Giottos Large Deluxe Double Sandbag with Hook & Loop, 1 kg (2.2 lb) x 2

2018-03-05T23:28:35

I agree with the other reviewers - the Giottos Deluxe bags are well made with great fabric and zippers and many secure mounting options. Double stitching would be about the only improvement. The included velcro-closure inner bags have a slippery-smooth finish on the outside that helps the weight spread out most effectively against the outer structural strength. I took the suggestion of others and also use a zip-lock bag inside the Giotto's inner bag for additional security in controlling the contents, and to maybe add a bit of strength because I am using zinc-plated BBs as the weight (again, another reviewer's suggestion - thank you!). The BBs give about 4X the weight per volume compared to garden sand (my shaky calculations), and a very experienced friend told me the zinc plating can prevent serious corrosion ugliness that happen when water gets into bare or even copper-plated steel contents. They are not cheap, though. I could easily have gone further, but I stopped at about 7 lb. total per medium bag. This fill leaves it loose and floppy and conformable, and not so heavy that I am jittery about the attachment options. It is looking like a good compromise for various tasks in a moderately small package. Giottos seems to have consistently high quality and these bags are a great design, but I'm also keeping in mind that my packing them like this is trespassing way over the manufacturer's rating for the bag.

Kevin Z.

2017-02-02T12:48:24

very thick fabric, good zippers. Includes an inner bag to put your weight material in. Design allows the bag to be mounted to stand in any location including the center pole. I put sand inside zip lock bags, then inside the inner fabric velcro sealed bag and then the zipper compartment. Small enough to be handled easily and mounts anyway you want to a light stand.

MARK D.

2013-07-15T21:00:00

Very well-built, have used others but this is for the best. Use it to wait down my photo stands when I'm out on location or when there's wind..

TED J.

2009-08-02T21:00:00

I have 4 of the smaller ones (deluxe), 1 small (regular), and 2 large (deluxe). I recommend the deluxe model because it has a nice long velcro strap that tucks under two flaps when not in use; which means it attaches to just about anything. The inner bags for the sand help keep things tidy when you're putting them together - btw, you can buy sterilized "play" sand at just about any hardware store at 50lbs for $5-$7. The large ones are a bit unwieldy and overkill for most applications and the seams sag a bit under the extra weight. I use the regular model with an attached hook on the down-post of my tripod and the others mainly on lightstands for both large monolights and half-a-dozen speedlights when I'm shooting on the run. All and all they're perfect for the intended task - stability. I used to make little -3lb "bombs" wrapped in black Gorilla tape with a clothesline loop. They worked great and didn't look too bad. But as more and more Art Directors and Clients attended my shoots I could tell they expected the higher-tech dog and pony show and these fit the pro-from-dover bill to tee. So buy half-a-dozen and raise your rates! ;-)

JaK_5quat