Freedom Plate's Cousin

[lexvil]

A quick experiment, I cut a tank slip pad in half, notched the end so I can clip one of these keepers onto it to act as a spacer for the back curve and act as a tank stabilizer, looks like it will work.

 

[scrane]

You guys with the large posteriors and coccyges (had to look up the plural form) are making me question my physiology. Back up to a door or wall. Doesn't your back and bottom meet the wall at the same time? .......never mind.

Anyway, the space provided by the thickness of the plate+wing is sufficient enough to remove pressure off one's bottom. (For me anyway.) Honestly, I do not remember if the tank was riding on my butt or not-if it was it caused me no issues.

The only mod I did to my wing was removing the upper roll control tubes-but I did that so I could get my DH reg can closer to my back. However, I do not feel it is necessary.

I am lifting this photo from Couv's post:

Looks to me there will be a clearance problem with tank mounted. Isn't this why rails were incorporated in the original design?

 

[Couv]

Looks to me there will be a clearance problem with tank mounted. Isn't this why rails were incorporated in the original design?

Hi Scrane,

Again, I dove the new plate for a week for a few dives each day-boat and shore. I had no issues.

Re the rail, I also own an original FP and removed the rails as I found them unnecessary.

 

[Couv]

Update: I just spent another week in Cozumel diving my new EZ Pak. Due to the questions in this thread, I focused on the tank (Al 80) positioning, how it felt on my posterior, and trim in general. Again I found no issues with it riding my rump and it trimmed out nicely. I neither added or needed any additional tank roll control or stand off devices that were not already present on my 18 lb VDH wing.

The only issue I had re the plate was having to explain to envious divers that I have the only one (so far.) At less than one pound, this plate is a joy to dive and easy to travel with.

Eric, I expect you'll be a busy (busier) man soon.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I’m hoping with these plates that I can get them punched out fairly reasonably and keep the cost way down. Again, this is a economy minded product with ultra simplicity in mind for travel. I’m hoping that people can weight the plusses (listed above) against the minuses (lack of stand off bracket), and come to the conclusion that they may be able use it short term in a travel situation.
Looking at the other plates on the market, they have no stand off bracket that provides any angle to the tank whatsoever. Interestingly though, I never hear anybody bring this issue up when discussing the doubles style plates when used with single tanks. I know for a fact that doubles plates bumps the tank into your butt because I used to dive one.
At least with the Freedom style plate with the narrow top, the tank is allowed to drop in further up high at least providing somewhat of a better angle.
If I decide that it needs some sort of stand off bracket then I’ll probably figure out a way to do that and still make it a simple one piece plate with no removable parts.
The other idea I had was to cut two lengths of hot water hose about 2” long and cut a slit down one side, then fit that over the bottom two roll cushions on my VDH 18 wing. The inside hole diameter on the hose would have to be 5/8” to 3/4” in order to fit over the roll cushion? That might work to move the bottom out some.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

A quick experiment, I cut a tank slip pad in half, notched the end so I can clip one of these keepers onto it to act as a spacer for the back curve and act as a tank stabilizer, looks like it will work.
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You just gave me a HUGE idea!

 

[Akimbo]

Interestingly though, I never hear anybody bring this issue up when discussing the doubles style plates when used with single tanks.

Well yeah, they suck just the same on doubles as singles.

Besides, the bottom of a 2D-profile double plate would dig into your lumbar region.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Well yeah, they suck just the same on doubles as singles.

Besides, the bottom of a 2D-profile double plate would dig into your lumbar region.

Yes, and the bottom of the Freedom plates are all curved out to alleviate this problem.