How long is your hardware bag?

Chollyred

Senior Member
I don't gig much so can't justify spending $200 on a hardware bag (plus I'm PO'!), but I do need something that will carry my stuff (or even store safely).

I just stumbles on this rolling duffel 36x17x15, made of 1200 denier fabric (twice as thick as most), with 3 wheels and skid rails.

http://bigduffles.com/product/36_wheeled_duffel_bag_mother_load.html

When I'm just piling my stands in the trunk of the car, I usually leave them extended (except for the booms). Will I have to disassemble everything to get it into this bag?
 
The bag is 36 inches long. If you take off the boom arms, do you have any stands longer than 36 inches?
 
As important as the weight of the fabric is, the seams and zippers are at least as important. Most times a "cheaper" bag will fail because of a jammed or torn zipper or a seam will burst. Not saying you can't get by with one for awhile, but typically they will fail before a better made, or hardware-specific bag will.

As far as "will it fit?" Well....will it? Get a tape measure and measure your stands as you like to carry them. I would allow at least an inch or two under what they list the size of the bag at. In other words, if they list that bag as 36", your hardware collapsed should be no more than 34-35" tops. Even less if the flap on the bag doesn't extend all the way to the end.

Honestly, I never understood what the big deal is with fully collapsing stands. I hear it quite often that people will haul their stands extended and use really long hardware bags to carry them... But what do I know? Lol

If that sounds like something you would like to do, then people have suggested using golf club bags and speaker stand bags. You may want to look into one of those.
 
I would check if the bag will fit in your car too, I made a mistake by getting a 48" bag, it's a real pain to get it inside my car...
 
It's well documented that I'm a cheapskate (must be my Scottish heritage). I made an open-ended box and put it inside a duffel bag I got at the army/navy store. I put it on a cheap roller cart I got from Harbor Freight. I keep all my stands at performance height. No problems after four years.

 
I have one PR bag in every size. The Long 47" bag allows me to keep stands (3) in position and just fold the legs in. Super-efficient when you get to the gig and just need to drop the legs.

The medium bag handles seat and stick bag along with fan and all the Atlas lifts etc.. that I use.

The small bag holds my snare stand and throne base along with my snare mic stand and double pedals.

It's kind of silly to use 3 when 2 would do but I like keeping my things in nice shape and not banging them all up. Plus, I play enough acoustic shows where I can use one or two of the bags for cajon stuff.

I've had my 47" PR bag for nearly 15 years. Well worth the investment.

Buy nice or buy twice
 
Hi Chollyred, have you taken a look at a military surplus store? I have bought a U.S. Army duffel bag and that will hold a lot of equipment and are made very well. Cost between $20-30 and going on eight or so years now and still works and looks good.
 
A duffle bag like that with wheels is all I use. Any decent hockey bag here in canuck-land will do.
throne, hihat std, snare std and 2 or 3 cymbal stands + pedal all fit in there.
Yes you will have to break down your boom stands, but that takes maybe 30 secs each. Enjoy your gig!
 
I don't gig much so can't justify spending $200 on a hardware bag (plus I'm PO'!), but I do need something that will carry my stuff (or even store safely).

I just stumbles on this rolling duffel 36x17x15, made of 1200 denier fabric (twice as thick as most), with 3 wheels and skid rails.

http://bigduffles.com/product/36_wheeled_duffel_bag_mother_load.html

When I'm just piling my stands in the trunk of the car, I usually leave them extended (except for the booms). Will I have to disassemble everything to get it into this bag?

If you're still in the market for a HW bag, I have my old one up for sale at I think, is a good price. It fits a LOT of stands and rolls very nicely. PM me if you're interested.

https://reverb.com/item/4289207-ahead-armor-ogio-engineered-38-hardware-case
 
It depends on your use really, I use a 38in road runner bag stuffed with a full PDP rack and two hi hat stands and it works perfectly. My hats sit low and the pedals can temporarily pop out making them fit easily, not sure how high yours stand. That duffel bag for 50 bucks looks like a good deal. Keep in mind that bags become a hassle when they're loaded and heavy, so if you plan on packing some serious amount of hardware just get a case instead!
 
I have one PR bag in every size. The Long 47" bag allows me to keep stands (3) in position and just fold the legs in. Super-efficient when you get to the gig and just need to drop the legs.

The medium bag handles seat and stick bag along with fan and all the Atlas lifts etc.. that I use.

The small bag holds my snare stand and throne base along with my snare mic stand and double pedals.

It's kind of silly to use 3 when 2 would do but I like keeping my things in nice shape and not banging them all up. Plus, I play enough acoustic shows where I can use one or two of the bags for cajon stuff.

I've had my 47" PR bag for nearly 15 years. Well worth the investment.

Buy nice or buy twice

I'm interested in getting one of those 47" Protection racket bags with wheels. 15 years sounds really impressive, great to hear something like that.
 
It depends on your use really, I use a 38in road runner bag stuffed with a full PDP rack and two hi hat stands and it works perfectly. My hats sit low and the pedals can temporarily pop out making them fit easily, not sure how high yours stand. That duffel bag for 50 bucks looks like a good deal. Keep in mind that bags become a hassle when they're loaded and heavy, so if you plan on packing some serious amount of hardware just get a case instead!

Yeah, this weekend I have to check the hi-hat stand. The down rod doesn't screw apart like most stands I've seen. It folds over, so is not as compact as others. I'm sure I can get the cymbal stands down to that length, although I'd rather not have to take everything apart. (going to as quick a set up as possible.)
 
I use a plastic golf club travel case too. I holds a ton but it weighs a ton loaded. I am going to get two smaller fabric hardware bags to save on my back.
 
I have three. Pearl makes a nice smaller one, it's about 32" long. I also have a big 48", and a little tough hardware case from Home Depot that's about 24". I also have an SKB golf case, but it's rather unwieldy compared to the bags.
 
Yeah, this weekend I have to check the hi-hat stand. The down rod doesn't screw apart like most stands I've seen. It folds over, so is not as compact as others. I'm sure I can get the cymbal stands down to that length, although I'd rather not have to take everything apart. (going to as quick a set up as possible.)

If you haven't already, try cutting down the rod to a useful length. I did this when I began ambidextrous set ups and it not only avoids cymbals easily, it makes storing and moving it easy too.
 
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