Best gear transport cart for subway hauling?

[Ortus]

I'm in the market for a new transport cart. I live in NYC and take the subway about 90% of the time. Right now I take my Epifani 1x12 cab, small GK head, and bag of cables/pedals around on a cheapo Kmart luggage cart--just isn't cutting it when navigating crowded streets and subway stairs. I'd ideally love to be able to fit my bass on the cart too, but I'm okay with carrying it on my back like I do now. These two carts have been recommended to me:

http://www.handtrucksrus.com/crashde...d=367&cx=remin

http://www.handtrucksrus.com/crashdetail.aspx?id=556

Any thoughts/opinions/other recommendations?

Thanks!

[salcott]

I'd go for this one-it's the lightest one with bearings in the wheels.

http://www.handtrucksrus.com/crashde...d=366&cx=remin

[KJung]

Kart-a-bag all the way. For a very small cab, like your 112 with head and stand, I use a Concorde III. The 9" depth of the platform is a touch shallow, but once you get the stuff bunjeed in there, it works fine. Super small fold up, super quality, and the best part... stair/curb walkers that will go over anything... no unloading, even if you have 3 or 4 steps to go up. VERY stable on crowded streets when walking long distances.

For larger cabs, I use the Super 600 (and it works great with the 112 also... if a bit overkill. That will handle anything up to a 212... same design, a bit more heavy duty.

You can usually find a 15% discount or so with on-line luggage outlets or Amazon.

http://www.kart-a-bag.com/html/products.html

[KJung]

Originally Posted by salcott

I'd go for this one-it's the lightest one with bearings in the wheels.

http://www.handtrucksrus.com/crashde...d=366&cx=remin

+1... you beat me to it!

[StuartV]

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/...f&ddkey=Search

Appears to be the same as the second one in the OP's OP. But for half the money. The bass player in my band showed up with one of these at our gig last Friday and it looks nice! I'm gonna get one for hauling my SVT rack around!

[Arnold]

Originally Posted by StuartV

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/...f&ddkey=Search

Appears to be the same as the second one in the OP's OP. But for half the money. The bass player in my band showed up with one of these at our gig last Friday and it looks nice! I'm gonna get one for hauling my SVT rack around!

I've got one of these. Works great and there's a Home Depot in Queens.

[seamonkey]

The ones to avoid are the ones with no skid bars for stairs and curbs.
Like your second choice: http://www.handtrucksrus.com/crashdetail.aspx?id=556
It's terrible for steps and curbs.
Look for the ones with little skid bars or special designs to go up stairs.

[Brad Johnson]

Originally Posted by Ortus

I'm in the market for a new transport cart. I live in NYC and take the subway about 90% of the time. Right now I take my Epifani 1x12 cab, small GK head, and bag of cables/pedals around on a cheapo Kmart luggage cart--just isn't cutting it when navigating crowded streets and subway stairs. I'd ideally love to be able to fit my bass on the cart too, but I'm okay with carrying it on my back like I do now. These two carts have been recommended to me:

http://www.handtrucksrus.com/crashde...d=367&cx=remin

http://www.handtrucksrus.com/crashdetail.aspx?id=556

Any thoughts/opinions/other recommendations?

Thanks!

I have both styles of carts, Keart-a-bag is my main one, the fold flat one when space in the vehicle is at a serious premium (like putting two basses, amp bag and cart in the trunk of my Miata).

If you take care of it, the Kart-a-bag will likely outlast any of your equipment. I still have one I got in 1984 as a network tech. The only reason I have a second one is I won it from Kart-a-bag after entering a drawing. I've moved 410 cabs with my 600 with ease... and larger items I won't mention here

One thing that kind of gets overlooked is the height of the handle. For the fold flat carts the handles can be short so I have to lean over to tilt it down far enough to reach a point of near equilibirum. With my Kart-a-bag I bungie up, step on the back of one wheel and pull it back until I reach that point and then it's very easy to push or pull along. As mentioned, stairs are easy too. The wider offset wheels (than the folding carts) and finding the sweetspot when holding the handle makes tipping over far less likely. That's one thing I really dislike about my fold flat cart.

Yes, the Kart-a-bag is more expensive but that likely won't seem that big a deal when you've had it for 10 or more years and haven't dumped your gear on the street a few times with a cheaper cart.

Highly recommended.

[Sav'nBass]

I feel you on that one... Back in the 70s I used to take an Acoustic 410 head with a 301 bottom and a Jazz bass with a hardshell case on the subway.. I lived in The Bronx... on 181st & Belmont.. and I would take that setup to Brooklyn & Queens.. on the subway and bus. I only did it for @ 4 gigs.. at the time I was playing with a band based in Washington Heights.. we did covers.. Taste of Honey, Rick James that kind of stuff... and our van was broken (It was a ragedy van too..the kind that rattled and swayed with every bump & turn I think it was a 60 something.. ) but it was.. an experience.

I used to have to take the 36 bus or walk down 180th St to Washington Avenue then get the 55 bus to 149th St & 3rd..catch the 2 to Times Square.. and then depending on where the gig was.. get the shuttle to either the IND line or the east side IRT, depending on where the gig was... There was a section where I had to go down 3 sets of stairs with this rig.... and go back home the same way... I would be on the subway at 3 & 4 in the morning doing this..... The 301 bottom was that big honking thing with the wheels on the bottom and the two handles up top... the 410 head was the one with eh equalizer on it... In all that.. for as "bad" as New York was in the late 70s.. not once did I ever even feel threatened...

[Ortus]

Thanks for all the great advice! And Sav 'n Bass, I lived on 187th and Lorillard Place in the late '80s. Never took an amp on the subway back then (I had a huge, barely lift-able Peavey) but used to carry my Jazz in the hard case up and down Fordham Road and Grand Concourse to the D and the 6 on a regular basis! My band rehearsed in an apartment on Belmont and I regularly carried my amp up and down six flights of stairs! My back hurts just thinking about it....

[rbonner]

I bought this two months ago, don't leave home without it.

BOB

[salcott]

Originally Posted by StuartV

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/...f&ddkey=Search

Appears to be the same as the second one in the OP's OP. But for half the money. The bass player in my band showed up with one of these at our gig last Friday and it looks nice! I'm gonna get one for hauling my SVT rack around!

This hand cart will last about 4 trips worth of real world use. Ya get what ya pay for.

[Pilgrim]

I really don't like carts with wire platforms like the first one in the original post. My experience is that stuff shifts much too easily.

I like the style of cart at http://www.handtrucksrus.com/crashdetail.aspx?id=556. Just be aware that there are many variations on it.

I bought a similar cart from GlobalIndustrial.com online - they carry the flat-folding carts in many different payload ratings. The wheels have bearings and the carts pull and balance well. Check this link and you'll find fold-flat carts rated up to 550 pounds payload:

http://www.globalindustrial.com/sear...ref=h%2Fsearch

[OnePocket]

I have two of the little foldable carts from costco for 25 or 30 bucks and they are totally useless for what you want. Too unstable with even 60 or 70 lb on them. The wheels get squirrelly and want to fold.

My friend bought this one for his pa and I have used it and it is very good. MUCH sturdier than the cheapies . May be able to find it cheaper than $130.

http://www.handtrucks.com/hand-truck...rhandtruck.cfm

[rbonner]

There are a couple requirements for equipment carts. They need to be able to handle the weight, they need to be able to semi-protect the gear when the stuff is on it, they need to be low enough CG to keep from tipping over when in precarious positions and they should cushion the ride to some extent.

There is NO CART manufactured that completely takes care of business. I can see a quick turn going in the door of a crowded subway car and the thing rolling on the side and you having to drag the whole pile of crap into the car on its side.

While this exact scenario hasn't been one of my treats, I've done it with the worlds largest pile of airline luggage.

I'd recommend, wide wheelbase. Tell the lady to move her legs or lose them. This will keep the thing from flipping over and damaging the gear.

The equipment should be able to hold the cart upright when you aren't moving it. This will take a strong and wide blade on the bottom.

The cart will need to have a lot of strong locations to ratchet strap the gear to the cart. Bungies are for sissies and when the chips are down they will let you down.

The thing should have large cushion tires. Air tires can and do go flat. Plastic wheels will not hold air, metal with bearings...

Spending extra bucks in a wheelie cart for your needs is important. Cutting corners in the urban enviroment will piss off everybody around you when the cart fails to do its job and gear is everywhere holding everybody up...

It will be heavy and need to be dealt with, but magnesium and aluminum construction can help keep the weight within reason.

I don't have a particular cart in mind, but I know it will not be cheap. My equivellent unit "MY FORD VAN cost me $25K so even if it costs you $500 for a quality cart its money well spent.

BOB

[michaelgilleran]

I thought I was crazy for bringing a tuba on metra and the L in chicago. Good luck man. All I know is this. If you live in chicago, dont take that **** on the green line.