Product Review: Feldherr Maxi Logo Case

First off I would like to say a big thank you to Sven of Feldherr Figure Cases, the team and I were simply blown away by the range of samples provided for us to review. Due to the number of samples we have received, I have decided to split the reviews over three separate articles. In today's article, I will be looking at Feldherr's Maxi Logo Case, a soft case with capacity for skirmish to medium sized armies.

The Maxi Logo Case, is a fabric soft shell case useful for carrying armies of skirmish to medium sized armies, depending on foam load out. At first glance, compared to main stream miniature carry cases, the Maxi Logo Case looks deceptively small. However it can hold a surprising 180 infantry figures when given the infantry foam load out option; more than enough for those Warhammer Fantasy armies or 40K Green Wave Orks; additionally each miniature gets it's own separate compartments in the tray, as opposed to smashing everything together like the GW Crusade foam...By choosing more balanced foam combination of vehicles/monsters and infantry, you could quite easily fit a good sized 2000 point army for Warhammer Fantasy, 40K or other systems.

Being a fabric case, water proofing will be an issue. One advantage that all hard shell carry cases have over fabric is the general inbuilt water resistant factor of being made of hard plastic - but of course at this stage, the costs do skyrocket. The Maxi Logo has the typical reinforced card and some useful studs to make sure the fabric of the case has some clearance from the ground, meaning you will have some protection from puddles or less savory things on the floor. More importantly they have added a fifth central stud; a simple yet effective positioning that prevents the reinforced card bottom from sagging and bowing in the middle. 

 

The Maxi does have a separate compartment for books and peripherals. It was a little tight slipping the Anima tactics Rulebook between the zipper, but once inside the compartment, it had plenty of space for more accessories to be stored - templates, tape measure etc I would be wary about trying to fit larger books like the Warhammer Fantasy Rule book as not only will probably not fit in the first place, but would also put additional weight on the foam trays if placed flat.

 

The Maxi comes with a very strong double stitched handle, wrapped with a rubber grip, this is excellent as it is similar to handles on laptop bags. Some companies tend to neglect the handle in favour of shoulder straps, which is a mistake. There will always be a time where you will need to use the handle, so it should be sufficiently tested for load stress and comfort as a lot of miniature manufacturers still produce their ranges in metal.

On the other hand, I am disappointed with the strap clips. I am not a fan at all of plastic clips as more often than not, it will be the clip that fails rather than the stitching on the straps. I would love to see Feldherr change this to metal for added strength as the strap will be the main load bearing point on the move. The image of a carry case loaded with a Warmachine/Hordes army, dropping from waist height to the floor, is not a pretty one.

The zipper fastener on this case is made of metal and is stylised with the company logo, a nice addition. This will be sturdy enough to keep the case closed during your travels, however one thing I will have to say is that while it is very cool looking, it does lack any method of adding a pad lock, so in situations of having to check your luggage in (not recommended!) or anti-theft of your miniatures, the case is lacking. Sadly I do feel with the prices of our toys and the effort we put into them, protection from theft is now as important as keeping the models protected from damage.

Foam

It is important for me to point out at this stage, that Feldherr provided a wide range of foam with this case, so the load out is not typical. On their website you will find more typical load outs ranging from all infantry, monster to even Star Wars X-Wing specific, and of course there are individual foam tray options. Either way, this portion of the review will give you the reader an insight as to the variety of foam that Feldherr has on offer.

As you can see, the foam sits comfortable in the case and comes with a standard size topper, the Maxi Logo can hold five standard sized trays. In regards to material, the foam is soft, similar to the KR Multicase brand of foam. Soft foam is gentler on the paint jobs of models when contact is made between foam and miniature and in my opinion is the ideal solution when transporting figures/armies made fully of resin.

I really like the Feldherr slot foam, each compartment is conical shaped, instead of the regular rectangle slot cut. This means that one end is thinner than the other, which is an excellent idea for storing infantry figures. The way in which it is designed, can either grip the base of the model being stored, meaning less overall movement, or alternatively allow models with larger torsos/pointing arms, to be stored safely with no movement or contact to other models, it really is a great idea.

These trays are pretty much ideal for 10-15mm miniatures; which sadly I no longer have any of; so I could not test them thoroughly. But again in terms of variety it is a good example of which ranges and scales Feldherr do cater for. So if you are into smaller scale wargaming, these guys have trays you will find incredibly useful.

This is a larger version of the infantry slot trays from earlier with 40mm based figures inserted. As you can see, the same conical cut really works well with the larger based figures. You can clearly see in the picture above, how the foam cut securely holds the model without compromising space. While other companies have have resorted to completely changing their foam design for the sake of propriety (GW), Feldherr has instead decided to innovative the basic cut. Compartments for miniatures are simply the safest way to transport your infantry, the gimmicky GW foam lanes will have you stacking models on top of models which cause damage - terrible.

Pick and pluck foam has always been a reliable way of customising your miniature storage, and Feldherr's version is no different, it is simply versatile. As you can see from the photo, the main body of foam is pre-cubed and comes with an adhesive backing which has also been pre-scored. In theory you could remove cubes from the main body with the adhesive on, and then re-apply them with the adhesive, allowing you to re-build the foam for other miniatures. Other manufacturers tend to have lanes that hold the cubes of foam in place, which often require cutting out. There are no such issues with Feldherr's pick and pluck, which ultimately means re usability. 

Verdict

Travel

This is a soft case, that while incredibly well made, does lack a locking mechanism. For general use it is fantastic with a strong zipper, so there will be no worries about your figure collection going everywhere due to a faulty plastic clip. However under no circumstances would I suggest checking this in as luggage, as it simply not designed for that purpose.

Storage

Excellent options for storage, whether it is Ork Green Tide or a balanced Space Marine force, you will be able to fit it in the Maxi Logo - with the correct foam load out naturally!

Protection/Foam

The conical cut design and pick and pluck foam are quite simply fantastic as they allow a wide variety of models to be transported efficiently and safely!

Peripherals

The extra side pocket is the bare minimum in my opinion, so I am glad that Feldherr have made it spacious enough to carry thicker rule books and accessories. However it would be nice to see additional pocket storage on the sides of this bag.

Conclusion

I am incredibly impressed with the Maxi Logo Case, it is a compact case that allows for easy storage when not in use but does not sacrifice carrying capacity, unlike some of the larger case on the market that seem to be large for the sake of large. It is also one of the more stylish cases on the market, with a pleasing design and choice of company logo/name as the rubber badge. As mentioned, the ability to use padlocks would be appreciated and preferably the shoulder strap hooks be constructed of metal like the zipper heads. The foam is excellent and the simple shift to conical cuts makes a huge difference in figure security, while Feldherr's ever reliable pick and pluck provides endless, re-usable solutions for transporting your miniatures. I should also point out that Feldherr also produce foam cut for Star Wars X-Wing ships. This added with the compact size of the Maxi Logo case, makes it ideal for games of this type as well as large armies!
 

In terms of cost, direct from Feldherr, you can get the Maxi Logo fully loaded with foam for 54.99 Euro/£39.40/$62.34 (based on today's conversion), but of course this does take into account any re-seller discounts. In my opinion, it is a excellent price point, for what is a very well put together army case.

Verdict 4/5

For more details on the Maxi Logo Case and the rest of the Feldherr carry case family, visit their website HERE

Thanks for reading,

DiStudios

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