Trolley, but without the bag

Zafar Iqbal · 03-23-2016, 02:07 PM

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I'm looking for something I can use to carry my existing bags with. I'm not interested a new camerabag with wheels.

I've so far found the products from Andersen to be quiet nice, and this in particular grabbed my attention because of the wheel size along with the price: Scala Shopper Plus - Easy-Trolley.com

Few things I'm aware of on my own:
Must have very quiet wheels
Sturdy design, but not too heavy
Can be used on surfaces like pavement, grass, gravel, dirt/mud etc.
Obviously, should be able to support the weight.
I don't care about any bag there may come with it - having my bags on it is all that matters.

I actually have no idea how much my gear weighs, but I suspect it's way less than 20KG.

My bags surfacearea (buttom) is approx. 35 x 25cm - the suface area for the Shopper Plus trolley is "offen x 25cm". What is "offen"??

I have a Lowe Pro Runner 450 AW totally stuffed, and the Large Think Tank retrospective, not so stuffed plus a carbon fiber tripod.

Is there anything else I should consider or be aware of regarding the trolley?

Ps. I do not want to spend much more than 75euro, unless there is a super good reason for it.

johnmflores · 03-23-2016, 03:51 PM

I have something similar. It's ok, not great. Not really stable with a lot of gear. My friend is a working pro and has something more like this...

Folding Hand Truck - 100 lb. Load Capacity H-1787 - Uline

Seems better built.

excanonfd · 03-23-2016, 03:54 PM

Google for a Folding Hand Truck, maybe you can find one in your region with the specifications you've cited. If you want an all terrain use hand truck, look for large diameter, semi-pneumatic bearinged wheels. Obviously the rest of the frame need to be quite beefy as well - how much weight you can tolerate will the limiting factor in determining the sturdiness of the hand truck.

**WPRESTO** · 03-23-2016, 04:15 PM

Originally posted by johnmflores

I have something similar. It's ok, not great. Not really stable with a lot of gear. My friend is a working pro and has something more like this...

Folding Hand Truck - 100 lb. Load Capacity H-1787 - Uline

Seems better built.

A CAVEAT: We use one of those folding hand trucks to move a dog crate when we go to agility meets. To get it into working position, you press down the platform with one foot causing the wheels to fold back and eventually both "snap" into place. After about two years of use, this unfolding mechanism does not work properly. I must apply extreme pressure to get it unfolded. It appears that the wheels are getting caught and resisting folding back, and no, you cannot manually fold back the wheels then put down the platform. Also, the unit is OK for us traveling by car, but a bit bulky & heavy for airline travel.

ADDENDUM: If you want an all-terrain cart, for inside an airline terminal, across grass, across gravel or cinder, WHEEL SIZE IS CRITICAL: THE BIGGER THE BETTER. Two-inch wheels (roller-blade size) are OK inside or on pavement, but are worthless on loose cinder or gravel. Try for about four-inch diameter wheels. For local field work I sometimes use a home-made rig with 11-inch wheels. Works well across loose gravel, dirt parking areas, along woodland trails with lots of roots, into unmowed fields.

Last edited by WPRESTO; 03-23-2016 at 04:39 PM.

Zafar Iqbal · 03-23-2016, 07:45 PM

Thanks for the replies. I found some fold/collapsible hand trucks, and it's a bit weird the price is the same for models, that take 3-5 times as much load as a consumer trolley.

One critical thing I noticed though, was that they all had the "load plate" all the way down, which isn't too good if I'm on wet grass, sand and whatnot.

Originally posted by WPRESTO

WHEEL SIZE IS CRITICAL: THE BIGGER THE BETTER.

I agree and it's one of the reasons I'm not interested in camera bag trolleys, as they all (to my knowledge) have small wheels. They are a pain on many types of surfaces and I can't imagine being able to use them at all on even just slightly high grass or in forests.

The Scala Shopper Plus I referred to has 6inch wheels in diameter. I think that will do just fine.

I also saw some Youtube videos with it being compared with others. On a test the mic was placed next to the wheels and the Scala was very silent. It may seem like a secondary thing, but I really dislike the wheel noises that especially smaller and harder wheels make.

Zafar Iqbal · 05-26-2016, 04:59 PM

I ended up buying a Andersen Royal Shopper trolley.

I could have bought the trolley without a bag and for a lesser price, but decided to have the bag as well for normal usage. I plan on purchasing an add-on so the trolley can be attached to a bike - that could come in handy for occasional heavy shopping usage

- or local jobs.

I chose pneumtic/air wheels I trust these are to be better suited for all terrain usage. I haven't been out with it yet but handling feels great and I already feel like I could conquer mountains.

The tires are silent - that was a biggie.
The weight is surprisingly low - that was of concern as well.
The bag is not on ground level when parked (would be problematic with mud etc.) - also a biggie.
It looks nice and rigid but not industrial - and it's actually smaller than I thought it would be - in a good way.
It's also collapsible and all that.

My Lowepro Runner 450 AW fits quiet well and there is room for a slightly wider bag. The lower part is secured using the belly strap and I now just need a bike elastic cord kind of ting to secure the top after which, I could just roll with it and not have to remove the bag from the trolley.

It cost about twice as much as I had originally planned to spend, but having seen it I must say I'm *very* satisfied and can highly recommend this to anyone who might be considering a trolley for their gear as well.

**WPRESTO** · 05-27-2016, 03:35 AM

That looks like a well-designed cart. I'm not sure that Anders is available in the USA. Sometimes manufacturers get into a rut, all committing to a certain design regardless of whether it is the best solution to fit a certain purpose. I think that is true of 90% of folding shopping carts sold in the USA: stainless steel tubular frames with 2 to 3 inch diameter wheels. Recently, a collapsible 4-wheeled wagon design has become ubiquitous, with much larger wheels. More hopeful, a cart designed for hauling out on a beach, fitted with wide molded plastic wheels about 7~8 inches in diameter.

Zafar Iqbal · 05-27-2016, 07:11 AM - **1 Like**

This is how I plan on using it (plus tripod on the bag) and everything is staying nicely in place. I might want to secure the shoulder bag a big better though. Right now I just have the bag handle wrapped around the two bars.

If the hip padding of the belly strap looks like it's too close to the wheel, then that's just an illusion - I have 3cm gap on both sides.

The center of gravity is awesome when I walk with it - I can easily manage it with just a finger

03-23-2016, 02:07 PM	#1
Zafar Iqbal Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,229	Trolley, but without the bag Staff note: This post may contain affiliate links, which means Pentax Forums may earn a small commission if a visitor clicks through and makes a purchase. If you would like to support the forum directly, you may also make a donation here. I'm looking for something I can use to carry my existing bags with. I'm not interested a new camerabag with wheels. I've so far found the products from Andersen to be quiet nice, and this in particular grabbed my attention because of the wheel size along with the price: Scala Shopper Plus - Easy-Trolley.com Few things I'm aware of on my own: Must have very quiet wheels Sturdy design, but not too heavy Can be used on surfaces like pavement, grass, gravel, dirt/mud etc. Obviously, should be able to support the weight. I don't care about any bag there may come with it - having my bags on it is all that matters. I actually have no idea how much my gear weighs, but I suspect it's way less than 20KG. My bags surfacearea (buttom) is approx. 35 x 25cm - the suface area for the Shopper Plus trolley is "offen x 25cm". What is "offen"?? I have a Lowe Pro Runner 450 AW totally stuffed, and the Large Think Tank retrospective, not so stuffed plus a carbon fiber tripod. Is there anything else I should consider or be aware of regarding the trolley? Ps. I do not want to spend much more than 75euro, unless there is a super good reason for it.

05-26-2016, 04:59 PM	#6
Zafar Iqbal Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,229 Original Poster	I ended up buying a Andersen Royal Shopper trolley. I could have bought the trolley without a bag and for a lesser price, but decided to have the bag as well for normal usage. I plan on purchasing an add-on so the trolley can be attached to a bike - that could come in handy for occasional heavy shopping usage - or local jobs. I chose pneumtic/air wheels I trust these are to be better suited for all terrain usage. I haven't been out with it yet but handling feels great and I already feel like I could conquer mountains. The tires are silent - that was a biggie. The weight is surprisingly low - that was of concern as well. The bag is not on ground level when parked (would be problematic with mud etc.) - also a biggie. It looks nice and rigid but not industrial - and it's actually smaller than I thought it would be - in a good way. It's also collapsible and all that. My Lowepro Runner 450 AW fits quiet well and there is room for a slightly wider bag. The lower part is secured using the belly strap and I now just need a bike elastic cord kind of ting to secure the top after which, I could just roll with it and not have to remove the bag from the trolley. It cost about twice as much as I had originally planned to spend, but having seen it I must say I'm very satisfied and can highly recommend this to anyone who might be considering a trolley for their gear as well. Last edited by Zafar Iqbal; 05-27-2016 at 03:44 AM. Reason: typo

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03-23-2016, 03:51 PM	#2
johnmflores Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Somerville, NJ Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,361	I have something similar. It's ok, not great. Not really stable with a lot of gear. My friend is a working pro and has something more like this... Folding Hand Truck - 100 lb. Load Capacity H-1787 - Uline Seems better built.

03-23-2016, 03:54 PM	#3
excanonfd Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 1,421	Google for a Folding Hand Truck, maybe you can find one in your region with the specifications you've cited. If you want an all terrain use hand truck, look for large diameter, semi-pneumatic bearinged wheels. Obviously the rest of the frame need to be quite beefy as well - how much weight you can tolerate will the limiting factor in determining the sturdiness of the hand truck.

03-23-2016, 04:15 PM	#4
WPRESTO Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Massachusetts Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 59,104	Originally posted by johnmflores I have something similar. It's ok, not great. Not really stable with a lot of gear. My friend is a working pro and has something more like this... Folding Hand Truck - 100 lb. Load Capacity H-1787 - Uline Seems better built. A CAVEAT: We use one of those folding hand trucks to move a dog crate when we go to agility meets. To get it into working position, you press down the platform with one foot causing the wheels to fold back and eventually both "snap" into place. After about two years of use, this unfolding mechanism does not work properly. I must apply extreme pressure to get it unfolded. It appears that the wheels are getting caught and resisting folding back, and no, you cannot manually fold back the wheels then put down the platform. Also, the unit is OK for us traveling by car, but a bit bulky & heavy for airline travel. ADDENDUM: If you want an all-terrain cart, for inside an airline terminal, across grass, across gravel or cinder, WHEEL SIZE IS CRITICAL: THE BIGGER THE BETTER. Two-inch wheels (roller-blade size) are OK inside or on pavement, but are worthless on loose cinder or gravel. Try for about four-inch diameter wheels. For local field work I sometimes use a home-made rig with 11-inch wheels. Works well across loose gravel, dirt parking areas, along woodland trails with lots of roots, into unmowed fields. Last edited by WPRESTO; 03-23-2016 at 04:39 PM.

03-23-2016, 07:45 PM	#5
Zafar Iqbal Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,229 Original Poster	Thanks for the replies. I found some fold/collapsible hand trucks, and it's a bit weird the price is the same for models, that take 3-5 times as much load as a consumer trolley. One critical thing I noticed though, was that they all had the "load plate" all the way down, which isn't too good if I'm on wet grass, sand and whatnot. Originally posted by WPRESTO WHEEL SIZE IS CRITICAL: THE BIGGER THE BETTER. I agree and it's one of the reasons I'm not interested in camera bag trolleys, as they all (to my knowledge) have small wheels. They are a pain on many types of surfaces and I can't imagine being able to use them at all on even just slightly high grass or in forests. The Scala Shopper Plus I referred to has 6inch wheels in diameter. I think that will do just fine. I also saw some Youtube videos with it being compared with others. On a test the mic was placed next to the wheels and the Scala was very silent. It may seem like a secondary thing, but I really dislike the wheel noises that especially smaller and harder wheels make.

05-27-2016, 03:35 AM	#7
WPRESTO Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Massachusetts Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 59,104	That looks like a well-designed cart. I'm not sure that Anders is available in the USA. Sometimes manufacturers get into a rut, all committing to a certain design regardless of whether it is the best solution to fit a certain purpose. I think that is true of 90% of folding shopping carts sold in the USA: stainless steel tubular frames with 2 to 3 inch diameter wheels. Recently, a collapsible 4-wheeled wagon design has become ubiquitous, with much larger wheels. More hopeful, a cart designed for hauling out on a beach, fitted with wide molded plastic wheels about 7~8 inches in diameter.

05-27-2016, 07:11 AM - 1 Like	#8
Zafar Iqbal Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,229 Original Poster	This is how I plan on using it (plus tripod on the bag) and everything is staying nicely in place. I might want to secure the shoulder bag a big better though. Right now I just have the bag handle wrapped around the two bars. If the hip padding of the belly strap looks like it's too close to the wheel, then that's just an illusion - I have 3cm gap on both sides. The center of gravity is awesome when I walk with it - I can easily manage it with just a finger