The other day I decided to stop procrastinating and take advantage of Labor Day discounts; hence, I bought myself a much needed gear carrying bag. That is, a wheeled carrying bag for my studio gear, to be precise.
I needed a wheeled carrying bag, long and sturdy enough for my longest stands (42″ folded length), a 7′ umbrella and stand, and other gear. After spending a significant time looking and searching for just the right bag, I decided to go for the Godox CB-01. It’s $100 (and it’s a steal, compared to other bags in the same category).
In this post, I’d like to share my first impressions:
The Godox CB-01 is sturdy enough for what I need these days. Not all on-location photo shoots require all that gear, but some do, hence, it’s good to have a rolling bag sturdy enough to carry it.
The Godox CB-01 also offers plenty of ways to store gear. I managed to fill my bag with two 9.5′ Impact stands (42″ folded length), tripod, another stand and arm (for my reflector), horizontal rods (for backdrop), cloth backdrops (three: one thick cloth, two thin cloth), two Profoto strip softboxes and respective rods).
Here are a few images:
Godox CB-01 rolling bag for photo studio equipment. Closed. Just out of the box. Photo by Alina Oswald.Dividers inside the Godox CB-01 wheeled light gear bag. Rolling bag for photo studio equipment. Velcro dividers can be easily moved/repositioned or removed. Photo by Alina Oswald.Godox CB-01 wheeled light gear bag. Rolling bag for photo studio equipment. For comparison, here’s my Profot D1 kit bag as it fits/looks inside the Godox CB-01 wheeled bag. [Photo by Alina Oswald.]Godox CB-01 rolling bag for photo studio equipment. I removed all the dividers, used them to pad all walls of the rolling bag, and then filled it with my stands, backdrop rods and umbrellas. [Photo by Alina Oswald.]Godox CB-01 wheeled gear bag. I added two thin cloth backdrops and two rods (in their boxes) for the Profoto strip softboxes. [Photo by Alina Oswald.]Godox CB-01 wheeled light gear bag. I added two softbox strips and, over the length of the entire bag, a Westcott 9×10′ black (thick) cloth backdrop. [Photo by Alina Oswald.]Godox CB-01 wheeled light gear bag; corner detail. Not sure how sturdy they are, the corner reinforcements, but guess I’ll have to use it more, and then update. [Photo by Alina Oswald.]Godox CB-01 wheeled light gear bag. Fully loaded. Note: when fully loaded, the zipper seemed to get slightly stuck at the corners, hence, I ended up taking out one of the purple (thin) cloth backdrops (and found plenty of room for it in the Profoto D1 kit bag) . Problem solved. [Photo by Alina Oswald.]Godox CB-01 wheeled bag for photo studio equipment. photo by Alina Oswald.
Again, I hope I won’t have to wheel this bag, fully loaded, out of the house. But it’s good to know that that’s an option. I see myself loading it with light stands, my Profoto studio gear, light modifiers and even cameras and lenses, on a more regular basis.
The good news is that I’ve found a better and more practical storage solution for my (photo and lighting) gear. And that’s a relief!
Alina Oswald is a writer and photographer published nationally and internationally, covering LGBTQIA, HIV and AIDS, and COVID-19-related stories. She is the Managing Editor of A&U--Art & Understanding Magazine and the Arts Editor of Out IN Jersey Magazine. As a photographer, Alina Oswald works with small businesses and business professionals, covering portraits, events, and promotional photography. As a teaching photographer, she teaches and mentors teen and adult students. For more details, contact her at alinaoswald.com.
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