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|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
Compare Airline Rolling bags
Mark Perlstein, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Plano | TX | USA | Posted: 9:29 AM on 08.02.11 |
| ->> I am considering the ThinkTank Airport Security 2.0 and the Tamrac 5592(replaces the 692) rolling bags. They seem to be very, very similar. I am most interested in which would best protect(pad) gear when I have to gate check flying the smaller commuter jets. It is not unusual for the baggage folks to drop the baggage out of the jets. I know ThinkTank is highly regarded here. Have any of you tried both bags? |
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Lance King, Photographer
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Fayetteville | NC | USA | Posted: 10:17 AM on 08.02.11 |
->> Mark, I've not used either of the ones you mentioned, but I use the Lowepro x100 roller. The main reason - you can unzip the main compartment and use it as a backpack. When on the smaller commuter planes, I gate check the outer shell (with nothing inside) and carry on the backpack. When the overhead bins are too small, I slide the backpack underneath the seat in front of me.
http://products.lowepro.com/product/Pro-Roller-x100,2162,28.htm
Take a look at photos 5 and 6. If either of the ones you mentioned have that feature, you should be good to go. |
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Al Diaz, Photographer
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Miami | Fl | USA | Posted: 10:38 AM on 08.02.11 |
->> Hi Mark,
I used to have a Tamrac roller but it fell apart after a few years of good use. I've had my Think Tank Photo Airport Security bag, http://bit.ly/airportsecurityroller for five years now and it's still good as new. I also saw a post on facebook several months ago about a car running over a rolling case and everything inside the bag was ok. I've check my bag in many times on those puddle jumper flights and have had no problems. http://bit.ly/aldiazphotoblog |
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Dan Powers, Photographer
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Appleton | WI | USA | Posted: 11:28 AM on 08.02.11 |
| ->> I have a Think Tank International and a Lowe Pro roller and like both, but if I know for sure I have to put a rolling bag under the plane, I use a Pelican roller which is a hard case. A few years ago it went to Beijing and back without a hitch...pretty much indestructible...Dan. |
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Dominick Reuter, Photographer
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Cambridge | MA | USA | Posted: 1:09 PM on 08.02.11 |
->> If you want real security, check out the Pelican 1510. It fits the advertised dimensions for airline carry-ons and is a go-to choice for military users.
http://www.pelican.com/cases_detail.php?Case=1510
I ended up getting the larger pelican 1550 which doesn't have a roller built in, and is not guaranteed to fit, but it is still smaller than a lot of the bags I've brought onto planes. And if I'm wrong on a particular flight, I'm not too worried about the gear going below. |
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Michael Chang, Photographer
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Robertsdale | AL | USA | Posted: 1:16 PM on 08.02.11 |
| ->> I just recently bought the Pelican 1510 and can fit my 400 2.8, D3s, D300 w/grip, 70-200 2.8, 17-35 2.8, SB-600, and a 1.4tc all in the case. Suits my needs perfectly. |
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Richard Wolowicz, Photographer
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Montreal | QC | Canada | Posted: 6:38 PM on 08.02.11 |
->> Can't beat the Think Tank ... I've had mine for 3 years and booked well over 100K miles with it. With Montreal's harsh winters ... the wheel bearings and wheels finally failed. Called TT and they shipped me a new pair at NO CHARGE.
Think Tank will continue to get my business. |
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Shane Bevel, Photographer
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Tulsa | OK | USA | Posted: 12:28 AM on 08.03.11 |
->> I have the Pelican 1510 as well and with the padded dividers I can stuff an unreal amount of crap in there.
During basketball season it carries 4 full size bodies, 70-200, 24-70, 16-35, 20-35, 1.4x, angle finder, pelican CF card case, then in the add in lid organizer a myriad of sync cables, lens cleaning supplies, more CF cards, tripod camera plates, tools, etc. Of course it weighs a ton when all that is in there, but that's what the wheels are for!
Once on location, opening it gives you access to everything without digging through it, checking side pockets etc. A mobile work station for sure.
It's an amazing case. Never a fear of gate checking it. And it will really fit (despite what the nice lady at the gate says) in all but the very smallest commuter jets. |
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David Seelig, Photographer
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Hailey | ID | USA | Posted: 12:52 AM on 08.03.11 |
| ->> You cannot beat think tank for customer service I have the roller and love it. |
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Kent Nishimura, Student/Intern, Photographer
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Honolulu | HI | USA | Posted: 3:53 AM on 08.03.11 |
->> I have the Airport International, and also have a modified version of the Pelican 1510. The modification is by CaseCruzer, and adds a slick padded laptop compartment to the 1510.
Robert had a news article about flying smaller regional jets.
http://www.sportsshooter.com/news/2007
on a flight from Ohare (ORD) to Charlotte-Douglas (CLT) i had a flight attendant tell me they would be needing to check my roller in. (Airport International2) and i politely suggested to her that if it were to get checked she could ride with it in the cargo hold to make sure no harm came to my gear. I then proceeded to ask the guy i was sitting next to if i could store his backpack under my chair instead of the overhead bin so i could fit my camera gear. he was cool about it. |
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Robert Seale, Photographer
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Houston | TX | USA | Posted: 8:47 AM on 08.03.11 |
->> I own the old Lightware Roller Case, two Tamrac 652's and two ThinkTank airport International Cases.
The ThinkTank case is wonderful, I like it a lot, I use it 90% of the time, but with one problem: The lid is thin and flimsy. More and more often, we are being forced to fly regional jets, and you have to gate-check your roller bag.
I've had some success by requesting the exit row seat on RJ's and fitting it under my seat, but I've never been able to get it in an overhead - that simply will not work. I have a ThinkTank backpack of similar size, that I have been able to fit into an RJ overhead bin.
When I fly on an RJ, I've put "Fragile" tags all over my roller, and wrap everything in Domke wraps, but I've still seen instances where the baggage guys toss these around and throw other heavy bags on top of them.
The ThinkTank rollers could really benefit from a rigid top to prevent your gear from being crushed when other luggage is tossed on top of it. It could be as simple as adding a piece of Lexan to the inside of the top flap, or adding an unused large divider or two to cover your gear, but it's still enough of a problem to worry me when traveling.
I've had really great customer service from both companies - both of them have done multiple wheel repairs free of charge. |
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Robert Seale, Photographer
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Houston | TX | USA | Posted: 10:19 AM on 08.03.11 |
| ->> Just to clarify: The ThinkTank fits just fine in any normal sized jet's overhead bin - but it won't fit in a small regional jet (Embraer, Canadair) overhead. |
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David Seelig, Photographer
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Hailey | ID | USA | Posted: 10:27 AM on 08.03.11 |
| ->> Robert get the airport antidote as your other carryon you can fit a 400 2.8 two pro bodies and a 70-200 2.8 and it will fit in the overhead of the region jets . I take the roller and the antidote put clothes int he antidote and switch them as I am about to get on the regional. David |
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Tim Casey, Photographer
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Gainesville | FL | USA | Posted: 1:10 AM on 08.04.11 |
->> One thing to keep in mind if you are getting a large rolling case: Airlines are starting to enforce a weight limit on carry on bags.
I had to move a couple of lenses and a lot of batteries from my ThinkTank Airport Security 2.0 to avoid having to check the bag. |
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Mark Perlstein, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Plano | TX | USA | Posted: 9:41 AM on 08.04.11 |
| ->> Robert, I have had the 692 for 8 years and have no complaints. Tamrac has sent free wheel replacements 2 times. It probable has years of life left. I will physically compare the new Tamrac and ThinkTank with my 692 at one of my local camera stores and decide then. |
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Dennis Wierzbicki, Photographer
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Plainfield | IL | USA | Posted: 6:54 PM on 08.04.11 |
| ->> FWIW, I have yet to have anything wear out on my 6 year old Airport Security that Think Tank hasn't replaced free of charge. It's like having a lifetime warranty, which is unheard of these days. So far, I've gotten three new locks and two set of wheels and all I had to do was send an email. Days later the stuff showed up at my door. Truly amazing. I cannot praise their gear and their customer service highly enough. |
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G.M. Andrews, Photographer
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Mobile | AL | USA | Posted: 8:35 PM on 08.04.11 |
->> Tim --
What's been the limit on weight on carry-ons? |
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David Minton, Photographer, Student/Intern
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Denton | TX | USA | Posted: 11:33 PM on 08.04.11 |
->> @Robert Seale:
Sounds like something for Think Tank to consider for the next generation of the Airport lineup. If the lid had a way to unzip like the padding of the main compartment, one could add a rigid piece inside the lid when you needed it, and remove it the rest of the time. It'd be great to have a Think Tank bag that with a Lexan "Jack Box" style insert system to make it crush-proof when necessary. Lexan side inserts could happen right now for the main compartment as a drop in accessory. |
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