Transporting / Organizing Gear (esp stands and lights)

Anyone got suggestions for transporting/ carrying / organizing their gear, particularly light stands, lights and modifiers?

I find i have an accumulation of lights and stands, tripods, some audio gear and of course cameras and lenses, and storing them at home is hard enough.

trying to get them to a gig is a comedy of errors. I have a suitcase with wheels that i end up chucking in to it whatever will fit (mostly a couple of reflecltors, an led panel, some batteries, some gels, a small backup tripod, etc.,) but find i am having to lug other lights and light stands and bigger items one at a time.

I know some still photographers who use a wagon (like a radio flyer wagon that you would pull your kids along in at the park). Saw another guy who uses a laundry cart that hotel maids use with the stands standing up.

But then with a wheeled solution, what do you do when you got to deal with stairs?

Since i am a jack of all trades, a typical job might consist of stills (with a couple of flash strobes), video, audio, and drone.

Thanks in advance. Any PHOTOS of how you organize stuff are greatly appreciated.

I've seen variations of these at Home Depot and Harbor Freight. They lock together so they don't spill if you have to drag it up stairs. Google "rolling toolbox".

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-22-in-Connect-Rolling-System-Tool-Box-230381/207138757

For my smaller tripods, I've been using one of these, with bungee cords to fasten my larger tripod on top. It has a long handle like a rolling suitcase. I put a 1/4" plywood divider down the middle so I can store 4 light duty tripods, or 3 tripods if I put compartments on one side, half the height of the box so you can still put your third tripod on top of the compartments. I put a table-top stand in one compartment, USB powerbank batteries in another compartment, and my cheesy camcorder in the third compartment.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-28-in-12-Gal-Mobile-Tool-Box-DWST28100D/206463159

A wheeled golf bag could haul stands, or a speaker stand bag attached to a backpack frame if you wanted to make it in one trip. They come with a  single shoulder strap, but that can get awkward.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-22-in-Connect-Rolling-System-Tool-Box-230381/207138757

I stack a lot of stuff on a 4-wheeled cart - the kind musicians use to haul gear - big wheels in the back, large castors in the front. They suck on stairs, but I only shoot live music and they usually have ramp access.

https://www.guitarcenter.com/JAMSTANDS/JamStand-JS-KC80-Karma-Series-Transport-Cart-Light-Duty-1319117310387.gc?storeCode=&source=4WWRWXGL&gclid=CjwKCAjw5dqgBhBNEiwA7PryaBWpuhyGhizKUOFoZK6VmLhx-f0rKCo5IDY9mzKo9eG3AeHyx1VpUBoCHHAQAvD_BwE

I used a rock-n-roller R12RT all terrain. I have both the platform for the bottom and the shelf to go up top. Fortunately almost every place I've been had handicap access so the wheels are not a problem. I operate from the cart. It goess from 34" to 52" wide so between the upper and lower shelves i have enough room to carry everything to the venue and then setup sound equipment, laptops, mixer, atem etc. It is very sturdy and weighs 33 pounds without the shelves. Folds up reasonably small when not in use. Wheels are big enough to easily go through gravel or dirt.

uncle dunc wrote:

I've seen variations of these at Home Depot and Harbor Freight. They lock together so they don't spill if you have to drag it up stairs. Google "rolling toolbox".

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-22-in-Connect-Rolling-System-Tool-Box-230381/207138757

For my smaller tripods, I've been using one of these, with bungee cords to fasten my larger tripod on top. It has a long handle like a rolling suitcase. I put a 1/4" plywood divider down the middle so I can store 4 light duty tripods, or 3 tripods if I put compartments on one side, half the height of the box so you can still put your third tripod on top of the compartments. I put a table-top stand in one compartment, USB powerbank batteries in another compartment, and my cheesy camcorder in the third compartment.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-28-in-12-Gal-Mobile-Tool-Box-DWST28100D/206463159

A wheeled golf bag could haul stands, or a speaker stand bag attached to a backpack frame if you wanted to make it in one trip. They come with a single shoulder strap, but that can get awkward.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-22-in-Connect-Rolling-System-Tool-Box-230381/207138757

I stack a lot of stuff on a 4-wheeled cart - the kind musicians use to haul gear - big wheels in the back, large castors in the front. They suck on stairs, but I only shoot live music and they usually have ramp access.

https://www.guitarcenter.com/JAMSTANDS/JamStand-JS-KC80-Karma-Series-Transport-Cart-Light-Duty-1319117310387.gc?storeCode=&source=4WWRWXGL&gclid=CjwKCAjw5dqgBhBNEiwA7PryaBWpuhyGhizKUOFoZK6VmLhx-f0rKCo5IDY9mzKo9eG3AeHyx1VpUBoCHHAQAvD_BwE

Thanks for the links. I actually have one of those four-wheeled carts lying around... somewhere... but I think my wife "annexed" it and just threw a bunch of her stuff on top of it.

I think the issue with the 4-wheeled cart - aside from the stairs which you mentioned - is how to keep stuff from falling off the sides of it.

The other items look interesting, too.

I think imight also have a Caddy Daddy, which is a travel bag for lightstands... again I might need to look for it as I think it too "is around somewhere." So maybe a combination of something like the 22-inch Connect rolling system and The Caddy Daddy (which could fit a couple of tripods and a couple of stands), might work.

I'll have to go back and watch some episodes of The Cranky Camerman and figure out what he is using and whether it is viable for me, since he is hauling stuff around in a van and I only have a Honda element, which has to do double-duty as a family vehicle, too.

AZMario wrote:

I used a rock-n-roller R12RT all terrain. I have both the platform for the bottom and the shelf to go up top. Fortunately almost every place I've been had handicap access so the wheels are not a problem. I operate from the cart. It goess from 34" to 52" wide so between the upper and lower shelves i have enough room to carry everything to the venue and then setup sound equipment, laptops, mixer, atem etc. It is very sturdy and weighs 33 pounds without the shelves. Folds up reasonably small when not in use. Wheels are big enough to easily go through gravel or dirt.

Thanks for the information. I took a look at the cart. It does seem pretty heavy duty. At $300-plus it is kind of a pricey solution.

I am having a hard time on this sunday afternoon to visualize / find the shelves for it. If you have a photo of how you have your cart set up, that would be awesome.

Anyway, thanks again.

I guess I've never taken any pictures either loaded or setup for operating ☹️. But i did a quick setup just now do give you some idea. It is way more loaded when actually going out. Bungee cords are my ally. The cases on the bottom are for 120d's and modifiers along with bags for cords and cables. The laptop on top is a 17" hp. C-stand's fit on the top shelf as long as you separate the upright from the legs and i have taken up to 3.

AZMario wrote:

I guess I've never taken any pictures either loaded or setup for operating ☹️. But i did a quick setup just now do give you some idea. It is way more loaded when actually going out. Bungee cords are my ally. The cases on the bottom are for 120d's and modifiers along with bags for cords and cables. The laptop on top is a 17" hp. C-stand's fit on the top shelf as long as you separate the upright from the legs and i have taken up to 3.

Thanks so much for the photo and for the further explanation!!! Good to know you can carry the C Stands on there as well.

I am guessing then that you keep the cart folded up when in the car / van, pull it out, then load up all the equipment and wheel it along, right? (As opposed to leaving everything on the cart shelves and then wheeling it up a ramp in to a van of some sort?)

Can you talk briefly about your audio gear on the top shelf? Are you doing gigs where you need to mix down 8 channels of audio? And is that an ATEM or some other kind of video switcher?

Thanks again.

I do carry the cart folded up. I have a Toyota Venza that manages to handle the folded cart and all the gear. It only takes 5 minutes to set the cart up.  Takes longer to load it and tie everything down.

Max audio channels so far is 11. 6 panel wireless mics, zoom audio from the remotes, and 4 audience mics.  For that many i put all the audience mics on a second mixer. Cart does get a little crowded at that point.

That is an Atem mini pro.

AZMario wrote:

I do carry the cart folded up. I have a Toyota Venza that manages to handle the folded cart and all the gear. It only takes 5 minutes to set the cart up. Takes longer to load it and tie everything down.

Max audio channels so far is 11. 6 panel wireless mics, zoom audio from the remotes, and 4 audience mics. For that many i put all the audience mics on a second mixer. Cart does get a little crowded at that point.

That is an Atem mini pro.

Thanks again. Much appreciated.

I don't think there is an easy solution. For the transportation part from your home to the location, a van with pre-built wall racks would make it easy for organizing and securing. But once you get to the location, you still have to take it out and set it up manually.

That's why movie making is a very labor intensive business. There are always many people when they shoot on location.

DMKAlex wrote:

I don't think there is an easy solution. For the transportation part from your home to the location, a van with pre-built wall racks would make it easy for organizing and securing. But once you get to the location, you still have to take it out and set it up manually.

That's why movie making is a very labor intensive business. There are always many people when they shoot on location.

Oh, yeah, I understand that. I guess I am framing my question to the one-man-band shooters who are doing corporate / small documentary videos.

Off The Mark wrote:

DMKAlex wrote:

I don't think there is an easy solution. For the transportation part from your home to the location, a van with pre-built wall racks would make it easy for organizing and securing. But once you get to the location, you still have to take it out and set it up manually.

That's why movie making is a very labor intensive business. There are always many people when they shoot on location.

Oh, yeah, I understand that. I guess I am framing my question to the one-man-band shooters who are doing corporate / small documentary videos.

For corporate shoot, there probably will be elevator instead of stairs. A cart would do the job.

Otherwise, you'll just have to arrive early and do a few trips to unload. It's not easy with tripods alone, and never mind all the light stands, light and modifiers.

DMKAlex wrote:

For corporate shoot, there probably will be elevator instead of stairs. A cart would do the job.

Otherwise, you'll just have to arrive early and do a few trips to unload. It's not easy with tripods alone, and never mind all the light stands, light and modifiers.

What I would probably be looking for is "The Poor Man's Version" of the rock-n-roller R12RT cart that AZMario mentioned and was kind enough to photograph and post here.

That looks like a great solution, but the basic cart is $329, then to rig it out the way AZMario has would require an additional $191. So over $500 (plus tax).

I understand that the type of carts that get used on movie sets start from about $3,000 and go up from there. Still, the idea of paying $500 on a cart is a tough pill to swallow.

Hoping others might have come up with some more affordable solutions.