Being mostly a studio photographer, I work as much with my camera as I do with the camera trolley. I have an excellent camera, but my trolley was always lacking a bunch of pro features. While investing in a new cart was never an option, upgrading my current one seemed like the way forward. I looked into the LaVa cart system to see if it was able to pimp my cart.
One of my favorite shows growing up was Pimp My Ride. The idea of modifying existing equipment to make it better is a very smart one. Think medium format cameras: if you need a better sensor, you can just get a different back. If you need to turn your camera into a technical camera, you can do it easily by just investing in a component, rather than buying a whole new camera.
The same applies to flash. A flash head can be plugged into a plethora of generators, which will change how good or bad your flash output is. Modularity is an excellent concept, as you are able to improve and optimize your workflow to your specific demands.
Introduction
Previously, I reviewed the RockNRoller R12 cart. It was, and still is, a great choice for those of us who need a gear mover and a general working surface. It is by far the best bang-for-buck camera trolley you can have. It is mostly well-made, durable, and can take a beating. It is not perfect, however, and when you compare it to something like a Magliner, you see the imperfections more than ever. I knew I wanted to upgrade my cart to something better without investing thousands into a brand-new cart and having to find a new use for the old one. This is where the Lava Cart comes in. They offer upgrade kits to pimp your cart. From shelves to monitor mounts, to many more useful bits and bobs to turn your RockNRoller into a stable production cart.
The Shelves
The LaVa cart shelves are made specifically for studio and production use. They are made out of what seems to be wood. The top and bottom shelves are different in construction; the top shelf is made to hold all your monitors and cameras, while the bottom shelf is made for all of your Pelican cases, modifiers, and other odd objects. I use it mainly for transporting equipment from the storage room to the set. There is really nothing beyond “nice” that I can say about the bottom shelf. The top one is a different story.
First of all, it is wider than the cart itself, giving you more surface area to work with. While I do have the extra-long shelf from RockNRoller, I like this one more because it gives me more security. I would be lying if I said that I never had gear fall off my cart. This was a major problem with the old shelf system. This shelf tackles that by being bigger and offering a lot of mounts and attachment points for various equipment. What is more, there is a protective border that attaches magnetically to the cart, preventing accidental slips.
Cable Management
One of the most important things about a production cart for me is the ability to manage cables effectively. It’s one thing to clamp all of them down and a whole other to have two dedicated ports that tuck all cables below the working surface. What is more, cable management is further enabled by a screw-mounted extension cord you can buy from LaVa Cart. This makes cable management extra easy and super clean. To power the entire setup, all you need is a cable that connects your cart to the mains in the wall. It enables you to move the setup very easily around the studio, preventing accidental power downs and falls. The only negative is that I am based in Germany, and the extension from LaVa Cart is made for US plugs. Fortunately, I can order a solution from Amazon.
There are two rails on the bottom of the shelf that enable you to mount accessories with screws. This is super useful, as you may want to mount your power there, add some hooks, or put any other accessories below. What I would love to see LaVa Cart do is add more accessories, such as small shelves. I would love to put clutter, such as my phone, hard drives, etc., on a shelf below the cart. Perhaps you may have a Mac Mini you run your station from; that could also go below. Additionally, it would be great to see the material on the top shelf change to a soft carpet-like one. This will make for a better user experience, and you will never scratch your camera. If not that, then changing the surface to be mouse-friendly would be great.
Accessories
LaVa Cart also shines when it comes to accessories that improve your RockNRoller cart. I added a few accessories that make the cart itself more stable, wheel removal easier, and reduce wobble in the top shelf. The wobble in the shelf used to be a really bad problem, as the cart would not lock completely, and moving it would always mean that something fell off. They also made use of just about every hole on the cart. I added screw mounts to my cart and am able to put a tripod head on the cart, which holds my camera in place when I am not shooting with it. The screw could be improved by adding a tensioner to it, though.
It is a mobile setup that is easy to transport. Simply unscrew the top shelf and attach it with the included straps to the bottom one, and you are ready to roll.
Final Thoughts
Overall, LaVa cart is a great product that improves your RockNRoller cart by a lot. It is, of course, compatible with other carts, such as the Gator Frameworks, Rockville, ProAim Vanguard, and On-Stage carts. I think the team over at LaVa Cart could go the extra mile in adding accessories to their range. Things such as shelves, mounts, and cables could go a long way. As for me, I am ordering a few more power management devices and making this into the ultimate production cart!
