Author Topic: Keyboard weight vs. transportability (Read 2746 times)

whiskerBox · « **on:** Sun, 17 March 2013, 21:33:41 »

So I have noticed a new trend in Keyboards as of the last year. They are getting heavy! Really heavy! Now I can safely say I have both ends of the spectrum or close to it (LZ-S, and HHKB). One is A brick and the other is a feather.

I used to always think heavier = better, but since I know have to do a lot of commuting with my keyboard it's almost the reverse for me. Especially when I ride my motorcycle.

What do you guys think about heavy/light/transporting etc?

Gupgup · « **Reply #1 on:** Sun, 17 March 2013, 21:50:29 »

I really only use my keyboard at home as I'm still in high school

so I love my steel case. But I could see how the normal plastic case (I'm talking about my Poker) would be great for classes in college or bringing a keyboard to work maybe.

Gupgup

The_Ed · « **Reply #2 on:** Sun, 17 March 2013, 21:57:25 »

You'll never damage a Model M from it flexing during transportation.

Why would you transport your boards so much? Just leave them everywhere you need them (though that implies you have enough to do that).

DavinDidIt · « **Reply #3 on:** Sun, 17 March 2013, 22:34:35 »

Count me for heavier = better. I'm not one for transporting my boards... Like The_ed, I just prefer to leave a board at whatever location I need it. It's one less thing to remember before leaving the house

calavera · « **Reply #4 on:** Sun, 17 March 2013, 22:45:55 »

I never carry my keyboards around so the heavier the better. I love it when my keyboard is in siege mode.

PointyFox · « **Reply #5 on:** Sun, 17 March 2013, 22:53:16 »

Who the hell carries a keyboard with them on their motorcycle?

TheQsanity · « **Reply #6 on:** Sun, 17 March 2013, 23:04:25 »

Only the coolest of people...

How much smaller and lighter is the hhkb than a poker?

ideus · « **Reply #7 on:** Sun, 17 March 2013, 23:17:59 »

I only have a poker and it is really light, and based on pictures of poker with hhk the sizes are almost the same.

1839cc · « **Reply #8 on:** Sun, 17 March 2013, 23:19:14 »

I carry my Leopold and it's a comfortable weight for both typing and transport. Good compromise. I want to build an aluminum case for it sometime next year though.

ksm123 · « **Reply #9 on:** Mon, 18 March 2013, 03:54:23 »

@PointyFox:

Think about people doing software deployments at client's location. I know that current trend is in doing everything remotely, and telecommuting, but just four years ago I worked at different place every week.

Client sat me at a desk, usually near software's end user, I connected my laptop and created custom forms or reports, or tweaked existing forms to user needs. My superior was one to wear suit, and talk CIOs, I was just "blue collar" worker doing the coding, usually I commuted on bike (capitol of Poland, great many offices in 10km radius from city centre).

At that time I used HP Mobile Workstation Laptop (they had quite responsive keyboards) but nowadays I would pack a mechanical keyboard with me, just to type comfortably.

whiskerBox · « **Reply #10 on:** Mon, 18 March 2013, 09:16:33 »

Quote from: ksm123 on Mon, 18 March 2013, 03:54:23

@PointyFox:

Think about people doing software deployments at client's location. I know that current trend is in doing everything remotely, and telecommuting, but just four years ago I worked at different place every week.

Client sat me at a desk, usually near software's end user, I connected my laptop and created custom forms or reports, or tweaked existing forms to user needs. My superior was one to wear suit, and talk CIOs, I was just "blue collar" worker doing the coding, usually I commuted on bike (capitol of Poland, great many offices in 10km radius from city centre).

At that time I used HP Mobile Workstation Laptop (they had quite responsive keyboards) but nowadays I would pack a mechanical keyboard with me, just to type comfortably.

Yes this is a similar situation for me. Tried taking my LZ last week an that damn weighed me down, so I have been traveling with the HHKB exclusively. I wish these heavy boards had removable weights(I know some do).

llovro · « **Reply #11 on:** Mon, 18 March 2013, 09:39:04 »

Heavy keyboards for me since I'm not travelling. I can only imagine seeing some keyboard geek on a bicycle with a 356 mini in the front basket

lazerpointer · « **Reply #12 on:** Mon, 18 March 2013, 09:50:29 »

You take the HHKB on motorcycle rides? What if you get hit?? Poor keyboard... LOL

I don't mind the weight - if it's not heavy enough I can put something sticky on the bottom to keep it in place like my HHKB at work.

Tarzan · « **Reply #13 on:** Mon, 18 March 2013, 10:02:22 »

I'm a pretty ham-fisted typist, so I like the heavier keyboards so they don't move around on the desktop as much. But I don't change them around too much, the Model M 122-key stays at the office, and the other boards around my desk at home.

I did pick up one of the little Cherry G84-4100 units as a travel board. It's cheap, so I don't worry about losing it, and I can use it as an external keyboard for the laptop.

vatin · « **Reply #14 on:** Mon, 18 March 2013, 11:52:23 »

I carry my Kinesis Advantage in backpack. But I drive to work.

Michael · « **Reply #15 on:** Mon, 18 March 2013, 12:04:14 »

Quote from: The_Ed on Sun, 17 March 2013, 21:57:25

You'll never damage a Model M from it flexing during transportation.

If it hasn't been bolt-modded, you would most certainly break off the plastic rivets, as they are weak to begin with. Any extra vibration or jolting would most certainly cause them to snap off, changing the feel of the board.

Rule16 · « **Reply #16 on:** Mon, 18 March 2013, 12:21:44 »

Count me for heavy, I want my keyboard to stay in one place and, worst case scenario, use it to defend my house with lol.

tjcaustin · « **Reply #17 on:** Mon, 18 March 2013, 12:27:01 »

I dunno, I don't think I'd notice a 2-3 pound difference in my backpack, but I also recognize that I'm not the slightest of guys out there.

ideus · « **Reply #18 on:** Mon, 18 March 2013, 12:31:19 »

Unless someone were typing in a boat, or in an airplane, I do not see why even a light keyboard may "move around the desk". Could someone elaborate on such idea? I have some HP old calculators that wight a fracntion of a keyboard and never move around the desk.

Rule16 · « **Reply #19 on:** Mon, 18 March 2013, 12:43:18 »

Quote from: ideus on Mon, 18 March 2013, 12:31:19

Unless someone were typing in a boat, or in an airplane, I do not see why even a light keyboard may "move around the desk". Could someone elaborate on such idea? I have some HP old calculators that wight a fracntion of a keyboard and never move around the desk.

Maybe I'm just heavy handed, but I recall my scissor switch (back when I didn't know anything about keyboards) sliding around the desk constantly and having to re-adjust it. It may also be how I rest my palms on the bottom of the keyboard.

lazerpointer · « **Reply #20 on:** Mon, 18 March 2013, 12:51:11 »

In most cases, sure it will sit on the desk fine. But right now I'm on a laptop type of mobile desk which I've got at a slight angle. The rubber feet on the HHKB stock are somewhat inefficient (the only gripe I really have about the HHKB.) So I took some of those cotton pads, and took the stickity stuff off the bottom, and made huge, sticky (it leaves behind a tacky residue

) feet.

ideus · « **Reply #21 on:** Mon, 18 March 2013, 12:57:47 »

Quote from: Rule16 on Mon, 18 March 2013, 12:43:18

Quote from: ideus on Mon, 18 March 2013, 12:31:19
Unless someone were typing in a boat, or in an airplane, I do not see why even a light keyboard may "move around the desk". Could someone elaborate on such idea? I have some HP old calculators that wight a fracntion of a keyboard and never move around the desk.
Maybe I'm just heavy handed, but I recall my scissor switch (back when I didn't know anything about keyboards) sliding around the desk constantly and having to re-adjust it. It may also be how I rest my palms on the bottom of the keyboard.

That makes sense to me, the rubber feet can make a difference on cheap keyboards, maybe I am just to accustomed to mechanical ones that even the lowest quality board has a good set of them.

Krogenar · « **Reply #22 on:** Mon, 18 March 2013, 13:34:40 »

I prefer a heavier keyboard -- feels more awesome to type upon. And I don't travel with my keyboard at all -- this helps me to rationalize owning so many keyboard in the first place.

fohat.digs · « **Reply #23 on:** Mon, 18 March 2013, 13:41:38 »

A rectangle of shelf liner (the rubber open waffle kind that you get in a roll at Wal-Mart) under any keyboard is a good thing.

It helps with slippage and noise, regardless of whether the board is light or heavy.

I have a full-size laptop (with numpad) and it still weighs less than my primary keyboard!

SmallFry · « **Reply #24 on:** Mon, 18 March 2013, 13:42:05 »

I want to get a G84 or make myself a HHML to carry along when I'm in class etc. I have carried a few different boards around before. My M was WAY too large (122 key M), my Leopold got sketchy (started to cut out, sadly) and I'm now running around with my Phantom, when I can.

Grim Fandango · « **Reply #25 on:** Mon, 18 March 2013, 13:42:15 »

It does not really matter to me. Whenever I take my keyboard it is to game at a friends place or go to a LAN, which means I am taking the desktop as well.... which means I am taking the car. Overall, the weight of the actual keyboard is not a factor.

I would care when I bought a keyboard that I would regularly take with me. One example could be when I wanted it to use with a laptop or something. But even then, form factor and having a small foot print would be more important to me than actual weight.

oneproduct · « **Reply #26 on:** Mon, 18 March 2013, 14:27:13 »

I ended up selling my full metal poker because of this. While it was awesomely cool for those times that I just had it sitting at home, when I used it on the move it was a bit much heh. Also needed to make room for the GH60 so I can have built in Colemak, which is actually the bigger reason.

davkol · « **Reply #27 on:** Mon, 18 March 2013, 17:14:11 »

I don't care as long as it has decent rubber feet, doesn't feel flimsy, and my backpack isn't too heavy because of it. I'd say my choc mini is almost perfect (under 700 g, quite solid, good rubber pieces).

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Author Topic: Keyboard weight vs. transportability (Read 2746 times)