B&M Restraints: Old vs. New

[Coaster Hero]

^Forgot about that aspect. It's kinda awkward, but it's worse if you have someone next to you that won't give you any space for your arm at all

[mike541x]

I have no preference as they both have their ups and downs. I like the new vests as they use hydraulics which eliminates the clicking so you can put the restraint down for the best comfort. However I prefer the old as I feel they have more arm room. When I rode Thunderbird this past summer, I was unable to raise one arm up to a full extent due to the handlebars on the seat next to me.

[grsupercity]

I guess my problem isnt the vest its self, its the way the restraint sits on my crotch. No matter how i sit or put the otsr the bottom always rest on my crotch and becomes uncomfortable. Its strange because I am a fairly skinny guy. I cant imagine how bad it would be if I were say fluffyier?

My problem is the clamshell part on a 100 degree day resting on my crotch and becoming horridly hot and uncomfortable.

[Coaster19]

Overall for me, I love the new restraints. However, as many people have stated they hold you a lot more into the seat, and for that reason I do respect the old ones still.

[MiABeta]

B&M? Like Arrow? The corkscrew coaster at MiA has more headbanging than Rougarou and Raptor put together! Don't even get me started about Thunderhawk, and for sure not the SLC at CW. Rougarou's second half does have quite a bit of it though, still not comparable to an Arrow or Vekoma IMO. I still like the new more than the old. I don't know why, I guess I just enjoy no headbanging more than some, even though i'm so used to it!

[dippindotsguy8]

B&M? Like Arrow? The corkscrew coaster at MiA has more headbanging than Rougarou and Raptor put together! Don't even get me started about Thunderhawk, and for sure not the SLC at CW. Rougarou's second half does have quite a bit of it though, still not comparable to an Arrow or Vekoma IMO. I still like the new more than the old. I don't know why, I guess I just enjoy no headbanging more than some, even though i'm so used to it!

 

I think the comparison was more in regards to the lack of innovation on B&Ms compared to what other manufacturers are attempting. B&M seems to continue just relying on the same designs until the rest of the industry has left them behind.

[Awesomefaceninja7]

The only B & M I've really ridden was the Oz-Iris at Parc Asterix (well, that's the only B & M coaster I actually remember riding.

 

I did 'No preference' because I haven't tried a coaster with the new ones yet.

[beenagins87]

I've been on 3 of the 4 U.S wingriders [ XFlight, Wild Eagle & Thunderbird] and it seems like they finally got the vest situation right with Thunderbird. Wild Eagle & X-Flight weren't bad by any means, but in the brake run they really tighten and it's a tad uncomfortable.

[IdahoKat]

Enjoy this nearly useless reply - It's impossible to escape from the new restraints. If determined, I THINK I'd be able to angle my shoulders then body through the old B&M restraints (obviously not something I'm going to try and mess up a ride ops day). My theory on impossible escape from new - while sitting on Gatekeeper at CP for 40 min (someone had a protein spill in the train at the station and it took them awhile to clean it), I tried to wiggle a bit just for more breathing room while sitting there since I was stapled in more snugly than I prefer, and it wasn't going to happen. The Swarm at Thorpe Park was my first winged coaster, and I only have memories of a very smooth comfortable ride on it, riding facing forward or backward.

 

I vote new. I'm short (4'11" or 5'0" depending on who is measuring) and the having to defensively ride trains with old restraints will usually bang my head if I'm not postured correctly.

 

I wish more manufacturers made restraints like the Intamin's I have ridden on. Those by far are the most comfortable.

[grsupercity]

B&M? Like Arrow? The corkscrew coaster at MiA has more headbanging than Rougarou and Raptor put together! Don't even get me started about Thunderhawk, and for sure not the SLC at CW. Rougarou's second half does have quite a bit of it though, still not comparable to an Arrow or Vekoma IMO. I still like the new more than the old. I don't know why, I guess I just enjoy no headbanging more than some, even though i'm so used to it!

 

How tall are you? Im only 5 foot 11 and my head easily escapes out the otsr's on a ride like Corkscrew.

[Paradox]

I had absolutely no problem with Wild Eagle and I can't take much headbanging without getting a really bad headache so I choose new.

[coastercrazi]

new version looks cooler and is more comfortable from what I can tell...

[Brent York]

I can't imagine anyone voting for the old ones if they've ridden Iron Wolf. Or really, any standup or pre-Banshee inverted. I'd take no movement any day over headbanging and not being able to turn my head.

 

I hated X-Flight and Wild Eagle's restraints since the vests got extremely tight during the ride and made me slightly claustrophobic, but Banshee and Thunderbird don't have that problem. Haven't ridden Gatekeeper.

 

The best part of the new restraints is not having someone's sweaty arm rubbing all over ya...

This!

[DoinItForTheFame]

The best part of the new restraints is not having someone's sweaty arm rubbing all over ya...

 

This is true!!

 

I can't imagine anyone voting for the old ones if they've ridden Iron Wolf. Or really, any standup or pre-Banshee inverted. I'd take no movement any day over headbanging and not being able to turn my head.

 

I never really had any headbanging issues on any of the pre-Banshee inverts aside from the Raptor Smack, on Raptor... but once you learn to just keep your head firmly against the seat back... it's really not a problem.

 

Like I said before, my main issue with the new vest restraints is the way the dig into my collarbone. Not sure if it is just my height, or my build, but they are really uncomfortable.

[nannerdw]

Thunderbird's vest wasn't constrictive, but the restraint still stabbed really uncomfortably into my hip socket, just like Wild Eagle and X-Flight did.

[CP Maverick]

GateKeeper, Wild Eagle, Banshee, Thunderbird are the only "new" restraints I've gotten to use, and the spacing between seats is significantly better. I've never been bothered by headbanging on a B&M.

 

The worst restraints I've experienced are the heavy lap bars on GCI Millennium Flyers.

[DrachenfireOP]

I can't imagine anyone voting for the old ones if they've ridden Iron Wolf. Or really, any standup or pre-Banshee inverted. I'd take no movement any day over headbanging and not being able to turn my head.

 

I hated X-Flight and Wild Eagle's restraints since the vests got extremely tight during the ride and made me slightly claustrophobic, but Banshee and Thunderbird don't have that problem. Haven't ridden Gatekeeper.

 

The best part of the new restraints is not having someone's sweaty arm rubbing all over ya...

This!

 

Zero head banging for me on any B&M, ever, including old Mantis and IW. However the new ones sit on my crotch horribly, so even if the vests didn't dig into my neck, and even if I did get head banging on the old, I'd still take the old because headbanding is infinitely more tolerable than crotch crunching any day.

[Invertalon]

I like the additional elbow room on the new style but dislike the vest for the most part... At least for me, the vest does not lay "flat" on my shoulders digs into my shoulder blade at an angle... It is a bit bothersome.

[HAZE]

As I always ride any ride defensively (even when uncalled for), I would normally take the older restraint style, unless I'm riding a flying coaster or wing coaster. Headbanging has simply never been an issue for me on any B&M.

 

 

...Then again, this is coming from a hardened flat ride junkie who can ride a vekoma looper and not bang my head even once....

[GCI Wooden]

I LOVE the new vest restraints. If I could, I would put them on every ride that needs OTSR's. I feel that with the vests, B&M has made one of the best OTSR's, just like they made one of the best lap bars.

 

I have no idea why there are still parks buying rides with the old B&M restraints (Other than the floorless conversions, because vests are wider, and clearance could be an issue).

[psaulaferraz]

Haven't tried any of the new ones, although I've been on a bunch of coasters with the classic OTSR. I usually don't find any problem with them. On Dragon Khan I can find some headbanging in the entrance to the cobra roll or even in the Zero-G, but Nemesis and Oblivion were butter smooth.

[scbt]

I like the additional elbow room on the new style but dislike the vest for the most part... At least for me, the vest does not lay "flat" on my shoulders digs into my shoulder blade at an angle... It is a bit bothersome.

 

Agreed 100%, I couldn't have said it better myself. They're just a bit too tight to be comfortable.

[Canobie Coaster]

I'll take the new restraints with the exception of the ones on Wild Eagle. Not sure if it's the lower height requirement or just a coincidence, but those ones seem much tighter than the ones on Valravn, Banshee, or GateKeeper..

[Stonem]

I hate the new restraints. I have ridden a few wing coasters with them and they get so tight at the end of the ride you can barely breath, especially on Raptor.

Moreover, it is true that you reduce any possible head banging, but it's also true that those restraints ruins all the sensations, I can't imagine on Valvarn where the most decent part will be the ejector on the drops, and you even won't be able to experience that because of the restraints that will keep you glued to the seat

[MidwestThemeParks]

I hate the new restraints. I have ridden a few wing coasters with them and they get so tight at the end of the ride you can barely breath, especially on Raptor.

Moreover, it is true that you reduce any possible head banging, but it's also true that those restraints ruins all the sensations, I can't imagine on Valvarn where the most decent part will be the ejector on the drops, and you even won't be able to experience that because of the restraints that will keep you glued to the seat

 

Raptor has the old style restraints.