Rolling equipment bags?

[mgelman]

Anyone have any opinions on the fencing bags with wheels: Good ones, bad ones, wheels always falling off, poor value, etc?

I'm thinking about getting a new bag, and I'd like some wider opinions.

--Michael

[veeco]

If you're travelling a lot, take one that can it's wheels (or better the whole cart piece) replaced, as these parts tend to break a lot during travel. Bagage handlers are not very nice on bags, and the heavier they are, the harder they fall.

A lot of people use golf cases. I don't like them much, because I like to have a lot of pockets and pouches to put my stuff in and organize my stuff. But they do seem more sturdy. It's a tradeoff you have to make.

[Zelda]

I love my Uhlmann wheeled bag to death. However after lugging it around the UK 2 years ago, and then to 3 interstate competitions a year for 3 years it is showing wear. I have had to replace the wheels (very easy, just use Rollerblade wheels) and it has worn on the edge. But generally its brillant. I can fit 3 weapons, a competition kit (I am a foilist), shoes, state tracksuit, water bottles, food, major repair kit (weights, testers, wire, strippers etc etc), and clothes for a weekend trip interstate in my wheeled bag and its attachment. Hope this helps.

[neevel]

Most manufacturers have replacement wheels available for their bags. One thing to look for that I like is having the wheels on a removable frame, so that you have the option of taking the bag with or without the wheels. It's handy if you ever have to fit your bag in with a bunch of others in a modest-sized car trunk. Prieur wheel bags work this way.

One strike against hard-side golf cases is that they're often too long to fit in a car trunk unless you fold a seat down. There are wheeled, soft golf club cases with side pockets that can work very nicely as fencing bags, but the ones I've seen don't have any rigidity (they rely on the club bag inside for that) so you'd need to cut a piece of plywood to fit in the bottom. I myself have a hard-side case that I use only when I travel by air, with a couple of bags for clothing and tools that I put inside it. For car travel, I have a Prieur roll-bag.

One other thing about golf cases if you go that route-- be sure to put distinct, prominent identifying marks on it, as at a typical NAC or Summer Nationals there are often dozens-upon-dozens of identical golf cases lying around the venue.

-Dave

[Stryder]

With regard to replacing the wheels n your wheely bags:

Use Razor scooter wheels instead of rollerblade wheels. The added diameter makes the bag easier to pull and lifts it a bit off the ground. Also Razor wheels have a very nice set of ball bearings in them.
Don't pay more than $12 a pair.