Storage and Transport of equipment

[jvrjenivs]

The new Re-enactment seasons (for me) starts soon, and I was wondering how to make the transport an storage of all my stuff better and easyer.

Now I've 2 bags with stuff, 1 bag for my sword, a wooden box with some items in it, and my seg, pilum, scutum and helmet as unpacked pieces. With means a lot of thinks to drop into the car, etc. How do you all transport your equipment easyli and safe... (same for storage)

Vale,

Jurjen

[Crispvs]

I keep my hard kit in a rectangular plastic tub with a handle at each end. My segmentata goes in the middle with my helmet inside it. My folded up belt fits in nicely at one end and my shoulder padding (soon to be a proper subarmalis) and feathers are slid in at the other end. My sword sits accross the top, diagonally from corner to corner. Sometimes I put my caligae in one corner of the box, depending on how wet or muddy they are. My soft kit (scarf, undertunic, helmet padding, blue tunic, off-white tunic with blue clavi, fascia ventralis, udones and paenula) are folded carefully and packed into an old sports bag. I both transport and keep my kit like this. If I am taking my toga this remains separate as it will not fit into the bag (even if the other items are not present). My bowl, cup, spoon and patera also get packed in their own bag. My pila have pieces of plasic piping put over the ends to protect the car from the points.
Normally when packing the car I put the box with the hard kit into the boot first, pushed into the corner. The sports bag goes beside this and the toga and bag with my patera and cup go into the other corner, along with my sleeping bag. If my boots are packed separately I find somewhere to fit them in and then my scutum is placed face up so it curves over the rest of the kit. The pila are placed so that they run from the front passenger foot space, between the passenger and driver's seats and rest on the back seat. Any passenger has to put up with these pressing against him, as I always lift them slightly to give enough access to the handbrake and gear lever. My crest and any books I am bringing with me sit on the back seat. If I am carrying a passenger, his kit mostly resides on and around the back seat.

Crispvs

[Matthew Amt]

I made a tote bag out of heavy cotton with wide woven braid passing underneath and forming the handles. First in goes the girdle section of the lorica, open side up, with left and right sections still laced together. The shoulder sections nest together and into one side of the girdle plates, with the helmet on top of them. Into the other half of the girdle section goes the caligae, tunics rolled up, subarmalis, and focale, and the belt gets stuffed in however it fits. Sling the sword, satchel, and scutum, carry the pack pole and pilum.

If I'm heading off to an even, I'll be wearing the tunics, but another helmet might go into the bag instead. I have a couple wool bags for extra protection for my brass helmets and for my Republican pectoral, and a couple bags for holding swords.

For school demos I have a wheeled cart with a milk crate strapped to it. A bag goes in that with my toga, spare tunics and shoes, etc. Satchel goes on top of that, and armor bag on top of that. That gets everything into the school in one load (since there is almost never enough time to show off extra toys).

With a minivan, it really doesn't matter how the stuff all goes in, as long as nothing's rolling around.

I tend recommend a tote bag rather than a plastic tub, since if you don't have a chance to stick the container back in your car, or any place to hide it out of the way, a bag is much less innocuous and visible. But I'll admit that a tub is darn handy in some ways! In either case, having individual bags for sword, helmet, dagger, etc., will protect them from dings and such. The bags can even be padded.

For storage at home, I like to keep my armor hung up and helmets on their special shelf. But if there are a lot of demos and events, the stuff might be in the bag for a couple months on end. In any case, ALWAYS wipe down your armor and helmet after wearing them, to prevent rust! And check them now and then while their are "in storage" (or even on display), and re-oil. Anything that gets stuffed back into the box or bag damp or humid and then neglected for a few days will be rusted and mildewed very quickly!

Valete,

Matthew

[Titus Amatius Paulus]

For the reconstruction events I travel with two bags, one for the clothes (tunica, braccae, caligae, cingulum etc) and another for the mail shirt (lorica hamata) and the helmet, the pugio and gladius go tied up in the top of the clothes bag. I make a cover to my scutum and goes in the rear settle. The pila goes in car´s cabin. When I take my furca I go with two bags more. In the legio VIIII Hispana we use a car as "load donkey" with all equipment of varius legionaries and two legionaries in the front settles.

When I return from an event I have to face a complet unkeep for my equipment: horse grease for the caligae, cingulum and leather parts, press my mail rings, mineral oil to steel parts (gladius, pugio, pila) and clean the brass of the helment and cingulum. I lost a morning to do this.

[Robert Vermaat]

Buy a van?

I use a big weekend bag for most of the helmet/small arms/small stuff/clothing (but I travel in Roman clothing - saves lots of time and space). I pack for two people, the other stuff going in two shopping bags.

Only loose stuff is the spears, swords, scuta, the plumbata quiver, the armour and a box for the pottery.

[A_Volpe]

I, like Crispvs, use a plastic "Tupperware" tub, with handles on the sides and a plastic cover that "snaps" onto the lip of the tub.

[As much as I'd like to have a more "authentic" looking transportation aparatus/container, one great advantage to a tupperware tub is it's waterproof and easy to clean. It will also take some abuse and rough handling. However, as Matt Amt said, a bag would look more "period" and is more easily consealable....Depends on what you want]

First, I would say get a piece of Foam Rubber or some old towels/rags to line the bottom to give cushion, and prevent everything from jostling around inside the tub. If the piece is big enough to cover the inside walls, that could help too.

My tub is a little "small", so my armor (lorica seggie) will go in, assembled, but opened like a vest, and allowed to collapse on itself, placing the shoulder guards/breast plates over the girdle plates to spread out as much weight as possible. I'll then take my helmet (a brass Aquincum/Gallic I), and place it neckguard-down into the middle of the armor, and have the helmet then rest of the crestnob and supported by the inside of the girdle. (if you're concerned about dings, a towel or linen rag would be good to wrap it up in, even better, an old pillowcase!)

I'll then thrown my Paenula cloak ontop of the armor, covering most of it up. I'll then put my caligae in, hobnails towards the inside wall of the tub, on either end, and gently roll up my Balteus and place it on the other end. I'll usually put my Pugio on the bottom, so it doesn't jostle around as much.

My clothes (currently tunica, focale, subarmalis, wool stocking cap for helmet liner) get put in a brown paper bag and placed ontop of the paenula. Finally my Pompeii gladius is laid diagonally ontop. After an event, I will only transport the clothes in the bag, in the tub until I get the gear into the car, I try to remember to take out the bag of clothes and put in down on the floor, to prevent as much moisture as possible inside the box. I'd suggest getting a cedar wood block or those "sneaker balls" that can absorb moisture. That might help quite a bit, esspecially when you're unable to dry off/oil up the armor for a few hours of traveling; or unable to clean the armor when you get home.

I have a small metal Hand-Truck to lug around the box, I'd suggest getting a tub that has nice, big *sturdy* wheels already attatched to the tub, and make sure you measure the inside of the tub, if you have to accomodate a larger gladius, like a Mainz. I think I'll have to consider getting a bungee cord or tie to tie down the box to the hand-truck, to prevent it tipping over as I cart it around.

I also have a small bag of leather ties/thongs to replace any that break, to tie up things (for, say, the furca), and I would recommend a small pair of needle-nose pliers (to remove stubborn ties, or to bend metal pieces back into place) and either a small pair of nippers or scissors, to cut the leather ties to size.

Shield I have to carry by hand, sometimes I'll cover it with a plastic black trashbag, if only to keep the rain off and to not be nearly as a distraction to the public.

Pilum has the metal shaft wrapped with a big towel and tied tightly, with one small tie tightly around the "handle", behind the traingular junction block, to prevent the towel slipping off... I'd recommend finding a better way, such as plastic tubing, or some such.

I currently have a 4-door Sedan car, so the Pilum goes parallel to the car side along the doors from the front passenger seat to the rear passenger seat. I'll sometimes bend the pilum gently to have it sit better.
The box goes on the back passenger seat, the Hand truck goes in the trunk, laying down, upside down (so the wheels don't roll around!), and the scutum goes ontop of that. If I have to, I can put the tub in the trunk. I'll then have to collapse the hand-truck and artfully place it in there, and the scutum again ontop. The truck just closes like that

If I'm doing a school program and bringing extra weapons/swords, I currently use a carry bag from a foldable chair...I highly recommend to either make a bag or find one that could do this. I ought to do so myself!

My furca/marching pole is still giving me a challenge. I still haven't found an acceptable way of tying up my Dolabra/pickaxe, nor finding a way to lay it down inside the backseat of my car without taking up too much space, so experiment and good luck with that!

Whichever way you do this, I highly suggest you find a way to pack up as many pieces of gear into as few boxes/bags as possible. The fewer trips to the car you have to make will make your life easier and loading/unloading faster.

On my Gladius and Pugio, I have a leather (or linen cord) strap attatched to the suspension loop/rings. The cord is long enough to come up along the hilt, wrap around the handle twice, and then come down and tie (tightly) to the oposite loop. This serves 2 functions: It prevents the blades from falling out during transport and/or moving around; and it prevents kids/people from coming up to you and grabbing either blade, and pulling it out....I've had that happen once two many times. (I tie up the weapons when I go into a very crowded area or know I'll be swarmed by over-enthusiastic kids, as you cannot watch everyone)

hope this helps.

[FAVENTIANVS]

I try to have everything in just one big pack, for not to lose anything. I finally got a wheel car used to carry the daily supermarket shopping, I put my more fragile belt and purse with fibula, rings... etc. inside my helmet.
The wheel car goes vertical, like a traveling wheel suitcase, then I put the burden with the heaviest at the bottom. Only the spear and the shield going apart.
The spears and pila are suited alongside in diagonal the car cabin, bending over half of the back seats.

[aitor iriarte]

Now I'm confronted with travelling by plane to the Netherlands this week-end. My spatha is too long for my Samsonite case, even diagonally placed
Due to the increase in security for air travels I'm not allowed to carry it as hand luggage (Lest I put it on the air-hostress' throat while I shout: 'Now direct the plane towards Free Germania!!').
Therefore I've bought a cardboard tube of the kind used for rolling blueprints inside (Due the rough handling of the cargo now I feel that it should have been a section PVC piping! :? ). I've glued two wooden elements inside, one forming the bottom and holding the scabbard's chape and the other, placed under the hilt. Those wooden elements allow scutcheons to be screwed to the tube for a carrying strap.
The final step will be to wrap the hilt with as much padding as possible, seal the lid with a ton of tape and stick to the outside the word 'Fragile' in several languages while I pray to all the gods...

Aitor

[Primvs Pavlvs]

Just a bump to the top to get some opinions.

I will be flying to Europe in August to attend a re-enactment in Switzerland. Does anyone have advice on how to travel with my kit? I am worried that if it goes missing I cannot replace it. Any suggestions other than mailing it?

[Hibernicus]

Travelling by Plane
We've had guys put their scutums in garment bags. In the good old days you could do garment bags as carry-ons.. sigh.

A baby crib mattress box, cardboard, is excellent for airline travel.. also a small/childs bicycle box.. sturdy cardboard! sometimes they are made to fold up.. great for storage... often with built in hand holds..... scutum, swords and loads of gear fit inside.. even a pilum if you take it apart.

We've had guys ship pilum in ski boxes and bags..... kind of pricey but sturdy! ...or in large fishing pole boxes.

Another trick for pilum: a section of PVC or ABS pipe. Glue a cap on one end and glue threaded fitting with cap (or plug) on the other.

Art supply and architectural drawing supply places will have sturdy plastic tubes with operable caps... long enough for swords.

Travelling by road.
We've gotten rid of our plastic bins and totes. Use wicker boxes now. Laundry hampers.. etc. Picnic boxes make great containers for small kit items or a repair kit. We transport all of our crockery and pots in hampers padded with thin wood shavings and felted wool cloth.

Cloth bags, large circle bags with a draw string make great transport of segs and helmets.. open it up and you have a nice ground cloth for display ro as a place to keep gear off of wet grass. Oil the cloth for waterproofing.

[Celer]

Salve,

I manage to get everything into my old Berghaus Roc, including sleeping bag, tent, kip-mat as well as my Roman gear. The sword goes into an artist tube strapped onto the side.

I have wimped out with the shield, I store it on the unit van.

Celer.

[FAVENTIANVS]

Send it by UPS many weeks before your trip.

[Hibernicus]

I was inspired by an Advert in Sunday's paper.

How about using a shotgun case for transporting a gladius or 2 or 3!

http://www.airsportdirect.com/acatalog/ ... unCase.jpg
[/list]

[Tarbicus]

I'm not allowed to carry it as hand luggage (Lest I put it on the air-hostress' throat while I shout: 'Now direct the plane towards Free Germania!!').

And the FBI and Interpol just started a file on Aitor... :wink:

[Robert Vermaat]

I'm not allowed to carry it as hand luggage (Lest I put it on the air-hostress' throat while I shout: 'Now direct the plane towards Free Germania!!').

And the FBI and Interpol just started a file on Aitor... :wink:

Why? Because he threathens to threathen an air hostess or because he thinks there's a Free Germania? :wink: