2006Arms forum
Storage and protection solutions for camera stabilizer arms on film sets
20 years old. Gear and prices may have changed since.
What the thread found
- Soft arm bags wear out quickly and need reinforcement for on-set use where equipment gets stacked and moved frequently.
- Adding closed-cell foam padding wrapped in fabric with velcro straps provides extra protection without compromising fit in the original soft case.
- Pelican hard cases offer robust protection but may be too large to fit through doorways when mounted on equipment carts.
- Dedicated custom storage compartments built into equipment carts can keep arms secure, accessible, and protected from damage while remaining organized.
- Padded tube-style arm bags with internal zipper pouches for tools are available commercially at reasonable prices and offer a practical middle ground between soft and hard cases.
- Multiple stabilizer arms can be stored efficiently together in larger hard cases using a diamond pattern arrangement.
Depends on
- Custom leather cases were prohibitively expensive and had long lead times when discussed in this thread.
- The fit of various harness types in specific commercial storage bags was uncertain and required direct vendor verification.
- Soft bags alone may not provide adequate protection for expensive equipment during regular on-set handling and storage.
- Hard case solutions sacrifice convenience and portability compared to integrated cart storage systems.