Action case versus Dimatex bag: which one for a portable command centre?

A mobile command post must be able to track how a situation on the ground evolves within a few minutes. The question of transporting the equipment quickly comes up: how do you carry screens and their accessories without damaging them and without weighing yourself down? Here is some field feedback comparing two options.

What you display in a mobile centre

A portable command post needs to display maps to visualise the weather conditions and the movement of the resources deployed, but also message threads, video feeds, clocks and timers. The essentials are prepared before the crisis: the plans are built upstream and translated into ready to use visual layouts.

What the Easy Multi Display mosaic brings

The software lets you structure and save all your scenarios in advance. You can move zones from one screen to another, shrink or enlarge windows and change sources, either from the software’s virtual controls or from a physical Streamdeck remote. In the field, this time saving makes all the difference.

Which portable screens

The screens tested measure 15.6 inches. Light and slim, they offer working comfort comparable to a desk setup, for around 100 EUR each. They connect via USB-C or HDMI, with dual port power options.

How to transport screens and accessories

Two solutions were compared.

• The Dimatex Matt backpack: a French manufacturer, widely used by rescue teams, the police and military organisations. Rugged, but less suited to carrying flat screens.
• The aluminium Action case: a 15 EUR box with pre-cut foam that you trim to fit your accessories. It let me travel by plane with complete peace of mind.

Conclusion

For occasional use, the budget case is a sensible and durable solution. Intensive use will no doubt eventually reveal its limits, but to get a portable command centre off the ground without blowing the budget, it does the job perfectly well.