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New Porta-Brace case for Nomad


Davideo

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  • 4 weeks later...

We got some in late last week and I'm impressed. They are very precise and well engineered. They are very form fitting and can be used with the Zaxnet antenna with little problem. The opening in the back for the XLR inputs is spot on and it can be adjusted for right angle cables. I'll try to get some pics up tomorrow if anyone wants to see it packed with a nomad.

-Ryan

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I'd love to see it with gear - the photos on the porta-brace web site are't very good.

+1

The same reaction I had. I have a lot of respect for the gang in Bennington (and I have more of their cases than I can count), but I was surprised they'd post such poor representations of how a Nomad looks and fits into this new bag.

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I'd love to see it with gear - the photos on the porta-brace web site are't very good.

I'd venture to say that none of the pictures on the PortaBrace website are any good when it comes to showing just how their bags are supposed to work with the intended gear. Half of them seem to include additional attached bags that aren't described or included in the prices quoted. I love the PB stuff when I see it in real life but you have absolutely no freakin' idea of what they'll really look like or how they'll work if all you have to go on is their website.

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Thanks Ryan. Question; If a receiver 'pouch' is attached on the front, can you easy connect the receivers to the nomad 'internally'? So without the need to go with the cables all around via the side flaps. And is it right that I see no space left for power and power distro?

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Unfortunately, due to a shipping snafu, we are still waiting on the black RM-multi cases for the front. However, I have a blue RM-multi from another bag and as long as you are using straight XLR cables you would have no problems with connections. The bottom flap gives complete access to the inputs, and you could easily fitt four receivers in the RM-Multi. As for power, the RM-Multi has a pouch in the front that comfortably holds an NP style battery, cup, and clip on BDS.

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I wish Petrol would bring back the PEGZ-1F. It moved the Nomad to the front section and provides access to the XLR connectors. It was made a few years before the Nomad was announced. Pics toward the bottom of this page: http://markproaudio.com/pictures/

Mark O.

You can do the same with tne newest P-601. I, myself never tried to have the mixer in the front pouch, how do you guys deal with the extra whieight on the front of the bag, and mostly does it not block your wireless with you arm when mixing?

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Nice bag.. but it's a crying shame one is forced to use a RM-multi for wireless.. it's the stupidest floppiest add-on pouch ever... Don't even think of putting the mixer/recorder in that pouch.. Trying to make a firm bag just using the d-rings and the velcro-straps to attach the RM to the main bag is useless unless you use extra straps, and stuff.. I don't think it is a well designed modular setup.. .

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+1 DjGo

Got a similar bag for my 302 and that add-on pouch is a pita imo too. Sagging setup as a result.

As a comparison Petrol 614 doesn't have the stiff armature (that I like so much) inside like the PEGZ1-2-3 and is also sagging; but at least it's one piece.

And loads of velcro is safe for rainy days (flaps on the sides), but again, a pain for every day life.

In fact, I'm not seeing a product that will age very well. PB is making the same mistakes they always did imo. No real innovation apart from adapting an old design for a different new piece of gear.

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This is a quick first thoughts on the Portabrace bag.

I got a demo bag to check out. The bag is super lightweight. I think the Zaxnet antenna will be fine (as pictured above). Super easy access to the XLR inputs (compared to using something like a PEGZ1). That may be really important to people that would be repatching. I LOVE how light the Nomad rig is in this bag, but it might be giving up too much storage. This bag is purpose built for the Nomad, so the bottom flap is perfect for easy full access to the XLR inputs (unlike the Petrol PS614). The dimensions are a perfect fit for the Nomad itself, I'm just not sure about the RM-multi being enough for all the stuff I carry.

No lower rings on the bag for those of us that do some jobs where we put the RUN in run+gun. I guess a lot of the lightweight bags lack this, though the Petrol PS607 and 614 have 4 points of mounting. I know from other bag reviews, that's a major issue for a few people.

In general I am not a fan of the RM-multi thing either. Every bag I have seen after a time has that thing held on with zip ties or sash cord. Maybe those rental houses keep using the bags long after they should be ditched. In the past, a few 411 RXs make the RM feel like it will fall off. I also don't like the window flap on the RM-multi (never have). Do I cut it off? If I fold it in, then I can't velcro the RXs to the bag wall. I don't have any SRa5P RXs yet, but it would be a close fit to get three across. With 411/410 you would have to turn them 90 degrees. The 411 may be a little too wide to do that with. The RM pouch also means weird cable routing that can be hidden in some of the other bags. Not sure what you Portabrace users are doing with batteries. I can just about fit 2 NP-1 in, but that's not showing an adapter cap. Again, you'll have power cables dangling out. Still have to hide the TRX900/STA150 and Comtek and BDS and whatever else in the little front accessory pouch. I guess that's a trade off for the lightweight bag. I could save BDS space with a Hawkwoods NP-1 cap, but then all my power cables are sticking up in the air and that's a mess. I've done that, and I wasn't happy. Again, the battery height also makes the window flap thing useless. There is no belly pouch for a battery like the Petrol bags have. Not sure what their intended setup is for battery storage. Obviously you can't work off the internal AAs.

Is any bag perfect? Nope. I'm bringing up the negatives that I am seeing right off the bat, but some may be a non-issue to many of you. If you only use two SRa5P RXs, you will have a lot more space in the bag than I do. If you use Zaxnet and not Comteks or G2s, you'll save space as well. Still not sure what would be the best battery solution with this bag.

7458254940_cf026336d8_c.jpg

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