Steadicam Vest fitting

[Tom Swiss]

I have a Steadicam Zephyr and seem to get tired pretty easily with a fully loaded RED Dragon. I've watched all the videos on fitting the vest, but was wondering what other's have found useful for longer useage?

Do you generally want to make the vest as tight as possible? How far do you want the front metal rail to hang beneath your chin? The vest seems to ride up in the back. Should this be lower?

Do you prefer more weight on shoulders or waist or equally distributed?

Any pros/cons to moving the arm-block attachment bracket up or down on the front rail? 

Do you expect to be able to raise your knee to your waist without your thigh bumping the lower strap?

How long is reasonable to fly a fully loaded cinema rig (camera, mattebox, lens, battery, follow focus, and teradek bolt)?

My back would appreciate any insights. Thanks.

[Damien Tessandier]

Put more weight on your waist rather than your shoulder.

Put your socket block as low as possible.

Getting your vest as tighten as possible is a good start. But soon you'll appreciate to give room to your chest so you can breathe easier.

Focus on trying to stand up straight, and let the weight flow down your back, through your legs.

Yes, your vest positioning should give you the ability to raise your legs almost freely.