Hand carts? barrows? how do you move heavy bulky kit?

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RAPPLEBY2000

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Dec 2, 2003
3,195
14
50
England
Hi I like most Bushcrafters have to rely on modern transport to get to the nice places.

I have taught bushcraft and run bushcraft activities for around 10 years and on about 30 different sites.
About half of the sites were off road and difficult to get close to with my car full of kit.
I have to carry a fair bit of kit to each event, demo kit, display cases, H&S kit, tents, and punter flint napping kits (including flint stones), are especially heavy!
so hw do you move a load of kit in minimal time with minimal dificulty?...it's been a sharp learning curve.
My first events were always in public parks and I just parked next to my area, but I now travel to other towns and cities and some of the sites are really arkward, one I did was in a small room upstairs in a shop!


At one of the sites I worked at, I heard this rather depressing phrase:
"The area is through the narrow passageway,( :( ) you can't park/stop on the road at all, ( :confused: ) & parking is 100yards away"(....:tapedshut:cussing:)

...but of course, customer is always right, and they had no choice, so :rolleyes: never mind;), and a couple of friendly types helpped me move kit!

Didn't matter what sort of car or trailer I had there was no way around the problem, man handling or nothing!

Knowing I have hurt my back in the past (and I'm getting older) I've tried to find a cost effective solution to move all my various boxes and bags efficiently and reliably. I have tried various methods from ammo boxes with wheels to a table with detatchable wheelchair wheels I used as a sack barrow, I also used a lightweight sackbarrow but it wasn't really up to the job, each system had flaws, and none looked very professional.

Then it just got silly, I had to do a session, that was 200yards down a muddy track (barely a footpath) the other side of a large horses field at the back of an old farm, tricky!
Just carrying the boxes and bags tent poles etc individually would take the best part of an hour, then I'd set up the displays including a huge tent, not easy.
I'd started looking into what other people had done to carry loads usually some sort of 2 wheeled cart, but 3rd world wooden wheels weren't an option and so I researched a little and found to my suprise Armies over the years have also used handcarts, I found a few but all were based on 2 wheels, were just far too big and based on more than one mans strength.
This is an interesting bit of research on the subject, Google: "combatreform.org/atac" then click on: "All Terrain All-purpose Cart-Sleds (ATACS)"

Then I got lucky, I was helping a friend tidy up his farm stables and spotted a rust covered frame with some wheels, covered in straw and in need of a bit of work done.
I figured out what it was and that I'd be able to fix it, sadly minus the folding side walls (we could only find one and it was beyond repair).
He said he was going to chuck it and I could have it for free...BONUS!!!..

It is an older version of this:
ae235

well after some fixing and a new OG paint job, I now have a perfect working version of this cart, I use it as a sort of flat bed truck, which I can also use as a sort of table to display some of my kit!
I can get all my kit onto it so an average would be a large ammo box 2ft x2ft and several other bags and boxes, I can tie the lot on an I've made 2 cages between the wheels to hold H&S gear, and 1st aid. I only have a family estate car as transport but I've made ramps so the truck can be pushed into the car!
when I go to a smaller venue I just take a lot less!
When everything is strapped on to the truck it really will take a pounding over rough ground and will easily take the weight of an adult or 2 if needs be and the 4 wheels make the whole thing stable, because of it's long steering bar(whatever you call it) it is easy to move around obstacles, 2 people can pull at once, and give it a bit of welly up slopes, (the version below has a tractor tow hitch too). the only thing I'd really like (which is never going to happen) is a hand brake, for when it's not in use.

For Bushcraft and camping in general I would say this sort of kit is way too heavy and bulky and just not suitable, but for those like me that teach and need to get to inaccessable places with a shed load of kit, or for moving heavy/bulky kit from one side of a camp site to another it's pretty good!

This is similar to the one I was given...except mine was free! :cool:
http://www.screwfix.com/p/handy-par...tracking url&gclid=COKwnLzZ_tECFcMW0wodmiIL6A
 
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Leshy

Full Member
Jun 14, 2016
2,389
57
Wiltshire
I saw two blokes very close to finishing the Ridgeway walk , they were at barbury castle here in Wiltshire, and they both had similar trolleys.
One of the guys was carrying his load , for the wheels on his trolley had come off , however the other trolley was absolutely fine and so was carrying the broken trolley as well as his load .

Handy bits of kit , Ive been looking into these , as I also want to do the Ridgeway hike, and this was also the best I could find...
I wonder if there's a rugged and reinforced axle type of trolley like this that will take the battering of a long hike through mud and rough terrain...
So thank you for the ATACS link , perfect timing!!!
👍👍
 
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RAPPLEBY2000

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Dec 2, 2003
3,195
14
50
England
Hi, Not sure I'd go long distance with mine!
All parts of the trolley apart from the tyres are steel, the edges are like "angle iron", the axels are solid steel rods it's all very heavy.

I think if I was going to do that I'd want to re make the whole trolley so all the joins were like Meccano, then if something fell off you could easily replace parts or bolt on patches, if a joint snaps on mine you'd only fix it with welding! saying that it's very strong, so I'm not sure how likely a break would be.

For propper offroad travel the bigger the wheel the better, my cart has about 6 inches ground clearance so it's not that great on really rough ground, but footpaths and muddy tracks are fine.

It might be worth considering this the Swiss Light Bicycle Infantry for Mountain Warfare. I loved the idea of this but couldn't work it into my needs.

Note the trailer, and how much ammo is in it! there are different versions that are used as stretchers!

2642779150_806e77d720.jpg


Basically it's Swiss, it's going to be made well, they know about mountains and off road bikes! that trailer or design of trailer will be strong enough and is designed to go off road and on and off battlefields!.
 

GGTBod

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 28, 2014
3,209
26
1
I have come to a point of great wisdom in my life, when there are heavy things about that need moving you goad the young into the labour by insinuating subtly that you don't think they could do it when in your youth back in the 70's you did this stuff before walking 5 mile to go to school n such, it works everytime you can get them to chop up fallen trees into kindling and everything, if there are several of them you can turn them on each other competitive style and get some serious work done, whilst you get the kettle on and look old
 

Bishop

Full Member
Jan 25, 2014
1,716
691
Pencader
I asked the wife about getting a pack goat but she said no there's not enough room in the freezer :sulkoff:

Many moons ago there was tool hire place off some backstreet in llandeilo that used to used to make towable mini-excavators and I believe powered carts. Hydraulic motors on the wheels driven by a 25cc engine and a couple of valve levers to steer with, another valve to put them in free flow when being towed behind a car. The caravan community also have a bolt on bolt on electric motor kits and powered dollies for manoeuvring their sheds about.
 

juttle

Nomad
Feb 27, 2012
465
10
Devon

Possibly, but having used one of those single wheeled things in the past, I can highly recommend the two wheeled version. Better balance more load carrying and doesn't bog down so much in mud! There's a company near London that makes a powered fishing trolley using rechargeable batteries that work very well. I had one for a bit before I decided on the philosophy, if I can't carry it, I don't need it, and moved it on!
 

Sam Elliss

New Member
Oct 27, 2019
1
0
34
England
I've had such trouble finding a turn-table trolley/cart like this that didn't look like it would fall apart as soon as I reached rough terrain.

I've found one from a British company that claims to be made from fully welded steel, rather than being flat packed and using rivets. Hopefully this will help someone else looking for a similar trolley, the link is the cheapest place I can find it. They also have a smaller and larger version from the same manufacturer.
https://www.zarosmachinery.co.uk/sch-fbt2-four-wheel-turn-table-trolley
 

demographic

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Apr 15, 2005
4,691
710
-------------
The only time I use something like that is when the wife and family and I are going to a music festival, it carries all our camping gear and wet supplies (alchohol) in for the four days.
Slightly irritating that my van is parked about a hundred yards away and we have to cart it in the other direction to get it through security but the trolley helps with all that.
 

GuestD

Need to contact Admin...
Feb 10, 2019
1,445
700
These are good. Carry freedom bicycle trailer. Easy moved by hand, and.Carry around 45 kg.

leaf-a-shopping-travel-trailer-legere-et-pliable.jpg

And they pack small when not in use.
leaf-a-shopping-travel-trailer-legere-et-pliable.jpg

Modded golf trolley, pram, still my favourite.
48a0a6a310f114efbdc7c68f92ec7ce5.jpg
 

crosslandkelly

A somewhat settled
Jun 9, 2009
26,265
2,212
67
North West London
I'm in the process of building my own two wheeled flatbed trolley for use in the winter months, when I want to take my bulky heavyweight kit. I only need to pull it about a kilometer from the car to our permission.
I welded the frame using some old dexion angle, then bolted on an offcut of 12mm ply to form the bed. The handle is made from an old floor scraper. I'll use two 14" barrow wheels located just rear of centre. The frame is 1m x 0.5m, I ought to be able bungee my kit down to it.

IMG_20191030_141915.jpg

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GuestD

Need to contact Admin...
Feb 10, 2019
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700
Looking back, I remember the fun me and my mate's had making these things with some bits of wood, a few bent nails and an old pram. We used to haul our camping gear and such on them as well.
708c0bed5b6d1a43e5bab0ab051534f0.jpg

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demographic

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Apr 15, 2005
4,691
710
-------------
Looking back, I remember the fun me and my mate's had making these things with some bits of wood, a few bent nails and an old pram. We used to haul our camping gear and such on them as well.
708c0bed5b6d1a43e5bab0ab051534f0.jpg

6812513885b9121433cb9b3d14323d21.jpg

I had one of those as a kid, a "Bogey".
Used to go down my mates lonning (or "Drive" to the posh kids) and broadside it at the bottom turn.
No brakes, no brains... jumpers for goalposts.. misty eyed nostalgia mode On.
 
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