Packwheel® / Honeybadgerwheel®: 'Off-road' all-terrain, One-wheel utility cart / hauler

[new mexico]

Food for thought:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fair warning: The following website(s) contain some photo(s) of dead animal(s) -

As this was originally designed / built as (primarily) a hunter's tool:

(Full disclosure: I am not affiliated in any way.)

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/enijeo/honey-badger-wheel-is-the-all-terrain-mechanical-a

https://honeybadgerwheel.com

 

[daniel]

Nice find Jim, it's joined a few others on my 'trailer' pintrest page:

https://uk.pinterest.com/droblong/trailer/

[old school]

Good food for thought.

CrewC

[new mexico]

The following is based on my own, personal, experiences:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Full disclosure: I purchased my Packwheel®  - in September of 2015 - directly from Brady Smith, the owner and originator of the trademarked named. (Brady explains, that - He based it, loosely, on the 'Chinese wheelbarrow' concept.)

Fwiw:  Other Google Images: Chinese Wheelbarrow

 

 

And, other than just my being a happy 'end-user' of this modern-day "beast of burden" - I have no other affiliation with Packwheel® / Brady Smith.

 

 

I put my fully-loaded Packwheel® on a scale - And, minus the 12+ lbs? (6 +/- kg?) tare - I figure I'm hauling about 90lbs? (40kg) of O-T-S-type audio-gear, for documentary-type filming.

Which, by the way - When properly balanced, with the lowest c.o.g. possible, the cart handles easily - And is, in my opinion, the most satisfactory of all modes of transport that I experimented with, when doing my own research for some off-road trekking projects - Where, we would be getting into a lot of varying terrains, and some unknown topographical situations.

 

(Fair warning: The following link is to a hunter's website. Some folks may find some of the images disturbing?)

http://www.packwheel.com/

postscript:

Brady has a sizing chart, and some user tips, on his website.

I have also figured out a few things, in using my own Packwheel®,  relative to our line of work (from my own 'trekking' jobs) - And, would be happy to discuss them, if anyone were seriously interested?

 

- - - - - - -

 

Other Packwheel® users?

Just for grins:

 

 

 

 

 

Clicking these Instagram videos, below, initiates play. (W/ atmos. No dialog.)

They are in auto-play-loop. Clicking again, in the image, stops play:

 

 

"When you go through brush like this you want to make sure you secure the panniers to the frame as tight as possible."

 

[new mexico]

Rigged some running lights:

 

 

 

Food for thought: ( I have no affiliation.)

 

 

 

 

(FWIW?, I ordered the $50 pledge*)

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1069601559/one80-light-the-headlamp-reinvented-full-180-illum

* Here are some caveats: Does not dim. (Yet.) 'Daylight' only - No colors. (Yet.)

Read more in the 'comments' section?: (The shaded / highlighted comments, are from the O.E.M / 'creator')

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1069601559/one80-light-the-headlamp-reinvented-full-180-illum/comments

I found it easiest to read, by first ...

Scrolling all the way to the bottom of the page - the 'beginning' of the comments - And, reading it 'going up.' YMMV

[Olle Sjostrom]

Great stuff as usual, Jim! One thing I'd definitely would want is like a kickstand that folds out so that it could be standing horizontally. That light tho... Want!

[edward chick]

Real cool Jim. I agree with Olle the only thing missing is a kickstand.

[new mexico]

On 5/8/2016 at 1:32 PM, Olle Sjostrom said:

Great stuff as usual, Jim! One thing I'd definitely would want is like a kickstand that folds out so that it could be standing horizontally. That light tho... Want!

On 5/8/2016 at 1:36 PM, edward chick said:

Real cool Jim. I agree with Olle the only thing missing is a kickstand.

 

Appreciate the sentiment, Olle, and Edward. Thank you. 

Yes, a D.I.Y. "Kickstand Mod" on my Packwheel® had been previously contemplated - So, I'm with you in spirit!

( I too thought a 'horizontal' stance would be ideal? )

Similar to this, in idea only -  http://www.prohikeaustralia.com.au  

( 'Prohike Australia' YT videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zq9puhTyWhE&list=UUZYSO7D21FTRc3m6Twh7Fdg

 

Or, similar to this concept ↓ Which obviously, would have to be different, for my application:

 

Also ...
As another option?  (Once in-place, on-location)
I thought I might possibly want to rest the Packwheel's 'nose' down - With, handlebars  'up' * ? -
Which, would then serve as (relatively) good "antenna mast" mounting points?
And..
With my 'bag' ( and accessories) mounted horizontally, in the center section -
So, as to be a possible "work station." I pictured, that -
I might be able to sit myself on a fold-up camp stool - semi-eye-level with the mixing bag?

* As an example - the "Up-right" position, as seen in this photo, below:

 

So yeah .... I got excited with my notions  - And, I even ordered materials (As seen in photo, below) - But...

In reality ...  (hopefully w/o putting too fine a point on things, below?)

On the few jobs, that I have "packwheeled in" on  ...
Once out in the boondocks ... (what this device is designed primarily for)
It's been my experience, that  - There were simply too many variations on the type of locations we landed in -

for any 'one-size-fits-all' type of 'efficient' kickstand. 

(And, I would also have to carry the additional weight of a 'rest,' of any kind - So ...)

Once in situ, I learned to gently lay the Packwheel down, on it's handlebars -

(as in seen in my photos - And, any of the other 'at-rest' Packwheel photos on the web) -

And, simply let 'Mother Nature' make the decisions on where it reaches it's gravitational equilibrium.
(Again ... This is, in my experience, has only come about, as an apparent 'learned' practice.)

Then, I unload the panniers - And, set up a separate 'work station' (my camp stools, mixer-bag's ottoman, stands, etc.)
It's also my (brief) experience, that - With the first 'walk and talk' with our documentary subjects -
Any notion of a 'Packwheel-based work-station' was quickly nullified - for my style of work. YMMV?

And, I just gotta say, that -
This single-wheel 'concept' has gotten me in and out of places no 2-wheel cart could go.

And, is simply a great 'hauler.'  (Again, for my style of work.)

I, myself, no longer think of trying to adapt it as any type of 'work-station.' (It just isn't designed / built for that purpose, IMHO.)
 
I'll post more later on the electric-motor options. And, a few of the other 'haulers' I researched.

Daniel has a few on his Pinterest page. (Nice reference collection, Daniel.)

 

 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  -

 

- - - - - - -

 

 

- - - - - -

 

 

 

 

- - - - - - -

 

 

- - - - - - -

 

 

'Motorized' - Prototype - Version #1:

Published on Jul 23, 2017

The total carry weight of this XL 29er Pack Wheel with motor and battery is exactly 22 lbs. On this test The DIY Hunter uses the Pack Wheel to carry about 70 lbs up the mountain. This particular motor only has power enough to run at about 1/2 mph. While it actually helped a great deal in going up the mountain it operates just too slow for our liking. The next motor we are testing has a lot more power and tremendous tongue to crawl like this or run up the mountain all fully propelled by the motor its self.

 

Version #2

http://www.thediyhunter.com/trail-camera-scouting/198-motorized-pack-wheel-testing-high-torque-hiking-speed

 

YOU HAVE TO REALIZE THIS IS JUST A PHOTO OF A PROTOTYPE - MOTOR PLACEMENT IS OBVIOUSLY NOT FINAL!

 

 

MOTOR PLACEMENT IS DIFFERENT:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FAQ - http://www.packwheel.com/index.asp?Id=13

Can I pull the Pack Wheel?

A very common question. The answer is yes you can, but in most situations, you will prefer operating it in front of you. The original thought (see Pack Wheel History) when we first started designing the Pack Wheel was to have a cart that you pull. After all, isn't it easier to pull than to push? After using the first prototype in 2007 within the first five minutes we realized that pulling a cart with the weight balanced over the wheel was nowhere near as comfortable as pushing it in front of you. Pulling the Pack Wheel behind you makes it a little harder to balance as you can not see exactly what the wheel is going to confront. Walking behind the wheel gives the operator the ability to anticipate the obstacles and have the full strength of your arms to keep it balanced, creating a very smooth and enjoyable experience, similar to riding a bike but even easier as your feet are on the ground. Pulling the Pack Wheel you will find that you may get a little annoyed with the wheel hitting things and wanting to tip to the side. It is much easier to balance the load when you are always facing the Pack Wheel. It is practically effortless to keep the Pack Wheel balanced and upright when you are "pushing" it from behind. There may be times where pulling is a better option. Some of those include really deep wet snow, a long section of really steep and rough terrain.  Pulling any cart behind you also requires really wide turns whereas with the Pack Wheel you can easily maneuver and turn completely around on a dime. If you really want a pull behind system there are a number of products on the market that are designed for pulling. These pull behind systems use a smaller wheel spaced further away from your body and then have the weight of the load roughly halfway between the wheel and the operator. Designs like this have about half of the weight being carried by the operator at all times making it much easier to manage to keep the cart upright when the wheel hits an obstacle you were not anticipating. It is very common for people who have never tried the Pack Wheel to say that it is wrong to be pushing it. No one who has ever used the Pack Wheel has complained about pushing and everyone we have talked with thoroughly loves how easy carrying gear is with the Pack Wheel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mono]