Gear carrying tricks wtd from "old timers".

[Daniel Grenier]

As I am now over my mid 50's, I just find my gear difficult to handle. The 8x10 is still somewhat bareable but the 7x17 kills me. This is especially an issue when walking to a scene in the woods, say, or to places not accessible with my truck etc.

How do you "aging" LFers now manage your gear? (No, downsizing is not yet an option).

Thanks for the tips and tricks.

[j.e.simmons]

As a near-geezer at 58, I carry my C-1, Zone VI heavy duty tripod and other assorted junk in a jogging baby stroller. Several other photographers in my area also do this - we've all modified the strollers a bit to meet the needs of our equipment. I was lucky to find one that only required removal of the sunshade. My camera bag drops right into the area where the baby would sit, my bag of film holders, meters, etc. straps to the foot area with a bungee cord, and the tripod lays over the top - again held in place with a bungee cord.

The large wheels make navigating over rough terrain relatively easy, although the tires are narrow and tend to bog down in loose sand and mud. I've hiked up to 10-miles with mine.
juan

[Scott Kathe]

I think there was a thread on this before, maybe someone else can find it. Try something with wheels! When I was 35 I dragged my 60+ lb kayak and 40+ lb of gear 5 miles over hill and dale into a great wilderness lake I had always wanted to paddle. The wheels went under the center of the kayak. Now that I'm turning 45 this year I wouldn't attempt that again. But I have an 18lb pack canoe and the question now is how do I get the pack canoe and large format gear and overnight gear into that lake?

Maybe a four wheel wagon with BIG tires or a golf bag cart would work for you-I'm sure I'll be doing that someday in the far (hopefully) future;)

Scott

[Jim Rice]

Hi Juan, What is the make and model of your jogger? Also is your camera case the Calumet hard one for the C-1? Thanks, Jim

[Walter Calahan]

Jogging Baby Stroller, now why didn't I think of that? Perhaps because I'm only 50. HA!

Please post the model you're using, and hightlight the modifications. Those who are approaching geezing want to know.

[Greg Lockrey]

An insustrial size (large wheels) dolly. Pulled, not pushed. :)

[John Kasaian]

A gentle pack mule is nice. Actually its great!

Where pack mules aren't allowed I've had good service from a California Innovations soft sided wheeled cooler. It has a shoulder strap so if things get sideways on the trail I can sling the whole enchilada over one shoulder and P.O.R.

When carrying large cameras one of my biggest issues is the large tripod. I find that strapping it on to my Lowe Trekker is very awkward (it gves me a taste of what it might be like to be a moose---imagine walking through the forest with a huge rack of antlers!:eek:) Alternatively you could try a quiver like surveyors use or attach a rifle sling to one of the legs.

Or take along an atheletic son or daughter and let them shoulder the load! That is after all, why you've sprung all that money on basketball camps, little league and ski lessons over the years, right? ;)

[Stephen Willard]

I am 55, and I use llamas. They can carry 85 pounds comfortably, and 100 pounds if they are in good shape. They will go any place you can except across deep snow fields, boulder fields, or between two trees narrower than they are wide with their packs. They can eat anything, and well trained llamas will never tug on the rope. Many times I have had to look over my shoulders to see if they were still there. They are very quite timid creatures.

I have a custom made light weight open trailer with high clearance to haul them around. This allows me to 4WD in as far as possible before I have to start trekking. Many people haul them around in their pickup trucks. There are pens that will attach to the flatbed to prevent the llamas from jumping out. And, this summer I saw two llamas bedded down in the back of a minivan. Go figure.

I have two llamas, Hershey and Vanilla. They have been my buddies for years now and have never damaged any gear. In general, I spend about two months a year in the back country of Colorado with them far from roads and people. They have very keen eyesight, sense of smell, and hearing. Twice, two years ago, they let me know a mountain lion was coming to visit way before the lion arrived, and I was ready with lots of rocks. My llamas have definitely had a huge impact on my photography, and I suspect they would for you as well. 99.99% of the good stuff is never near a road, at least in Colorado.

[Ralph Barker]

I've mentioned this before to similar past threads, but I try to hire several members of the Swedish Bikini Team as assistants - several so none of them have to carry too much.

When they're busy, I use a folding golf cart (~$70, imported) that has 4" wide wheels (good for sandy or soggy ground). It's not as stable as the strollers or deer carts, but it's compact and inexpensive.

[Richard Wasserman]

Daniel,

I had the same problem and now carry my gear in a Sherpa Cart- http://www.sherpacart.com/ It has 16 inch diameter bicycle wheels and balances well. The handle folds for storage and it's well made, much stronger than a golf cart, which I also investigated. The jogging strollers I'm sure work well, but have a much larger footprint and well... they're strollers. Maybe if I had grandchildren I wouldn't mind? Good luck!

[John Kasaian]

Ralph,

Do you happen to have an e-mail address for the Swedish Bikini Team? My mule needs a mental health day off! ;)

[j.e.simmons]

My stroller is an InStep brand, but I've seen many different brands and they are all relatively the same. I bought mine at a consignment shop - one of those places that sells used baby stuff. I've also seen them at thrift stores.

Modification usually amounts to taking off straps and similar soft pieces. Mine came with a sun shade over the baby area that I took off. You really need to look it over and plan how to stow your equipment.

I tried a golf cart for awhile and I find pushing the load far, far easier than pulling.

My camera case for use with the stroller is just a huge gym bag that I found at Kmart. It simply protects the camera from dirt and rain - not from physical shock. In the stroller, the bag, with the camera inside, fits in the padded area where the baby would ride so there's not need for a hard case.
juan

[Capocheny]

Here's another vote for the jogging stroller... the one I use is still being manufactured by Chariot at a price of over $460 Canadian.

The nice thing about it is that you can lay your backpack in the stroller and still open it up to access lenses, cloth, etc. You don't have to lay the pack on the ground. And, I have the model that has a removable covering over top just in case it rains. :)

Don't buy these things new... look on your local Craig's List website and you'll find all makes and sizes. Make sure it has the large wheels on it. For convenience sake... look for one where you can remove the wheels via a quick release.

Lastly, ask for the weight capacity of the stroller. Mine can hold 85lbs while many of them hold far, far less than that.

Good luck in finding the right one...

Cheers

[reellis67]

Also check used sporting goods stores. I found one the other day that I need to go back and buy at the local Sports Authority.

- Randy

[Jim Rhoades]

I think the key word here is truck. Don't be afraid to downsize to a Jeep Wrangler. If I can't get there in my Jeep, God did not want me to go.

[eddie]

yeah stephen! every time i am hiking the back country i dream of pack animals.

eddie


I am 55, and I use llamas. They can carry 85 pounds comfortably, and 100 pounds if they are in good shape. They will go any place you can except across deep snow fields, boulder fields, or between two trees narrower than they are wide with their packs. They can eat anything, and well trained llamas will never tug on the rope. Many times I have had to look over my shoulders to see if they were still there. They are very quite timid creatures.

I have a custom made light weight open trailer with high clearance to haul them around. This allows me to 4WD in as far as possible before I have to start trekking. Many people haul them around in their pickup trucks. There are pens that will attach to the flatbed to prevent the llamas from jumping out. And, this summer I saw two llamas bedded down in the back of a minivan. Go figure.

I have two llamas, Hershey and Vanilla. They have been my buddies for years now and have never damaged any gear. In general, I spend about two months a year in the back country of Colorado with them far from roads and people. They have very keen eyesight, sense of smell, and hearing. Twice, two years ago, they let me know a mountain lion was coming to visit way before the lion arrived, and I was ready with lots of rocks. My llamas have definitely had a huge impact on my photography, and I suspect they would for you as well. 99.99% of the good stuff is never near a road, at least in Colorado.

[Jim Rice]

Somehow I think the average beast of burden (or bikinied Swede) might be a little attention grabbing while strolling (no pun intended) through the Quarter.

[Stephen Willard]

Hey Eddie, what most people do not realize is that carrying or towing heavy gear around can be very fatiguing. It wears you out. When you carry a 40-50 pound pack on your back all day at 10,000' and above, you get too pooped to "see". Llamas let you bring in the kitchen sink and then some, but more importantly, they keep you fresh. My yields with llamas increased by ten fold.

Typically, I bring in around 240 pounds of gear to step up a base camp. The llamas carry about 200 pounds, and I carry around 40 pounds. I then use the base camp to stage my shoots. At that point I carry nothing and they carry everything. I bring two cameras, a 4x10 and a 5x7 with two big honken tripods, ten lenses, reducing backs, wide angle bellows, and lots of other gizmos.

I always make a great base camp with lots of comforts. Tent, lantern, French press coffee maker with Starbucks coffee, iPod shuffle with AAA battery booster, kitchen tarp, Palm Pilot with keyboard to record my narratives for each photograph, and the list goes on. I make camps with great vistas and while I am hanging around camp, I am always listening to great music. Generally, my trips last from 14-20 days a piece.

My llamas also attract wildlife. It is not uncommon for a large heard of elk or big horn sheep to bed down with them in a field right next to camp. The experiences I have are truly remarkable, and I owe it all to my llamas.

[eddie]

yeah, i am with you. really, i do dream of pack animals. as i stuggle with 50-60 pounds of "basic" stuff i see different animals with huge loads. i figure a horse can carry 200 pounds or so easy. i figure i could eat steak, beeer and have all kinds of nice things.

so.....when do we go out next. i would loove to see your beasts in action......by action i mean carrying my LF gear!

eddie

[John Kasaian]

For quick and dirty NFFC (not far from car) 8x10 missions I hang the loupe and meter from my neck, Put the lens cleaning and filter kits in my pockets, place a holder in the camera, reverse the lensboard with lens in the camera, wear the dark cloth like a cape, carry the camera in one hand and the tripod in the other. If I need more film I'll put extra holders along with the cleaning & filters in a day pack. BTW, I look like a real dweeb doing this! :)

[Turner Reich]

I feel ill just reading this. I am trying to decide if I should get a Sherpa or a Pack Mule. The Pack Mule has a seat that folds down for sitting, like a chair. The Sherpa is the cart type. One is a pack and one is a cart.

Ralph, what do you yell out? Four . . . by five?


At a mere double nickles I feel the pain. What I need is a motorized sherpa cart with a seat. And yes I have a Jeep Wrangler, I recently got a Dodge Magnum 4x4 truck for the comfort and to tow a nice RV trailer. You know, no rest stops and my own bed and toilet etc. Better food and closer to the action, sometimes.

With all of the lawsuit talk about Yosemite I might have to get some jumping equipment if they close the entry road. My god whats next?

[Frank Petronio]

I was watching the online movie of Stephen Shore and he had an assistant.

If you're using a ULF or even an 8x10 you might be able to find a nice photo student to tag along and carry for you, in exchange for a little mentoring or letting them do a few shots themselves. Might be more fun than a mule.

[alec4444]

LOL, Frank....sounds like "Kramerica Industries" to me! (It's a Seinfeld thing)

--A

[Scott Kathe]

A DR Power Wagon can haul 800lbs-that's a lot of camera gear! You could probably set up a darkroom in the field and make enlargements or contact prints on scene. A little like William Henry Jackson out west a century or so ago:)

http://www.drpower.com/TwoStepCategory.aspx?p1Name=DRPowerHome&Name=Powerwagon2Step&BC=0:Home&LinkType=2&src=IP00029

[John Kasaian]

A lot has been said about shooting in the wilderness, but what about the inner city? To fit in with the urban envirement you can always "borrow" a shoppng cart. A bottle of muscatel in a paper bag would complete the look (and might be a creative influence upon your perspective control too) ;)

[Alan Davenport]

Weston was right.

[Ralph T]

Have a look at carts designed for hauling game out of the woods.

Cabela's has one here:
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jhtml?id=0005601223606a&navAction=push&navCount=2&indexId=cat20778&podId=0005601&catalogCode=QN&parentId=cat20778&parentType=index&rid=

For Canadians, leBaron's has a similar cart in its catalogue, but I can't find it on-line.

[Vaughn]

Just a reminder...

Wheeled carts of any kind are not allowed in officially designated wilderness areas.

Vaughn

[Turner Reich]

Wheeled carts are allowed in the National Parks if the person has a Golden Access Pass. I have one because I am disabled, have a brace and broken back. I am looking at the Sherpa Cart. It states on the site about the pass, that's how I found out. The cart is about $160 US and really looks like what some are using called golf carts. I don't know what a golf cart costs but there should be a bunch of used ones. I don't mean a riding cart; the hand push/pull type. I did my baby stroller job a long time ago and wouldn't be caught dead with camera equipment in one. The Cabela carts are along the same line as the Sherpa but cost less. It depends on what you want. I could have made one with wheels from Harbor Freight and metal from the Depot or Lowe's but I am too tired to have more projects. What I need is a bionic back and a backpack. I really wanted the Mule Pack with a fold out seat for resting but it's a back pack and I would certainly overload it.

Weston said that everything that worth photographing was next to the road. He didn't drive either.

[Vaughn]

Wheeled carts are allowed in the National Parks if the person has a Golden Access Pass.

Good to know...but does this include wilderness areas within a National Park? National Park land is often not officially designated as wilderness except for the backcountry areas. For example, none of Yosemite Valley is considered to be a wilderness area.

Vaughn

[Jim Rice]

John, the French Quarter is about as inner city as it gets without being in the 'hood. Parking in a lot, walking to one's target. It seems to me that the baby jogger, or bikinied Swede(s) is the way to go. Hit the lot, wrestle the rig out of the trunk (obviously, I'm discounting the possibility of the Swedes, whom I would not keep in the trunk) and go to town, so to speak. I actually kind of like the dweebiness of the idea. Now I just have to find one that fits everything and doesn't cost half a lens.