Latest News: Read more



Discussion Forum - Gear ! - Hell in a hand cart


Posted: Tue 7th Jul 2009, 17:54
Joined: 2009
If you go to a certain outdoors forum there is at least one person who uses a handcart, but his is to take a young family and all their gear and paraphernalia on backpacking trips. The site is outdoorsmagic, try logging on their and asking the question. I think his forum name is Zuma. Failing that just search for cart in the forum. Just an idea as people do use handcarts out there for may reasons so it stands to reason that some company makes them. The outdoors forums are often a means of unitig customers with suppliers like this.
Posted: Fri 13th Mar 2009, 1:02
Joined: 2008
Thanks Mike, that is just the connection I wanted to find. Actually, looking at the website, I think the Tub Cart is more what I had in mind. I'd have to adapt it so it can be pulled with a harness, like pulling a sled. But that would probably need a long handle to prevent the thing from running me over on the down hill bits!
If you ever see me taking one for a walk, promise not to laugh.
Regards
John
Author: Mike Rayner
Posted: Thu 12th Mar 2009, 21:31
Joined: 1983
Local Group: Northumbria
John - try a Wheeleez Camera Cart, cost £59, weight 5.4kg, phone 01598-750109, www.wheeleez.co.uk. Myself, I think 15kg is better on your back than pulling 20.4kg aound the countryside, but it's your call
Posted: Thu 12th Mar 2009, 13:39
Joined: 2008
Many thanks for your reply. I generally agree with the comments but it assumes I am using 35mm. If I could afford an Xpan I would get one, but at the moment my panoramic system is a very heavy back that attaches to a 5x4 Shen Hoa field camera. I don't take dark slides with me, just pano back and 120 roll film and a couple of lenses. But the stripped down version of this still comes in at 12 to 15 kg. It took me three hours to cover 5 miles (in haavy snow) going up Buckden Pike a month ago. Good exercise but not as much fun as walking without excessive weight.
I have seen people dragging carts - tramps, perhaps - and just wondered if there was anything about. I assume it would have fat tyres, a lightweight suspension and a plastic container.
Regards
John
Author: Merrian Lancaster
Posted: Thu 12th Mar 2009, 10:40
Joined: 1996
Local Group: Beds, Bucks and Northants
I passed your query to a colleague and he gave me this reply....

I can’t think of any circumstances in which dragging a cart on rough tracks could be preferable to a decent rucksack.

Most of the time when day-walking in this country I just carry a Nikon digital SLR and one 18-200mm lens, which covers 90% of my needs and ‘only’ weighs about 1.5kg including the case. If I’m doing a serious photographic trip (backpacking in Iceland, say) then I also carry a lightweight tripod, my Hasselblad xpan panoramic camera and a couple of lenses, plus various filters, films and accessories. Total weight of camera gear would be about 5kg (out of a backpack weight of around 15kg) – still manageable in a rucksack. If he’s not enjoying carrying all that gear then my advice would be to just carry less – you can achieve an awful lot with just one camera body and one lens. Much more likely to get good photos like this than with either no camera because you’ve left it at home or if you’re in the wrong frame of mind.

I know some professional photographers – Colin Prior for example – carry 20kg of camera gear into the hills but when I heard him talk at Kendal mountain festival last year he said even he’s cutting down on the heavy large-format gear. There’s a new generation of lightweight SLRs and even compact cameras that produce results that are good enough for all but the most demanding pro.
Posted: Thu 12th Mar 2009, 9:35
Joined: 2008
I have a heavy camera system which I would like to take with me into the dales but the weight takes all the joy out of walking, and even when I make the effort, I have very little enthusiasm left for photography.
I wondered it dragging a hand cart would work. I thought of something along the lines of a two wheeled wheel barrow, but stable enough to pull across rough ground. It must also be light enough to empty and then lift over stiles.
Has anyone come across a device like this that might do the job?
Regards
John White

This website uses cookies

To comply with EU Directives we are informing you that our website uses cookies for services such as memberships and Google Analytics.

Your data is completely safe and we do not record any personally identifiable information.

Please click the button to acknowledge and approve our use of cookies during your visit.

Learn more about the Cookie Law