The perfect equipment case/trolley.

[Spin360]

Hello fellow sound people!

 

I've been looking into finding the perfect solution for traveling with my gear while having it as compact and functional as possible.

I had an orca OR-26 until recently but its quality was rather lacking and the padding wasted a lot of space. Also it tended to fall over, which ja bad because I use the trolley/case as stand for my audio bag when doing interviews.

 

So right now I am using a Peli Air 1535 case with trekpak insert - and its ALMOST perfect.

 

My issue isbthst the case is just large enough to get my essentials in there, but not everything that I need for bigger gigs. Also the wheels are tiny and terrible.

I've attached jmages so you can imagine how I use my case.

 

I've tried finding a similarly sized peli case, the 1650  or the 1615 would be OK, but its wheels are also terrible and they are 10cm thicker, which I don't need (might be a waste of space).

So are there any alternatives? What do you guys use?

 

The most important part is mobility. I travel via train, so I need everything in an easily transportable case that is well protected. I want to avoid buying a car for as long as possible

But having perfect order and a neatly packed case is also really important to me, which is why I really like the trekpack solution.

[Johnny Karlsson]

This is something very specific to everyone’s personal needs and pretty much impossible to answer by anybody but yourself. I have gone between various configurations over the years - and it’s probably going to change again. When I had a 1650 I found that it was too big. When I loaded it up to travel on a plane it was always overweight. So I got rid of it. Then I used a 1620 which is slightly smaller, but still fits a lot of stuff. For the set up that you have right there maybe check out the 1560 it’s bigger than the case that you currently have but it’s smaller than the 1620 case. But that’s still Pelicans with the same type of wheels. Maybe look at the Portabrace hard cases, I think they made some with bigger outdoor type wheels. You’ll have to look at the specs/measurements which should be available online. 

[Ian Berman]

I've been using this for the past year+ and it suits my needs well. Wheels are great but the handle is a bit wobbly when fully extended (I still pick it up by the retractable handle, and it's yet to break). They also make a larger version, but this one is suitable for a carry-on. I'm sure the pelican would also be a good choice, but I like that this one looks like a suitcase when I take it on the subway.

 

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1338091-REG/tenba_638_712_roadie_roller_21_black.html

 

I manage to fit a cs3e in a super softie, mkh50, 40' xlr cables, tentacles, 5 comteks w/ headphones, a bunch of ursa straps, 4 lectro transmitters w/ mics, 3 sets of g3 tx/rx's, a ton of backup adapter cables + batteries etc. along with a boom and light stand in the side pocket. The only thing I can't take on foot is a blimp, maybe the larger one would work for that.