Equinox Ergonomics - The Challenge

[2Valen]

Since having my 800 unit, I have never had an issue with the weight, balance, or anything that would give me a problem.

I have not had it in the water above my knees, and I felt that it was doing a great job for me.

My problem is that I am still learning this unit, and with it being so cold or wet outside I don't get to use it much.

I only have a problem when I walk past it and it looks mad at me for not taking it out to swing it and find something in the ground. It tells me it can handle to cold, the snow, or the rain, and I have to tell it wait until it gets warmer for me.

[nordic]

Got 2 middle shafts, so bent one to an S shape - much better, feels more direct. I think ML should've made coil ears off centre or an s-shaft. Had a constant fatigue in the upper forearm, which is no more. It is the twisting of the shaft during swings that the arm needs to counteract causing fatigue, as much as I could figure it out...

 

[GB_Amateur]

11 hours ago, nordic said:

Got 2 middle shafts, so bent one to an S shape - much better, feels more direct.

Would you post a photo?

 

[nordic]

The only pic I have at this moment, apologies if not too clear, the bend is under red cover (latex bike tyre tube 🙂 )

To be honest, this is my 3rd middle shaft because one of them snapped bending. I was using pipe bender. There is certain limit when aluminium simply snaps. Also those holes at the back, they tend to implode or give up 1st. Can't recommend trying it, breaks too easily.

I also heated up the arm cuff and made it narrower. Standard it is clearly designed for Popeye arms

 

[Goldpick]

Personally I am used to S-style stems, so more of a matter of just getting used to a straight shaft setup again on my 600 - I think the last time I used one was an aftermarket aluminium one on my Garrett Infinium.  Ergonomics wise the only think I can really pick on is the lack of full rubber grips on handle, and the tendency for my hand to slip up to the control box all the time.  I see there are third party solutions for this issue available on ebay for mounting just under the control box. 

Can't help but look at the Simplex to see that they had already addressed such issues on their control box grip with the straight shaft setup, very well thought out on the ergonomics side of things.  As for the grip angles, I don't think you will please 100% of customers on preferences, regardless of the detector.

Engineering wise the Equinox is probably a bit hampered by its battery location for some alternative shaft mounting options, whereas a detector like the Simplex has the control box and inbuilt battery independent and removeable from the grip.  That could possibly allow for third party options for an s-bend shaft with control box adapters (thinking something similar to the MARS md universal/collapsible shaft).

Also just one other observation, have you seen the Quest Q60 on how you can slide the whole control box/grip up or down the straight shaft using a camlock vs having to shift just the arm cuff?

[relicmeister]

I had a Nox 800 with a folding shaft and I switched my middle shaft to a whites s-shaft. It was really ergonomic. I sold that one and now I have a Nox 600 with a folding straight shaft. The folding unit has detent locks every 18 degrees so it is possible to offset the lower and upper shaft ( angling the lower section up) so that it puts the coil out farther and about the same as an s-shaft. It looks a bit odd but the feel is identical to an s-shaft. I use it straight most of the time, but sometimes I will use the offset and the effect is quite obvious. The fold modification is not hard and costs about $50 to do. 

[GB_Amateur]

23 hours ago, relicmeister said:

...Now I have a Nox 600 with a folding straight shaft. The folding unit has detent locks every 18 degrees so it is possible to offset the lower and upper shaft ( angling the lower section up) so that it puts the coil out farther and about the same as an s-shaft.

Where do you get the parts?  Also, how does the weight compare?  Are the sections aluminum, carbon, a combination?

 

[Xergix]

When I had mxt I replaced the central section with a straight section, I prefer the straight rod and I am happy that it is so for equinox, but I would have liked more if it had been collapsible, when I go to the beach I don't take it apart, but when you go in the mountains it is stressful to have to take everything apart.
I would have preferred that the central unit was easily removable, in order to be able to put it more easily inside the backpack.