2009Vehicles and Mounts forum
Legway - A wheeled platform worn at the waist to carry a Steadicam rig without bearing its weight
17 years old. Gear and prices may have changed since.
What the thread found
- The Legway is a belt-worn device with wheels positioned directly under the rig, allowing the operator's legs and the wheel assembly to form a stable tripod that prevents the rig from falling away like a unicycle would.
- The device performs best when walking backward or performing slow lateral movements, while forward walking requires hip-based steering and presents greater difficulty.
- Bicycle-sized tires and a fixed wheel orientation (rather than swiveling casters) were chosen because they handle terrain variations better and resist the tendency to stick when hitting obstacles.
- The rig can be repositioned horizontally along the pipe if it interferes with the operator's feet or viewing angle, and the compact footprint allows use in spaces where other camera support vehicles cannot fit.
- Field testing showed that operators become comfortable with the device's steering and balance within approximately fifteen minutes of use.
- The wheel spacing of twelve inches between them provides a wide balancing base for operating heavier rigs.
Depends on
- Caster wheels were tested but proved problematic because uneven weight distribution over the rig caused them to lose self-correcting behavior and create unpredictable 'grocery cart' effects.
- Forward walking is constrained compared to backward operation, and the operator must maintain visual attention on their feet and the wheel position.
- Some users expressed concern about foot clearance with the vertical post, though the designer indicated this could be managed by adjusting shot framing slightly or extending the rig farther from the post.
- The design works best on terrain where wheel size is matched appropriately; larger wheels handle bigger obstacles but smaller wheels are needed for smooth surfaces.
- The device was described as useful for only ten to seventy percent of each shooting day, not as a universal camera support solution.