sooo, #emfcamp people, now that those of you who came with a handcart have seen how it performed when pitched against the dangerous and unpredictable terrain of Herefordshire: which models/features/things do you recommend to look for?
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@rixx If you are feeling constructional, this has served me very well for several camps. Folds up small, expands very big, has not yet been defeated by terrain.
https://jarkman.co.uk/catalog/luggage/collapsingtrolleyv2.htm
@rixx MoverX 150L is simple and compact to fold away when empty, others of similar size that I've packed away have ended up being more bulky and with more bits to lose/forget
@rixx i got the decathlon one in 2024 and it’s done 2 emfs now and had no issue 😌
@rixx expensive but I really like my osprey collapsible holdall with big 3 inch wheels. It was new and bought for EMF. But has very easy to replace wheels and made transporting 40kg to site really easy.
@rixx I have the older version of https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CYZNHKB5 - it's been very good for 2 EMFs and a number of other events. I also used it to carry the heavy fence posts for my installation this year and it's coped fine even though they were just resting on one of the edges. The wider wheels are a must, but I'd also recommend getting some sort of after market net thing to hold stuff in if you're carrying too much up hills around the EMF site.
@bencc Thanks for the link, appreciated! Did the wheels hold up ok on the grass, or would you prefer tyres given the option?
@rixx this is the closest I have to an action shot! Those are 1.2m x 75mm x 75mm fence posts in it.
@rixx I would describe them as adequate. They're grippy enough on most surfaces, wide enough to spread the load even on the slightly boggy ground at the start of 2024, and big enough to cope with uneven terrain. They were even ok with the rocky path out towards null sector, but more pleasant to pull on the grass. It is nice not having to worry about punctures.
@rixx my main lessons from my first trolley include "just because it's large and has a high weight capacity, that doesn't mean you should load it up that much. Hills are steep."
My trolley (MoverX 300L) folds down quite small, but the button to release the handle is in a place where it likes to get pressed by accident.
Things I looked for in advance: nice wide wheels for soft ground, decent "parking brakes", and a long enough handle for me as a tall person.
@rixx
The main improvement I would like, and this is very much a "next level feature", would be some form of manual brake for going downhill, but I think that's uncommon outside of DIY ones. That and electric motors for some uphill assistance (but that would be fixed by lighter loads)
@matstace The handle button part sounds terrible/hilarious!
Agreed with the brake -- I took the (heavy, serious-business) Logistics cart down the hill to the bar with two heavy boxes and had to go onto the grass to have a chance of braking it. (And then cursed myself for having to pull the monster uphill again …)
@rixx I didn't take one this time, but when I helped out delivering Nottinghack's stuff:
- chunky wheels
- wide wheelbase
- ability to fold to a reasonable footprint
- some sort of metal mesh construction so it's strong but not ridiculously heavy
- ability to flip down the back end is nice so you can carry longer stuff, or more easily offload heavy things
@gsuberland Yeah, particularly folding down at least the back (or all the sides) would be great. I have some time until next year to find something that can do that *and* is light *and* stable. How hard can it be …
@rixx I keep bringing my cheap IKEA one which is held together more with duct tape and ratchet webbing than itself these days. I do not recommend... But it keeps going despite me assuming every trip will be its last.
@marshant had a Burley Travoy and I think I might save up for it: bike trailer and hand cart that folds up nicely and seems pretty robust and repairable.
@rixx @marshant here's photographic evidence of my cart on the way home. I've had it for probably 10 years and brought it to three hacker camps (2*emf), and used it heavily for other cargo purposes. I don't have a car so it's carried a lot of unwieldy objects on public transport.
The wheels are big enough to work well at camp. But if you have the budget it's worth getting something better.
How it's broken so far: The click mechanism that fastens the handle up or down broke like 4 years ago. The screws holding the handle to the frame unscrew themselves, letting the frame lock itself in the down position, making it very annoying to pull them back up again: the tape prevents that from happening again, and the webbing takes the strain so the handle doesn't just pop off. The frame is bent because of me carrying way too many too heavy items up and down stairs and over rough ground. And the top of the bag is starting to rip.
That said it has served me extremely well and I'm not worried about it going walkabout. The ROI on a cart that currently costs 25€ has been astonishingly high.
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@discontinuity @marshant I hadn't even considered a two-wheeler originally, but the everyday use makes it preeeetty interesting. I'll have to think a bit on what I'll be most likely to transport on site (eg bags vs boxes) … Thank you for the detailled notes!
@rixx @marshant no worries! I have also used this repeatedly to carry boxes. The bag just slips right off and then I use webbing to attach whatever.
Let us know what you choose! I get so much use out of this thing I really think I should spring for an upgrade. Ideally before it loses a wheel when I'm 4 trains from home and can't just tape it back on 😂
@discontinuity @marshant I will report back! I was thinking about posting about my current (very standard and pedestrian) chaos camping habits anyway, so any update would include cart info!
@rixx you want one with wide wheels, all the ones with skinny wheels are really only for paved surfaces. Wide wheels are also good for beaches!
@CatherineFlick For sure! I was thinking inflated tyres even, I have a USB-C chargeable pump.
