Photo Gear While Traveling...

[herbdb]

I have an older camera and housing that I stick in my check bag as a backup. I lost a camera on a trip to Roatan and had no pictures from most of the trip.

I don't want to do that again.

 

[t-mac]

I always carry mine on and they often want to hand inspect it. They tell me it's the way the strobes look on X-ray. I imagine that's why tsa opens so many checked ones too.

 

[Damselfish]

I think the primary purpose of a lock or tie is to make sure a bag stays closed, and maybe to discourage the casual crook. A lock may discourage someone slightly more than a zip tie (if it doesn't attract their attention instead), but I'm pretty sure the bad guys have the key or will just break the lock if they really want to.

The main benefit I see to a lock is that if _you_ want to get into your bag, a combo lock is more convenient than a tie. With a tie you have to have something to cut it and and extras to replace it. (Extras, because you'll remember some other reason to open the bag the moment you stick a new tie on it.)

I've found that if security removes zip ties they might replace them, but if they break off a lock they don't replace it with anything. And sometimes they do get cut off - TSA locks are a US thing, and I think some but not all places overseas will have the key (and bother to use it.)

 

[Nemrod]

I carry my camera equipment on in a Pelican type case. If I were to go back to a SLR not sure what I would do as I have had stuff stolen or broken. I think carry on is the preferred solution to arriving at your destination with a complete and functioning camera rig.

N

 

[azscubadude]

I've used the TSA locks before and the baggage handlers just tore the eye loops off with them so they could rummage my bag. I've used zip ties ever since and haven't had any problems. Something about the locks piques their interest so they are best avoided.

Had the same thing happen to me with TSA locks. Checked my bag in Phoenix and when I got to Houston (had to claim my bags because of an overnight layover) it came down the carousel and I noticed the zipper was open about 12 inches. Not a problem, I thought, until I realized that both zipper pulls were missing. Someone had grabbed the lock to pull the bag or lift it and both pulls were totally gone. I couldn't zip it closed (both pulls gone on the main zipper, not just the pulls, but the whole zipper mechanism) and I couldn't open because I wouldn't then be able to close it.. so there I was, in Houston, with my clothes and gear falling out of my luggage thinking WTF am I going to do now ?

After a wild $50.00 taxicab ride, running all over Houston at 8:30 pm trying to find a mall so I could buy a new bag. Finally found a Sears, bought another new $100.00 bag (had to leave the other brand new Samsonite bag laying in the hotel room because I didn't have a layover on the way home in order to pick it up).. I repacked and was on the way.

Would you believe (honest, can't make these things up).. when we finally pulled into the mall at the Sears store the taxi engine blew up in the parking lot.. had to call another cab and wait for it in order to get back to my hotel.

So I'm thinkin.. this is not a good omen to start the trip.

NEVER use TSA locks again, zip ties for me forever. I found a TSA slip in my dive gear bag after the last trip. Never knew it was opened, dive gear was just the way I packed it, all snug and in order. The slip didn't say why, just that they had opened my bag for inspection. When I looked hard at the zip tie they had put on I could tell it was different from mine but I never noticed it until I found the slip.

Does ANYONE think that the only people that have the TSA passkey for the TSA approved locks is the TSA.. Duh !!

 

[divengolf]

A lot of good info here. There are several other threads on this subject as well.

For me, it depends on the airline. US airlines are pretty lax on carry ons. I will carry on a backpack and a Pelican 1510 that legal carry on size. All lenses, bodies, etc. go into the backpack plus my primary reg. The Pelican holds housing, strobes, focus light, dive computers plus any expensive misc. stuff. Use T shirts, etc. as padding. Total weight of carry ons is about 70#. I've never been stopped on a US airline including Delta and Continental to Bonaire. Everything else goes into my dive bag which comes in at exactly 50#. Carry a digital scale to check weight beforehand.

If I'm traveling overseas where carry on weight is a bigger issue, I'll still carry on my backpack with bodies, lenses, dive computers, etc. Then all my other delicate camera stuff goes into my Pelican which is then placed inside a non-descript suitcase so it's not obvious. On international airlines, you normally get two 50# check bags free if flying from the US. My other checked bag is my dive bag.

This has always worked for me.

 

[AndyT]

Ditto Nemrod !! Nothing worse than having flown half way around the world only to find that your checked inluggage with vital bits of photo gear has not arrived. You can hire dive gear, but normally not the photography stuff.

 

[saudio]

I carry a lot of photo and dive gear with me. I assemble a basic working camera rig with a mid range zoom lens and carry it on in a backpack, along with my reg set, computer, and prescription mask. With this kit I can rent what I need and dive comfortably if my baggage gets delayed. And it's happened twice. Everything else goes in checked bags and I do not lock them any more. Waste of time I think. Since I am carrying a lot of weight on board, I fill my checked bag with consumables, usually a bottle or two of my favorite wines and some snacks I can't get where I'm going. A large can of Smoked Almonds is always in the bag.

On the way home, I stuff my checked bags with everything except my camera body and housing, my computer, and prescription mask. I carry a little luggage scale with me and load my checked bags to 49 pounds. Then my carry ons are light and easy to manage. I have good insurance on everything, and if I lose stuff on the way home it's a minor inconvenience rather than a major trip ruining bummer.