2009Vests forum
Adjusting Steadicam vest fit and preventing forward or lateral lean
17 years old. Gear and prices may have changed since.
DisputedParticipants disagreed and reached no conclusion. Read the findings as positions, not as an answer.
What the thread found
- A vest that leans forward can be partially compensated by wedging a folded towel under the bottom front of the vest to tip the connection point away from the operator's body.
- The vest should fit snugly on the shoulders with no gap where fingers could be inserted, and excess shoulder room can sometimes be reduced by lowering the chestplate using the red knob and silver pin.
- Proper vest fitting should be done before mounting the sled and arm, as loading the rig will skew the front spar sideways and prevent achieving a true fit.
- The vest fitting sequence should prioritize getting the hip pads centered at hip bones and tight first, then adjust vest length to bring shoulder pads onto shoulders, then adjust chest straps snugly to prevent forward or lateral spar movement.
- Chest straps left too loose allow the front spar to move side to side or slip forward, which affects socket block settings and stability.
- Velcro pads on the waist and lats can be adjusted to make contact more snug for individual body shapes.
- New rigid vests may improve fit naturally over several months of use as the material becomes more pliable.
- Most operators prefer to make vest adjustments before loading rather than while under load, as adjusting under load takes similar time to docking, adjusting, and remounting.
Depends on
- The SK2 model lacks modern socket block adjustments found on current Steadicam models, limiting correction options for lean issues.
- These suggestions are based on operator experience and workshop practices rather than manufacturer specifications.
- The SK2 is over a decade old and was described as a heavy load for a 5'5" operator even when properly calibrated.
- Training materials and workshops were recommended as superior to relying on forum advice alone for complete Steadicam technique.