Heavy-Duty Roller Case for Helix Stadium XL

I play a lot of guitar gigs, and my favorite rig is the Helix Stadium XL. I bought the official backpack, but I've not been happy with the total weight or the ergonomics of getting a laptop in/out under the straps. So, I decided I'd like to get a roller case for the Helix Stadium XL and carry my laptop and the rest of my gear in a normal backpack.

I bought an Apache 5800 roller case at Harbor Freight based on the internal dimensions, thinking it would be perfect for the Helix Stadium XL. Turns out the included "pick-and-pull" foam is too thick, and the Stadium won't fit inside it. I was about to take the case back, but thought I'd research alternative foam solutions.

Which led me down the most interesting rabbit hole: EVA foam and how people use it to make all kinds of crafts related to cosplay, mostly armor 😆 Every search for high-density foam, or cutting and gluing custom foam landed me on something related to cosplay or building props.

• Watched some YouTube videos on gluing EVA foam.
• Ordered a roll of EVA foam and contact cement.
• Measured and cut the foam to fit.
• Tested fit with the Helix Stadium XL.
• Applied contact cement to both the foam and inside of the case, and used a hairdryer to speed up the drying.
• Carefully applied all the foam.
• Allowed 24 hours to cure.
• Added back the inner pick-and-pull foam to the bottom to make it easier to get the Helix in and out.

It turned out perfect! Well, mostly perfect.

Things to consider

If you want to modify your own case, here are some things I learned or would do differently.

• Buy 6mm or 8mm foam. I bought 10mm. There's not enough room at the top of the case to add foam. I'm not too worried about it, since I'll be rolling it most of the time. I may buy some thinner foam just to have some there, too.
• Have lots of ventilation and wear a mask. Contact cement fumes are no joke. I thought I was prepared with a mask, but I ended up opening windows and turning on fans.
• Wear gloves.
• Use a cutting board or cutting mat under the foam and a fresh razor in your utility knife.
• I will probably remove some of the underlying pick-and-pull foam to add space for power and instrument cables.

What should I do next?

Now that I have some EVA foam left over, I'm trying to think of what other projects I can do with it! Maybe I'll get into cosplay armor crafting? 🤔 😂