Hannah.Taylor
EF5
The new tablet mount is stout, sturdy and worked FANTASTIC. $37 was a fair price for that.
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What Will You Add / Change To Your Chasing In 2026?
- Thread starter Warren Faidley
- Start date
The new tablet mount is stout, sturdy and worked FANTASTIC. $37 was a fair price for that.
Evan Hawkins
EF1
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2026
- Messages
- 68
Looking good so far, me personally would've gotten a computer and mount, bigger screen, faster loading, but everyone has their own opinion
Shaun Kelly
Enthusiast
Quick update - I got 3 out fo 5 things on the wishlist done, or almost.
Very happy with the parfocal Fuji MK 18-55 zoom, although it is big and required some rigging to support the lens on the tripod.
Also very happy with the Zoom H5 Studio 32 bit recorder. I have it on the camera rig with a shock mount, also taking two channels of audio from wireless Saramonic mics. Timecode between camera and audio is synced with Atomos Ultrasync Blue.
Also have the older GoPro 5 mounted in the rear window with an HDMI feed up front. Kind of weird as the rearview mirror flips the image, and this is not flipped, but for looking at storm structure out the back and recording if we are positioning/fleeing anything pretty should work fine.
Have not come up with a small zoom solution for inside, probably just use the other mirrorless body and hope the autfocus works better, the parfocal is a bit heavy to try to do handheld in the passenger side.
If people are interested I can get some images of the current set up.
Very happy with the parfocal Fuji MK 18-55 zoom, although it is big and required some rigging to support the lens on the tripod.
Also very happy with the Zoom H5 Studio 32 bit recorder. I have it on the camera rig with a shock mount, also taking two channels of audio from wireless Saramonic mics. Timecode between camera and audio is synced with Atomos Ultrasync Blue.
Also have the older GoPro 5 mounted in the rear window with an HDMI feed up front. Kind of weird as the rearview mirror flips the image, and this is not flipped, but for looking at storm structure out the back and recording if we are positioning/fleeing anything pretty should work fine.
Have not come up with a small zoom solution for inside, probably just use the other mirrorless body and hope the autfocus works better, the parfocal is a bit heavy to try to do handheld in the passenger side.
If people are interested I can get some images of the current set up.
Evan Hawkins
EF1
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2026
- Messages
- 68
can I get pictures of the setup? I've been trying to get the new truck ready, but by the looks of it the closest thing to actual chasing I'll be doing this year is probably just in my town, which is small. going as fast as I can though, got a dash cam, and put harnesses in the seats, thinking next thing i'll work on is the hail cage.
JamesCaruso
Staff member
What I am hopefully adding this season is a more relaxed attitude, ability to enjoy myself, and remain focused on the weather, because I am planning to scale back my work. Not retiring per se, but transitioning out of my executive role and scaling back to part time in the process. The actual date of moving to part time is still uncertain, but May seems to be a logical transition month - whether or not I am “officially” full or part time by then, I typically work remotely and scatter ~10 PTO days over the course of the month in a combination of full or half days.
Trying to juggle both work and chasing has always been difficult; even when I took a more traditional limited 2-week vacation, I couldn’t leave work totally untouched, and the price of being able to stay in the Plains longer and work remotely meant interleaving work and chasing throughout the whole span. My new “lame duck” status should mean less self-imposed mental pressure and distraction overall. I can’t tell you how many times in the past I couldn’t take adequate time to forecast, or left the hotel later than I should have, or lost focus out in the field because I attended a meeting only because it wouldn’t “look good” if I didn’t, or found out about a new problem or issue that ruined my ability to enjoy the day. I am going to be much less worried about that kind of stuff this year. I should definitely be part-time by June, which should help me stay out longer, and by 2027 I’ll be completely out of this role. I’ll still have to work, but hopefully in a less-stressful, more flexible and autonomous way. Storm chasing is one of the drivers of my decision - 2026 marks 30 years since I started, and with family responsibilities waning now that the youngest are in college, I want to stop saying “some day” and optimize for time and freedom instead of money and work.
Having said that, storm chasing is quite expensive, especially traveling from the east coast and having to stay out on the road for a long time, so hopefully I haven’t set myself up for an unfortunate paradox
Trying to juggle both work and chasing has always been difficult; even when I took a more traditional limited 2-week vacation, I couldn’t leave work totally untouched, and the price of being able to stay in the Plains longer and work remotely meant interleaving work and chasing throughout the whole span. My new “lame duck” status should mean less self-imposed mental pressure and distraction overall. I can’t tell you how many times in the past I couldn’t take adequate time to forecast, or left the hotel later than I should have, or lost focus out in the field because I attended a meeting only because it wouldn’t “look good” if I didn’t, or found out about a new problem or issue that ruined my ability to enjoy the day. I am going to be much less worried about that kind of stuff this year. I should definitely be part-time by June, which should help me stay out longer, and by 2027 I’ll be completely out of this role. I’ll still have to work, but hopefully in a less-stressful, more flexible and autonomous way. Storm chasing is one of the drivers of my decision - 2026 marks 30 years since I started, and with family responsibilities waning now that the youngest are in college, I want to stop saying “some day” and optimize for time and freedom instead of money and work.
Having said that, storm chasing is quite expensive, especially traveling from the east coast and having to stay out on the road for a long time, so hopefully I haven’t set myself up for an unfortunate paradox
