The 7 Best Drum Hardware Packs (2026)
Good hardware is essential for both acoustic and electronic drums. They make sure everything stays in position and they ensure optimal performance of your bass-drum and hi-hat playing.
The quality of the drum set’s hardware can also make a significant difference in the overall sound quality of the kit, foot pedals included. Because there are several different drum hardware manufacturers, I’ve chosen to evaluate them all and select the top 7 drum hardware kits.
These packs cover a similar core set of stands, but their contents differ. Some include a bass drum pedal; the lightweight stand packs leave that choice to you. If you have bought a ‘shell pack’ of drums (i.e. just the drums), then you will need suitable hardware and cymbals to complete your drum set. A throne is a separate purchase with the packs below.
My top recommended hardware pack is the Gretsch Drums Concert Hardware Pack. This is a durable hardware pack that is also of great quality overall.
My second recommended hardware pack is the Tama The Classic Series 4-piece Hardware Pack w/ Bag. This is a budget option for those who want a good hardware pack at a reasonable price.
Contents
- The 7 Best Drum Hardware Packs (2026)
- 1. Gretsch Drums Concert Hardware Pack (GRG4PACK)
- 2. Tama The Classic Series 4-piece Hardware Pack w/ Bag
- 3. Mapex Armory 5-piece Hardware Pack (with Double Pedal)
- 4. Gibraltar 5700 Hardware Package
- 5. Yamaha HW-3 Crosstown Advanced Lightweight 4-piece Hardware Pack
- 6. DW 6000 Ultralight Series Hardware Pack
- 7. Ludwig Atlas Standard Hardware Pack
- Shell packs vs hardware packs vs cymbal packs vs full drum sets
- What drum hardware do you need?
- Should you use boom stands or straight cymbal stands?
- Should you use a single or double pedal?
- Single or Double braced stands?
- Conclusion
The 7 Best Drum Hardware Packs (2026)
Let’s compare these in more detail.
1. Gretsch Drums Concert Hardware Pack (GRG4PACK)
Pros
- Two boom stands for flexible cymbal placement
- Single bass drum pedal included
Cons
- Throne not included
The Gretsch Drums Concert Hardware Pack (GRG4PACK) is a well-rounded choice for a shell pack. It replaces the G5 recommendation here with a current pack that keeps the same core jobs covered and gives you two boom cymbal stands for more positioning flexibility.
In it, you’ll find two boom cymbal stands, a hi-hat stand, a snare drum stand, and a single bass drum pedal. The stands have double-braced legs, and the Concert pedal has a double-chain drive with adjustable beater angle. The two boom arms are useful when a straight stand would leave a cymbal too far away.
This is a substantial pack for rehearsals and regular gigs. It gives you the stands and kick pedal together, though you still need a drum throne and cymbals. Choose it for a complete hardware setup with flexible cymbal placement, rather than the smallest carrying load.
2. Tama The Classic Series 4-piece Hardware Pack w/ Bag
Pros
- Lightweight flat-base stands
- Carrying bag included
Cons
- Bass drum pedal not included
The budget option is a classic of sorts. The Tama The Classic Series 4-piece Hardware Pack w/ Bag (HC4FB) contains two HC52F straight cymbal stands, an HH55F hi-hat stand, an HS50S snare stand, and a carrying bag. A bass drum pedal is not included.
The flat-base stands keep this pack compact and easy to place around a small kit. Its approximately 8 kg carrying weight makes it one of the lighter packs here, so the original description of it as a heavy pack was misleading. The straight cymbal stands suit a straightforward setup; you do not get boom arms for reaching over a bass drum or floor tom.
This is a useful option for a compact kit or a drummer who already has a favourite kick pedal. The carrying bag keeps the four stands together, and the pack avoids making you pay for a pedal you do not need.
3. Mapex Armory HP8005EB-DP Hardware Pack (with Double Pedal)
Pros
- P810TW double pedal included
- Two boom stands and black-plated finish
Cons
- Throne not included
Moving on to more substantial hardware, the Mapex Armory HP8005EB-DP is a great pack if you want a double bass drum pedal included. The model suffix matters: HP8005EB is the single-pedal pack, while HP8005EB-DP is the black-plated pack recommended here.
The black-plated finish gives it a consistent look. In the HP8005EB-DP pack, you’ll find a P810TW double bass pedal, two B800EB boom cymbal stands, an H800EB hi-hat stand, and an S800EB snare stand. The double-braced stands suit a larger kit where you want more adjustment than a basic lightweight setup.
This is the most convenient choice here if double-pedal playing is central to your setup. It saves you sourcing the second pedal separately, while the two boom stands leave room to work around the extra footboard. The drum throne is still a separate purchase.
4. Gibraltar 5700 Hardware Package
Pros
- Core stands and single pedal in one pack
- Double-braced stand bases
Cons
- Only one boom stand
The Gibraltar 5700PK is a good value complete hardware pack to consider. Its smaller-diameter tubing keeps it easier to carry than bulkier stand designs, while its double-braced bases give the stands a stable footprint.
In it, you’ll find a snare stand, single kick pedal, hi-hat stand, straight cymbal stand, and boom cymbal stand. The cymbal stands use geared tilters, giving you fixed angle steps rather than the continuous adjustment of a gearless tilter.
It is a practical pack for a rehearsal room or gigging kit when you need the core stands and a pedal together. You get one boom stand and one straight stand, so a setup that needs both cymbals to reach across other drums may need another boom arm.
5. Yamaha HW-3 Crosstown Advanced Lightweight 4-piece Hardware Pack
Pros
- 17.2 lb including the carrying bag
- Individual protective sleeves included
Cons
- Bass drum pedal not included
Yamaha is one of the best-known manufacturers in the music world, so it’s no wonder that they’re on this list as well.
The HW-3 Crosstown is a great lightweight pack made for regular traveling and gigging. It consists of four stands: two CS-3 straight cymbal stands, an HHS-3 hi-hat stand, and an SS-3 snare stand. A carrying bag and individual protective sleeves are included; a bass drum pedal is not.
The aluminium stands keep the complete pack to 17.2 lb, including its bag. That is a more useful carrying figure than comparing it with an unspecified standard pack. Choose it when moving the hardware matters as much as setting it up, especially if you already own a kick pedal you like.
6. DW 6000 Ultralight Series Hardware Pack
Pros
- Compact flush-base stands
- Hardware bag included
Cons
- Bass drum pedal not included
When you’re looking for drums hardware, it’s hard to find something that’s old-looking, even though the old times had their charms. But, DW 6000 comes into that story with their hardware pack.
This sleek-looking, elegant pack consists of two cymbal stands, a hi-hat, and a snare drum stand, with an accompanying bag.
The flush-base stands look at home with retro drum sets and smaller bop kits. The pack contains two 6710UL straight cymbal stands, a 6500UL hi-hat stand, a 6300UL snare stand, and a DSCP6000UL bag. Its spring-loaded snare basket is designed to hold the drum without the usual screw-adjusted basket arrangement. There is room in the bag for your own pedal, but the pack does not include one.
7. Ludwig Atlas Standard Hardware Pack
Pros
- Core stands and single pedal included
- Double-braced bases
Cons
- Only one boom stand
The Ludwig Atlas Standard Hardware Pack is a very sturdy pack that comes from the well-known and respectable brand we’re all familiar with.
In this hardware pack, you have a snare stand, hi-hat stand, bass drum pedal, straight cymbal stand, and a boom cymbal stand. You have all the necessary and quality components for a reasonable price, yet exceptional quality.
The medium/heavyweight Atlas Standard stands use double-braced tripod bases. This is a useful all-round pack when you need the single kick pedal as well as stands, with a straight cymbal stand and a boom stand covering a conventional two-cymbal setup. It is less focused on reducing the carrying load than the Tama, Yamaha, and DW stand packs above.
Shell packs vs hardware packs vs cymbal packs vs full drum sets
Drum sets are often advertised as ‘shell packs’. This means that you are only getting the actual drums themselves, without cymbals and hardware.
If you’re a starting out, we recommend trying to buy a full drum set, which includes everything you need to get started. The cymbals are generally not the best quality when they come with drum sets, but they are your best bet if you are on a budget.
What drum hardware do you need?
Everything about the drum hardware is essentially connected to the drum set you already own. Some of the essentials in any drum set are the snare drum stand, hi-hat stand, cymbal stands, and kick pedal. The rest depends on you and the size of your drum set.
Should you use boom stands or straight cymbal stands?
As for the sound, you’ll get the same output from both types of stands. People often put crash cymbals on a straight cymbal stand and ride cymbals on a boom stand. Boom stands give you more room to maneuver when setting up your drum set.
As you start to accumulate lots of cymbals, boom stands start to become more important, as you can only comfortably fit a fairly limited amount of straight stands around a drum kit.
Should you use a single or double pedal?
Drummers usually start with a single pedal, but if you’re into some of the harder genres of music like metal or hardcore rock and roll, then getting a double pedal wouldn’t be such a bad idea.
Though, this is not a definitive rule. Drummers from many other styles play with double bass drum pedals, though they are often not with the same signature playing patterns found in metal music (loud 16th or 32nd notes!). You can use double bass drum pedals to produce some very interesting and complex drum patterns.
As always, it depends on you and your playing style.
Single or Double braced stands?
Double-braced stands are usually heavier and more durable. Single-braced stands are often cheaper and lighter. Whichever ones you choose are very much a matter of preference.
Conclusion
That’s my pick of some of the best drum hardware packs that you can buy online. It’s often more affordable to buy hardware in one set, rather than buying individual parts. Therefore, it’s certainly worth considering these if you need a new set of hardware.
My top pick is the Gretsch Drums Concert Hardware Pack. If you want a durable hardware pack that offers exceptional quality all-around, then this is the one.
My budget pick is the Tama The Classic Series 4-piece Hardware Pack w/ Bag. With a more reasonable price tag, this pack still offers great quality and durable hardware.
