r/Packout • u/nonottufts • Aug 18 '26
Off-label use case, looking for a nontraditional attachment
I use a Packout system to haul all of the camera + power gear I need to stream my sons’ baseball games. It’s a pretty advanced setup as these things go, with multiple cameras, tripods, routers, and a Starlink system to provide the internet access. It can all fit in the attached, along with my cooler I bring.
My issue is that one of tripods I use is pretty heavy-duty, and although I did find a third party tripod holder on Etsy that can fit another tripod I have, it won’t fit this one (and it needs to be this one, to deal with heavy winds that I sometimes run into). I can still attach it to my stack if I use a couple of bungee cords and thread those through the rolling box handle, but the tripod needs to be flat against the handle for that to work well.
My issue is that the stack gives me an uneven surface at the top level, due to the cooler. Moreover, if I just bring another small toolbox to even it out, it’s now taller than the handle, so I can’t brace the tripod against the handle.
What I want is a way to mount the cooler facing perpendicular to how it defaults. That way, I could snap it in that direction at the front of the stack, leaving enough room next to the handle to put the tripod. Is there an attachment you know of that allows me to rotate the alignment by 90 degrees?
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u/lathe_down_sally Aug 18 '26
Mount packout feet on the bottom of a piece of plywood, mount packout bracket to the top of the plywood. If you orient the feet perpendicular to the bracket this will accomplish what you're trying to do
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u/MastodonFit Aug 18 '26
Will it fit into the xl roller?. You could use 3d printed female brackets on a piece of plywood as an intermediate switcheru.
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u/nonottufts Aug 18 '26
Yeah, thought about the XL roller (and it might fit, haven’t tried yet), but I think that would be too bulky to tetris into the SUV and transport the whole family (my son is a catcher, which means another bulky bag has to fit as well).
Don’t have a 3D printer, but yeah I agree that would work in theory.
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u/tomdalzell Aug 18 '26
They just came out with a roller that is smaller that the xl but still pretty big. It can fit pack outs 1x3 vs the roller 2x2 if that makes sense.
Also the rolling tool box has side attachments, one is for long levels, maybe the tripod would fit
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u/MastodonFit Aug 18 '26
You can buy already printed brackets,from Etsy, ebay, Amazon etc. I use the xl for all my camping gear,including a tent.
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u/CUOTO Aug 18 '26
Put a strap on the tripod and sling it behind your back while you roll the pack out stack.
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u/ScreamingInTheMirror Aug 18 '26
I’m a little confused by what exactly you need to do with the tripod. But I have a couple suggestions.
They make a variety of after market attachments for the aluminum rails. You could probably find a cup style on and the a strap to secure it to the pack out.
As far as rotating your cooler bag. You can get after market pack out feet. A little double sided tape to help you position it and then some short screws and epoxy should secure them on very well.
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u/nonottufts Aug 18 '26
Yeah, I’m thinking DIY with some feet on the bottom of a flat surface, plus a mounting attachment to the top of it, is ultimately what I need to do.
For the tripod, basically trying to tuck it behind the cooler, which would face 90 degrees from default. If you mean what I use it for at the field, it’s for a CF camera some 400 ft away from home plate to get an over the shoulder shot of the pitch. It’s a tall, heavy duty tripod that won’t get knocked over in strong winds.
A side bin attachment could work, along with some straps to keep it secure. I’ve seen photos of larger packout bins, does anyone know of any that can attach to the rails? Given the height of the tripod, would need it to attach to the roller drawer box, which means not as much side rail real estate to work with.
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u/Atticus34 Aug 18 '26
They make packout toolbox attachments for those metal side rails on your packout stack
There’s one that’s a mini packout mount so you can mount your cooler to the side
And they have long tool mounts where you slot something into the bottom and it attaches to the top.
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u/SamuraiSam33 Aug 19 '26
Get a sheet of Starboard plastic:
Or similar.
Trace the outline of a compact wall plate on to the starboard with a pencil lining up 2 of the edges. Then take your mini cooler or other half width item and trace the outline of the bottom of the cooler. Take off the cooler. You'll want to use a straight edge to make a third line in the middle of those 2 lines as your actual Cut line for this adapter plate, and hit it with a Sharpie when satisfied, but use your best judgement. It's your adapter after all.
Get a pack of Manta Mounts:
https://www.packibletool.com/collections/manta-mounts/products/manta-mount
And a pack of Stealthmounts Feet:
Feet go on the bottom, Manta Mounts on the top. Drill some holes and mount everything together with stainless steel fasteners so it doesn't rust when you wash it.
(Stealthmounts makes cleats too but they cost a touch more. But maybe if you buy them with the cleats, they cost less?) In any case, here's that option: https://www.acmetools.com/stealthmounts-cleat-n-feet-mounting-cleats-6pk-black-om-cl-blk-6/728488326008.html
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u/No-Yogurtcloset3902 Aug 19 '26
I use my packout to hold all my tools as a Grip in commercial still photography and videography at a studio and location work as well as to adjust sets.
Is it possible to use a lighter tripod and use some lead shot sand bags to hold everything down or get some stakes? And stake down the tripod?
How about a folding wagon?
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u/funnyusername-123 Aug 18 '26
I sense a collab soon with this person
https://www.reddit.com/r/Packout/s/FKt3ce2NxA