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I'm looking to buy some army foam for my 40k army. I was wobdering if anyone has any suggestions of some good, and possibly cheap, battle foam.
I play orks so I'd nead a large amount of infantry space and I have a large mechanised force as well. I'd prefferably have something I can fit in a backpack, possibly from the same company.
Any suggestions would bewonderful. Thanks.

For units that dont have too much detail/limbs (bolter marines, orks, drones) you could try those foam trays used as soundproofing. Kind of like egg carton shapes, just pile your models on them.

I've thought about that and it's a bit rougher than I'd like. I would like to have as little unit-on-unit touching as possible.
I am not adverse to spending money, but I don't want something overly expensive.

Im under the opinion foam made for models specifically is the best. S I say go KR multicase

Yeah kr multicase as ive seen my friends use is nice.

Yeah if you're looking for cheap, KR has those carboard boxes with foam in em that seem pretty solid.

If you're willing to save and commit to it, I can't recommend my Battlefoam enough.

Disclaimer: it is very expensive and people don't like the owner.

I gotta go with KR too, cheap and durable.

I'm going to give a vote for Sabol. I've used it for 10 years, and it's never rubbed off any paint job, even under some pretty extreme travel circumstances (800 mile car ride to a gaming con, in a trunk, in the dead of summer). So it's soft enough to protect.

It's a little pricier than some other DIY options, but it's highly customizable by the end user without paying the hefty price tag of computer assisted foam customization.


I have multiple armies, some of which are fairly large (like 7500+ points of high elves... about 90% of which sees fairly regular use), so i like that i can just shape the foam trays to how i need, and store those in containers in my game closet, and use the bag for whatever i plan on playing that day. On the plus side, the way i configure infantry, when i trade or sell an army, it's almost always reusable for the new army in some fashion (granted, a measure of common sense needs to be employed here to make this work - poor planning and regular army shifting can result in spending unnecessary $$$ on new foam).

I like Sabol a lot, and their customer service is good too (unlike other bag manufacturers, which state if there's a flaw in the bag you get from them, tough gak, get it fixed by a seamstress. Classy.) -- had an army bag flip top with a bad thread that unravelled most of the zipper.
THey sent me a new one. Another time, got a couple of trays where the adhesive had lifted from the foam bottom, making the tray nearly useless. Sent me replacements (and also gave me a tip on how to readhere them without making a bloody mess - so essentially i got 2 free trays).


I highly recommend them, personally. Never had anything but great experiences with Sabol.

You play orks. Throw all your models in a cement mixer truck with some glue and pull them out when you get to wherever you're going. New models for every game!

As a serious reply: Two pieces of the sound proofing foam on either side of the models taped closed works well for troops. Vehicles I still haven't found a perfect way to do. Thinking of placing velcro on the bottoms and just having it stick to the bottom of a case.

 gunslingerpro wrote:
Disclaimer: it is very expensive and people don't like the owner.

Fortunately, it's not like you have to go out on a date with the owner. Buy the case/foam and let others have the drama.

Why dont people like the owner?

 hotsauceman1 wrote:
Why dont people like the owner?

He's a self-aggrandizing douche for one, and second he's literally told customers "My warranty doesn't cover threads that cause stiches to unravel / damage to the bag, get a seamstress".

If memory serves, (and i'm going back kind of a while here, so i might be wrong), i think they also did not allow said customer to return the bag either.

So defective item received in defective condition... wtf does the warranty cover then ?

The bags are nice. I wouldn't buy one after hearing that story, because they aren't cheap either.

 Haight wrote:

He's a self-aggrandizing douche for one, and second he's literally told customers "My warranty doesn't cover threads that cause stiches to unravel / damage to the bag, get a seamstress".

If memory serves, (and i'm going back kind of a while here, so i might be wrong), i think they also did not allow said customer to return the bag either.

So defective item received in defective condition... wtf does the warranty cover then ?

The bags are nice. I wouldn't buy one after hearing that story, because they aren't cheap either.

If I recall, it was past the year warrantee and he was told to seek a luggage repair specialist (logically).

As I state, people seem to dislike the owner (and/or the company policies) but I have never met a person who complained about their battlefoam bag face to face at any event or convention, only online. Also, as I stated, not cheap. But well worth it to a high percentage of buyers.

 Haight wrote:

 hotsauceman1 wrote:
Why dont people like the owner?

He's a self-aggrandizing douche for one, and second he's literally told customers "My warranty doesn't cover threads that cause stiches to unravel / damage to the bag, get a seamstress".

If memory serves, (and i'm going back kind of a while here, so i might be wrong), i think they also did not allow said customer to return the bag either.

So defective item received in defective condition... wtf does the warranty cover then ?

The bags are nice. I wouldn't buy one after hearing that story, because they aren't cheap either.

There was this lawsuit as well, were a lot of dirty laundry got aired:
http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/526744.page

For the most part, Battlefoam as a product is very highly regarded. You pay a premium price for a premium product. By not being tied into KR's box size you get more options for your foam, and the firmer foam is better for spiky models (like nids and chaos) They also have true customization, rather then just a choice of pre-cuts.

I personally think KR is better value for your dollar, and like their system.

This topic gets brought up with some regularity. A search of the forums here will bring up pages of discussions if you want to trawl through opinions and testimonials.

Battlefoam will probably have a -25% sale for Black Friday again, worth the wait.

So what I'm kinda getting from this is KR is standardized and "cheap"(er) but it will get the job done.

Battlefoam is expensive, you may (or may not) be supporting a certified ass, but is superb quality and highly customizable.

That's honestly rather a tough call to make. Are the two companies non-compatible? For instance, if I buy a KR backpack and fill it with foam, would it be difficult and/or annoying to try to take a few pieces out later and put in a Battlefoam piece and have it work reasonably well?

 ShadowMageAlpha wrote:
So what I'm kinda getting from this is KR is standardized and "cheap"(er) but it will get the job done.

Battlefoam is expensive, you may (or may not) be supporting a certified ass, but is superb quality and highly customizable.

That's honestly rather a tough call to make. Are the two companies non-compatible? For instance, if I buy a KR backpack and fill it with foam, would it be difficult and/or annoying to try to take a few pieces out later and put in a Battlefoam piece and have it work reasonably well?

Someone who actually owns both might chime in with a different answer, but looking at their websites, I'm thinking "No" for the compatibility.

KR's standard size is 380mm x 255mm
Battlefoam's looks to be 15.5"x12" ( 393.7mm x 304.8mm)

I use KR (kaiser 1 bag with custom foam loadout).

You'll save money with KR and don't really lose any quality. They just take a different approach:

- Battlefoam you get a hard case with stiffer foam.
- KR you get a study case (think durable material just not reinforced with plastic) which is reinforced by the cardboard shell you place the soft foam inside.

They both do the same thing.

What sold me on KR was the fact that their cases come in black with a simple KR logo in the corner. Also if I open the bag, all you will see is some cardboard case - don't have to worry about people snooping and seeing your little toy soldier inside

I don't like the fact that battlefoam bags come in olive green with battlefoam written on them - it's just not something I can bring into the office and still look professional or something I'd want to walk around with in public (can't keep it in car since I take the subway around town).

 gossipmeng wrote:

I don't like the fact that battlefoam bags come in olive green with battlefoam written on them - it's just not something I can bring into the office and still look professional or something I'd want to walk around with in public (can't keep it in car since I take the subway around town).

Both of mine are black, actually.

 Balance wrote:

 gossipmeng wrote:

I don't like the fact that battlefoam bags come in olive green with battlefoam written on them - it's just not something I can bring into the office and still look professional or something I'd want to walk around with in public (can't keep it in car since I take the subway around town).

Both of mine are black, actually.

Ditto.

 gunslingerpro wrote:

 Haight wrote:

He's a self-aggrandizing douche for one, and second he's literally told customers "My warranty doesn't cover threads that cause stiches to unravel / damage to the bag, get a seamstress".

If memory serves, (and i'm going back kind of a while here, so i might be wrong), i think they also did not allow said customer to return the bag either.

So defective item received in defective condition... wtf does the warranty cover then ?

The bags are nice. I wouldn't buy one after hearing that story, because they aren't cheap either.

If I recall, it was past the year warrantee and he was told to seek a luggage repair specialist (logically).

As I state, people seem to dislike the owner (and/or the company policies) but I have never met a person who complained about their battlefoam bag face to face at any event or convention, only online. Also, as I stated, not cheap. But well worth it to a high percentage of buyers.

Eh, tha'ts not how i remember, but who knows? Probably nobody but the company and the dude who purchased it.

Not the only story i've heard of him being a royal jerk to customers. It's enough to scare me off. Also not the first "Oh that - that's not covered under warranty" anecdote either.

Again, all could be anecdotal. It's enough to keep me from buying their bags. *shrug*


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 ShadowMageAlpha wrote:
So what I'm kinda getting from this is KR is standardized and "cheap"(er) but it will get the job done.

Battlefoam is expensive, you may (or may not) be supporting a certified ass, but is superb quality and highly customizable.

That's honestly rather a tough call to make. Are the two companies non-compatible? For instance, if I buy a KR backpack and fill it with foam, would it be difficult and/or annoying to try to take a few pieces out later and put in a Battlefoam piece and have it work reasonably well?

I wouldn't overlook Sabol. I know i'm the only one (so far i think?) that has recommended them but, fair price, good product, awesome customer service. What's not to love ?

I have a bunch of KR cases, and I swear by them. I store minis in the cardboard cases, and have an aluminum case that I load up for travel. Its a great setup for getting the most bang for your buck.

My first case was a Sabol case. It was a solid investment and it still holds my Pathfinder stuff, though for 40k I've switched over to KR since the cardboard cases are cheaper and stack better. The Sabol case is fairly light, which is a plus if you're going to be hauling it any appreciable distance. Another plus of the Sabol stuff is theres usually a compartment for a rulebook, dice, etc.

I've never had a Battlefoam bag, but what I've heard seems to echo many of the sentiments here: a fantastic product, though expensive and sold by a company that has cultivated a poor public image.

Ultimately, if I only had a single army that I used regularly, I'd probably use a Sabol. Because I have way too many toy soldiers, I've instead gone over to KR because it works better with the way I store and use my minis

On the cheap Buy Battlefoam sabol size trays and find a shoebox they will fit in nicely. You mentioned your back pack and the shoebox will fit in your pack. Later you can upgrade to their Sword bag which I believe holds the sabol sized trays.

Or, or, find a plastic tote at Walmart that holds the standard BF tray and go from there.

Its not the absolute cheapest option (see egg crate foam) but it is inexpensive and you can grow into regular cases thus not wasting monies in the long run.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
BAAA! That was my 200th post, don't make it a waste.

I could have missed it, but nobody has suggested Sabol Transports. They're, in my mind, a middle ground between KR and Battlefoam. I've used Sabol for years with no issues. The battlefoam stuff is excellent but it's just more expensive than I'd like to pay.

Another even cheaper option if you don't mind a little DIY option is to go to a store and buy a foam mattress pad. They're made of the same material as most foam trays you'd buy and can be cut with scissors to whatever size you need. Holes for minis can be cut out with an Xacto knife. Works great and only costs you as much as a tray or 2 would.

I've used Sabol for several years without any real complaints other than feeling like a bit of a tool walking around with a bag that says 'ARMY TRANSPORT' on the side. I've also started using KR cases and really like them. I find the Sabol to be a little more flexible, but that's because I want each cardboard mini-case for the KR cases to be one coherent "thing", while I feel free to mix and match Sabol trays without worrying about it too much; whether that will be a problem for someone else is up to the voices in the own head.

A low cost alternative would be to look at http://www.thefoamfactory.com/packagingfoam/packagingfoam.html . A buddy of mine made a custom case for his Ork army using that stuff and it seems pretty decent, although I haven't felt it up to know how soft it is.

I really like my battle foam bags, but they're pricey compared to some alternatives.