My next camera pack

[Aggie]

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I laughed, then really thought about it. It just might be useful.

 

[copake_ham]

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I laughed, then really thought about it. It just might be useful.

Maybe I'm missing something in the construction of the rod to hip belt. How would you keep this thing from pushing (and punishing) you on downhills?

It's not like the related bike trailer where you can just freewheel downhill.

 

[wfwhitaker]

Well, I guess if you don't mind looking like you've got a mountain bike stuck up your butt, then it's OK.

 

[Shmoo]

lol

 

[jovo]

Well, I guess if you don't mind looking like you've got a mountain bike stuck up your butt, then it's OK.

Yeah...well, I just schlepped my OmegaView on its tripod on my shoulder for more than three miles today with a bag carrying film holders, filters, and extra stuff over the other shoulder. That rig woul've been wonderful! Had anyone asked if there were a mountain bike up my butt, I'd have told them, yes, there there is a mountan bike up my butt...you got a problem with that???

 

[copake_ham]

Yeah...well, I just schlepped my OmegaView on its tripod on my shoulder for more than three miles today with a bag carrying film holders, filters, and extra stuff over the other shoulder. That rig woul've been wonderful! Had anyone asked if there were a mountain bike up my butt, I'd have told them, yes, there there is a mountan bike up my butt...you got a problem with that???

John,

The idea is not totally weird - its a variation on Native American designs - except they used skids, not wheels.

You can control a descent with skids, a wheel will try to run you over and you'll wind up in serious trouble as it attempts to pass you!

 

[Aggie]

John,

The idea is not totally weird - its a variation on Native American designs - except they used skids, not wheels.

You can control a descent with skids, a wheel will try to run you over and you'll wind up in serious trouble as it attempts to pass you!

Simple solution to that problem. Just have a cross brace that goes part way around your waist. It would stabilize the whole thing, and give more spread out area for the weight distribution. Hell you could extend out some handle bars from the brace forward and have a place to rest your arms. Those same handle bars could then be used to guide it down hill as well. You would really look like you had a Mt. bike up your ass. There is one cart that is sold that has big beach wheels. Put that on that thing, and the Wave over in Paria Flat area of So. Utah would be a piece of cake to hike with ULF. I nearly wet my pants when I first saw it I laughed so hard, but the more I think about it, it is not so crazy.

 

[wfwhitaker]

Had anyone asked if there were a mountain bike up my butt, I'd have told them, yes, there there is a mountan bike up my butt...you got a problem with that???

Yeah, yeah... I've heard about you celllists and your endpins!

 

[ReallyBigCameras]

There is one cart that is sold that has big beach wheels. Put that on that thing, and the Wave over in Paria Flat area of So. Utah would be a piece of cake to hike with ULF. I nearly wet my pants when I first saw it I laughed so hard, but the more I think about it, it is not so crazy.

Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your point of view), wheeled mechanical contrivances are illegal in federally designated wilderness areas. I believe this inlcudes the Paria - Vermillion Cliffs Wilderness Area.

While this thing looks like it may work in areas with wide, fairly level trails, it would be a nightmare on steep mountain trails or anyplace with rocks or other obstacles to negotiate. If you really want wheeled transportation for your ULF camera gear, I think a "baby jogger" type stroller with big tires and hand brakes would be easier to manuever both up hill and down.

Kerry

 

[copake_ham]

Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your point of view), wheeled mechanical contrivances are illegal in federally designated wilderness areas. I believe this inlcudes the Paria - Vermillion Cliffs Wilderness Area.

While this thing looks like it may work in areas with wide, fairly level trails, it would be a nightmare on steep mountain trails or anyplace with rocks or other obstacles to negotiate. If you really want wheeled transportation for your ULF camera gear, I think a "baby jogger" type stroller with big tires and hand brakes would be easier to manuever both up hill and down.

Kerry

Actually, when you think about it, anywhere this type of trailer would be useful would also be useable by a mountain bike. You can fit a lot of gear in a pair of rear panniers....

 

[roteague]

While this thing looks like it may work in areas with wide, fairly level trails, it would be a nightmare on steep mountain trails or anyplace with rocks or other obstacles to negotiate. If you really want wheeled transportation for your ULF camera gear, I think a "baby jogger" type stroller with big tires and hand brakes would be easier to manuever both up hill and down.

I think the single wheeled version might not be too big of a problem; although as you point out, they may be illegal in certain areas.

 

[ReallyBigCameras]

Actually, when you think about it, anywhere this type of trailer would be useful would also be useable by a mountain bike. You can fit a lot of gear in a pair of rear panniers....

Personally, I'd rather have a llama (or two). Mountain bikes aren't allowed in federally designated wilderness areas, nor are they allowed on the trails in most national parks. Many wilderness trails are open to pack stock (horses, mules, llamas, etc.), but not all are. In the national parks, pack stock regulation tends to vary significantly from park to park. For example, very few trails in Mt. Rainier National Park are open to pack stock. Unfortunately, even they they have much, much less impact on the trails and environment than horses, most land managers lump llamas and horses together in the general "pack stock" category. That may be changing, however. Some trails in the Mt. Baker area that don't allow horses are now open to llamas. When properly trained, llamas are capable of carrying up to 100 lbs. They are very sure footed and gentle on the environment. As they are a lot lighter than horses, and have small soft padded hooves (like a deer) rather than large metal "shoes", they are much easier on the trails than horses or mules, causing much less trail damage/erosion - which means less money and manpower are required for trail repair/maintenance.

Kerry

 

[Lachlan Young]

Personally, I'd rather have a llama (or two). Mountain bikes aren't allowed in federally designated wilderness areas, nor are they allowed on the trails in most national parks. Many wilderness trails are open to pack stock (horses, mules, llamas, etc.), but not all are. In the national parks, pack stock regulation tends to vary significantly from park to park. For example, very few trails in Mt. Rainier National Park are open to pack stock. Unfortunately, even they they have much, much less impact on the trails and environment than horses, most land managers lump llamas and horses together in the general "pack stock" category. That may be changing, however. Some trails in the Mt. Baker area that don't allow horses are now open to llamas. When properly trained, llamas are capable of carrying up to 100 lbs. They are very sure footed and gentle on the environment. As they are a lot lighter than horses, and have small soft padded hooves (like a deer) rather than large metal "shoes", they are much easier on the trails than horses or mules, causing much less trail damage/erosion - which means less money and manpower are required for trail repair/maintenance.

Kerry

They're fine until one takes a dislike to you...

Lachlan

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

They're fine until one takes a dislike to you...

Lachlan

Yes, o target-of-the-anger-of-an-irate-llama, thy name is spittoon!

 

[raucousimages]

Never take anything into the back country you need to feed. It might carry your gear but you need another one to carry the food for the first one..... And don't give "They feed off of the land" unless you find a pack animal that eats salt grass and sand. I live in a desert. Call the Darwin award people if that guy takes that ass trailer on a steep trail with a heavy load.

 

[ReallyBigCameras]

Never take anything into the back country you need to feed. It might carry your gear but you need another one to carry the food for the first one.....

Nonsense. I've packed with llamas in the desert of SE Utah. They each carried their own pelletized food, plus about 95 lb. of our food/gear. They also could go a LOT longer without water (members of the camel family) than we could and had no qualms about drinking from scummy, foul smelling water sources.

Kerry

 

[ReallyBigCameras]

Yes, o target-of-the-anger-of-an-irate-llama, thy name is spittoon!

I've heard this mentioned before, but I've never actually seen a llama spit at a human. Of course, I've only been around trained, experienced pack llamas. Perhaps younger, untrained animals might be more prone to spitting. Anybody here actually ever been spat on by a llama?

Kerry

 

[ReallyBigCameras]

P.S. Although I suggested llamas as an alternative to the "mountain bike up the butt" contraption for getting heavy photo gear into the backcountry, and I do have some experience packing with llamas, my preference to to suck it up and carry the stuff myself. That way, I'm not dependent on anyone or anything else to get me where I want to be and back. I know my own limits, and besides carrying all that heavy camera gear up and down steep trails is a great alternative to a health club membership.

Kerry