Carrying gear

This probably belongs elsewhere but...

For those who travel with studio heads/light stands how do you carry it? I do a lot of location based work and I'm looking into various solutions for my gear. Whilst the flash based stuff is fine it's the heavy duty heads and stands I need bags for.

I have 5 stands, 2 of which are air damped. (Interfit Cor 753)
3 BX/RX heads with attendant accessories.
Complete set of grids - I need to find a solution that can carry these safely without them getting damaged.

Plus additional umbrellas, triggers and gels. Any ideas folks? I've been looking at Kata's range of Hexabags but they are pricey. I was also thinking a Pelican case for the heads.

I've never seen two photographers have the same way of organizing location gear. So everybody seems to do it differently...but I can share what my personal philosophy has morphed into...

If you're really hard-up for money then sometimes it's possible to make due with toolboxes and upholstery foam. You can line the toolboxes with upholstery foam as padding...and cut out pieces of foam to separate heads/reflectors from each other. But it's often difficult to find toolboxes that are the right sizes to fit gear. I used large contico toolboxes back when I was a student...but I don't see them around much anymore.

Unfortunately, cases cost a lot of money. If you're serious, there's just no cutting corners....it could cost a thousand dollars to do it right Also, I really hate the all-in-one cases because they always end up being too heavy. I like to break up the gear into a few smaller cases so that it's lighter and fits easier into a vehicle.

Personally, I would break your gear up into 3 different cases. I'd use one case for the three lighting heads. I'd use the second case for the reflectors/grids/acces​sories. Then I'd purchase a third long case for the stands/tripod.

I'd get 2 cases that are very deep (but not wide) for the lights and accessories. This will allow them to be stacked neatly onto a collapsible luggage cart so that they can roll onto a location easily. If the cases are too wide then they won't fit easily through doorways and can sometimes be difficult to fit into cars/vehicles too. Deep cases also take up less real estate when setting up on the set of the shoot. So there is less chance of people tripping over them. I would stakc 2 cases on top of each other...then place my camera bag on top of those 2 cases....and tie all 3 to a luggage rack like this: http://www.amazon.com …B000EMBOZY/ref=​pd_sbs_a_1

This is a nice deep case for lights: http://www.lightwarein​c.com …d|View%20Camera​&Cat_ID=11

This is a nice padded long cases for tripods, stands and long softboxes or umbrellas: http://www.lightwarein​c.com …gos|Stands|Sack​s&Cat_ID=9

Personally, I prefer to use soft cases that are padded so that they won't damage property if I were to accidentally bump into it. Soft cases are much easier on walls, or wood flooring etc. Soft cases are also easier on my legs and knees because I ALWAYS bump them when transporting. I've never been a fan of Pelican. Tripods and stands definitely need some soft padding around them otherwise they become deadly weapons LOL

This type of setup would allow you to roll all the lighting gear and camera on a cart with one hand and then can carry the tripod bags with the other hand. OR...you could strap the tripod bag vertically on the side of the cart and use both hands to push the cart.

The nice thing about this setup...is that it's modular enough to fit easily into vehicles. Also, since the gear is broken down into a few bags....it will be lightweight enough to carry upstairs (but ya might have to make a couple of trips)

If you expand in the future....The long tripod case will easily accommodate more softboxes and umbrellas. The case for accessories should have enough room add things over time.

This is just my take on your situation... I really have no idea if it will work out for ya....just thought it would get your mind jogged a little bit. Unfortunately, cases really cost money to do right. And it might take some experimenting to get just the right size for your particular gear. The all-in-one cases really suck IMHO....and the hardcases can damage property. But, there is more than one way to skin a cat....so take my advice with a grain of salt. Good luck with whatever you decide to do

One more thing: Personally, I've learned to keep an extra case on hand that is completely empty. That allows me to build a rig for a particular job. Some jobs might only require a handful of items....so I can easily just throw a few things in one bag and jet. Just a thought

Pelican cases for air travel for my Rangers. Tenba Air Cases for anything larger. Tripods and stands in appropriate tripod bags in luggage, or in tubes for checking/carry-on.

As mentioned, it is expensive to do it right.

Thanks for the input, I was generally trying to get a feel as what options was available. Looks like Kata will get my money. Have been looking at the Kata OC97 case. It won't take the Cor 753s but it looks like I won't get anything for it.

Cool...I hope it works out well for ya

Philosophically I am like Gentleman Villain about lighting equipment portability! I use fairly compact cases from Dynalite for much of my lighting needs (heads, snoots, cables, grids), supplemented with Lightware case for my two small Dynalite power packs and power cords and one Tenba shoulder unit for my 2000 w-s Dynalite pack. I got some padded Bogen cases to carry light stands, background poles, boom. And miscellaneous long things (collapsible frames for reflector panels, etc.) in a golf travel bag

I have flown with a similar kit dozens of times packed in the Tamrac 661 (the 662 is slightly larger). You can check out the Tamrac 661 here:
http://www.adorama.com …fo=tamrac%20661​&item_no=1

If you want to, you can also look at a separate tripod sling bag, such as the Lightware or Tundra bags. No matter what you do, you'll probably end up paying excess baggage fees.

In my 661 I usually have : 4 Lumedyne heads, 2 Lumedyne packe, 4 Lumedyne batteries, stands, grids, softboxies, cables, pocket wizards, vice grips, etc etc.

I have used the 661 throughout the United States and Canada as well as for shoots in London, Frankfurt, Nagoya and Tokyo. Never had a single problem with my gear being protected.

I use two of these -- one for stands, booms, cords, and umbrellas. The others hold my monolights in individual cases.

http://www.golfgalaxy.​com …Results&spoffse​t=1&s_id=0

fishfoto wrote in post #6601006
I have flown with a similar kit dozens of times packed in the Tamrac 661 (the 662 is slightly larger). You can check out the Tamrac 661 here:
http://www.adorama.com …fo=tamrac%20661​&item_no=1

If you want to, you can also look at a separate tripod sling bag, such as the Lightware or Tundra bags. No matter what you do, you'll probably end up paying excess baggage fees.

In my 661 I usually have : 4 Lumedyne heads, 2 Lumedyne packe, 4 Lumedyne batteries, stands, grids, softboxies, cables, pocket wizards, vice grips, etc etc.

I have used the 661 throughout the United States and Canada as well as for shoots in London, Frankfurt, Nagoya and Tokyo. Never had a single problem with my gear being protected.

Cool. thanks for posting...I didn't know that Tamrac made a case which is similar in size to a suitcase...very cool

I haven't traveled by air with gear since being an assistant...and that was pre911 so things are probably much different now. But back then, we just charged the excess baggage fees to the client And we traveled with lightware

Good to see additional input, I wasn't aware of Tamrac doing this gear it seems more pricey than Kata's offering but not really compared the two yet.

Thanks Fish!

The Tamrac rolling cases are extremely durable. More so that nearly any other 'soft-sided' trunk I have encountered. These cases can take a hell of a lot of abuse and are well worth the costs when you consider the costs of your lighting gear.

My 'quick' kit with two Lumedyne heads, 1 pack, two batteries, Manfrotto 3373 light stands, etc, goes in a Lowepro Pro Roller II which logged at least 200,000 air miles in a single year. You can see this kit here:
http://flyingwithfish.​blogspot.com …arent-light-but-they.html

Go ahead and laugh but don't overlook gun cases for some lighting needs - they come in all sorts and sizes from light thin plastic to "go ahead and run it over - it will be fine" - and lockable. - FYI

Apshiso,

Gun cases are nice, but do not have the inserts to properly pack lights. Gun cases are often also not deep enough for gear. For 'run over it' protection, you need a Pelican case.

Having flown a few hundred thousand miles with lighting gear, the Tamrac and Lowepro bags are rock solid.

.....also gun cases are heavy and add to the costs of checked baggage fees

pelican make rather large cases you could get it with fome and kut it out for the flah heads,then use the gun cases for your stands and a smaller case for remotes, wires all other stuff and a duffle bag for the softer items

i use pelican cases in the boot (trunk) of my car