Pelican cases for travel?

[Wendy Kates]

Hi, I have been intrigued by what I've read about Pelican cases for photography gear: it looks ideal for travel, since I can roll it through airports. Plus it seems to keep the gear well-protected. It is very pricey however. Can anyone comment on what photo gear cases you find most useful for travel, and on the Pelican per se if you have used it? Thanks in advance.
--Wendy

[Don Railton]

Hi Wendy

I have used a pelican case for about 3 years now and I am very happy with it. I cannot remember the case number but its the biggest one allowed space wise for inside the cabin. It provides good protection in all environments and easy access and as you say, rolls around nicely. The only issue I have had is that its quite heavy and mine weights about 15KG fully loaded, so for those airline companies that look at cabin bag weight as well as size I am a problem. For day to day use when you are not travelling its nice to pick up one case that has everything you need in it and I regularly take it to the beach, bush or to a wedding and its all there...

DON

[Doug West]

Can't remember my model number either. Without using the foam inserts, I can get a ton of stuff in there by using wool caps for protection.
I can get my 600, two bodies, 70-200, 100-400, flash and a few other things in it. Plus it has a nice tough handle and fits
nicely in an overhead bin.

Doug

[Don Railton]

Hi Again Wendy.. Home now and checked.. My bag is a 1510.. It Has relocatable foam padding you can configure to suit.

[arash_hazeghi]

The best roller bags for carrying photo gear are ThinkTank bags. They are light, robust, ergonomic and build with better quality materials. I use the Airport Security model and almost everyone I know uses the same

[Don Railton]

Wendy, The 'Best" bag for you is a decision only you can make.. It depends on what conditions you plan to take it into, and the level of handling it might get from others who dont care whats inside.. I have no doubt the think tank is an excellent bag that light and well built. Its possibly a good alternative suggested by Arash. The pelican cases are VERY durable, maybe a little heavier, probably a lot less pretty, but they are the default case used by military and mining companies all over the world to ship sensative equipment into very harse climates, probably because they are the best for that situation.

DON

[Wendy Kates]

Thanks, all, for your input. According to the B&H website, the Pelican is a couple of pounds heavier, but since the Pelican is less expensive and will hold all of my gear, I'll most likely go with that one. One question though: in case the FAA requirements for carry-on luggage change and it turns out that I have to check the Pelican at the door, are you confident that the bag will protect the gear sufficiently to withstand the possibility of rough handling when placed in the checked luggage compartment?

[arash_hazeghi]

It seems like the pelican is made from plastic (they call it by a fancy name but it's just hard plastic) unlike the soft mesh material used in most camera bags (and that's why the pelican is so cheap). This means it will transfer all the impact to the content so you are at the mercy of the foam material to absorb the shock. Regardless, checking expensive sensitive equipment such as a super-telephoto lens is a no. I don't know how much investment you have in your gear and how important it is to you, but just imagine handing over a bag with $30,000 worth of precision equipment to ground crew who will throw and toss them around. Who will pay for it in case damage occurs? What if it gets lost or stolen? what are you going to do? The airline might pay you up to $250 per lost luggage but that's it.

I personally never check my photo equipment. If it's not going on board, I am not flying.

The other factor to consider is that a case like Pelican screams that it's holding something valuable as opposed to something that looks like a standard luggage piece. It is a magnet for thieves especially if you travel to other countries where airport security isn't as tight


good luck

[Don Railton]

Hi Arash
A few point for you to consider…

Yes, the pelican is made of hard plastic, but your think tank is made of soft plastic (nylon mesh..) So what’s the problem…? Let me explain. If a hard shell takes an impact the load is transferred through the hard shell around the contents to the opposite side of the case. If a soft shell takes an Impact then the shell deforms and the load is transferred through the contents of the case (ie camera..) to the opposite side. Think of crash helmets, it has a hard shell to distribute the load with a soft lining to protect the contents… same thing as a Pelican design. So I agree with you on one thing, I would never pass a think tank over at the check in counter. But there are times when you cannot take your gear with you inside the plane… In that instance you buy a pelican, most professionals do (even for super tele’s), and you have insurance to cover theft.

The hard shell has other advantages… You can stand on it for instance if you need a step, although don’t do that on the think tank. The seal between the two halves of the Pelican case is a large O ring set into flat surface. It’s a bullet proof joint design used in millions of applications… It’s water proof, dust proof and will open after being expose to grit, dust and whatever. As a result the case meets military specifications for ingress protection. You can take you Pelican to the beach or wade across a stream and your camera will be clean and dry. But Your Think tank has a zipper… which is not water proof and grit will cause the zipper to seize up. Maybe you don’t like to visit places like this, but there is not an issue when I do.

Finally, I have a professional photographer friend that has a think tank. She had a few assignments into the outback of Australia to remote aboriginal communities, travelling in light aircraft and 4WD’s. The first trip she took her think tank.. In the most recent she asked if she could borrow my pelican, to which I gladly obliged. She is now purchasing a Pelican. Nuff said.

Best regards and have a nice Christmas, maybe a friend could buy you a pelican..

Don

[arash_hazeghi]

Hi Don

I am sorry but I have to disagree with you about hard plastic. The soft mesh material absorbs the impact by deformation as you mention yourself that's why it's made from that material. The case is deformed to absorb the impact energy so the content is protected. If something hits a hard plastic bag like a piece of rock falling on it it can deflect some of the energy and might be better than soft material, but in this case it's the bag itself that's being dropped in the worst case scenario. In the case of hard case the impact energy is transferred into standing shockwaves in a rigid body rocking the content back and forth until it dissipates. You can do a simple experiment, put a wine glass in a soft bag or a pouch and then inside a hard plastic case and drop them from the same height. In which case do you think the glass is more likely to shatter ? I don't have any scientific measurements to show you but I have dropped my think tank from moderate heights a few time by accident and it has done its job for me. Maybe you cannot stand on it but who would want to do that ? I never stand on my bags.

As a professional photographer myself I have taken my current think tank everywhere in the last 6 years including to the beach, dusty hot desert, hot and humid Florida, cold and wet Alaska, you name it. It does come with a rain cover too and it is sealed for dust. "Wading" in a river with a large heavy roller bag is beyond me and frankly just awkward so yes you cannot submerge a think tank if that's what you do with your bags. The Zipper is great because you can open it while the bag is upright to quickly put something in and out. A large bag with a zipper is always easier to use than a clamshell design. Try to open a huge clamshell hard case in confined space like back seat of a truck...

I yet to have see someone with the type of gear that I have to use one these cheap pelican bags and I know many photographers. You sound like a pelican sales man to be honest. Of course it could be good for what it is but I am always skeptical of a product that is significantly cheaper than the competition in this case more than 3 times cheaper. Something has to give... Think tank isn't the only brand, there are others too but they are similar to think tank in terms of pricing hum...

BTW, I would personally never gamble on insurance and check my gear. I doubt anyone with high value gear would. I am curious when was the last time you made a claim for a $13,000 lens and how did it go? I do have dedicated professional insurance for my gear (Rand inc.) but I have never made a claim, it's my last resort.

Any ways we all have different preferences, to each his own.

And no I don't want a pelican bag even for free. If I get one I'll send it to you ;) Happy holidays to you as well :)

[Don Railton]

Well, we are going to have to agree to disagree... and no, I don't sell Pelicans. Yes, I have a super tele and it goes in the Pelican, and I'll be happy to take and use any pelicans you send my way. Can you tell me what you do when the airline company weights your carry on and find its over the 7kg limit?? Your 1DX & 600 + bag plus chargers etc will by pushing the limit for carry on. My recent experience tell me they are getting tougher on this weight, forcing you to check the heavy stuff. So then what do you do? Cancel the holiday?? just curious..

DON

[arash_hazeghi]

Hi Don,

In the US we don't have weight limit for carry on, they don't weigh your bags. http://www.delta.com/content/www/en_.../carry-on.html

For international flights the usual weight limit is 22 lbs, which is still enough for think tank + one long MK II super telephoto lens. The camera body and TC's + short lenses go in my backpack (you are allowed two pieces). I check the batteries, charger, flash, tripod etc.

when flying in small aircraft with small overhead bins such as Canada regional jets I use my light super telephoto lens, (400 DO MK II) which fits in a small back pack.

I have to actually catch a flight right now, have a nice holiday.


Best

[David Stephens]

I've been using the Think Tank International v2 roller bag for about five years, including flights to/from Alaska and Europe. I usually carry two bodies and a few lenses, often including my 500/f4. It's held up well and fits in the overhead bins in the US and Europe.

[Wendy Kates]

Thanks, Dave. I have been considering the International, since the Airport Security bag that Arash recommended seems too large for my needs, and I think the Pelican will be too heavy for me once I load it up. So I'm glad you endorsed it.

[arash_hazeghi]

Hi Wendy,

the only limitation of the international is that it won't fit a 600 f/4 IS MKII. It will fit anything else including a 500 f/4 so if your longest lens is 500 or shorter it is sufficient.

best
Arash

[Wendy Kates]

Dave and Arash,

I just checked the specs of the International, and it is 22.2 x 16 x 9.8 inches, whereas the American Airline limit for carry-on is 22 x 14 x 9 inches. Has the additional width and depth (and slightly larger height) created problems for you at check-in?

[arash_hazeghi]

you are looking at the old model. The international V2 is 21 x 14 x 8

This is what you want :

https://www.thinktankphoto.com/colle...rnational-v2-0

[Don Railton]

Hi Don,

In the US we don't have weight limit for carry on, they don't weigh your bags. http://www.delta.com/content/www/en_.../carry-on.html

For international flights the usual weight limit is 22 lbs, which is still enough for think tank + one long MK II super telephoto lens. The camera body and TC's + short lenses go in my backpack (you are allowed two pieces). I check the batteries, charger, flash, tripod etc.

when flying in small aircraft with small overhead bins such as Canada regional jets I use my light super telephoto lens, (400 DO MK II) which fits in a small back pack.

I have to actually catch a flight right now, have a nice holiday.


Best

Hi Arash

Should you ever travel to australia on Qantas the baggage allowance is 7kg (15lb..) see https://www.qantas.com/travel/airlin...age-allowances
They never use to check weight, only the size but that has changed in the last year or so.. I have been caught out and had to cuddle my 500 all the way home on an international flight...

Enjoy you trip..

DON

[Mike Quigley]

Arash, just bought the think tank security, how is it in the overhead? With all my stuff it is really heavy, anyone question the weight?

[arash_hazeghi]

which version of think tank security? which airline? traveling from where to where?

[Mike Quigley]

Mostly Southwest to Az. I have the latest version 2.0

[arash_hazeghi]

should have no problem with southwest