Help me come up with a packing solution for an awkwardly shaped headset

September 22, 2021 5:38 AM

I bought a headset that is quite useful, but I don't quite know how to travel with it. I'm looking for the lightest-weight solution possible that will protect this awkwardly-shaped, relatively expensive thing.

I bought the "Sip/Puff Breeze with Headset" http://www.orin.com/access/sip_puff/. I think it's a really lovely answer to my issues around repetitive clicking, BUT, it's sort of an awkward form factor for traveling. In retrospect, the multi-use one (or the goose-neck) is much closer to what would make it good for traveling (foam case, headset can be taken apart), but...well, I have this headset, and would rather not spend the money if I can avoid it. I've emailed them to see if they have any ideas, but my guess is their hands will be tied. Regardless, curious what people here will say...I'll consider buying a new one if I have to but I mean, I will have to move this dumb thing eventually :P

The issue is that the shape is quite awkward. Here are some photos:
overhead view
side view (as if wearing it)
frontal view (as if staring at someone wearing it)
side view (potential packing angle)

So, I actually bought some packing foam to see if I could carve out a resting place for this...sort of as such:
packing foam?
But this ended up being beyond my crafting ability, especially if you look at the overhead view and see that the headset is sort of at a weird angle. That said, I still think this sort of solution is possible and would meet all my requirements (protect it while being relatively compact), but...I am not sure if this is practical?

Perhaps you all have other ideas on how to travel with this thing? Will I just have to bite the bullet and buy a new one?

I was also thinking...are there companies that could do the design/carving of the box for me? Well, I'm sure there are, but could they do it, say, for less than the cost of a new headset. I'd be willing to pay, but I'm afraid it would be very expensive...that said, I do live in China where I think such design services would be cheaper IF I could find them. I really have no idea how to find designers that would know how to do this? But I think for someone who did it would be pretty straightforward! Get an appropriately sized block of foam, carve out space for this thing, put it in a hard box, bam. Ironically, the orin site above has a multi-use set that has a carrying box, but the whole solution is a bit larger than I think it would need to be for my use case. Still...

posted by wooh to Technology (6 answers total)

What would be the smallest size box the tube could fit in? It seems like the primary fragile part is the tube (I assume they're not meant to be reshaped once you've got it fitted). I haven't handled one of these extensively, but I think it would likely be safe enough in loose in a box*--perhaps line a plastic pencil box (like for school) with some foam (and then rubber band it so it stays closed).

*For what it's worth, the sip-n-puff devices for voting machines in NYC just come packed loose in a bag. However, that bag is packed into a cart on a shelf, not into your backpack or whatever.
posted by hoyland at 5:53 AM on September 22, 2021

Is a Pelican Protector case overkill? It might be too big or heavy or outside your price range (and I don't know about availability local to you). I think the brand is well trusted by professionals who carry sensitive equipment into the field and for shipping delicate stuff. There may be cheaper competitive brands that I'm not familiar with. They come in lots of sizes, and the inside is foam-lined. But the foam is pre-cut so you can neatly remove small pieces to best fit your devices.
posted by cyclopticgaze at 6:02 AM on September 22, 2021 [2 favorites]

I would try a thin cardboard box, of the type that comes flat that you pop into shape, often sold as gift boxes or apparel boxes (I call them shirt boxes, but they come in many sizes) of approximately the right size for the headset. Then, take newsprint, butcher paper, or other relatively robust paper, and scrunch it into small but relatively loose balls. Place those balls around in the gaps left by the headset in the box. Remove the headset, and using a hot glue gun, or maybe just liberal amounts of double sided tape, attach the balls to each other and also the inside of the box. Then get a piece of fabric, like a scrap of flannel or cotton, and tuck it on top of that and into all the crevices. Use the headset to help set it in place. You could take some time to trim the fabric and attach it to the edge of the box, or maybe even staple it in a few spots? Then maybe a piece of foam or corrugated cardboard into the lid to take up any extra room so the headset is gently sandwiched in.

I wouldn’t bother with commissioning some kind of custom box thing, as I suspect the price of that would be in line with just getting the other model anyway. Definitely ask some friends to help if the issue is dexterity, I feel like this is the kind of project a crafty friend would enjoy - relatively small, definitive endpoint, delightful feeling of making something with an actual use.
posted by Mizu at 6:09 AM on September 22, 2021 [1 favorite]

Seconding the idea of Pelican cases, which come in a wide variety of sizes, have the pre-scored "pick-apart" foam so you can customize the storage area, and are virtually indestructible. The touring music industry practically runs on these things.

I do live in China

I know that tons of knock-off versions (or other brands) of the Pelican-style case are made in China. The case that Orin sells looks like a simpler/cheaper version of a Pelican, and they can't all be made for export, you should be able to find some for sale where you are.

Goggling "Pelican case china" landed at least a few manufacturers of these knock-offs from here in the US, hopefully a local Chinese internet search will get you more relevant results.
posted by soundguy99 at 6:30 AM on September 22, 2021 [1 favorite]

If you are that worried, I'd get a Pelican-type case that's big and deep enough, with foam inside, and custom cut the foam to fit it snugly. A genuine Pelican 1200 with foam is $53 on Amazon, and has interior dimensions 9.25 x 7.12 x 4.12 inches, which looks like it will fit your device fine, but obviously require a little foam cutting.
posted by kschang at 10:56 AM on September 22, 2021

I once asked an antiques dealer how they shipped extremely fragile (i.e. glass) antiques. The answer was lots and lots of bubble wrap.

I also just saw a video (which I’m unable to track down, sorry) where they found a box of suitable size, and filled it halfway with what looked to me like spray foam insulation. They then quickly laid a square of plastic painter’s tarp on top of the foam, and laid the item on top of the plastic and gently pressed it down into the foam. They laid another sheet of plastic on top of the item, and then filled the box the rest of the way with foam. After it dried, they removed the sheets of plastic and had a perfectly form-fitted case.
posted by MexicanYenta at 6:11 AM on September 23, 2021