Oh Happy Days! My newest SM Kit.

[JamesK]

I bought it straight from Manta Industries.
No chest clip but it would be easy to add.
I will take some better pics today.

 

[a878bob]

black anodized aluminum plates for mine as well. I took those triglide/rings and turned them inward and added a chest strap to those. I put the free end to the eyebolt for the inflator, so when I clip in the inflator, I clip in my chest strap at the same time. I think I have taken apart my rig at least 2 dozens times by now. Lots of mods so far. By the way, the plates don't seem to be finished very well, already cutting into my webbing. If you take your rig apart it may be helpful to put some finishing touches on the edges the webbing runs through.

 

[loquat149]

Yea, after I took my wife's rig completely apart I noticed the slots were sharp so I smoothed them out with a small file. I also didn't like the angle of the slots in the mini-back plate, the webbing doesn't lay flat after it feeds through them. I think the guys at Manta were trying not to make an exact copy of Boegart's rig. Luckily I had an extra mini-backplate I made in '09, so replaced that too. The wing's sweet, though.

Dave

 

[JamesK]

I looked closer and they are in fact black coated aluminum. The edges seem to be ok, but I will end up taking this thing apart anyway and looking at them. The webbing is softer then I am used to, but I will give it a try. I like the idea of turning the eyelets inward. I am going to do that. The top shoulder drings are coming off as well. I have not yet decided on the butt plate. That only time will tell. The waist drings will be yanked as I still have my UTD setup or Al tanks. I like the cover they place over the inflator hose.

 

[a878bob]

I think the cover for the inflator makes it a little difficult to hook up. It seems hard to get the inflator hose up into the cover when you start so low at the valve. Anybody make any mods to this? I thought about taking off the cover and just adding innertube bands like my hog rig.

 

[JamesK]

Ahh good call. I did not even think about that. It will probably come off. Although it does offer protection to the corrugated hose so maybe I will leave it on and just run my LP hose on the outside.

 

[loquat149]

Yea, the first thing I did was take the cover off the inflator hose. I also wish the inflator was on the left where it's supposed to be instead of the right. Oh well, maybe they'll fix that in the next version.

Dave

 

[JamesK]

On the right? Huh? Mine comes up from the left. Then I have an OPV on the lower right and upper right.

 

[Hetland]

Yea, I free those from the D-rings and route the bungee loops through them so they serve as bungee keepers. No bolt snaps needed.

View attachment 132398

Dave

Nice way to manage the bungees!

 

[a878bob]

I changed my bungees to diverite rings and choker system. The manta plate has a hole in it that makes it perfect to tie the single bungee into and adjust easily with tying a knot.