How much is too much?

[Ric Burney]

I've always been one who is interested in the latest and greatest of new gadgetry but after reading another thread I had to pause and think. When it comes to handy gadgets, instruments, technology, etc.. how much is too much? Is there a point where having all the bells and whistles on a chase becomes more of a distraction than an asset? Personally I've pared down what I carry along to only very basic necessities. I still do have a computer and smart phone along with some tools, fire extinguisher, first aid kit, etc. I've realized that I was carrying around simply too much stuff.

 

[Jason Boggs]

Definitely! I used to try to chase and stream at the same time, and it was a nightmare which distracted me from the storms. Nowadays, I carry a smartphone and an ipad along with a standalone TOM TOM GPS unit for navigation. That's about it for the techy stuff. Also, I used to try to take video and stills while on a storm and figured out that didn't work well either. I had to make a choice of limiting myself to one or the other, and decided on the still photography aspect. I have a laptop, but I use it only as a backup.

 

[Ben Holcomb]

Streaming was definitely a distraction. I still like the HD dashcam, laptop and amateur radio along with my handheld HD Camera and DSLR. Mostly everything is on the computer, though. GPS, Radar, and anything else needed which can become a distraction in itself. Usually I stop looking at anything but GPS when on a storm

 

[Nick Nolte]

I agree with Ben and Jason. After 2012, I stopped streaming and went on a quest to reduce the crap in the passenger compartment. When I chase I have two "Go Bags" basically that have all my equipment in them like tablet, cameras, video cams, accessories, batteries, etc. I'm looking at combining that all into one nice package for this season, maybe a pelican case or something. I usually let that sit in the back seat where I can reach it.

Have the Surface Pro on the mount and a Lumia phone in a cradle on the dash and maybe my handheld Yaesu, and that's it. GPS is wireless bluetooth that sits beneath my armrest console all season so I just turn it on when I hop in the car, as long as I turn that on before I power on the Surface, everything works perfectly and I don't have to configure GPSGate or something.

When I get on a storm or whatever I'll put up a cam with the suction mount or stick a GoPro on top of the car and set my Fuji in the seat beside me. Keeps everything organized and minimized which helps with grabbing stuff and taking off on short notice.

 

[Brad Goddard]

I have been trying to trim things down over the years as well. In fact its coming time this year to get everything out, clean it all up and look at the items I really didnt use last year and set them aside. The best thing I did for the enjoyment and success of my chasing was really focus on what I wanted to accomplish. I decided that was still photography, once I did that the quality of the shots that I got really went up. The most I do for video anymore is a dash mounted GoPro that is just running all the time after initiation. With a 64gb card in it, it will run for hours when plugged into power.

Chasing solo most of the time I have come up with a system that while its not the most minimalist out there it really works well for me. I run two tablets on a modified ram mount setup. An Ipad that runs google maps for navigation along with doing my GPS logging. There is also a 1st gen surface pro that has GR running. Having both of these screens up all the time reduces the amount of distraction greatly of switching back and forth from navigation to radar.

So its really just those two things and my camera gear which really needs to get paired down this year as I always find myself with way more stuff than I need in that dept. My number one goal has been to be able to make it into the hotel room at the end of the day in one trip from the car. If I can do that I am happy.

 

[Ben Holcomb]

I'm to the point where I could fly to chase with carry on only. I could bring my laptop and an inverter in my backpack (plus clothes) and carry tripod(s) and everything else I need to chase fits in my Pelican 1510 which is exactly carry on size. Easier obviously if I check a bag, check the tripods and inverter and clothes, but I'm tired of feeling like I need a crew of roadies just to unpack a car after a chase.

 

[Drew Terril]

That's one thing I learned from the Army. Pack light. I thought about streaming at one point, but the more I read the more it seems like a pain.

 

[Adam Lucio]

I carry just the essentials as well. The only quirk about my laptop is its a large one because I wanted a powerful machine to quickly handle video processing while out in the field. Until tablets get better in that department I don't see myself switching to them anytime for at least a couple years. I am adding a small dash cam this year to capture some of that crazy spontaneous moments that come without warning. Right now I don't plan to stream this year either. The ends just don't seem to justify the means anymore.

As far as packing for the chase goes, everything I bring with goes into a large plastic tote except for the tripods, including my clothes. Makes for quick unloading when its pouring rain upon my arrival at my hotel for the night, just toss everything in there and go. Takes up minimal space in the chase vehicle, easy to carry and I can always place stuff on top of it.

 

[Todd Rector]

For the same reason others have mentioned, I prefer to keep two tablets running - one for navigation and one for radar. I decided to stay with still photography for now, but I do carry my full camera gear with me when I am on the road because I don't stop shooting when the storm is over. Night photography, Lightning, Americana, etc.

I am trying to teach myself to disconnect from the electronics as much as possible once I have a good vantage point on a decent cell. I have found in the past I spent so much time fiddling with camera settings and looking at radar I was missing the beauty of the moment.

 

[Sean Ramsey]

My gear has remained pretty consistent the last couple of years. Laptop, camera and lenses, tripod, amplifier, GoPro on the dash,etc. I still stream but it is secondary to getting still shots, and I had to make that call because streaming needed so much attention that I was losing the fun of being on the storm.

I tried to do all of this in the past chasing solo and it became somewhat of a chore, on top of navigating and driving. I have a full time partner this year that will help distribute some of the load so it may not seem like I have as much this year hopefully. Still, I can have everything in the vehicle and set up in less than 15 minutes, and removed in less than five so I don't think I have too much yet.

 

[Todd Rector]

I have a full time partner this year that will help distribute some of the load so it may not seem like I have as much this year hopefully.

Having a chase partner definitely helps. I would be perfectly fine leaving one of my tablets behind if I had someone who could navigate in real-time while I drive. My most successful chase day EVER (June 20th, 2011) was done with a partner and our two cellphones. No computer equipment at all.

On a similar note, defining roles (one of us shoots video, the other stills) ensures we get the best of both worlds. I hate switching back and between video and still cameras.

 

[Andy Wycislo]

Like most here I also try to take less than I used to, and always looking for ways to reduce more. I don't do a lot of long-distance chasing, so I'm usually grabbing stuff for a quick evening trip somewhere in Illinois, or maybe a 1-day trip somewhere a bit further. Lately it's just been my laptop on a RAM mount running GR3 (which I've said before is the only way to go while using the road shapefiles for navigation), my iPhone tethered for data, and my DSLR (for both photo and video). Both my vehicles have hard-wired power inverters already installed, as well as RAM bases so I just have to move the mast and cradle with the quick-attach mount.

I've thought about dumping the laptop for a Surface Pro 3 running GR3, but I don't think the tablet saves me that much hassle over a small laptop. I'm more likely to be swayed if RadarScope for iPad ever develops a solution for putting detailed roads in that app. Not holding my breath, though.

The only additions I'm contemplating are a GoPro or something similar for constant dash video, as well as a Bad Elf GPS logger. I keep hearing about problems with the GoPro cameras, so it's hard for me to fork out the money for one. I have an HD camcorder that will fit the bill OK, but something smaller would be nice. The Bad Elf would hopefully let me geotag my photos and create route maps without needing to use computer or phone GPS, and could maybe even let me chase computer-free in some cases (just phone, DSLR, and GPS logger).

 

[Dan Robinson]

Part of me is nostalgic for the days when all I did was toss a backpack, scanner and a small cooler with film into my truck to go chasing. It was simple and carefree. But I also think back to the times I missed so many great storms because I didn't know what was going on 30 miles away (mind you, a lot of that had to do with chasing in the WV mountains where you couldn't *see* something 30 miles away.) The laptop and its peripherals (GPS, WxWorx, internet) has been so vital to helping me see more of what I want to see out there, and making it easier to do it.

I do like traveling light when I'm chasing, just to keep some of that carefree road trip feel. I hate having a big suitcase in the car. But, I welcome into my car any technology that helps me see more tornadoes and great lightning, which is what chasing all about anyway. Anything that serves a purpose for the chase, I'll keep.

I have found that trying to entertain others while I'm chasing, via either social media updates or streaming, is one of the biggest detractors I've come across in the hobby, ever. It is a hassle, extra expense, makes me miss shots, and doesn't benefit me in any way. Most stuff I do post just gets stolen and reposted to other mass-theft social media pages, building their tens-of-thousands followings instead of mine, which they then solicit with Kickstarter campaigns. Instead of trying to grab a quick photo from my cell phone to post to the Facebook page or Twitter feed, I'd rather use that moment to just enjoy the storm and/or get one more high-res image with the DSLR.

 

[ngjere]

After several seasons with a fully loaded vehicle, This season I'm taking the "Less is more" approach. In the next few weeks, I'm going to be taking a hard look at all of my gear and determining what stays and what goes. I may even go so far as to have a "package" when I'm solo and another when I have a partner. Social Media is completely out for me. Like many others, it began to interfere with the basic reason I chase. To record and enjoy the moment(s).

It really didn't help when I had someone begin critiquing my on-board streaming shots as being worthless.

Yeah, OK Buddy. Thanks for the review...

 

[Justin Wilcox]

I have been pondering upgrading to a Surface Pro tab lately, but I think i'll stick with a laptop. For a little more than half the price of a Surface Pro I can get a screamin laptop with a lot more monitor to work with. Last year I added a tablet on a windshield mount to run maps, but ended up setting it up to be my main tool while driving. Its just so convenient, especially when coupled with Tasker. But when im stopped I much more prefer to use the laptop. They both have their purposes. I tried streaming last year and hated messing with it, especially rollin solo. This year i'll add a GoPro to the dash, but still keep the HD cam for another angle perhaps. My camera gear sits on the front pass seat ready to go. This year things may be different though. I might take out the pass seat altogether for bed space. I drive a small Chevy Sonic and even though im vertically challenged, its still a pain in the ass the sleep, even with the back seats down. Prior to 2013 I packed everything for camping; tent, lantern, pot/ pan... etc Its nice to not feel like every night ends with a chore anymore. Such a huge difference.