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So, I have been considering purchasing foam trays to transport my O&G army in. The army contains 90 Orcs (Black/Savage/regular) and 160 Night Goblins, plus a Black Orc Warboss, a Black Orc Battlestandard bearer, and about 8 Goblin characters, and a Doom Diver. I'm not interested in a case, as I can just make one myself.

My question is this: which company makes a better product? Battlefoam is pretty well known and loved(?), but they really charge a lot of money for their product. Their standard trays which cost $15 can only hold about 60 Night Goblins, so if I wanted to have all of my army encased in trays I could be spending well over $80.

KR seems to have much more reasonable prices: their Core Set F2HS-M can hold approx. 108 Orcs, be they Blorcs, Savages, or just plain 'ol boys and it costs just $30. However, KR also seems much less well known than Battlefoam, and their cases/trays are a little on the utilitarian side.

So, does anyone on here have a solid recommendation for me? Remember, I am looking for affordability here.

Thanks!

_Tim?

KR, everytime.

Affordability and Battlefoam to not mix. That's about the most expensive foam storage option there is that would still be portable.

I have Battlefoam products and I have never had cause to complain. I have shipped a Battlefoam bag via UPS and haven't had a problem. I've dropped the bags, carried them around like luggage, dropped things on them, and have never had a model break.

I have no experience with KR, but I can say that I have been quite satisfied with my Battlefoam products. There's a few things I would nitpick, but as for protecting my models, Battlefoam has given me no problems whatsoever. In fact, having had Battlefoam bags for a while now, I have a tendency to treat my model bag with far less care than I used to because the product simply inspires confidence.

I have also never had a bag rip, tear, or fail in any way.

I prefer battlefoam

especially after using GW cases lol!

Portable Warfare!

SickSix wrote:Portable Warfare!

Care to elaborate?

I've only looked at them because they offer a pink bag for my wife. But when I realized that no battlefoam trays could fit inside, I passed. I have no real interest in the Pluck Foam.

The KR foam is nice, but it's a bit too soft for my tastes and doesn't have a rigid bottom which I personally prefer. I hate their bags, which is why I never get any, and their trays don't fit any of the battlefoam bags either. If they did, I'd buy more of em.

KR isn't a BAD case, but their structural integrity is reinforced by cardboard boxes your miniatures slide into. That may bother some people. Our DA player has one and it suits him just fine.

I've got two BF cases, and had a handful of Sabol cases throughout a couple years. Gave the Sabol stuff to my roommate when I got the BF ones. I like them. They feel sturdy and put up with the abuse I deal to them. The 1520 is nice because of the rollers, and the 720 is nice because it folds out when it opens, so the front AND top are both open, making it easier to cram those last two sheets of foam in there.

Since you just want the foam specifically, the easiest deciding factor would be whether you want custom cut foam or not. If you want to pony up for foam, then go for BF. If you're just thinking pluckfoam, then go cheap and get the KR (or even Sabol if you can get a deal on it). No reason not to.

When I think about the cost of BF compared to a cheaper product, I look at how much more I was able to fit onto a BF tray compared to a Sabol size tray. Don't get me wrong, I have and love my Portable Warfare case and the Blufoam is the best pluck foam I've ever used, but I prefer the BF bags I've owned for army size games like 40k, or for when you have a large collection of models you want to transport. I did see one of the KR backpacks over the weekend, and thought it was pretty nice though.

My vote is Battlefoam. I own and have used pretty much all the alternatives(home made, magnetized tool boxes, tackle boxes, KR, Sabol, Portable Warfare, GW, a few lesser known cases) and Battlefoam is the best hands down.

I've only used Sabol and Battlefoam and my preference for Battlefoam is simply that it can carry more models than an Army Transport - important for an ork army. I have no experience with KR.

What I CAN tell you, is that my friend had his battlefoam full of necrons knocked off his motorcycle while riding home in a storm. Not only was the case undamaged by the fall, but the miniatures were undamaged too.

I have a KR Multicase and a BF 432, and Battlefoam gets my vote every time, no questions.

For me, its an investment, and BF feels infinitely sturdier and built to last over my KR.

Read through this thread -> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/453130.page
Synopsis: Battlefoam is too expensive, what is a good alternative?
Answer: 90% people said they liked KR much better and it was cheaper.

Oh, and just buy the foam, its a little foolish to buy the cases (they are way overpriced), I just use a small luggage suitcase.

If you learn how to take care of KR you are golden

Ryan_A wrote:Read through this thread -> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/453130.page
Synopsis: Battlefoam is too expensive, what is a good alternative?
Answer: 90% people said they liked KR much better and it was cheaper.

Oh, and just buy the foam, its a little foolish to buy the cases (they are way overpriced), I just use a small luggage suitcase.

Yeah, You also have people suggesting cotton fluff in cardboard in that thread. Not sure I'd trust their opinion on anything.

I would have to say KR every time.

The cases are ideal for storage as well as transport.

Also KR are very keen to sponsor events and build good will with the gaming community. They have helped with prize support for my last couple of tournaments.

leontheconfused wrote:I would have to say KR every time.

The cases are ideal for storage as well as transport.

Also KR are very keen to sponsor events and build good will with the gaming community. They have helped with prize support for my last couple of tournaments.

Cause BattleFoam doesn't sponsor anything
Or do anything else within the gaming community .
And they're definitely not good for storage or transport .
And they certainly don't make a model designed to go on a plane

They're more expensive. They're also custom cut, the foam is more durable, and the bags are of higher quality. Make of it what you will. If you don't feel they're worth it for the money you want to pay, then perhaps another option is better for you. Doesn't change the fact that BattleFoam is still the highest quality on the market.

hotsauceman1 wrote:If you learn how to take care of KR you are golden

You shouldn't need to learn how to take care of something that is essentially a portable padded cupboard. It should protect what's in it and stand up to punishment when being lugged around. If a case doesn't do that, it's failed it's selling point.

Battle foam cases do this.

-Loki- wrote:

hotsauceman1 wrote:If you learn how to take care of KR you are golden

You shouldn't need to learn how to take care of something that is essentially a portable padded cupboard. It should protect what's in it and stand up to punishment when being lugged around. If a case doesn't do that, it's failed it's selling point.

Battle foam cases do this.

I'm pretty neutral here, but if the cardboard boxes are sat in one of their aluminium cases then what's the problem? From what I've seen of those cases they are practically bulletproof.

cincydooley wrote:

Ryan_A wrote:Read through this thread -> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/453130.page
Synopsis: Battlefoam is too expensive, what is a good alternative?
Answer: 90% people said they liked KR much better and it was cheaper.

Oh, and just buy the foam, its a little foolish to buy the cases (they are way overpriced), I just use a small luggage suitcase.

Yeah, You also have people suggesting cotton fluff in cardboard in that thread. Not sure I'd trust their opinion on anything.

The forum wasn't on the exact same topic so don't be so critical. And besides doing what you are suggesting isn't at all logical, it would be similar to say "This thread shouldn't be read or considered because somebody mentioned stepping on your models and not carring, so nobodies oppinions on this thread are valid." I have no idea why you think the thread should be ignored or why you posted that except maybe for the reason to ?troll?

ruminator wrote:

-Loki- wrote:

hotsauceman1 wrote:If you learn how to take care of KR you are golden

You shouldn't need to learn how to take care of something that is essentially a portable padded cupboard. It should protect what's in it and stand up to punishment when being lugged around. If a case doesn't do that, it's failed it's selling point.

Battle foam cases do this.

I'm pretty neutral here, but if the cardboard boxes are sat in one of their aluminium cases then what's the problem? From what I've seen of those cases they are practically bulletproof.

Not having a dig really at KR itself, just that comment. If you need to learn how to take care of something that's meant to be protecting something else, how well can it be protecting it?

-Loki- wrote:

Not having a dig really at KR itself, just that comment. If you need to learn how to take care of something that's meant to be protecting something else, how well can it be protecting it?

I agree. Battlefoam is virtually idiot proof. All you have to do is make sure you model fits comfortably in a given cell and fill the bag up with trays. Previous bags that I have had just aren't sturdy. I can't chuck them in the closet and pile stuff on top of them. The Battlefoam bags are not rigid metal cases, but they are surprisingly sturdy, so much so that I don't really think I would ever need a more solid bag, unless I intended to run over my model case with a truck, and that isn't really the point. The point is that you can handle a Battlefoam bag roughly and your models will be safe. It will even stand up to unlucky accidents. I wouldn't bat an eye about rolling my Battlefoam bag packed full of models down a flight of stairs.

Battlefoam bags are an investment for your models. It looks like most of your army would fit in a PAK 432, figuring two night goblin trays and three black orc trays, or something similar. That's $144 for the bag and the trays, and you can probably pick it up when there's a sale or something.

You can always go with standard trays designed for another army if it has the cells that you need. I regularly use a Space Marine tray for my IG models, and lots of other models as well, because I like the assortment of cell sizes. Some of my models have rather dynamic poses and I need the variation. I put Heavy Gear Blitz! models into an IG heavy weapon tray with some home made dividers in the cells. In a pinch, you can fit a Chimera into a Leman Russ tank cell. If the model fits comfortably in the cell, then you can put it in the cell with no problem. Romeo at Battlefoam designs the trays based off of the "standard" models, and the company typically does a pretty good job, but the point is that buying a Battlefoam bag for one army does not always mean that the trays are shoehorned into only being usable for those models.

The trays do not degrade, they stand up to an amazing amount of abuse, they do not get glue on your models, and they offer fantastic protection.

Of course, what you are looking for is a recommendation for something other than Battlefoam, so this is not terribly helpful. The only other not-so-helpful thing I will say is that Battlefoam is more expansive than other army transport products, but not always by much.

I love me some battlefoam. I have never used of handled Kr in real life so I have no opinion there.

KR gets my vote. I've got one of them briefcase style affairs, and it's usually packed with my WIP models. I've had it tossed around, dropped it (butterfingers, me), and my godchildren have used it as a kicking bag (stopped them quick there), and it's held up remarkably well. The models inside have survived all the time.

It's now scuffed and scratched and dented, but I love my KR. It's due for replacing soon, though - one of the hinges is starting to die.

Ryan_A wrote:

cincydooley wrote:

Ryan_A wrote:Read through this thread -> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/453130.page
Synopsis: Battlefoam is too expensive, what is a good alternative?
Answer: 90% people said they liked KR much better and it was cheaper.

Oh, and just buy the foam, its a little foolish to buy the cases (they are way overpriced), I just use a small luggage suitcase.

Yeah, You also have people suggesting cotton fluff in cardboard in that thread. Not sure I'd trust their opinion on anything.

The forum wasn't on the exact same topic so don't be so critical. And besides doing what you are suggesting isn't at all logical, it would be similar to say "This thread shouldn't be read or considered because somebody mentioned stepping on your models and not carring, so nobodies oppinions on this thread are valid." I have no idea why you think the thread should be ignored or why you posted that except maybe for the reason to ?troll?

I'm sorry. I should have put the at the end to let you know I was being sarcastic.

#failuresoftheinternetconversation

cincydooley wrote:
I'm sorry. I should have put the at the end to let you know I was being sarcastic.

#failuresoftheinternetconversation

long night for me, stress, my brain dead sorry for being so brief and rude.
Ugh, its 7am and I havn't slept at all.

Some_Call_Me_Tim? wrote: My question is this: which company makes a better product?

Depends how you judge 'better product'.

Battlefoam bags have a better 'feel' to them, and a better build quality than the equivalent KR bag (Kaiser or backpack). Battlefoam foam is harder and feels more expansive than the soft, blue KR foam. So I'd say that the 'quality' of the materials is better in Battlefoam.

However, this doesn't actually translate into better protection for your models.

The Battlefoam system has quite spacious, hard foam slots in a canvas bag. The KR system has soft blue foam that 'hugs' your models restricting all movement, which is then placed in hard card cases, which (if you carry them) are then transported in a canvas bag. I'd say this KR system offers better actual protection and the whole system (say, a Kaiser 2 bag with two KR Multicases) is about the same cost as a standard Battlefoam bag.

The KR system has the advantage of modularity as well. Each of my armies fits in either one or two KR card Multicases, and I store them in these. When I want to play a game, I just slot the multicases into my Kaiser bag and go. This means I only ever have to buy one transport bag, and when I build new armies I just buy another card case.

ArbitorIan wrote:

The Battlefoam system has quite spacious, hard foam slots in a canvas bag. The KR system has soft blue foam that 'hugs' your models restricting all movement, which is then placed in hard card cases, which (if you carry them) are then transported in a canvas bag. I'd say this KR system offers better actual protection and the whole system (say, a Kaiser 2 bag with two KR Multicases) is about the same cost as a standard Battlefoam bag.

The problem with foam that "hugs", is it can cause paint to rub off. Also, Battle Foam slots may seem spacious, but the models aren't moving around like you seem to think. I've intentionally shaken my trays around with little to no model jiggle to show how well they work to people asking about it(pretty much my entire group has switched from Sabol to Battle Foam after they saw and asked about my various cases).

I can't really comment on Battlefoam, as I haven't bought one of their cases before. However, I do have to say that I got one of the double aluminium cases from KR last year and I'm really pleased with it, so much better than the GW ones that I was using before.

The KR trays/cardboard inserts are designed to be modular. You can use them to store stuff at home and then just take what you need in your aluminium case. You really don't just wander round carrying a cardboard box unless you're a cheapskate though. You can happily stand on the aluminium case without it breaking so not sure why anyone's worried about this.

On soft backpacks the battlefoam overall package does seem a quality prduct, but you are paying more - so a good package if you can get all your army in one case and won't chop and change all that often. If you flit from unit to unit - army to army then the modular basis of KR comes into it's own.