2021From a Facebook group: The Steadicam Group
Front-mount versus back-mount vests for doorways and tight passages: ergonomics, bulk, and arm folding behaviour.
DisputedParticipants disagreed and reached no conclusion. Read the findings as positions, not as an answer.
What the thread found
- Front-mount vests are regarded as slimmer for navigating doorways, with the PRO vest offering a notably compact footprint, direct responsiveness, and the ability to fit under a down jacket.
- Back-mount vests allow the arm to fold away compactly and can also be configured with minimal bulk.
- Back-mount vests exert no pressure on the chest, permitting freer breathing and cooler operation; some operators could not work with front-mount vests at all, whilst others experienced postural strain and pressure in the lower abdomen with front mounts.
- Socket block placement differs among front-mount designs: older Sachtler vests position it more centrally, allowing tighter arm folding, whereas Exovest and Flowcine xSpine mount the block further laterally, causing the arm to protrude more (elbows may intrude into the frame in low mode).
- The Flowcine xSpine features a carbon arm adjustable in width.
- The strongest recommendation is to try vests before purchase and allow the individual body to determine the better choice, as physique plays a significant role.
Depends on
- Comfort and performance differences are highly individual and depend on operator body structure and posture tolerance.
Parts
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