Cart or carry?

Florian

Gold Member
Just a quick question...how many of you carry your gear into a venue vs. using a dolly or cart?
I prefer the cart as my gear weighs about 750 lbs all told and it's a workout just getting it inside/outside.

Lets hear what the collective thinks.....what say you?


F
 
I carry all my bags and cases in.

I haven't found a cart I like yet.
 
I just got a rock in roller R-10. that cart is amazing it has real tires in the back and heavy duty casters on the front, and its collapsable. It also holds 500lbs I can fit may hardware case all of my drums and my drum rug I use bungy cords to keep things in place, there are holes for bungie cords all over it. I load that cart up and pull that and my other trap case. Here is what it looks like. Its like an all terain cart

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Rock-N-...ipment-Transporter-Cart-101893154-i1153816.gc
 
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Carry....always have. I'm not gigging a lot these days, but if I step it up again I'll finally have to invest in something as simple as a traps case with wheels! The older I get, the heavier the "hardware coffin" becomes.
 
Wheels are your friends. Have been ever since Og figured them out. The other thing is that the more you can load on a dolly or cart, the less trips you make back and forth. It's the walking back and forth that eats into the time you could be setting up, relaxing, using your meal ticket (sigh, remember those?) etc.

Rack and roller for small things. Big dolly boards and a ramp trailer for larger situations. Don't even want to lift things up and load up a cart. Just unhook the straps, and roll 'em out.
 
I've owned my Rock n Roller cart (R10) for 15 years now when they were grey and red. That thing really rocks. I no longer try to pull up to the venue as close as I can, I just park the truck and roll in from wherever I can find a parking spot.
 
Carry for me these days. My house is surrounded by gravel, so wheels are a no no. I used to have everything compartmented in an aluminium (US translation, aluminum, lol) flight case, but that was when everything was trucked & moved by someone else. The biggest problem I have with any hardware case, is that at some stage I have to lift it. There's no way I can lift all my metalwork stuff in one go, or even two!
 
Carry for me these days. My house is surrounded by gravel, so wheels are a no no. I used to have everything compartmented in an aluminium (US translation, aluminum, lol) flight case, but that was when everything was trucked & moved by someone else. The biggest problem I have with any hardware case, is that at some stage I have to lift it. There's no way I can lift all my metalwork stuff in one go, or even two!

My cart has Tires ( U.K version Tyres )
 
I carry all my bags and cases in.

I haven't found a cart I like yet.
Doing it myself, same exact answer for me. All the hand trucks, etc. I've tried seem like more of a hassle to me than they're worth . . . although maybe I'm just a retard when it comes to using them effectively. But they're also kinda bulky and heavy themselves if they're going to be of any use. I just make a bunch of trips, and my trap cases have wheels built in. I like walking, I'm a hiker/backpacker, etc. so I don't mind making trips. ;-)

When I've been on the road, at least in "higher-level" situations (as opposed to roughing it out in a couple vans or whatever, which I've done, too), they've had large flight cases on wheels for my gear, so that's more like a cart. Those work well, and for a small set up, you could have everything in one case, but you need a big truck, with ramps, etc. to haul it around.
 
I have a 4 swivel wheel padded furnature cart that part of my drum cases go on (bd, ft, cyms - best investment I ever made) and my hardware case has four swivel wheels (two small toms go on that). Everything else I have to carry in (throne, music stand, music bag). Makes for many fewer trips and, if I'm lucky, I can get someone else to help. They usually don't mind if it's on wheels.
 
i use a lightweight, collapsible hand truck that folds down to a very small size. it doesn't hold as much stuff as a rock and roller cart but it is definitely better than hand carrying everything. i also have a big "protection racket" gear bag with wheels on it. that bag weighs a metric ton when it's full, and i don't think i could carry it if it didn't have wheels.
 
For the most part I'm carrying, although I do have helpful band mates that carry my hardware case for me.
 
I auditioned for a huge funk/afro-beat band on Wednesday, and they play in a very big church, downtown. I had to park in the lot across the street, so I had to haul my gear piece-by-piece across the street, up the steps to the front door, and all the way to the back of the building to their practice room. I have a bad back, so I'm still in pain today.

Time for a cart!

How about the Rock N Roller R-12 multi-cart?

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Rock-N-...Equipment-Transporter-Cart-699404-i1153820.gc

I saw some bad reviews on the R-10 though. It sounds like a lot of bad ones are leaving the factory. Reports of bad tires, cheap parts, etc.
 
I auditioned for a huge funk/afro-beat band on Wednesday, and they play in a very big church, downtown. I had to park in the lot across the street, so I had to haul my gear piece-by-piece across the street, up the steps to the front door, and all the way to the back of the building to their practice room. I have a bad back, so I'm still in pain today.

Time for a cart!

How about the Rock N Roller R-12 multi-cart?

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Rock-N-...Equipment-Transporter-Cart-699404-i1153820.gc

I saw some bad reviews on the R-10 though. It sounds like a lot of bad ones are leaving the factory. Reports of bad tires, cheap parts, etc.

I agree with that statement. The new ones aren't built as well as my old one purchased some 15 years ago. I bought a new R10 last summer and the front casters did not fit exactly flat onto the frame, which I had to modify with extra washes, and the rear tires had some side-to-side play on the axel. I called the company on this and they sent me another one with better front casters, but it didn't solve the rear wheel issue.

I commend them for trying to make me happy by giving me a whole 'nother cart, but if it had been built right to begin with, I would've retired my 15 year old one - but that one is still the best one.

I also heard the R12, which has the rubber blow up tires for the front casters has some kind of design flaw because of the size of them. Some people complained of bending because you have the weight of this rubber tire spinning on that one little bolt attaching it to the frame. The R10 with the lighter front casters would be the way to go. Just be prepared to add washers here and there to eliminate some of the play you may get.
 
How about the Rock N Roller R-12 multi-cart?

.

Looks pretty good, but awfully bulky. You can buy a much lighter and probably more durable one at most hardware stores. Takes up a lot less room and is a lot less money, too. I have owned one for 30 years. Time to replace some wheels, though. BTW, Bo, did I ever tell you your avatar is distracting?
 
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