Rob Lewis Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 I challenge any bag or accesory manufacturer to make a waterproof bag cover that is light, packs small, deploys while on the run and can actually operate the mixer with ease under it. Thinking of a backpack style rain cover that has elastic ir draw cord around it that covers the front and sides of the bag with a clear viynl top flap that you can easily get hand under to operate. Eg. Petrol clear top organizer bag cover that has an elastic wrap around ripstop bag for the front and sides. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pindrop Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 I challenge any bag or accesory manufacturer to make a waterproof bag cover that is light, packs small, deploys while on the run and can actually operate the mixer with ease under it. Thinking of a backpack style rain cover that has elastic ir draw cord around it that covers the front and sides of the bag with a clear viynl top flap that you can easily get hand under to operate. Eg. Petrol clear top organizer bag cover that has an elastic wrap around ripstop bag for the front and sides. What's wrong with the Petrol Perc then? It works very well for me except in the very cold where it cracks and splits. I always have it with me as it folds flat, is light, and takes up little space. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Lewis Posted January 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 It has been discontinued and the 2 i had walked away with PA's that i handed them off to. I have contacted Petrol and they cant locate any. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pindrop Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 It has been discontinued and the 2 i had walked away with PA's that i handed them off to. I have contacted Petrol and they cant locate any. Ah yes I see, I didn't know that, and it was in the duplicated thread you started. I'd better look after the ones I've got then, and not use them for spindrift covers! I think It's transparent shower curtain material, which can be fairly easily sourced and then find a local machinist perhaps? Or K-Tek are enthusiastic about bag manufacturing at the moment with the new Stingray and so on perhaps they'll be able to help? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Lewis Posted January 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 I've cut up shower curtains. Need some type of weight or clip ro keep wind from blowing it. i want something that will fit in a baseball size stuff sac and hags on the bag ready to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johngooch Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 I liked the idea of portabrace quick slick but it did not work out well either… The idea of something that wrapped around the entire bag was enticing but it just was not really made for practical use. http://www.portabrace.com/products/audio/audio-organizers/448-quick-slicks-audio-qsa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfisk Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfisk Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 In all seriousness, Mike McQueen was visiting the shop today and we had a long conversation about this very issue. There are two ways I think we can go about this: -Build a cover that just goes covers the bag and allows you access to the bag -Build an "apron" style cover that attaches to the audio harness we are going to make. Maybe even make it so it can attach to the harness even when it is packed away, and when it starts to rain you can deploy it quickly. The key to me is getting it open and secured quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProSound Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 -Build an "apron" style cover that attaches to the audio harness we are going to make. Maybe even make it so it can attach to the harness even when it is packed away, and when it starts to rain you can deploy it quickly. Petrol use to make an apron but it wasn't perfect since your making one it needs to securely attached to bag so if you take bag off you can detach it from your harness and still use it for rain protection I'd love it just attach via some D-rings so you can use it will any set up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pindrop Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 Petrol use to make an apron but it wasn't perfect since your making one it needs to securely attached to bag so if you take bag off you can detach it from your harness and still use it for rain protection I'd love it just attach via some D-rings so you can use it will any set up. The advantage of attaching the Petrol Perc to a high point on your harness though was that you could get your hands under it easily to operate whilst still stopping rain. As it was attached by folding velcro it was pretty easy to attach / detach and the velcro could be used to attach to the back of the bag and keep it covered when the bag was put down, at least that's what I do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_bollard Posted January 9, 2014 Report Share Posted January 9, 2014 the perc is my favourite - tho its really only good for "shower" not downpour anyway I would out of the elements if the rain is too heavy. Struck me as odd that Petrol has discontinued the perc - best option for rain and ocean spray. The poncho style covers end up being too complicated (if the weather clears up tricky to take off while you're working and too big to pack away if you're on the run) and too hot for the places I'm normally in = ideal if you're in a downpour in South Island of New Zealand.... Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted January 9, 2014 Report Share Posted January 9, 2014 CB: " Struck me as odd that Petrol has discontinued the perc " maybe they weren't selling well, and/or they weren't able to make and market them profitably Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Lewis Posted January 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2014 All good Ideas. Has to be quick deploy, and very easy to operate the bag. The problem i have with the slicker style that attaches to the bag is they position the bag too low. I want to clip the bag to my harness as usual and just deploy or remove the cover quickly so i don't sweat to death under it. It should also be clear in front as to see slates or timecode displays attached to the bag. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason A Posted February 4, 2014 Report Share Posted February 4, 2014 My vote is for the first option. A cover that just goes over the bag. As a northwest sound mixer, rain is a common issue year round. Every once in a while I run into a product made for another purpose that comes close working. The best option so far is a rain cover that came with the the Thinktank backpack I use for run and gun situations. See below. If something similar could be made with a clear material to provide a proper view of the mixer/wireless, as well as holes for hands of course, I would be all about it. The cool thing about this is that it's light, small, folds up into itself and is easily deployed due to the use of elastic around the edges. Obviously it won't work in its current form, but with a view and holes I think it would be perfect. Also, since being compact is so important for an accessory like this, I would prefer a thinner light weight material, over a thicker and likely more durable one. In all seriousness, Mike McQueen was visiting the shop today and we had a long conversation about this very issue. There are two ways I think we can go about this: -Build a cover that just goes covers the bag and allows you access to the bag -Build an "apron" style cover that attaches to the audio harness we are going to make. Maybe even make it so it can attach to the harness even when it is packed away, and when it starts to rain you can deploy it quickly. The key to me is getting it open and secured quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael McQueen Posted February 6, 2014 Report Share Posted February 6, 2014 i think one of our major challenges with proper rain cover for our bags is finding a clear plastic material that works well and can hold up. i've been looking at a lot of other rain covers lately from other bag manufacturers. none are clear. so i started looking at clear plastic options that were easily foldable, not a lot of options there. for those of us that have been long term users of the PERC cover, or any of the plastic covers that pertrol supplies with their bags, longevity has been an issue. i've had 2 of my pegz1 covers crack, my 617 cover has cracked and i now have a crack in 1/2 of my PERC rain covers. If you're always in a warmer climate, then you'll probably have less of an issue with this. but if you're like me, where you endure 4 solid seasons of both sides of the extremes of temperatures, you're going to have a clear plastic material crack after 1 heavy winter of cold/rain. I've had the stingray bag for about a month now, but I haven't had it in the elements as much as my previous bags have been, just luck of the draw i guess. but the plastic in the cover that ktek has chosen does feel different than the petrol covers/PERC. so its tough to say where kteks choses plastic will go in longevity. while talking with dave, my suggestion was a harness mounted style of rain cover, similar to how petrols PERC mounts via velcro wrapped around a higher point on your harness. however we all wear our harnesses different, so there presents some challenges there. but what i voiced in wanting was easy/quick on and easy/quick off to be stowed back away. i looked a lot of my other bags that have rain covers. my camel back that i use for bike riding has a rain cover stowed in the bottom thats pretty quick and easy to deploy. however its not clear and its not designed for your hands to be diving under to tweak knobs and push buttons. but lets keep working together towards this so we can hopefully have a kick ass product developed so that we can mix better not worrying about getting our gadgets wet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wandering Ear Posted February 6, 2014 Report Share Posted February 6, 2014 I've recently bought a Porta Brace QSA rain cover which covers the whole bag and has a clear plastic top as well as openings to allow me to mix. http://www.portabrace.com/products/audio/audio-organizers/448-qsa-4-quick-slicks-audio I have only used a couple times so far, but with the weather report in Seattle, I should be putting quite a few days with it in the rain in the coming weeks. So far, I think it's going to work out nicely. It's not the quickly deployed and stowed solution for light rains, but it looks very promising for the very wet days where you need protection all day. It also packs nice and small. Sorry for the bad picks, I'll try to take some better ones and post again once I've used it more in the rains coming this weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason A Posted February 6, 2014 Report Share Posted February 6, 2014 One issue with the harness style cover is that more mixers are looking for and using belt support only these days. I still feel like an elastic option with the right type of clear plastic would work well. The plastic on the Port Brace version Kelsey has looks like it would fold up nicely. i think one of our major challenges with proper rain cover for our bags is finding a clear plastic material that works well and can hold up. i've been looking at a lot of other rain covers lately from other bag manufacturers. none are clear. so i started looking at clear plastic options that were easily foldable, not a lot of options there. for those of us that have been long term users of the PERC cover, or any of the plastic covers that pertrol supplies with their bags, longevity has been an issue. i've had 2 of my pegz1 covers crack, my 617 cover has cracked and i now have a crack in 1/2 of my PERC rain covers. If you're always in a warmer climate, then you'll probably have less of an issue with this. but if you're like me, where you endure 4 solid seasons of both sides of the extremes of temperatures, you're going to have a clear plastic material crack after 1 heavy winter of cold/rain. I've had the stingray bag for about a month now, but I haven't had it in the elements as much as my previous bags have been, just luck of the draw i guess. but the plastic in the cover that ktek has chosen does feel different than the petrol covers/PERC. so its tough to say where kteks choses plastic will go in longevity. while talking with dave, my suggestion was a harness mounted style of rain cover, similar to how petrols PERC mounts via velcro wrapped around a higher point on your harness. however we all wear our harnesses different, so there presents some challenges there. but what i voiced in wanting was easy/quick on and easy/quick off to be stowed back away. i looked a lot of my other bags that have rain covers. my camel back that i use for bike riding has a rain cover stowed in the bottom thats pretty quick and easy to deploy. however its not clear and its not designed for your hands to be diving under to tweak knobs and push buttons. but lets keep working together towards this so we can hopefully have a kick ass product developed so that we can mix better not worrying about getting our gadgets wet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McL Posted February 6, 2014 Report Share Posted February 6, 2014 Take a look at Inverness Capes for ideas. Scottish shoppes sell 'em at (used to be) less than $100. Were the front section of the cape clear, you could still see everything needs to be seen. The Harness is worn between the cape and base or innermost piece so the bag may be set down and harness remain on. Some models come with detachable hoods and fold up to be about 1" x 8" x 9" in the bag that comes with. What I liked about working in the rain with this was the big arm holes, and side slits for under-cape access to slacks pockets. When the rain clears, you just flip the cape flaps back over your shoulders. Just a thought bubble to add to the stew. I also like that in everyday wear, can put on a backpack so it's covered by the cape and yet still attached as you would normally wear the thing. Note large arm cutout... They're LONG. With a pair of Neos and OR rain hat, I'm never at rain's mercy. http://www.misterantony.com/ [Edited to post bottommost rare portrait as boom op in real rain and faux snow.] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mirror Posted February 7, 2014 Report Share Posted February 7, 2014 Jan, That is a very good idea. It's not perfect but pretty close. I'll be mulling it over for a couple of days and probably buy one. So what if i'm the only guy west of the Mississippi wearing one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoulSound Posted March 6, 2014 Report Share Posted March 6, 2014 I've recently bought a Porta Brace QSA rain cover which covers the whole bag and has a clear plastic top as well as openings to allow me to mix. http://www.portabrace.com/products/audio/audio-organizers/448-qsa-4-quick-slicks-audio I have only used a couple times so far, but with the weather report in Seattle, I should be putting quite a few days with it in the rain in the coming weeks. So far, I think it's going to work out nicely. It's not the quickly deployed and stowed solution for light rains, but it looks very promising for the very wet days where you need protection all day. It also packs nice and small. Sorry for the bad picks, I'll try to take some better ones and post again once I've used it more in the rains coming this weekend. 2014-02-05 21.41.48.jpg 2014-02-05 21.40.51.jpg What bag are you using? I am wondering if the biggest portabrace cover QSA - 4? will fit over my Petrol PS602 (the large one). At this point we are looking at this or the Petrol Poncho with clear section. I think your one might actually be a better idea as it will make putting the bag down for a rest a lot less messy. Also, does the cover allow for access to the back of the bag so I can still clip onto my harness?...maybe not???... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wandering Ear Posted March 7, 2014 Report Share Posted March 7, 2014 What bag are you using? I am wondering if the biggest portabrace cover QSA - 4? will fit over my Petrol PS602 (the large one). At this point we are looking at this or the Petrol Poncho with clear section. I think your one might actually be a better idea as it will make putting the bag down for a rest a lot less messy. Also, does the cover allow for access to the back of the bag so I can still clip onto my harness?...maybe not???... I use a custom Kortwich bag. There is an opening at the top on the back, it may be wide enough to clip your harness into, but it may wear the opening out pretty quick. I don't use a harness, so i don't know. The rain cover worked great. I sat outside in some pretty heavy rains this last month, and the cover did the job. A bit constricting and harder to operate with, but worth it when the weather gets bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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