Tripod as carry on item

[Roy Priest]

I am heading to Phoenix in a couple of days and was planning on carrying my tripod and wimberley head in my carry on as we don't want to check any bags. Is this feasible or going to cause headaches?

[Hany Aziz]

I am heading to Phoenix in a couple of days and was planning on carrying my tripod and wimberley head in my carry on as we don't want to check any bags. Is this feasible or going to cause headaches?

I had no issues with my "3 series" Gitzo CF tripod and Mongoose 3.6 head (carried separately to allow them to fit in the bag) on a recent trip to Albuquerque. Have also done the same in the recent past with a lighter tripod that I use for a bird scope.

Sincerely,

Hany.

[Ed Cordes]

I always pack my tripod in checked luggage. There is a reg that excludes anything that could be used as a club and a tripod certainly fits this picture. I think the enforcement is variable with the location, but why take the chance? If you are in the TSA line and your equipment is excluded then what do you do? It is extremely hard to repack at this point. A separate checked bag will cost a lot.

Don't try to push the envelope. Pack it in checked and then you will have no worries.

[Cal Walters]

Or send it FedEx to where you will be staying - if possible.

[Scott Frye]

I took my tripod to Fedex and they created a cardboard box for it to fit in at a reasonable cost. I carried the head in a suitcase and checked the tirpod in as regular baggage.

[Alan Lillich]

Another FedEx option is to send it to yourself at a "FedEx Office" (ex-Kinkos) at your destination that has long hours. They seem to have ones with 7am to 11pm hours near airports. They will hold your package in a locked cage until you pick it up, and it is FedEx's responsibility until you do so any insurance you buy stays in effect. When you look up FedEx locations pick one that has "Hold at Location" in the Services column.

[Roger Clark]

I'm not sure if anything has changed with the new TSA screenings, but in general it seems fine to carry on a tripod. I use to do it and never had a problem (even post 9/11). A year or so ago I saw a photographer at the Frankfurt airport with a gigantic tripod waiting to board my flight. It was a giant video tripod. So I asked hime about it. He said he was a videographer and travels all over the world and always carries the tripod on board. He said he has never had a problem.

I made a simple solution for checking my CF tripod. I got some bicycle lock cable and using TSA locks made a mechanism to lock the tripod to the frame of the suitcase. I've traveled all over the world with it and never had a problem nor any theft of my tripod. After a few trips, the money saved on fed ex + insurance can buy you a new tripod.

Roger

[Ben_Sadd]

The last time I looked tripods were allowed but not monopods. While this rule seemed strange, I am not going to complain and I have so far had no issues with taking a tripod as carry-on.

[Roy Priest]

Just a follow up. Had no problems with carrying on the tripod and head.

[Eric Virkler]

I strap my tripod to the outside of my backpack. My most important camera body and lenses are in the backpack. I've found that this to be extremely helpful when the flight is full and the stewardess is waiting at the front of the plane taking bags from people to stow underneath. They always start to tell me they need to take my bag, until they notice the tripod. They ask if I'm a photographer and my gear is in the backpack. When I tell them yes they always let me carry my bag on and they proceed to take the next person's bag. I'm assuming they don't want to be responsible for expensive/breakable equipment.

Eric Virkler
Faces of Nature Photography
www.ericjvirkler.com