<<<-- Originally posted by Casey Visco : Pelican's are great, they have the pick and pluck foam and you can get them in a number of configurations...the 1650 cases we use for the glidecams are big enough to accomodate an xl1 plus a host of accessories...or an xl1, an dvx and some small accessories...plenty of room!

not cheap though. -->>>

Casey, you say you can use a Pelican 1650 to store a glidecam. I'm asking because I just bought a glidecam 4000 and haven't found a good way to store it other than upright in my closet with a plastic bag tied around the top to keep dust out of the gimble. Do you store it with the foam? Is that the only Pelican case that'll house the glidcam 4000? Anything smaller?

Glen, I was refering to our V-8, so the 1650 should take a 4000pro with plenty of room to spare...pelican also makes smaller cases that may be more appropriate (you can get the inside dimensions on their website for each of the cases to get an idea of what will best fit your gear.

The foam is pick and pluck...little squares that you just pop out to form the shape of whatever you are putting into it...this way it holds securely.

Is there a way to upgrade to the v-8 using my existing 4000? From all the pics it looks like the v8 uses the 4000 stem and gimble. I was curious as I would love to upgrade sometime in the future when it was financially viable. Thanks!

Glen,

while they essentially use the same diameter post and a similar gimbal...this is about the only thing they have in common...and due to the nature of the construction, it is not possible to upgrade a 4000 to a v-8.

Also, the best time to buy a v-8 is usually around NAB time when we have specials!

Sorry to completly change the subject of the thread but- on a non-bias opinion (if that is, at all, possible...lol) how well does the forearm brace work witht the 4000? I mean will it allow me to continue shooting for long periods of time without fatique? Or does it just "help" reduce fatique. I'm a pretty strong guy but darn it really wears my bicep and forarm out jogging around for more than a few minutes with that thing!
Hence the V-8 would totaly eleviate that- correct? Lastly, how does the V-8 fit to the body exactly?...with a hard vest? What sized does it accomidate. I'm a powerlifter so I stand 5'11 @ 265lbs.....would it be hard to fit into the vest?

Oh yeah, and Chris.....let us know how the Pelican case is. I checked out that site you linked me to and I'm considering a few of their cases!

Glen,
I have a forearm brace arriving tomorrow and should be able to give you an idea of how well it works, at least with the 2000 and a GL2.

Failing that, we could start the "Lobster Club".

BTW, I thought it was time to start a new thread here.

Hey Ken, thanks man you had me thoroughly confused for about 10 mins just now. "Where the hell did the second half of this thread go?!" =)

Glen, in regards to the forearm brace, I honestly haven't used them enough myself to give you a good estimation...in my limited experience with the brace though, it did alleviate a hell of a lot of the strain on my wrist and forearm. I've only used the v-8 in an actual production environment, none of the handheld rigs.

Speaking of which, the vest is rigid, obviously to support the rig, but is padded...most of the weight is spread to your back. At your size you'll probably have no trouble fitting in to one, they are adjustable.

Ken, be sure to let me know how the forearm brace works out for you man. Where did you order it from- how much? Lastly what accessories are you using with your GL-1? I was using the 4000 with my GL-1 because of my wide-angle lense adapter, larger battery, and beachtek dxa-4p w/ Senheisser ME66/k6 on a shock mount. That added a considerable weight to the camera. Definitly more heavy than my DVX100 without accessories!

Casey, if I ever were to get the v8 and I couldn't sqeeze my 42" waist into it- is it returnable?!

Glen, the return policy depends on where you buy it I suppose. Also, we can make larger vests, we've done it before for other operators!

GC 2000/4000 Forearm Brace
 

Just a follow-up note to say that the forearm brace for the 2000 and 4000 stabilizers makes a significant difference in their usability. The brace does, indeed, transfer the stress from the ligaments and small muscle group of the forearm to the larger muscles of the bicep and shoulder. The nylon-covered foam brace attaches to your forearm with a series of 4 velcro straps. A metal tube is welded to a flat plate that runs through a pocket in the brace. The GC's handle slides over this tube, thus distributing its weight throughout the brace.

Certainly, fatigue will still eventually descend on your arm. But most people will remain comfortable for much longer using the brace. Also, since these larger muscles have more blood vessels you will find that you can recover from fatigue quicker with the brace than without it.

I feel confident recommending that the brace be considered as part of the standard equipment to anyone owning or considering a Glidecam 2000 or 4000. Just start doing the arm curls!