sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

No. 8 shotgun shell shot. Small, dense and enough weight that it will not move when positioned. Self-molding and it will not pack together like sand will. I have used both fine white sand (ashtray sand) and shot as support bags for long distance target shooting in the past. Heavier than a bag of beans or seeds? Yes, but if a steady base is important so is mass.

fetzler Loc: North West PA

I have no problem with the above. Inorganic alternatives might include pie weights or aquarium gravel. The gravel often consists of smooth pebbles.

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

For travel, buy dry goods locally and dump them before departing. Lentils, black beans, rice, quinoa wait not quinoa!!! No quinoa!!!

Don, the 2nd son Loc: Crowded Florida

Fine size of these seems best for me. The lentil filled (1/2 filled) mold into what ever shape I need.

sroter Loc: Montreal,Quebec. Canada

That is a great idea, never considered a pool noddle before.

Brokenland

My first thought was to use a mouse gel pad with a raised edge. The raise edge would be used to cushion the lens.

Pstrombe Loc: Columbus, OH

Where do you get buckwheat hulls? Interesting idea

Kingman

I have using bean bags for 30 years. I had my wife make a couple with the outer material being made of velour or a velvet like material and the "bean bags" were filled with about two cups of rice and these have lasted now 30 some years. Recently the outer felt/velour material has begun to wear thin and rice dust has been to come through the bags. I had my wife make some new bean bags made out of small styrofoam pellets used in bean bag chairs or neck pillows. I personally found these styrofoam bags useless because they did not seat or stabilize the lens or camera as well as beans or rice fillers. I have retired the two 30 year old rice bean bags and will be getting new ones made soon!

One final interesting note. For years now, I traveled through TSA Pre Check security very frequently with my photo gear in various Lowepro backpacks containing my cameras and lenses and typically a rice bean bag to fill space. This past year for the first time ever, my gear has under gone several additional manually screenings when it was very rarely done before. After the second or third additional screening on the same trip, I asked what are you looking for? The answer was, "a mass". Oh I said, it's a bean bag with rice inside. They'd pick up bean bag, looked and it, place it back and I was free to go. I am not sure whether they were under a heighten alert status or not, but now I take the bean bag out of the camera bag and rest it on the top of the camera pack in plain sight. Also on this same extended trip and other trips this year, after taking the bean bag out of my camera pack, I could often see the TSA X-ray looking intently at their screens when inspecting the X-ray image of my camera pack, I would mention in passing, "it's camera gear" and I would get a nod or thank you and things passed through faster. I also learned now that if you tell the TSA person in front of the X-ray that it's camera gear, the agent sometimes advises the X-ray tech verbally "camera gear" and things seem to move along a bit faster without a secondary inspection.

dgrimsman Loc: Sisters, Oregon

Flax seeds. Plus you can micro-wave the bag (no metal) on high for a minute or so and have a nice hand or other body part warmer.

pendennis

I still reload shotgun shells, and #8 works well, and I leave it in the original plastic bag. I fill it about 1/2 way, roll the open end shut, and use epoxy to close it. The shot bags are designed to hold 25lb of lead shot. They're available on eBay in both cloth and plastic. Sand box sand also works well.

PS - You can also close the ends using a sail-maker's awl.

photogeneralist Loc: Lopez Island Washington State

I know from experience that rice works for a while . It continues to work for a long timetif it's in a waterproof bag that goes inside the fabric covering.

Randyfrieder Loc: Long Island, New York

Hi, have you tried using a “my pillow”, they make a small travel version, or you can just use the filling from one, to fill an existing bag. That would create a very light weight support. If it can cradle our heads, it should work with our cameras. And if you do keep the pillow intact, it can help keep you comfortable, while waiting for the perfect lighting, composition, subject, weather, etc. to all come together!! (Does is ever?? I’m usually happy with almost ok!)
Personally, I bought about eight pounds of different beans, in 2 pound bags. I left them in the sealed bags and placed those bags inside zip lock plastic bags for further protection. I use them inside a commercial weight bag for light stands, booms, etc. (under $10.00 on eBay, etc.) It has served me well and I can adjust the weight if necessary by removing individual bags.
Happy shooting and happy and healthy holiday season to all of you very knowledgeable people! Thanks for sharing your thoughts, all year

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

Pinto

Properframe Loc: US Virginia

One thing you need to have in mind when shooting in Churchill is that if ANYONE on the buggy feels like they are done and start walking around the vibration can crap up your shots. Not as big a problem shooting stills but nothing worse in a beautiful video than to have a slight roll right at the best point. I can sit a long time on a subject but invariably after ten minutes someone starts jacking around. Also unlike other locations purchasing/transporting rice/husks etc to Churchill is not easy. I used memory foam in my bag and was very pleased with the performance. Light weight but was stable and secure. In buggies the bags sit on the open window edges inside or the rail outside if you are on the back platform. My bag has a plate and 1/4" adapter that lets me add a ballhead. I did not think to use this setup till day 5 and it was perfect. Did not even have to think about the rig rolling or moving once I did that. And was able to pan precisely while taking slo-mo video. It was an inexpensive camo bag which I since left in Africa. Bought another one just like it which is an endorsement of sorts.

Pstrombe Loc: Columbus, OH

Thanks. The bag in the open window of the Polar Rover worked very well for me. You are right that people were moving around all the time but not sure how much it affected images. I took about 600 and many were not as good as I wanted but I have maybe 30-40 or so that are excellent. Not a bad yield. Maybe that movement was the difference in many. I will keep that in mind.