Traveling with camera gear...

[bwilling 0]

So I'm headed to Chicago next week for nationals, and need to fly all my camera gear up there.

What's the best way to package all the stuff for air travel? Pelican box? Other hard case? Just wondering what some of you have done to protect your gear.

Last year was easy... I just put it in the car and drove the 4 hours to Houston. This year, it's a 16 hour drive, so I'm not.

"If all you ever do is all you ever did, then all you'll ever get is all you ever got."

[PharmerPhil 0]

I always carry my rig on in a carry-on roller-board suitcase, and carry my cameras and laptop in a bag that fits under the seat. Everything else is checked, including my actual camera helmet (sans cameras), which I put in a pelican case with weight belts, altimeter, tools, etc. If I had to choose one or the other to carry on board, I would carry the cameras and check the rig as it is harder to hurt a rig by dropping or smashing it around, and is less recognizable as a valuable, pocket-able, and pawn-able item. And you could always borrow a rig if you had to.

I currently am using the LowePro Fastpack 250 which I love. It holds my laptop, cameras and lots more. Plus, for day to day, it holds my laptop, DSLR, flash, lenses, chargers and has a top section for lunch, hard drive, sweater, etc.

[vdschoor 0]

Pelican case.. check the rig and bring the cameras on board yourself.

[freefalle 0]

yea, I check everything but my camera's too.

Chuck Bryan

[jtiflyer 0]

Helmet and cameras go in a case, and its checked. Usually carry the rig on.

[BMFin 0]

I carry my camera gear on a camera bag pack designed by kata.

http://www.kata-bags.com/productFRM2HS.asp?p_Id=438&Version=Photo

Its ideal for travelling (with light DSLR setup)because this particular has compartments for other items also.

For airtravel this is not the best solution, unless you want to take it as carry on. Personally, on a skydive trip, I much rather loose my camera gear than my rig. Therefore I always carry my rig and therefore a hard case is a good idea for camera gear.

Solution merely for the air travel: just pack your camera gear on a normal hard suitcase with some padding.

For any other travel: get a DLSR backpack.

[DSE 3]

I check both.
Quite regularly.
(camera gear and rig)
Both are in locked Pelicans, hand inspected by TSA, then locked with real locks and ziptied for immediate notification if it's been opened ( use weird color zipties, such as yellow or pink)

[The111 0]

I carry all of the following on the plane. Everything I need to skydive, and more.

rig (roller)
2 wingsuits (roller)
altimeter (roller)
goggles (roller)
logbook (roller)
camera helmet (backpack)
both cameras (backpack)
laptop (roller)

And some other small shit.

I have a very complicated packing system, but it works! The cameras go inside the helmet which just barely fits in the backpack.

If I could only take one thing though, it would be the helmet since it's irreplaceable.

www.WingsuitPhotos.com

[BMFin 0]

wow. nice job pulling that off. According to my experiences most airlines only allow one carry on bag with maximum weight of around less than 20 pounds.

Some times I have been in trouble with the weight of my rig alone.

[The111 0]

Quote

wow. nice job pulling that off. According to my experiences most airlines only allow one carry on bag with maximum weight of around less than 20 pounds.

Some times I have been in trouble with the weight of my rig alone.

Most airlines in US allow a carryon (roller, with dimension limit but usually no mention of weight) and a "personal item" (backpack or purse). I fit my roller (heavy, but within size limit) in the overhead, and my backpack under the seat (mostly). I fly Southwest 99% of the time and they never hassle me. Continental gave me a hard time once, made me fit the roller in one of the metal bins in the terminal proving it was the right size.

www.WingsuitPhotos.com