Camera Gear and Traveling...?

[iflyprops]

I'm not going anywhere for a few months but I would just like some opinions. I have a rather "large" Pelican Case (ya know..the kind with the wheels on it!) that I keep my housing, strobe and the rest of my photo gear in. If I put two locks on it would it be ok to check it with the airlines, or would it get banged around/poked and prodded too much? This is why I like flying places...but unfortunetly the planes I am flying right now are two small for extended flights over water, at least for my comfort level!:LIFSAVR:

Thanks!

 

[jcclink]

Security inspectors will look inside, so better if you don't use padlocks. They will just cut em. Use heavy duty nylon cable ties instead. If by chance they don't inspect your bag it will at least stay closed. Inspectors tend to use small cable ties to resecure baggage after they've checked it out.

 

[MikeC]

There are TSA approved locks out now. What is special about these locks, TSA has a master key for them and so they can open if they wish. The locks have some logo that signifies that they are TSA OK. Also, they have an indicator that shows if the TSA key was used, only your key will reset it.

Any bag that TSA opens they are supposed to put a form letter in, saying that the bag was opened by TSA.

 

[fdog]

Our travel has taught us that luggage is a consumable, just like oil & tires. It's supposed to give up its life to protect the contents.

At work, we have shipped our $59,000 IR Spectrometer via FedEx, and multiple trips in commercial airlines in a Pelican 1620 case, which it sounds like you have. All we've ever used to "lock" it has been a ziptie. Although the case has been pretty well beaten, the contents have always arrived intact. The downside: all packed up, it goes seriously overweight, and we will need a new case soon (see paragraph #1).

So I would bet your case will do just fine, ziptied. We do use oddball colored zipties, to discourage easy cutting and replacement of white nylon (generic) colored zipties.

For personal use, dragging cameras and housings around, I use a Hardigg case. These are quite a bit lighter than the same size Pelican cases, even more durable, and watertight enough that they come with a pressure equalization valve. The prices are breathtaking when new, though, so tryeBay .

Airline travel is like an art form, especially the luggage part.

All the best, James

 

[alcina]

I use doskogil pistol cases when I travel mostly, though do have pelican too. doskogil's are so far pretty indestructible and they are pretty inexpensive - I haven't paid more than $50 for one yet. Check out large sporting goods stores and places like Cabela's. Zip ties are the way to go - get the funky coloured ones.

Also, when my luggage was pulled out for extra security a couple of weeks ago they were very nice and let me direct the restashing of all gear in the hard case (which this time I put in my big suitcase). Asking nicely always seems to help -they don't want your stuff broken either.

 

[iflyprops]

Thanks for the tips, I never thought of zip ties! Anyone know where you can get the tsa locks? I have never heard of, much less seen any.

 

[fdog]

eBags is a good source for travel goodies. I saw they had the TSA locks a month ago.

BTW, we switched from using regular small padlocks about 5 years ago, when we found out there were only a handful of key designs for them, and baggage thieves had copies of them all. I would be willing to bet there are copies of the "secret TSA master key" on the loose already.

All the best, James

 

[iflyprops]

eBags is a good source for travel goodies. I saw they had the TSA locks a month ago.

BTW, we switched from using regular small padlocks about 5 years ago, when we found out there were only a handful of key designs for them, and baggage thieves had copies of them all. I would be willing to bet there are copies of the "secret TSA master key" on the loose already.

All the best, James

Yeah, few people realize how few keys are out there...

for example...

I was at home working at my local municipal airport one night and a guy left his master on in his airplane (the switch that turns battery power on and off) and his battery was going dead...so I took my keys to another airplane and they opened the door. I turned the master off and locked her back up...Moral of the story: Most locks SUCK!

Thanks for the zip tie and tsa lock idea though!

 

[Dee]

Are combination locks any better? I've never had much trust in key locks for the very reasons ya'll have stated. Car keys are the same. I recently left a shopping center, things on my mind and unlocked and started my van. AFTER driving out of the parking lot, I reached for my dayplanner and it wasn't there. I started looking around and noticed I wasn't even in my van! I had stolen it! I returned immediately to the parking lot and found mine parked in the next row over just where I'd left it!

 

[balls]

Another note.

We've used colored zip ties on our SCUBA gear bags. When TSA opens and then re-secures with BLACK zip ties you can tell very quickly if they've been inside.

Just a though. Oh, and you've got to bring ties for the return trip...

Balls