How do you travel with your monster?

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

minishrimp

Registered
Messages
8
Reaction score
0
Location
Hong Kong
# of dives
50 - 99
I have just set up my camera with arms & strobes, and I would want to bring them with me to Manado, Indonesia in Oct. How should I carry them when travel? Take them apart and put them in my suitcase? or put them in a separate container as a hand carry luggage? Pelican dry box?

Welcome for any suggestions =)
 
I can get a complete 4/3 or compact system, chargers and everything in the below. Looks big in the picture but is small enough to fit in almost all overheads, even the little domestic puddle jumpers.

Manufacturer :: Nanuk Hard Cases :: Nanuk 935 Case -

But I also have my soft sided "briefcase/computer" bag that can take lenses, batteries to distribute the weight. For airlines that are tough on weight I wear a camera vest and divide the gear between the three and repack once done with checking in.
 
I have a DSLR. The housing, ports, strobes all fit in a carryon. This bag almost always gets hand searched. Something about strobes, ports and housings must look threatening on the scanner. The camera and lenses go into a small personal bag. MJH has a good idea about the camera vest.
 
Oly E-PM1, two Sea &Sea YS-D1s, arms, chargers, etc., laptop and iPad all fit into a ThinkTank Airport Commuter backpack as carry-on.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free
 
I have only flown with mine once so far but I did like I have seen others do, just carry it on. I just folded my strobe arms down over the top in a way that makes a nice carry handle. Guess it depends on how big of a unit you have.

Mine is an older Nikon D70 weighing in at 18.5lbs. I plan on traveling with it the same way anytime I fly.


JohnBethany003.jpg


In your hand prevents any rough handling by anyone else. You know EXACTLY what is happening with it. Makes a great conversation starter.
 
Last edited:
I can get everything I need*, including both strobes, into my very low-key & inexpensive & so far (10+ years) extremely durable Canon backpack. Extra stuff, I pack in check-in. Backpack usually goes into my carryon rollerbag coz so far I've only needed that much room, but I have both in case I need them :) And I like rollering rather than carrying the backpack coz I am just lazy when I travel.

*My definition of "need" varies from other people's coz if I have to hire or live without certain things while I'm on holiday, so be it. As long as I can shoot, I'm good :)
 
I have my EPL2 underwater gear in an Underwater Kinetics hard case (the largest one that meets the carry on dimension limitations) with the pluck foam insert. It holds the housing (Olympus) with the Zen port mounted, the stardard port, a Subsee +5 lens and the mount for the flat port, two Inon S2000 strobes and fibre optic cables, two LaLuz lights, and the various arms and connectors for the strobes and video lights, my two page laminated assembly protocol, some various odds and ends light silicone grease, extra O rings etc. The whole rig, without the camera and lenses, which I take on as my personal item, weighs about 18 lbs and fits under the seat ahead of me. It is well cushioned and can take some dings and drops. If necessary I can put the camer in the housing and take the whole rig to the dive boat. However, I normally assemble everything in my hotel room and take it to the dive boat.

I have the yellow case and have put DAN stickers all over it. Most people thing it is an oxygen kit rather than camera gear which suits me.
 
I use a standard roller carry-on bag - carefully measured before purchase to insure it meets airline carry-on requirements. I added a cloth-bound divider system from my local camera store and carry my complete dSLR system - housing, 2 Ike DS125 strobes, macro ports and port extensions, strobe arms and numerous misc items. Bag usually weighs in at around 37#. Dome port gets padded in towels and wetsuit parts and put in checked luggage. Cameras, lenses, computer, etc. is carried in a Tamrac photo backpack. I've used this for travel to Indonesia, Philippines, and throughout the Caribbean/Bahamas. Like PatW said, the roller bag typically gets snagged at XRay, but once they start seeing camera parts it is clear sailing.

Several of the Asian airlines have unrealistic weight limits on carry-ons. For example, Singapore Airlines limits weight to 7 kg. Just have to make both bags appear lighter than they are as neither would meet that requirement. They did not check and have had no problems with either bag other than sore arms and back...
 
I've run into problems with fragile gear in checked softside luggage. I packed everything protected using clothes like others have mentioned, only to find my gear damaged. I assume TSA un-rolled the clothes protecting the gear while inspecting and then just left if like that.

I now use a hard side case and try to separate fragile gear from anything hard like a 1st stage regulator. Really fragile stuff comes with me on the plane.
 

Back
Top Bottom