What do you carry gear in?

[first_on_scene]

Hi
Just wondering what everyone carries their gear in while on a shoot.

I mean things such as a spare battery, maybe an extra tape, mic cable, microphone, pen , torch, mic stand, reflector etc etc......

Do you use a backpack or a bag specifically made for broadcast gear?

I am needing some sort of bag to carry gear in when on solo shoots, but don't want to spend alot of money....any recommendations?

[photogguy]

When I used to lug a bunch of stuff with me on day-to-day shoots, I just used a large hip bag that I bought at Target.

In my opinion, for daily news-gathering, you don't need a lot. A spare tape, spare audio cable, lav mic, stick mic, spare 9volt battery for the wireless covered my needs. Carrying around a spare battery is just extra weight.

However, if you know you're in for a long duration shoot (for example, a day in court), you'll definitely need 2 or 3 tapes and a spare camera battery in addition to what I listed already. For that, I use a Port-A-Brace hip belt, albiet slung over my shoulder. But you can just try to find a good backpack at Target or WalMart or wherever, just make sure the pack fits your need.

[10minpak]

I use a portabrace bp3 hipbelt with mic holdster for my main pack it carries the sort of thigs that i would need in a hurry. tape, battery, hard line lav. stick mic, lens cleaner, few nine volts, and a letherman tool. Then I have a backpack with the rest of my gear. Most of the time this will stay in the truck or car. It holds my raingear, a bunch of cable (xlr,bnc,ect,) portable battery charger, spare tapes and batteries, an ugly rain pancho just in case. A few filters, and anything else I could ever need. Its a great setup and I am never to far from anything

[Run&Gun]

For just going out and shooting, I use a large hip-pack(MountainSmith) to carry a spare battery, tape, mic, XLR's, some 9v's, lens cleaning clothes, top light(if it's not already on the cam), and drugs... Benadryl, tylenol, pepto. For more than that and when I don't need to carry it around everywhere I go, I have a large backpack(it may be a mountainsmith, too) that I can put my raincover, charger, power supply, batteries, tapes, XLR's, BNC's, cleaning tape, gaffe tape, mic holders, extra wireless, rain cover for ME, contact solution, trail mix, PSP, etc. in.

As for gear like lights and grip, I use Pelican cases. They're modular and hold a lot, so they're easy to stack and pack.

[Just Wondering]

Porta Brace vest..... I have used a vest for 10 of the 13 years I have been doing this job.... I wouldn't have it any other way.

Hands free and a pocket for EVERYTHING.

[The Daywood]

I found a waist day-pack (formerly known as an oversized fanny-pack) on sale at Academy for $20. It had a couple of crappy little water bottles and pockets with drawstrings on them that I quickly converted to mic and cable holders. It also had a couple of smaller outer zippered pockets in addition to the one big "bag". On the bottom were a couple of straps that I'd cinch my rain gear into if need be... I also had a Gear backpack if I needed more...

Portabrace is nice if the station is buying it for you, but if you are on your own, I can buy 10 backpacks for the cost of one Portabrace bag. Does Portabrace last for a long time? Oh hell yeah, but it is still damn expensive...

[BluesDaddy]

Porta-Brace BP-2 works well for us. Not the cheapest thing in the world, but pretty durable.

[SigLife]

I have a LL Bean bookbag. Works pretty well in carrying everything I need. Usually stays in the vehicle, unless I'm going far away or into court.

I had a hip-pack as well. It worked pretty well, but I just didn't use it that much.

[Shootblue]

I've carried a Plano bag from walmart for years, but am likely going to move to a padded photo bag like a Lowe or similiar soon. Stuff just gets beat to hell in the basically open bag. It's a tad bit bulkier for the Lowe bag, but they are built to last and if it means that I don't have to replace a $200 item because of a $10 bag, then all the better.

[The Thrill]

Let's see...

Fanny pack: Spare Cadnica batteries, XLR audio cable, short BNC/XLR combo cable for Camplexing, business cards, maybe my wireless lav, maybe a stick mic stand, maybe a water bottle, maybe spare tapes (depending on the shoot.)

Belt: Stick mic...love that belt clip on the Lectro cube transmitter cover. Always handy a Jedi's lightsaber must be. :-)

Backpack (usually just for hauling, seldom worn on shoot): spare tapes, rain cover, headphones, spare 9-volts, adapters, XLR-to-1/8" audio cable (great for dubbing CD audio), diagrams for Lambeau Field audio/video patching, bug spray, aspirin...maybe hardline lav, maybe my 25-year old torn-up canvas bag with other audio/video cables.

Lowell light case: Lights, duh!

Reporter: Tripod. :-)

[Lost in Alaska]

I use something similar to a messenger bag. It has a shoulder strap I can throw over my neck to keep it on my back. The main compartment is big enough for four Beta's and depending on the camera I am using, either 3-4 NP1's or a BP-90 battery. The outer pocket is good for a spare cable, notepad or top light. It also has pockets inside for my wireless, wireless batteries and pens/pencils.

I got it fairly cheap. It was my wife's old bookbag from college.

[Spacey]

http://static.flickr.com/58/161290366_049864578e_o.jpg

This does the job nicely. It's a waistpack, but slings over the shoulder. Nice wide waist strap, padded back. I keep cables in the clip-outer-flap part, a roll of tape, lav transmitter, and phone on the waist strap. Can reach everything easily and quickly. I cant find it on the L.L. Bean Website, but the tag says "LL BEAN U635." A vest also works well, but you might get an interesting look from anyone that knows you. They run on eBay for $30-$40. You can pick up a hiking hip-hugger pack that holds two water bottles (Or a tape and stick mic if you stretch it) and room for a lav-pack. I stuck a little more reflective tape on the flap than the thin strip in the picture. Keeps me safe... to an extent.

[svp]

Wal-Mart sells hiking backpacks for $30 that will hold alot of $hit. They sell a matching beltpack for $10 and thats what I use. I usually just use the beltpack but I use the backpack for football games. B&H photo video sells some nice backpacks designed for still photographers that work great for photogs. It has divided and padded compartments that are perfect for protecting gear. Of course, these are far more expensive which is why I stick to the Wal-Mart stuff. Cheaper and gets the job done. Don't forget YOU'RE the one paying for it.

[long521]

I use a shooters bag from the sporting goods section of walmart. It's alng with all of the hunting gear. There are a whole bunch of small velcro compartments that give me easy access to stuff. Tapes and batteries can go in the main part of the bag. It goes right over my shoulder and it easy to wear during a shoot.

[TheIck1974]

Several of our guys, myself included, are using tool bags with wheels to get their gear from the storage locker to the news car. They are readily available at Lowe's or Home Depot for around $40. The rugged design has tons of pockets, zipper top, and a retractable handle to pull it with (just like a rolling suitcase). We found them especially handy during the many Presidential visits of 2004 to get all our necessary gear (batts, tape, chargers, extra lengths of mic cable & extension cords) to the risers.

On a daily basis, I keep all the heavier items and extras in the tool bag in the car. When I'm out shooting, I'll bring the trusty oversized North Face fanny pack. It holds extra tape, mics, A/B toplight head, mic cable, mic stands (clamp and tripod), mini screwdrivers, every adapter known to man, lens cleaning cloth ... you get the idea. My Hytron 120s are brand new, so I don't find myself lugging one of those, unless I know I'll be far away from the car for an extended period of time.

My $.02 ... hope it helps.

ICK

[Tippster]

PortaBrace Runbag and a Cart-a-Bag trolley. I take it all with me (except lights, those only when needed) wherever I go.

[BluesDaddy]

One thing that is super important to keep in mind... if you are using heavy brick batteries, they need to be in a separate compartment from delicate lav mics and expensive mic flags. When I took over as chief at my station, we had cheap gym bags to carry batts and mics. The lavs were in really bad shape from getting bashed by batteries. Since we bought the BP-2s and made sure to keep the lavs in their cases, the gear is in much better shape.

[Mighty Dyckerson]

I use a plastic Wal-Mart bag. They're free and quite easy to come by.

[canuckcam]

The Real Canadian Superstore is running a promo, for every $25 in groceries, you get a yellow (beggers can't be choosers) Micro Pelican case. It's the real deal... 'cept the Micros don't come with the pick-n-pluck foam, but you can surely put some smaller bits in there.

[JOE TEPOSTE]

When I first started, many moons ago I started with this fishing bag handed down from photog to photog, but everytime I leaned it would slip. So I went with the back pack and tried multiple ones, but I found it took to long to pull down and look for my stuff, so then proceeded with the fanny pack. At the time we were shooting on Beta and the camera ate up NP1's like no tomorrow, so I went through a couple of packs and after begging for months (because I couln't afford it) Chief Engineer hooked me up with a vest. The vest; allows you to be mobile and efficient, but I live in Yuma, we have temps of 90-110 and the vest just made it a little hot. I use a make shift fanny pack, I took a Case Logic case I bought for a dollar at a thrift shot and a utility belt I bought at home depot($12.00).It fits my Anton, tapes and everything else. But, if the situation calls for it I use my vest.

[Ace Of Nothing]

I use what I like to call a "Man Purse". Because, really, that's what it is. I find it easier just to call it that then beating around the bush. I tried a vest (too hot in summer) a fanny pack (hard to access in winter with a thick jacket) and settled on the man purse. This style doesn't slide when you bend over, has enough room for a small battery, tapes, lav mic transmitter, the flash mic and XLR cord. Its not hot in the summer and can go over your coat in the winter. You just have to put on a brave face when the reporter asks "do you have the lav?" and say "Yes, yes I do.... it's in my man-purse!"

http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=84552444258 7691&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302699955&bmUID=1149745448034

[detroitsprings]

I use a bumbakpak (http://www.bumbakpaks.com/hamptons_chocotango.html). It is AWESOME! I carry, my DVC Pro Tapes, usually 3 and my 1 Emergency, Lav, Wireless, 2 XLR cables, Brick Battery, Pens, Lens Cleaner, memo paper, Cliff Bars, Leathermen, 9V's, and some few other connectors.
The bag is GREAT, cause it sits on you bum, so it is not like a backpack that is really heavy. I usually keep it in my news vehicle, unless I will be away for a while.