The new Freedom Contour - The Rolex of backplates.

[cool_hardware52]

I have thought of that.
Auto panels are made this way, slammed in a giant die and formed in a split second.
I don't know if spending that kind of loot would ever pay off in the dive gear business.
I'm sure you sell a hell of a lot more stuff than I do, but you have to admit, dive gear is so specialized, and to split it down even further, the BP/W crowd is only a small fraction of of an already small group, and the Freedom Plate group is an even smaller sub group of the already miniscual BP/W group. So probably .000001% of divers?
Then figure how many units would have to get sold annually just to break even?
And three different sizes = three different dies.

This could be a reason why nobody has ripped it off yet, way too labor intensive with physical man hours, no way to economically automate production, and not enough market share.
Who needs a patent when it's naturally protected just by the PITA factor?
Nobody's going to do it.

I was kidding, mostly. Maybe when I retire and have lots time and lots of open machine time to keller the necessary dies.

Tobin

 

[buddhasummer]

Eric, will your latest and greatest work with Oxy Mach V wings. I've wanted one of your plates for almost 10 years when I first began pestering you. Maybe this time around we can make it happen. Cheers.

 

[buddhasummer]

Just a little more eye candy for you....

this one can be titled: "find the wing"....
View attachment 428500

Bob, I hate you...

Nah, nothing but love really...

 

[ams511]

I was kidding, mostly. Maybe when I retire and have lots time and lots of open machine time to keller the necessary dies.

Tobin

Replicator technology (like on Star Trek) may be developed first, so you better hurry. Live long and prosper.

 

[buddhasummer]

Replicator technology (like on Star Trek) may be developed first, so you better hurry. Live long and prosper.

Cool, I may yet get to die with a head of hair.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Eric, will your latest and greatest work with Oxy Mach V wings. I've wanted one of your plates for almost 10 years when I first began pestering you. Maybe this time around we can make it happen. Cheers.

Yes, it was primarily designed around those wings.

 

[buddhasummer]

Yes, it was primarily designed around those wings.

Thanks Eric, how do I get on your list? Or is this post sufficient?

 

[Akimbo]

... Not only did I score the Healthways pack but I also scored an old original Hawaiian back pack, I don't know if anybody here remembers those, I'll bet Sam does...

Oh yeah... probably not your best option for traveling. I used one on a couple of dives but it didn't fit well at all, but I'm probably smaller than it was designed for. Scroll down on this page to see some pictures.
A&D Adventures VINTAGE TALES

 

[stuartv]

Okay, I transplanted my harness and wing from my soon-to-be-retired BP and onto my new Freedom plate.

I now have some observations and questions.

- I got a size Large plate. I'm 6' 1" with a 34" inseam. When I put the plate on my back and move it up and down until it seems to really nestle into place, it has the waist belt coming around my stomach at about my belly button. If I slide it down about 2 or 3 inches, then the waist belt is where my waist belt normally goes with my other BPs. No big deal, I reckon. Just an observation.

- I have a HOG 23 # wing I'm putting on it. The HOG wing has built-in tank stabilizer rails down each side. The built-in tank stabilizers seem to be just about exactly the same distance apart as the FP's tank rails. So, I don't see how I can use this wing with it mounted on top of the STA.

- I tried removing the STA and sandwiching the wing in between the plate and the STA. The bolts are not long enough.

- I tried using the bolts that came with the FP to just mount the wing without the STA. The nuts are probably just barely big enough to not pull through the grommets, but the bolts themselves would interfere with the tank. So, I changed over to the plastic sex bolts I was using to hold the wing onto my previous plate and that works okay.

The issue I am concerned about is that I don't see any way to use my wing AND the supplied STA.

If I were to get longer bolts, then I think I could do that with no problems.

If I use it with the wing and no STA, then the tank bottom won't be pushed out to hold the tank at the same angle that it would be when using the STA. And the bottom part of the tank would be pinching the wing between the tank and plate. Though it appears that the part of the wing where the bladder is would be past the bottom of the plate, so the bladder itself would not be pinched.

Any suggestions?

What I would LIKE to do is be able to swap tanks without doing anything to hold or position the wing. And have the tank at the "right" angle.

Should I just look for longer bolts, so I can sandwich the wing between the plate and STA?

Or should I leave it like it is and not worry about using the STA?

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Okay, I transplanted my harness and wing from my soon-to-be-retired BP and onto my new Freedom plate.

I now have some observations and questions.

- I got a size Large plate. I'm 6' 1" with a 34" inseam. When I put the plate on my back and move it up and down until it seems to really nestle into place, it has the waist belt coming around my stomach at about my belly button. If I slide it down about 2 or 3 inches, then the waist belt is where my waist belt normally goes with my other BPs. No big deal, I reckon. Just an observation.

- I have a HOG 23 # wing I'm putting on it. The HOG wing has built-in tank stabilizer rails down each side. The built-in tank stabilizers seem to be just about exactly the same distance apart as the FP's tank rails. So, I don't see how I can use this wing with it mounted on top of the STA.

- I tried removing the STA and sandwiching the wing in between the plate and the STA. The bolts are not long enough.

- I tried using the bolts that came with the FP to just mount the wing without the STA. The nuts are probably just barely big enough to not pull through the grommets, but the bolts themselves would interfere with the tank. So, I changed over to the plastic sex bolts I was using to hold the wing onto my previous plate and that works okay.

The issue I am concerned about is that I don't see any way to use my wing AND the supplied STA.

If I were to get longer bolts, then I think I could do that with no problems.

If I use it with the wing and no STA, then the tank bottom won't be pushed out to hold the tank at the same angle that it would be when using the STA. And the bottom part of the tank would be pinching the wing between the tank and plate. Though it appears that the part of the wing where the bladder is would be past the bottom of the plate, so the bladder itself would not be pinched.

Any suggestions?

What I would LIKE to do is be able to swap tanks without doing anything to hold or position the wing. And have the tank at the "right" angle.

Should I just look for longer bolts, so I can sandwich the wing between the plate and STA?

Or should I leave it like it is and not worry about using the STA?

Get longer bolts and sandwich the wing in between the plate and STA.
Make sure the top bolt ends right at the nut so it doesn't dig into the tank.
Also use the supplied fuel line over the rail bars so it will cushion the tank and they will add about 1/8" more space between the tank and the top nut.
This all very good info because I need to know how all these different wings are going to work with the FP.
If all else fails and you don't mind altering your wing, cut those stupid things off.