I see no reason not to move into "dry suit country"! There are a lot of attractive things about the Freedom plate, and if it had the same amount of ballast as my current stainless plate AND was usable for doubles, it would be much more interesting to me.
Actually, the new Freedom Plate prototype, or any Freedom Plate for that matter is totally dry suit friendly just by default, especially the contoured models. The outside perimiter is rolled away from the diver so there are no harsh edges that bite or pinch anywhere on it.
It "sinks" into your back and feels like it was moulded to fit perfectly. I've seen the other style plates start to chafe areas of a drysuit typically down on the lower corner areas, and sometimes along the edges if the plate has a steep bend to it. Hopefully the FP is the kindest plate to drysuits yet.
This new plate is over 5 lbs, I just don't know how much. My scale only goes to a little over 4 lbs and I haven't had time yet to go get something else.
You are pretty short if I remember correctly from reading your posts, somewhere around 5'2" or 5'3", is that correct?
This new plate is 15" tall so it might be a little tall for you. If everything works well I may romance the idea of producing a small version since there is a significant market for smaller plates. At that time I would gladly send you a prototype to try out if you promise to really try it.
---------- Post added July 16th, 2014 at 07:05 PM ----------
I can try it on my valve-down doubles if you like. I should be heading to Monterey mid August and can pick it up on the way and return it on my return about a week later. I can also lend it to another diver that uses twin steel 80s valve up.
Sounds good.
We'll be in touch.
---------- Post added July 16th, 2014 at 07:16 PM ----------
There ya go! Send one to TSandM for a test drive. She will give you a no holds barred report back. BenCA might be willing to use it if you shipped it to him. As you know he doesn't live that far.
I am head heavy with double HP100 tanks and dive an aluminum plate, plus I don't dive doubles often anymore, let alone dive much anymore during my home remodel. These days I use my Freedom Plate with an HP130. Plenty of gas for most of my dives, far easier shore diving, but for boat diving I don't mind doubles. If you ever make an aluminum doubles acceptable plate I would be interested.
I knew that you dove an AL plate with doubles, that's part of the reason I didn't contact you right off the bat. It's been a long time since we've talked and I had no idea what you were up to these days.
I figured I would throw a line out and see who bites.
I would like to try and get as many people to try it as possible to get as much feedback as I can.
If you want to give it a shot you're more than welcome. I just don't know how the weighting is going to work. As with all the other models, most of the weight is on the bottom because of the shape so that may make a difference, I don't know until somebody tries it to find out.
I would gladly try it myself (and I probably will I'm sure) but then the results are going to be skewed with my opinion only. Every parent thinks their child is adorable, right?
Doubles are a whole different animal, and combine that with stage bottles, argon, valve drills (which I'm very interested to see and hear about), and the rest of the stuff. That's where it needs to prove itself if I'm going to market it as such.
It's just been too damn long since I was into any of that stuff so I'm the wrong man for the testing job.
