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I think Garret has a story of visiting somewhere and finding an op who had been putting the vest on backwards the whole time and just thought that’s how it was supposed to be. Did I dream that?! Will have to ask him. seems of you have the arm this way it won’t reach around (yeah, I said that) far enough to put the rig in the usual position? 
 

I don’t have an Exo but I do have a Klassen and a pro vest and switch between the two. As you mentioned, the back mount seems to work the legs more and the front mount seems to work the back. I like to change it up so I damage my whole body and not just half. I think I prefer the back mount slightly mainly because of the arm position and I think it’s better for lock offs (at least in my case). 
 

would love to see a picture of you in that set up. I am trying to picture getting the arm into the socket block and adjustments being made and I would think if you are good at that you might also be good at getting out of a straight jacket like Houdini.

**edit: I just took a closer look and see you did post a picture. I originally thought this was with the X-bone, now I see what’s going on.

Edited by RonBaldwin
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It seems impossible (to me) to adjust the socket block with the weight on the arm. Usually, you can lean the arm closer to you or in the rest position to do this but in this configuration I did not find a comfortable sweet spot to make the adjustment happen.

Also, it does manage to put the rig in the usual position but not much beyond it. So when starting a move toward that direction it is limited. 

Edited by Katerina Kallergis
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3 hours ago, Katerina Kallergis said:Also, it does manage to put the rig in the usual position but not much beyond it. So when starting a move toward that direction it is limited. 

Yeah...reducing or even losing that buffer zone to “cushion” stops and starts would be tough

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12 hours ago, Alec Jarnagin SOC said:

Ron, I've hear that story from GB as well. An Op (pre internet) in a remote part of the world wearing the vest backwards because he thought that was how it went and learning to operate just fine.

This is both hilarious and fascinating at the same time...  

I have not found the "starting and stopping buffer zone" to be very affected by this mounting method, but I bet if I tried the XBone I would love it even more.  

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