Aloha Joe
Contributor
I’m still loving mine. I had mine in the water yesterday for the first time since the move to Hawaii. I’m still loving the compliments, too 
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The new Freedom Contour - The Rolex of backplates.
- Thread starter Eric Sedletzky
- Start date
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Aqua-Andy
Contributor
I have been coveting the Freedom plate for years now but have been reluctant to pull the trigger on one as I'm not sure how it will work for the diving I do. I dive dry in cold water almost exclusively. This time of year I'm diving with a 6lb plate, 5lb Hammerhead weighted STA and two three pound weights zip tied to the plate. All this and 16lbs on a weight belt. So this is 33lbs of ballast not including the HP100 and regs. In a few months when the water warms I'll swap the two 3lb weights for two 2 pounders and swap out the weighted STA for a light 1/2lb STA. So I was wondering if there are any divers that need a bunch of ballast out there using a Freedom plate and how they are distributing all the weight. I don't want to add more to the weight belt, 16lb is plenty enough.
I dive cold water almost exclusively and have been using a Freedom Plate for many years. I wear all my lead on my weightbelt and don't even notice it.
OP
Eric Sedletzky
Contributor
The FP isn’t a good option if you have huge ballast requirements and you choose to place a lot of that weight on your back. The shape and size of the plate don’t allow for much weight to be attached to the plate like weight bars etc.
I dive in cold water with a 7mm two piece freediving wetsuit, and freediving in that suit I need about 22 lbs.
So converting that to using the same suit with scuba I’m using a 10 lb weightbelt and the rest is broken up between the 5lb plate, steel 120, regs, jet fins, misc stainless parts, etc.
I also sometimes use my 1/2” two piece wetsuit that is a beast and made for urchin diving in ice cold water down into the 40’s all day without getting cold.
That suit alone would require about a 50 lb weightbelt if one was using hookah, but for scuba I used it with a Freedom Plate, steel 120, regs, added weight on the waist band of the plate 2# on each side, and a 34 lb. weight belt. It’s a tough suit to use and is overkill for recreational diving, but I have it and payed good money so I use it once in a while.
With this new plate and the removable rail, it is possible to place a two or three pound soft weight under the rail bars on the bottom, but I have not tested it yet in any real world diving. I don’t know if it would throw trim off or not? One three lb weight pouch of non ditchable isn’t really that much.
The Freedom Plate was designed more to be a simple rig that can just be thrown on and jump in. Any additional ballast requirements would be added with an appropriate sized weight belt. It’s not really a product that is non weighbelt friendly with large ballast requirements. The idea is kind of based on an old school configuration. They used to use plastic packs and later came the non integrated poodle jacket which both had zero inherent ballast. So I figured 4 or 5 lbs of plate would be fine, but I never figured on creating something that requires most of the weight to be on the rig. I’m a guy who doesn’t mind weightbelts.
I have added 6 pounds to mine
even considered
figuring I can loop the waist belt through the 2's but haven't tried it yet.
even considered
figuring I can loop the waist belt through the 2's but haven't tried it yet.
OP
Eric Sedletzky
Contributor
So you have a total of 11 lb. plate there.
I love innovation!
You can also thread those two pounders right on the waist strap as far back as they’ll go (right up against the plate) and that works pretty good too.
I haven’t tried it yet but @The Chairman had an idea of using bungee cord and attaching weights onto a belt and making them removable without having to thread them onto the webbing. This would be great for switching from a 120 to a 72 and quickly adding a few lbs. to make up for the smaller tank.
Aqua-Andy
Contributor
Maybe I could make this work.
aquacat8
Contributor
Check out these Quick Weights | MAKO Spearguns
@MAKO Spearguns has them but they are only 1.6 lbs each
@MAKO Spearguns has them but they are only 1.6 lbs each
Yes thanks for the reference. We also have 2 lb I weights which are designed to slip onto and off a 2-inch belt easily and without removing the buckle etc.
2 Pound I Weight
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