The new Freedom Contour - The Rolex of backplates.
- Thread starter Eric Sedletzky
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Aloha Joe
Contributor
I’m thinking of getting the 18lb Argonaut wing. It looks like everything I wanted in a single package.
I dive with 6-8lb lead to compensate for the (new) 3/2 wetsuit, so actual buoyancy compensation is easy. The other factor is ‘floating my rig’: 6lb plate, 6lb lead (now integrated), 4lb AL tank, 2lb regs/etc. Should be OK, unless I’m missing something?
I dive with 6-8lb lead to compensate for the (new) 3/2 wetsuit, so actual buoyancy compensation is easy. The other factor is ‘floating my rig’: 6lb plate, 6lb lead (now integrated), 4lb AL tank, 2lb regs/etc. Should be OK, unless I’m missing something?
OP
Eric Sedletzky
Contributor
The wing should at least be big enough to compensate for your suit squeeze at depth. In your situation an 18 should be fine. Whether or not it can float your rig at the surface, or if that’s even necessary is debatable. There was a time when there were no wings or BC’s and divers had to figure out weighting and integrate their rig into the whole scheme of their setup. The rigs sank and therefore never came off. They were considered to be “bolted” onto the diver. Weightbelts went over everything else, so removing your rig in the water meant removing the belt first. The tank and pack was part of your body, you went in the water with it on and walked out with it on.
In your situation with integrated weights on your rig, if you planned on taking your rig off in the water on a regular basis like getting back onto a small boat or kayak, then you’d need a wing big enough to float it. But if you never have plans to take your rig off in the water then I wouldn’t worry about it as much.
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Aloha Joe
Contributor
Awesome, thanks! I actually prefer a weight belt but I need my ballast up higher, so until I figure out a good way to do that I’m using cam band weights. But I don’t really plan on intentionally and repeatedly taking my rig off in the water.
Bob DBF
Contributor
I use lanyards to clip off gear to the boat or kayak when I take my rig off in the water. It keeps things from drifting off if they do float, and sinking if they don't. My rig when diving a Faber 120 does not like to float, full or empty.
Bob
Aloha Joe
Contributor
Argonaut 18# on it’s way! I’m psyched.
Diving the next 10 days in Truk, freedom plate w/o rail with my H harness VDH 18 lb wing, only a rash guard, extremely comfortable.
CarcharodonCarcharias
Contributor
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This is the review for my new BP/W setup. I just got back from diving in Donggala and it was a great trip. The equipment held up well and it was really comfortable. I will probably need few more dives to work out wrinkles and fine tune the setup.
Backplate: Freedom Contour SS plate
Wing: VDH Argonaut 23#
Harness: DGX Dive Rite Deluxe with 2” crotch strap
Exposure: Rash guard, compression tight, and DGX neoprene dive shorts.
No weights and positive buoyant fins (Aeris/Oceanic Accel fins)
I will review the plate here and please find the review for the wing here.
Review: I decided that I want a second setup (for tropical diving) a while ago. I’ve been shopping around and getting great and sound advice from fellow members in this forum (Thank you all by the way). Then I came across the Freedom Contour (FC) thread and after perusing it, I was sold. I phoned @Eric Sedletzky when I was back home for Christmas last year and met up with him at Santa Rosa to pick up the plate. I finally had the chance to put everything together and took it out on a dive trip last week.
FC is the most comfortable plate that I’ve tried. Now I can relate to the comments from other FC users that the setup disappears when one is in the water. I just didn’t feel it and did not know it was behind my back. The contour of the plate matched the curve of my back quite well and it sat a bit high. Hence the waist strap was not quite on my waist but about 1/3 above my waist and 2/3 below my diaphragm in terms of spacing. But this worked out well because now, my entire plate sat higher on the tank when the tank is placed in the tank slot of on the dive boat, and not resting on dump valve of my wing and ruining it.
The shape of the narrow upper portion of the plate also allows greater degree of freedom for my shoulders and arms. It offered a greater degree of range of motion and I felt nimbler underwater. The compact design also hid the entire plate behind my back and it reduced the drag and friction in the current (although the wing made the most difference in this scenario).
The underwater photo that my dive companions took of me underwater showed that the FC certainly made my diving posture a bit more natural and comfortable given that I was not strapped to a rectangular plate and ran the entire length of my back from shoulders to coccyx.
I did not use any weight during my dives on this trip. That worked out well but I would probably be using some lead as soon as I slip on a wet suit that is 3mm or thicker.
I’ve got 10 dives in with FC so far. Like I’ve mentioned, I am still working out the wrinkles. But I am believer now and Eric certainly produced a great product. I will post more observation later should I find something worth of mentioning.
Backplate: Freedom Contour SS plate
Wing: VDH Argonaut 23#
Harness: DGX Dive Rite Deluxe with 2” crotch strap
Exposure: Rash guard, compression tight, and DGX neoprene dive shorts.
No weights and positive buoyant fins (Aeris/Oceanic Accel fins)
I will review the plate here and please find the review for the wing here.
Review: I decided that I want a second setup (for tropical diving) a while ago. I’ve been shopping around and getting great and sound advice from fellow members in this forum (Thank you all by the way). Then I came across the Freedom Contour (FC) thread and after perusing it, I was sold. I phoned @Eric Sedletzky when I was back home for Christmas last year and met up with him at Santa Rosa to pick up the plate. I finally had the chance to put everything together and took it out on a dive trip last week.
FC is the most comfortable plate that I’ve tried. Now I can relate to the comments from other FC users that the setup disappears when one is in the water. I just didn’t feel it and did not know it was behind my back. The contour of the plate matched the curve of my back quite well and it sat a bit high. Hence the waist strap was not quite on my waist but about 1/3 above my waist and 2/3 below my diaphragm in terms of spacing. But this worked out well because now, my entire plate sat higher on the tank when the tank is placed in the tank slot of on the dive boat, and not resting on dump valve of my wing and ruining it.
The shape of the narrow upper portion of the plate also allows greater degree of freedom for my shoulders and arms. It offered a greater degree of range of motion and I felt nimbler underwater. The compact design also hid the entire plate behind my back and it reduced the drag and friction in the current (although the wing made the most difference in this scenario).
The underwater photo that my dive companions took of me underwater showed that the FC certainly made my diving posture a bit more natural and comfortable given that I was not strapped to a rectangular plate and ran the entire length of my back from shoulders to coccyx.
I did not use any weight during my dives on this trip. That worked out well but I would probably be using some lead as soon as I slip on a wet suit that is 3mm or thicker.
I’ve got 10 dives in with FC so far. Like I’ve mentioned, I am still working out the wrinkles. But I am believer now and Eric certainly produced a great product. I will post more observation later should I find something worth of mentioning.
DeepSeaPirate
Contributor
What size plate did you get and how tall are you?
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