Folding carts/wagons workable and reliable (esp. double-decker)?

Jim Feeley

Jim Feeley

Veteran
I have a Magliner with shelves that's great, but also bulky and heavy. I'm looking for something more compact to travel with (ie- in vehicles, not on flights). And I checked the archives here, but it's been a while since anything like this has come up. So:

Does anyone here have experience using foldable wagons/carts to haul equipment around? If so, were your experiences positive, negative, or mixed?

And more specifically, is there a brand, model, or style that works well for you?

Any wheels that are inside-an-office-building friendly? (ie- not just hard plastic designed for the beach or something).

And do double-decker folding carts work with video equipment? Can you stick a tripod, stands, etc in the lower level and then add cases/bags to the upper? Or does it get too top-heavy and otherwise unwieldy?

For example:
timberridgecart.png


Thanks!
 
I’ve been on a couple of shoots where we’ve had collapsible wagons. Haven’t used the double-decker version you picture above, so I can’t speak to those, but for the rest… not a huge fan. They move easily, and they can hold a ton of stuff, but piling gear into what’s basically a canvas bag with an outer frame just results in a mess to sort through all day long.

I much prefer to work off of carts from Inovativ. Their carts collapse easily to slide into a car or van and are extremely sturdy.
 
Ya, I work around Inovativ carts pretty regularly. Mainly owned by DPs; those things are expensive but nice. If I need a work surface and have A LOT of stuff to move, I'll keep using my Magliner with shelves; that works great for me.

But I'm specifically looking for something for smaller jobs with a one to three person crew and just a couple bags/cases- camera kit and audio kit (and then a couple lights, stands, grip). And one to three people, like for small corporate or intimate docs. Seems to me, I can keep things together. I see TV crews using these for standups; that's about as much stuff as I'm thinking of hauling.

But you're still thinking it's not the way to go? Huh (and thanks).
 
Try and read through my linguistics. I thought about this a lot!...

You understand that the words "fold" and "reliable" are oxymoronic?

Those hand carts are horrid.. but they are OK, (single level is my experience).. better than three trips. Great for coat, ipad, and a couple of 80c lights and a bag with three lenses.

--

This design/layout ..

BiGDUG Heavy Duty Platform Dolly | 1200w x 700d mm | Heavy Duty 2 Fixed & 2 Swivel / Braked Castors | Eco Grey | 500kg UDL | BiGDUG

BiGDUG Heavy Duty Platform Dolly | Grey BiGDUG Heavy Duty Platform Dolly | Grey: BiGDUG Heavy Duty Platform Dolly | 1200w x 700d mm | Heavy Duty 2 Fixed & 2 Swivel / Braked Castors | Eco Grey | 500kg UDL. Guarantee of up to 15 years. web.seo.pdp.meta_description_cta
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With some up[righthandles that are assembled might be the sort of thing.
(think kee klamp to make the handles) but assemble not fold.. this is critical.

In terms of quality wheels I think all wheels are sht and made in the same factory in china. (see Ross Castors)

The wheels on tripod style plates like on Invoativ and now Tilta I guess flap less than chinese industrial wheels. Theymight be a good thing but expect $1000 for four.

It happens that tila might sell wheel sets.. (after a insta exchange they said so) (sales@tilta..)

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I wish I was in the state to bring something to market my fusion three sixty is full of sketches! (this is for a base with a bowl.. one purchase should be a trolley/dolley

trolle.JPG
 
My Cart is very solid but once the handles are removed is 'quite small' .. aka packs 'flat'

That design with smaller quick release wheels would be 'the dream' for non crew work.cart.JPG
 
Jim Feeley said:
Ya, I work around Inovativ carts pretty regularly. Mainly owned by DPs; those things are expensive but nice. If I need a work surface and have A LOT of stuff to move, I'll keep using my Magliner with shelves; that works great for me.

But I'm specifically looking for something for smaller jobs with a one to three person crew and just a couple bags/cases- camera kit and audio kit (and then a couple lights, stands, grip). And one to three people, like for small corporate or intimate docs. Seems to me, I can keep things together. I see TV crews using these for standups; that's about as much stuff as I'm thinking of hauling.

But you're still thinking it's not the way to go? Huh (and thanks).
Click to expand...
I'm in agreement with @Alex H.

I purchased an Inovativ cart several years back and it's been a lifesaver. It sounds like you're certainly familiar with Inovativ, and, additionally, already own a Magliner so you're no stranger to using a nice cart to get things around.

The big benefit of the Inovativ over the Magliner of course is its packability. Magliners are great if they're going on a grip truck or in a dedicated work van. Not so great in a normal vehicle, which is often what I work out of.

I almost exclusively do small 1-3 man productions and I've yet to find an inexpensive collapsible cart that can do what my Inovativ can do. If a smaller cart is TOO lightweight then it probably can't haul much, just as a matter of physics. You need a certain level of weight/build for stability.

I'll often pair a small Rock N Roller cart (R2RT-Micro) with a Grip N' Gaff bag alongside my Inovativ. The Rock N Roller packs down super small so it saves space in my vehicle but then allows for an assistant to help haul a few additional cases and stands as needed alongside my larger Inovativ.
 
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On a job today someone had this (for catering) I thought the design either as 'sack truck or small wheel big wheel cart was interesting and might be more packable than an inovative and less sht than a rockroller2Q6A4233.JPG
 
Jim Feeley said:
Ya, I work around Inovativ carts pretty regularly. Mainly owned by DPs; those things are expensive but nice. If I need a work surface and have A LOT of stuff to move, I'll keep using my Magliner with shelves; that works great for me.
Click to expand...

The thing that’s really nice about Inovativ (that Magliner doesn’t do) is that their carts disassemble quite quickly and pack into themselves. The cart becomes its own case. And yeah, they’re a little pricey, but by once, cry once.

Jim Feeley said:
But I'm specifically looking for something for smaller jobs with a one to three person crew and just a couple bags/cases- camera kit and audio kit (and then a couple lights, stands, grip). And one to three people, like for small corporate or intimate docs. Seems to me, I can keep things together. I see TV crews using these for standups; that's about as much stuff as I'm thinking of hauling.

But you're still thinking it's not the way to go? Huh (and thanks).
Click to expand...

To each their own. I’ve just never been a fan of lumping everything in a big sack and wheeling it around. I’ve worked with a few people over the years, primarily news shooters, who use those collapsible wagons. Once everything’s piled in, it’s the unpacking at each stop that’s annoying. Also, piling all the gear and cables and tripods like that, doesn’t exactly protect gear from itself.

Regarding the Rock-N-Roller, I have one with the two-tiered top shelf. The shelf sits in the corner of the garage. The cart stays in the trailer with my PA system. It was okay when I first bought it, but those things get less and less stable, more and more rickety, as they age. It doesn’t take long to get there. They certainly hold a bunch of stuff and that shelf is a pretty large work surface, but it’s not very sturdy or durable.
 
You've probably seen this thread Jim, just in case it helps https://www.dvxuser.com/threads/camera-carts.369552/page-5

I put the whole thing in the back of a Mitsubishi Colt with the back seats down. I can't believe it fits! It doesn't prevent me from carrying too many cases, it sort of just provides dividers I have to work around. Definitely not a plan A for your stated purposes but I doubt I'll ever pay the Inovativ tax and have just made a fully assembled cart work without a ramp.

Post #93 shows it then page 6 shows the final form.

If I'm in a van it can stay assemnbled with the metal cross bar. If I'm in the car the cross bar can be either left off completely, or attached once it's out of the vehicle (it won't fit attached). I'd actually love to remove the back and passenger seats, add some minimal driver protection and keep using this tiny vehicle. These days it seems like everything is smaller and faster and while I always wanted a smaller van, I think at the moment the florist/baker type vans might be even better.

My RnR mod project was meant to be a proof of concept for a more official custom design, but it's been so good that I don't think I'll upgrade. @Alex H. you're right about poor rigidity on the rock n rollers, but once you add a box/additional vertical U piece it's completely rock solid - no more ramp anxiety, plus I really like carrying long objects vertically.

Jim, I just don't see any off the shelf wagon options being robust enough for ramps, street curbs, office ramp u-turns etc. Plus any wagon lever handle that adds length to the cart to pull isn't ideal either. Sam's single vertical is great but is also possibly only great because he's thought of the stacking crate system, which has eliminated the need for a top shelf. If you want a workstation maybe you can do the smallest rock n roller with shelf, as well as something like Sam's for portability/strength. A swiss army knife by definition means it can't excel in any one area but I guess that's why inovativs cost the same as some cars!
 
Jim Feeley said:
I have a Magliner with shelves that's great, but also bulky and heavy. I'm looking for something more compact to travel with (ie- in vehicles, not on flights). And I checked the archives here, but it's been a while since anything like this has come up. So:

Does anyone here have experience using foldable wagons/carts to haul equipment around? If so, were your experiences positive, negative, or mixed?

And more specifically, is there a brand, model, or style that works well for you?

Any wheels that are inside-an-office-building friendly? (ie- not just hard plastic designed for the beach or something).

And do double-decker folding carts work with video equipment? Can you stick a tripod, stands, etc in the lower level and then add cases/bags to the upper? Or does it get too top-heavy and otherwise unwieldy?

For example:
View attachment 5712953


Thanks!
Click to expand...
I know a couple of guys using these types of carts, purchased from a catering company. I guess it depends on how much weight you intend to chuck on it.

Chris Young

Costway Folding Collapsible Service Cart, 3-Tier Fold Up Rolling Cart with Universal Wheels, Collapsible Push Cart, Foldable Utility Cart for Home, Office and Warehouse : Amazon.com.au: Home

Costway Folding Collapsible Service Cart, 3-Tier Fold Up Rolling Cart with Universal Wheels, Collapsible Push Cart, Foldable Utility Cart for Home, Office and Warehouse : Amazon.com.au: Home
www.amazon.com.au
 
There are so many alternative Inovativ carts on the market nowadays. Even if you don't want to lay out the dollars for the Inovativ, you should be able to pick something up of similar specs for lower cost.

There's a reason people keep copying its form factor. Having a heavy duty cart that will support a few hundred pounds, while also packing down small for transport, is extremely helpful.

I think as much as we wish we could defeat physics, there's some things that are required from a cart to get the job done. Some of those smaller, foldable carts just can't handle the load that is needed.
 
Curious if anyone else uses a Kartmaster HD-500S. I've had one of these for so many years I can't count them (at least 25). I don't use it all that much, it has to be a pretty specific use case, but it is built to last and quite flexible, it can be used as a vertical or horizontal handtruck, or as a full work cart with the shelves . The main draw is how small it all packs down into, it's a tiny footprint for a cart this size. But it isn't cheap.

kart-a-bag.com

Kartmaster HD-500S

Unit has all the Kartmaster HD-500 features but adds: Two work space shelves which fold to conform to storage size. Bottom shelf carries: 700 lbs. Top shelf carries 200 lbs. black finish. Bottom shelf: solid aluminum, folds, attaches to base; black finish. Total weight with 2 shelves: 76 lbs...
kart-a-bag.com kart-a-bag.com

​

 
CharlesPapert said:
Curious if anyone else uses a Kartmaster HD-500S. I've had one of these for so many years I can't count them (at least 25). I don't use it all that much, it has to be a pretty specific use case, but it is built to last and quite flexible, it can be used as a vertical or horizontal handtruck, or as a full work cart with the shelves . The main draw is how small it all packs down into, it's a tiny footprint for a cart this size. But it isn't cheap.

kart-a-bag.com

Kartmaster HD-500S

Unit has all the Kartmaster HD-500 features but adds: Two work space shelves which fold to conform to storage size. Bottom shelf carries: 700 lbs. Top shelf carries 200 lbs. black finish. Bottom shelf: solid aluminum, folds, attaches to base; black finish. Total weight with 2 shelves: 76 lbs...
kart-a-bag.com kart-a-bag.com

​

Click to expand...
I remember seeing the brand years ago. $2140 USD seems quite expensive, but then again if any one of these carts lets you cross a 5 lane intersection or go up a van ramp without breaking then it's potentially paid for itself in that one scenario.

I just mentally can't get past building a cart/deconstructing one at the end of the day but I'm sure the Kartmaster has saved the day a few times.
 
It's definitely not for everyone. The Innovative style is more suited for rugged situations (the Kartmaster has two pneumatics and two smaller casters). The top shelf of the Kartmaster is rated for 200 lbs so not a lot of cases going on that, and they'd slide off anyway. But the footprint that it folds down into is probably the strongest suit. It's like the cart for people who drive sedans...bless 'em.
 
rob norton said:
I just mentally can't get past building a cart/deconstructing one at the end of the day but I'm sure the Kartmaster has saved the day a few times.
Click to expand...

To remove the handle of mine means detensioning 4 bolts. Which is 'do able' better than some fold system that either wobbles or removes a section of your finger.

But mine without removable wheels doennt pack very small!.
 
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