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Impact Sand bags


Brian Leid

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I've owned some for over a year. They're the IMSBE27 model. They've held up very well. They're a bit awkward to use, though, because of the design. Regardless of how much they're filled, they tend to wrap a little too well around legs. Mine are filled with sand. I haven't tested them with shot.

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The price for them is not bad, but shipping is what will kill you. My suggestion is calling up Modern Studio or Norms Studio Equipment and asking for their 25% off pay when you order discount. It makes it cheaper per bag than the Impact bags. Plus, if you order over 100lbs of bags (pretty easy to do!) they will ship it freight, which is much cheaper than UPS/FedEx. Let's say that my Modern Studio order (tons of stands, sandbags, skater wheels, flags, 8x8 w/rags, and a doorway day) shipping was only $250 from Los Angeles to Tennessee.

 

Another option is buying empty bags, but you've got to have an industrial sowing machine to seal them closed once you fill them (a pain in the butt)

 

Matthew

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Another option is buying empty bags, but you've got to have an industrial sowing machine to seal them closed once you fill them (a pain in the butt)

The Impact bags that I bought come empty and have a heavy duty double zipper on each side, so no sewing is required.

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Those are the ones I am interested in. How do you like them?

I like them just fine. My only complaint is the one I mentioned above. I'll like them even more the next time I move across country and I can just empty them out and not pay for the gas to transport several hundred pounds of sand.

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  • 1 month later...
The Impact bags that I bought come empty and have a heavy duty double zipper on each side, so no sewing is required.

 

That style of sandbag is called a 'flyaway', They are for traveling. You could buy flyaways (instead of normal sandbags) & just fill them with sand to save on shipping charges, but they are less secure & more likely to burst at the recloseable juncture, especially if they are thrown, as some people do. Never throw a sandbag, that causes damage (rips & tears) that leads to them leaking sand.

 

The smart shopper will just buy an empty sandbag, add sand & sew it shut to save money on shipping charges. Upholstery shops and cobblers (shoe repair) have industrial sewing machines that can handle that kind of sewing.

 

By the way, sterile clean sand can be purchased at 'Toys R Us', or similar large toy stores. It is intended for sandboxes. You should bleach normal sand (such as empty lot sand) before you add it to the sandbags to kill any algae type plants from growing in it IF the bags ever get wet. Otherwise if they get wet, they can turn green from algae growth & emit odors you may not like.

 

Putting 2 gallon ziplock bags in each section of the flyaway to put the sand in is another idea. You want a ziplock bag that is too large for the amount of sand used inside each section to allow the bag to shape itself over objects & move. Another idea is sealing the thread with the application of super glue to the thread to cause it to soak up the super glue & turn solid. In the clothes I have done this with, the thread outlasted the garment. These might be a stupid ideas though.

 

Matthews flyaway bags feature velcro for closing the bag, but I prefer zippers. Velcro wears down & becomes much less effective over time. But Matthews flyaways are what I have.

I much prefer my shotbags for most applications.

 

I checked out the pictures of the Impact sandbags, they look like great designs, but I have never used them.

 

Jay M. Hurd Los Angeles, CA- electrician, grip

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The impact sandbags are not that sturdy. I have a DP friend who bought a case and has had to replace them with light usage in under a year. IF you want flyaways or refillable bags buy from a reputable dealer/manufacturer. Matthews Modern Norms Avenger Advantage lowing, etc. the refillables are as expensive as a regular filled bag because they use more time and material to make. If you are in the south give me a PM as I have a line on a regional manufacturer.

 

Refillable bags also tend to not last as long as regular bags B/C there are more seams and parts to fail than a normal bag.

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  • 1 year later...

I own a sandbag company in Las Vegas, and have manufactured this type of bag for many years.

 

For the most durable option, purchase a pre-filled bag. Zippers, velcro, and buttons are always going to create a weak point that will inevitably fail. Sewn closure is much stronger, and looks better. Shipping filled bags used to be very expensive and mostly prohibitive, until priority mail flat-rate came around. Almost any company can ship a filled bag for less than $15 anywhere in the USA. My company ships filled saddle bags for free.

 

The care and handling advise given above is right on: Be somewhat gentle when moving and placing them. Don't store them in direct sunlight. Try to keep them dry. Most bags of this style (especially cordura fabric bags) are very heavy duty - think JanSport. Most videographers that buy them quickly make saddle or flyaway sandbags an essential tool in their arsenal. post-46482-1273164793.gif

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  • 2 weeks later...

I have about 45 Impact flyaways in my kit. I love them. I do a lot of small airplane travel and flyaways are essential. I fill plastic ziploc bags with whatever is available to weight them down when I'm in the Bush, but on the home front, I use sand, and shot. Been using them for about 2 years now and none have worn out. I would get them again. They do tend to wrap a little more, but I'm fine with that.

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  • 4 months later...

Check out the Matthews 25lb sandbags, they're only $18! I have 4 of these and they hold up great!

http://www.calumetphoto.com/item/MW2309/

The design is better compared to the impact ones because the hand strap is positioned such that when you lift the bag it pulls the sides of the bags off the stand whereas the impact ones tend to wrap around the stand when trying to remove it. I have seen a stand almost go down when a grip tried to pick up an impact bag off a light stand and wasn't paying attention. Only downside is you have to sew them shut.

 

As far as bad sandbags go DO NOT get Calumet Photo brand sandbags. I bought a 25lb zippered one and it started leaking. Matthews has yet to fail me.

Edited by Salil Sundresh
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