Vest lengths

[Janice Arthur]

Hi all;

 

On a quiet rainy Sunday I propose a new topic.

 

I think, most or all, of our vests are too short because where ever we transport them; bag or case has caused us to shorten them and when we take them out for shoots we don't relengthen them.

 

I personally realized this not too long ago and have since started paying attention to it.

 

In my haste to get done with a shoot at the end of a long day I have shortened the vest quickly and put it in its bag.

 

I see guys on 'making of' DVDs and they look like vests that don't even go to the waist.

 

Clearly vests are supposed to rest on our hip bones but not move when we move our legs. That was always the criteria when I learned it.

 

Let me know what you think, look at pictures of yourself.

 

I say experiment again with length.

 

My other truism is that the vest (front-mounted) should be tight enough that it is just short of not breathing. When you put on the rig it pulls the main spar away from your torso and it feels great.

 

JA

[Erwin Landau]

Interesting...

 

Not trying to get into the manufacturer game but mine does not collapse (I use the PRO vest). Which gave me trouble in finding a case/bag... If you look at pictures of me, people think I'm wearing it to high do to the smaller pads, but it still sits on my hips. When I used to have my Backmount, there was a tendency to rid it higher to avoid that tingle and numbness associated with pressure to the lower extremities... if worn to low.

 

I see your point, generally what I see is that many are flying the Vest miss adjusted. They bought it that way or it was adjusted that way when they bought it or it just feels right. I can't really tell an operator that he or she is wearing the suite wrong if they do great work, it doesn't hurt and they are not suffering from back pain after a week of 14 hour days...

 

There is a lot to be said about a right sized and properly adjusted harness in the long run. A good vest will make sure that years down the road you will be able to keep doing what you are doing and the income stays higher then the chiropractic bills every months... especially once you approach the 30 to 40 age barrier and beyond... that's when everything magically starts to hurt and all your youthful indiscretions start to show... (broken bones, pulled muscles, torn ligaments...)

 

I always stress to every new Operator that I talk to, to buy a new Vest and get it properly adjusted... Vests are like sneakers... they get comfortable in time, and usually we love them the most just shortly before they disintegrate. So buying used vests is like buying someone else's comfy sneakers... with all the smells and sweat stains...

 

About breathing...

I love the fact about my vest that It was build specially for me with my measurements and it does not fit anybody else as good as it does me. I don't have to get it of to talk to the Director as it has buckles which you can undo for standing around and within seconds they are snug to take up the weight. No ratchet guess work. Once adjusted two snaps and it will always fit you like a glow.

 

Just my 2 cents.

[Janice Arthur]

Erwin;

 

I didn't say anyone was wrong I was just noticing lots of vests seemed very short.

 

Its just a boring day thread idea that maybe we could all examine.

 

I love my vest, too, and it is about to fall apart its so old and worn. I've changed the pads and velcro lots of times and its still works.

 

For a while in my career it was not comfortable and caused pain and it took a while to get it right.

 

Work is slow for me these days and I've done lots of household and equipment chores already this month. Spring cleaning is done, taxes are done, got to clean out clothes closets next.

 

This is just something new to talk about, hopefully.

 

JA

 

respects only

[Jaron Berman]

Nice to see a vest discussion... not as "sexy" as the newest sleds or arms, but I know I've learned how important they are. I am fairly new to the game, so a lot of my equipment buying was based on the deals I got or what more seasoned ops told me. I straddle the line between Tiffen's compact and full-size vests, and for the last couple of years I've used the U2 full-size vest. Usually pretty comfortable, but for a guy of my size the pads just never fit quite right. Too thick around the neck they way they fit my shoulders, so at the end of the day I'd always have a pretty chaffed neck. Not awesome. Luckily, I found a length setting that felt right and marked it so in and out of the case I could always get back to the same setting...but some days I just couldn't get back to my ratchet settings (should have marked them). I ordered a PRO vest a couple weeks ago partly on Erwin's recommendation that I try it out... So we shall see, I'm excited to have a vest built for me, adjusted for me. A couple thousand dollar "experiment" in the exchange, but hopefully that couple thousand dollars will mean more comfort in the long run which is, as Mastercard would tell me, priceless. Now its time to relearn the feel of things in the new suit.

[Rob Vuona SOC]

Nice to see a vest discussion... not as "sexy" as the newest sleds or arms, but I know I've learned how important they are. I am fairly new to the game, so a lot of my equipment buying was based on the deals I got or what more seasoned ops told me. I straddle the line between Tiffen's compact and full-size vests, and for the last couple of years I've used the U2 full-size vest. Usually pretty comfortable, but for a guy of my size the pads just never fit quite right. Too thick around the neck they way they fit my shoulders, so at the end of the day I'd always have a pretty chaffed neck. Not awesome. Luckily, I found a length setting that felt right and marked it so in and out of the case I could always get back to the same setting...but some days I just couldn't get back to my ratchet settings (should have marked them). I ordered a PRO vest a couple weeks ago partly on Erwin's recommendation that I try it out... So we shall see, I'm excited to have a vest built for me, adjusted for me. A couple thousand dollar "experiment" in the exchange, but hopefully that couple thousand dollars will mean more comfort in the long run which is, as Mastercard would tell me, priceless. Now its time to relearn the feel of things in the new suit.

 

Congrads Jaron on the new Pro Vest I'm loving mine now that it is breaking in.

 

Interesting that you brought this up Janice, recently I was asked why I wear my vest so high and my response was it isn't , is it? I wear it just so the bottom inch or so of the vest is on my hip bones. I found wearing it any lower causes my legs to hit the vest while doing stairs or squating down.

 

I've heard maybe it should be lower but like most guys I don't really have hips just hip bones

[Jess Haas SOC]

I straddle the line between Tiffen's compact and full-size vests

What are your measurements? I have never really gotten a good answer as to where the line is between the full size and the compact vest. During my workshop I found that the Archer vest fit alright but the U2 vest was a different story. I am a rather small guy so was thinking the compact U2 vest might fit a little better. Doesn't matter all that much because I plan on getting a Pro vest in the not to distant future. I like the philosophy of it a bit better and the U2 vest just doesn't seem to be a great fit for me.

 

~Jess

[Jaron Berman]

Can't forget that Rob and Steve also talked me into the Pro, thanks all!

 

The problem is that there is quite a bit of overlap between the compact and full-size. I figured I'd have better resale down the road if I ever needed to sell the vest for a Klassen if I got the full-size. The U2 vest is a great vest, my problem was mostly with the thickness of the pads around my neck, because of whatever bizarre shape my shoulders are. From pics, I've never seen another op where the pads look quite as thick...must by MY geometry! Also, before I sold it I started to notice that the position I needed with the back pads would put the top of the spars a little high on my chest, making the bend over my shoulders a little too high and probably contributing to the annoyance (and some noise in the velcro). So yes, I'm sure the compact vest would have fit better, but it was hard at the time to get a real chance to try one, so I erred on the big side. Also, I tried getting them to make me an old-style masters waist without the "wings," but they don't really do custom work so I took the stock waist which on my tiny legs covers too far down.

 

If you're eventually planning on getting a pro vest, I'd recommend doing it now instead of the U2 first. You'll lose money every time you buy and sell gear, so you may as well put it all towards what you really want. Initially I thought I'd switch to a Klassen, but having tried a number of them in my size, I was never able to make it feel right, definitely feel i can do better work on a front mount vest and even on a poorly-fitted vest, the Pro felt like a glove to me. If you're gonna rent your rig out with the vest, you can't beat the U2 - definitely the most comfortable adjustable vest there is, but if you'll be the only vest user you really can't beat custom.

 

The advice in any thread on this board is always sound - try before you buy wherever you can. I'm sure Tiffen can demo the compact for you or the full-size. Pro is hit or miss if they have a demo in house, but it'll be a rental vest that's not made for you. Personally, I fell in love with the demo vest, so I can at this point only imagine how nice the custom vest will be.

 

I'm 5'7, 160lb, waist 31-32, chest 40 if that helps figure out where I fit in the line. When my Pro arrives, if you're a similar size, you're welcome to try it.

[Janice Arthur]

Hi all;

 

I have realized something in just the last few days that for me explains a lot of things.

 

My pads, near the neck, kind of ride up in ways that they didn't before.

 

1) Body heat and various layers of clothing have caused the velcro glue to shift on my vest plastic and the foam in the pads has shifted around.

 

2) I need to reposition the pads, and maybe use new velcro on the plastic side of the vest.

 

3) I have the same vest I've had for 18 years maybe, a very long time. It has never been more comfortable.

 

I have not looked at how my body shape has changed over those years. I certainly am not that same person.

 

In some ways I am much stronger, and have more muscle than I had when I started but I also certainly have 20 lbs of flab over that muscle too.

 

I need to make lots of "adjustments" to where the vest parts hit me on waist, hips, midsection and shoulders.

 

I certainly don't expect 10 year old jeans to fit anymore, let alone if I could even get into them they wouldn't fit in the same way.

 

(Just some thoughts at why I don't look as stunning in my vest as I used to, and it ain't the clothes. LOL)

 

JA

[Jess Haas SOC]

I'm 5'7, 160lb, waist 31-32, chest 40 if that helps figure out where I fit in the line. When my Pro arrives, if you're a similar size, you're welcome to try it.

I'm 5'8 160lbs with about the same waist so it seems that thats probably around where the compact vest might be a bit better. I would love to try out your vest when you get it.

 

~Jess

Edited March 11, 2009 by Jess Haas