Thursday, August 5, 2010

Which to use: shopping carts and the homeless off-roader

Everyone likes to be prepared for major life changes. In expectation of my imminent homelessness, I decided to do some research into the best available bum winnebago, for cartage and storage while living life on the hoof.

Expect a full report in my upcoming "Bobneedsjob.com," but for those of you in need of a quick overview, here we go.


1) Avoid Convenience Carts. Sure, they look sporty, and your needs may seem modest. At first glance, they seem to be perfect companions for an out-on-the-street lifestyle. But the several factors limit the convenience cart in both form and function.

Note the small wheelbase: almost all of the model 5 cart setbacks can be linked back to the out-of-store instability caused by the 23"X10" trapezoidal wheelbase.

At 32 pounds, the convenience cart allows for a mere 2,500 cubic inch storage area in the main basket, with another reported 2,700 cubic inches available in the lower tray. Keeping in mind that the lower tray is all but useless during long-range, varied terrain travel, the weight-to-carriage ratio is impossibly high.

In addition - once again due to the small wheelbase - the convenience cart is extremely unstable in topheavy situations. It doesn't take much overfilling to create an inbalance that will lead to roll-overs in tight turns, on unstable terrain, and even caused by pavement cracks and minor potholes.

Keep in mind that, although the convenience cart and full shopping cart share the same handle height at 39 inches, the full shopping cart holds its base load only sixeen inches off the road, while the convenience cart carries its high-boy basket almost three feet in the air. This makes for an atrocious center of gravity for all but the most forgiving of circumstances.

Forgo the convenience cart; you'll thank me for it later.

2) Plastic or Steel?

Now that we've settled on the full-sized cart as your primary means of storage and transport, the question comes to whether you should liberate a plastic cart or the old, classic steel Bessie.

In both cases, road stability is vastly improved by its 24" X 39" footprint; both on-road and off, spillage is almost impossible to achieve accidentally, making the classic cart a solid performer.

With a spacious 18,000 cubic inch capacity and a stable, low center of gravity, it's practically a no-brainer. Add to that the convenience of the quick-access seating area for frequently used items, and you're all set for a life on the road.

The question comes down to whether you should seek either the steel or plastic basket as your home-away-from-homelessness. The answer is esoteric, and dependent on your hobo lifestyle.

The steel cart weighs in at a hefty 63 pounds while its plastic cousin weighs in at 48; this gives the plastic cart an initial advantage in cargo headroom, but the answer may not be all in the weight.

A shopping cart serves many purposes in off-the-grid living. Not just a means of property transport, sometimes it must double as emergency shelter - at which point the steel cart shows it's massive advantage.

For rigidity and strength, plastic carts use X-Ribs to beef the structure. This may be fine for transport, but agonizing as even a temporary living structure. The ribs cut into every area of pressure contact, making for an agonizing oasis against the elements. A light, folded blanket, on the other hand, will pad the steel cage mesh brilliantly, making your time inside vastly more bearable.

Those with a tent, a fridge box or lean-to in the bushes may consider a plastic cart to for the benefits of a lighter carriage weight, while heavy duty rangers should consider the daily versatility of a metal rig.