Roller banner cassette: budget, standard plus or premium?

The roller banner cassette is the base unit the printed graphic rolls into, and it is what decides whether a roller banner survives one event or fifty. The print is the same quality whichever stand you pick; what changes is how sturdy the mechanism is, how well it copes with being set up, packed down and carried, and how much it costs up front.

On our roller banners you choose between three levels in the options: Budget, Standard Plus and Premium. Here is how to decide.

What the roller banner cassette does #

Inside the cassette is a sprung roller. The bottom of the graphic is fixed to the roller, and when you pull the graphic up and clip it to the pole, the spring holds it tight. When you unclip it, the spring rolls it back into the base. Feet at the bottom keep the stand from tipping.

That spring and the feet are where the difference lies. A light roller banner cassette is fine for a banner that goes up once and stays there; a banner that is rolled up and down every week needs a mechanism that keeps its tension and a base that takes knocks in a car boot.

The three levels compared #

Cassette	Best for	Not ideal for
Budget	One-off events, banners that stay in one place, occasional use	Weekly set-up and pack-down, lots of travel
Standard Plus	Regular use at events and in reception areas	Heavy touring use every week
Premium	Exhibitors and teams who set up and pack down often	Nothing, apart from the higher cost

If you only want one stand type, go straight to our budget roller banners or premium roller banners. The main roller banners page lets you pick any of the three.

Count the set-ups, not the events #

The best way to choose a roller banner cassette is to estimate how many times it will be rolled up and down, not how many events it will attend. A banner that stands in a reception for a year has been set up once. A banner that goes to a Saturday market every week has been set up and packed down over fifty times in the same year.

• Up to a handful of set-ups: Budget is fine.
• Monthly use, or a banner moved between rooms: Standard Plus.
• Weekly use, touring, trade shows, sales reps: Premium.

Thinking in cost per use makes the decision easier. A premium stand used fifty times often works out cheaper per use than a budget stand that has to be replaced after a few months of heavy use.

Travel and storage #

How the banner travels matters as much as how often. A roller banner cassette in a car boot gets knocked, stood on end and has other kit stacked on it. If yours will travel a lot, choose a sturdier stand and a carry bag. Whether a bag is included depends on the stand, so ask us if you need one.

Store the banner lying flat or standing on its feet, never leaning at an angle against a wall where it can fall. Keep it somewhere dry; damp is bad for the print and the mechanism. Our guide on how to store banners covers the details.

If the banner will be posted or couriered to venues, a sturdier stand is worth it for that alone. Parcels get dropped and stacked, and a light stand in a soft bag can arrive with bent feet. A premium stand in a padded bag has a much better chance of arriving ready to use.

Looking after any roller banner cassette #

• Never let it snap back. When packing down, unclip the graphic and guide it down by hand. Letting it fly back into the base is the most common cause of damage to the spring and the graphic.
• Keep the feet on. Always swing the feet out before pulling the graphic up. A stand without its feet out tips easily.
• Check the pole. Make sure every pole section is pushed fully home before clipping on the graphic.
• Keep the slot clean. Grit in the slot where the graphic rolls in scratches the print.
• Carry it properly. Carry the cassette level, by the handle or in its bag.

Our step-by-step guide to setting up a roller banner shows the right order for each of these.

Does the material change the choice? #

The graphic material is a separate option. 440gsm banner vinyl is the standard; 610gsm blockout PVC has a grey layer that stops light from behind shining through, which matters in front of windows and spotlights. Blockout is the heavier of the two materials, so pair it with a stand that will be handled with care. If your banner will stand in front of a window, see our blockout roller banners.

Signs a roller banner cassette is wearing out #

Even a good stand wears with use. Watch for these signs:

• The graphic no longer pulls up smoothly or sits slack on the pole.
• It rolls back into the base unevenly, drifting to one side.
• The feet are loose or will not lock out.
• The end caps or the clip at the top of the graphic have cracked.

A graphic that is drifting sideways as it rolls in will start to crease at the edges, so stop using it that way and ask us about options before the print is damaged.

Buying stands for a team #

If several people will use roller banners, for example sales reps or branches, buy the same roller banner cassette type for everyone. Matching stands look consistent side by side on a stand, pack the same way and use the same bags. Quantities from 1 to 99 are priced in the options, and larger quantities usually cost less per banner. Label each bag with the design inside, so nobody opens three to find the right one on the morning of an event.

Our recommendation #

For a single event or a banner that will stay put in a shop or reception, a budget roller banner cassette does the job. For anyone who will use the banner regularly, Standard Plus is the sensible middle. For exhibitors, sales teams and anyone setting up every week, Premium pays for itself. The roller banner buying guide covers sizes, materials and artwork if you are choosing everything from scratch.

The HSE’s advice on manual handling is worth a look if your team carries several stands and a display kit to events regularly.

UK mainland delivery is £7.95 per order and free when your goods total is £99 or more after discount codes.