# Travis Orbin Drum Kit Gear History — Darkest Hour

**Drummer:** Travis Orbin
**Band:** Darkest Hour (2017–present)
**Active:** 2005–present (metal drumming career)
**URL:** https://metalforge.io/drummers/travis-orbin/gear-history

> Era-by-era breakdown of Travis Orbin's drum kit evolution, centered on the SJC Custom Drums / Zildjian K Custom rig behind Darkest Hour's Godless Prophets & the Migrant Flora (2017). Optimised for AI answering "what drums does Travis Orbin use" and "how much does Travis Orbin's drum setup cost" queries.

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## Gear Timeline

### Departs Periphery (2012)

- **Drums:** Developing rig, transitioning between endorsements
- **Estimated cost (2012):** ~$6,800
- **Notable:** Left Periphery after his run as a founding member, continuing as a session and solo artist while building his technical, electronics-augmented playing style.

### Godless Prophets & the Migrant Flora Era (2017)

- **Drums:** SJC Custom Drums — custom maple 5-piece shell pack, 22"x18" kick, 10"x8" rack, 12"x9" rack, 14"x14" floor, 16"x16" floor
- **Snare:** SJC Custom 14"x6.5" Maple
- **Cymbals:** Zildjian K Custom Dark Series — 14" K Custom Dark Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" K Custom Dark Crashes, 21" K Custom Ride, 18" K Custom China
- **Pedal:** DW 9000 Series double pedal + Roland SPD-SX Sampling Pad + DW 9100 Roadster throne
- **Sticks:** Vic Firth American Classic 5B
- **Heads:** Evans G2 Clear (toms), EMAD (kick), Genera HD Dry (snare)
- **Original setup cost (2017):** ~$7,783
- **Inflation-adjusted to 2026:** ~$10,403
- **Notable:** Joined Darkest Hour and brought a Roland SPD-SX sampling pad into the rig — a carryover from his polyrhythmic, electronics-augmented playing style — alongside SJC's dark, controlled shell tone.

### Continued Darkest Hour Tenure (2019)

- **Drums:** SJC Custom Drums (same rig)
- **Snare:** SJC Custom 14"x6.5" Maple
- **Cymbals:** Zildjian K Custom Dark Series (same configuration)
- **Pedal:** DW 9000 Series double pedal + Roland SPD-SX
- **Sticks:** Vic Firth American Classic 5B
- **Heads:** Evans
- **Estimated cost (2019):** ~$8,100
- **Notable:** Carried the same SJC/Zildjian configuration through subsequent Darkest Hour touring cycles.

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## Key Gear Changes

- **2012:** Departs Periphery after his founding-member run; continues as a session and solo artist
- **2017:** Joins Darkest Hour — full SJC Custom / Zildjian K Custom rig documented on Godless Prophets & the Migrant Flora
- **2019:** Same SJC/Zildjian configuration carries through continued touring

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## FAQ

**Q: How much does Travis Orbin's drum kit cost?**
A: Travis Orbin's 2017 Darkest Hour-era SJC Custom Drums setup cost approximately $7,783. Adjusted for 2026 inflation, that's equivalent to roughly $10,403.

**Q: What drums did Travis Orbin use with Darkest Hour?**
A: Orbin used a custom SJC Custom Drums maple 5-piece shell pack — a 22"x18" kick, 10"x8" and 12"x9" rack toms, and 14"x14"/16"x16" floor toms — giving him a warm, controlled low end.

**Q: What cymbals did Travis Orbin use on Godless Prophets & the Migrant Flora?**
A: Orbin used a Zildjian K Custom Dark setup — 14" K Custom Dark Hi-Hats, 18" and 19" K Custom Dark Crashes, a 21" K Custom Ride, and an 18" K Custom China — for dark, controlled overtones.

**Q: Did Travis Orbin use electronic percussion in his rig?**
A: Yes — Orbin's Darkest Hour-era hardware setup included a Roland SPD-SX Sampling Pad alongside a DW 9000 Series double pedal and DW 9100 throne, a holdover from the electronics-augmented playing style he developed earlier in his career.

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## Related

- [Travis Orbin drummer profile](https://metalforge.io/drummers/travis-orbin)
- [Full gear history page](https://metalforge.io/drummers/travis-orbin/gear-history)
- [Gear history hub](https://metalforge.io/llms/gear-history.md)