GPIPro modular sled lightweight configuration performance and balancing considerations

2012Sled forum

14 years old. Gear and prices may have changed since.

DisputedParticipants disagreed and reached no conclusion. Read the findings as positions, not as an answer.

The lightest GPIPro sled configuration weighs approximately 6.5 pounds without monitor or batteries when using a lightweight base, fixed post, kip handle gimbal, and DBox 2.
A practical lightweight sled setup using Donkey Box Gen II, HD junction boxes, fixed center post, gimbal, Gen IV battery rack, 6-inch monitor, and Preston focus controller weighs about 11 pounds without camera.
The Gen IV battery rack supports both 12V and 24V operation but is limited to two batteries maximum and has a low profile with greater adjustment range than the Gen III battery rack.
An Atlas arm combined with this lightweight sled configuration yields approximately 35 pounds total camera capacity.
Balancing heavy cameras such as a 26-27 pound Alexa on a lightweight fixed-post sled configuration is problematic and requires either moving weight down below the gimbal or upgrading to an extendable center post.
Adding a second battery is more practical than upgrading to an extendable center post when seeking better balance, as the extendable post itself adds weight.
The modular junction boxes remain compatible across configurations, allowing users to scale the system up or down based on budget and needs.

The 35-pound camera capacity figure may be theoretical and difficult to achieve in practice with a fixed-post configuration.
Weight estimates are based on user memory and may not be precisely accurate.
The comparison between center post types and their specific weight differences is mentioned but not definitively documented.
Discussion compares different manufacturers' products with different post diameters, but the practical impact on actual balancing is debated.
Example configurations are from 2012 and may not reflect current product specifications.