Hey Brett - Tim here from GNARBOX. Thanks for making this video. I wanted to let you know that as of the 2.5.0 firmware update, the GNARBOX does charge when in Mass Storage mode. This came out in mid-December, so it's a shame you didn't get to download it and try it out before making this video! I also was a bit unsure of how the "slow loading" was taking place for your images, that shouldn't be the case. Our support team may be able to help you out with this if you contact them.

As a video producer, I am never editing something without being at my home workstation, I don't even own a laptop. For me, I'm ONLY using the mobile backup feature. I connect 2 G-Tech Mobile drives, backup my cards through the gnarbox onto both of those drives, put them in separate bags, fly home, and import footage off the G-Tech. The $600 to NOT have to carry and fly with a laptop, works for me. However, I totally get if you're trying to edit off of it, in the field or at home, those speeds would render it unusable. Nice video. Honest and Straightforward.

Great review thanks. You've saved me some cash, the slow mass storage mode, and having to plug it two cables to use it as an external drive are dealbreakers. Appreciate the time you took to produce this review.

Thanks for the review. I have a suggestion. There is a saying “Don’t tell me. Show me.” It would have been much better had you put in clips of things like the slow download. This feels like a PowerPoint presentation with lots of text and no charts or pictures. Thanks again.

It really depends on three main factors: how much your time and media are worth; (2) whether you do enough shooting to justify it; (3) the rest of your gear and your preferred workflow. For me, I have it all automated, carry extra power with me (about 20K mAh) and keep a minimum of 3 backups by EOD. I used to go directly from my SD, CFX and SSD's to my NAS when I got back, and on some of my gear I am able to acquire redundantly. However, since production time is critical for me, I love that I can now automate my proxies. Second, I find it a lot easier to keep a Gnarbox plus an extra Rocket Pro 4TB and iPad Pro 2020 on me versus all my camera gear and a computer-- regardless of my mode or distance of travelling. This has been a huge lifesaver on more than one flight, one of which I was forced to give up my "second bag" with my first being my little PD fanny style pack and the iPad I was carrying. I never saw that bag again, but thank heavens I was insured for the $14K of lenses, cameras and other gear that were "lost" (yeah, I am sure they got lost in a small South American airport). If it weren't for that, I would have wasted about $6K in travel shooting and a $15K job. I had tried using multiple alternatives before. The closest was a WD 2TB My Passport Wireless SSD drive. However, the lack of usable automated proxies, the need to use a horrific checksum system and the fact that the WD was about 1/3 the transfer speed of my Rocket/Gnarbox combo failed me both in terms of wasted time, need to make manual proxies and having no actual usable checksum resulting in problems more than once. In any event, you could have easily velcro-mated a 1/4" thick little 10K MaH or gotten a Gnarbox backup. I have found that I get about 4.5 hours on average from the Gnarbox battery, and after 24 V90 SD cards and 6 sets of CFX A's copied while using the Anker 20K mAh for the entire 3 day trip, I still had 40%. However, a 10K battery gets you almost 24 continuous hours of actual live copy and proxy use. No other solution other than a computer, plus third party software plus an external SSD provides the security and functionality that many professionals need. However, the extra time, effort, and complexity of other solutions, including the computer++ approach, make them more prone to workflow and functional problems. Hopefully somebody will come up with a viable alternative to give them competition, but until then all other approaches I have tried are simply accidents waiting to happen, while wasting a lot of time.

Sorry for the lack of B-Roll and pizzazz on this one. I legitimately bought this and promptly returned it (shipped it out after filming). And remember these are just my opinions. I’m sure this is just the trick for others.

Actual video starts at 2:20

Seriously thinking about it instead of having larger storage in the MacBook Pro I am going to get.

Virtually all those issues have been addressed, but it sounds like you want to have a simple external hard drive like a WD My Passport. There is a lot of thought they have obviously given to workflow with broad-based professional photog and videographer input. But if you do not leverage those workflow automation and related features, they are obstacles rather than aids.

Is there already a video on your channel about how you pick your selects/organize your photos? If not you should!

Thanks for the review, I just ordered one myself and I'll keep these facts in mind while I test it out. I'm hoping it'll lighten what I carry while on a project and not add any steps to my workflow. Have you tested any other alternatives?

Great straight forward review Brett. I just did a review on the WD Passport SSD on my channel for my EOS R single card slot backup solution in field. Might be an option for you but the one thing Gnarbox has is newer port tech like USB C for other types of cards. Would love to get my hand on one by man they are pretty $$$. Subed, keep up the videos.

Yes - I think the new technologies have changed the game regarding what is needed and not needed. Ie the r6 saves you £800 from not needing a gnarbox. Amen to that.

WD 1TB Pro Wireless. About a quarter of the price, does the useful bit, more compact.

It's a shame they seem to have gone out of business, and you can't contact support or download the app anymore, making the Gnarbox a very expensive paperweight

Can you plug it in while charging on a laptop? I know you said the laptop doesn't charge it but I was wondering if you can use the other usb c port to charge it while in use

m.2 hard drive fast then ssd.i hope in future they put m.2 and fix transfer

I cant connect my gearbox to the wifi of my ipad. It says password is not correct. I have never connected it yet so it should be the default

I bought one of these too. Hated it. More like "Shitbox".

Hi was the slow loading by WiFi or by wire connection? Thanks

R6 WiFi has direct backup over WiFi. So what is the point of this £500 equipment.

Too long; didn't watch?