Rolling Camera Bags anyone used these?

[ST-EOS]

I'm considering buying a rolling camera bag for my trip to Australia and New Zealand. My existing backpack (Lowe Pro Vertex 200AW) probably meets the carry on requirements of the carriers we're flying with but...it is not really flight/airport transit friendly.

I think it would probably make the check in Police want to weigh it and try to get me to check it in, obviously I don't want to have that happen, plus I look like a Ninja Turtle when I'm wearing it.

I have read on line reviews and product videos of roller bags and narrowed those available down to two. Both of which can convert to backpacks though in different ways.

The bride saw one of them and said that looks good then spotted the price!! I can feel a large dose of penance coming on

So my question is has anybody here any experience of the two bags listed or any other carry bag on suggestions ?

Lowe Pro "Pro Roller X100 LINK

Think Tank "Airport Take off" LINK

[jimsphotography]

Re: Rolling Camera Bags anyone used these?

Although I don't own one I have plenty of pals who have a Think Tank roller bag and they all swear they are the best
Hope this helps
James

[djguk47]

Re: Rolling Camera Bags anyone used these?

Peter,
Just a word of warning when considering internal flights and cabin luggage.
Both in Australia and New Zealand the airlines use smaller planes between cities so you need to check which plane is used on which leg of your trip within Aus & NZ. for example the flight from Canberra to Sydney is a small twin engine plane which has limited overhead locker space and many times my carry on, which am taking for the flight from Aus to the UK, is to large for the overhead and has to be placed in the hold, yet between Canberra and Melbourne the planes are jets and they have larger overhead space.
Just check which plane is used on each internal leg.

[colin C]

Re: Rolling Camera Bags anyone used these?

I use an Airport Security roller bag and it is superb.

[ST-EOS]

Re: Rolling Camera Bags anyone used these?

Although I don't own one I have plenty of pals who have a Think Tank roller bag and they all swear they are the best
Hope this helps
James

Thanks James

Peter,
Just a word of warning when considering internal flights and cabin luggage.
Both in Australia and New Zealand the airlines use smaller planes between cities so you need to check which plane is used on which leg of your trip within Aus & NZ. for example the flight from Canberra to Sydney is a small twin engine plane which has limited overhead locker space and many times my carry on, which am taking for the flight from Aus to the UK, is to large for the overhead and has to be placed in the hold, yet between Canberra and Melbourne the planes are jets and they have larger overhead space.
Just check which plane is used on each internal leg.

Thanks for commenting djguk47, I've just look at the two main carriers carry on size requirements and the bags just fit. We're only going on one puddle jumper between Christchurch and Queenstown, the rest of the time we will be driving. So that puddle jumper trip may mean leaving some kit with friends in Christchurch, or wearing some bits and bobs round my neck/waist.

I use an Airport Security roller bag and it is superb.

Thanks Colin, they do look to be good bags, I can see the Lowe Pro with it's bag within a bag construction being useful but...I'm erring towards the Think Tank version. BTW have you ever had any issues using your bag (the Airport Security) as a carry on?

[Nathaniel]

Re: Rolling Camera Bags anyone used these?

I am interested in these bags due to my weight problems. My biggest difficulty is to cart my shoulder lowepro bag (I cannot use a backpack once again due to my rather wobbly legs) from the airport departure point to the relevant gates which seem to be so far away. Therefore a smaller roller bag will be exactly what I am looking for and it should fit the overhead locker. The equipment I take on foreign trips are one or two camera bodies, two- three lenses,(includes the 70-200 + TC) flash + my compact. Any suggestions?

[Norman]

Re: Rolling Camera Bags anyone used these?

Another vote for the ThinkTank. Just used it as carry-on baggage for our trip to the USA. No problems with size but you will need to check for weight allowance. Some scheduled airlines have no weight limit but others hide the allowance quite deep in their T&Cs. Most (all?) holiday airlines put a weight limit on carry-on items. I had no problem with the bag containing a 1 series body, 3 lenses (including the 100-400), flash gun and all the other photographic bits and bobs you will need. There was also room inside for some personal items and would also take a small/medium sized laptop.

For our US internal flights on smaller planes I usually had to leave the "roll aboard" at the aircraft jetway and staff attached a label and gave you a "cloakroom ticket" to re-claim the case on landing, again at the gate, before heading off to the carousel for your checked-in bags.

[ST-EOS]

Re: Rolling Camera Bags anyone used these?

Thanks for your thoughts and experience Norman, much appreciated. Which bag were you using?

[Norman]

Re: Rolling Camera Bags anyone used these?

This one. Available here.

[ST-EOS]

Re: Rolling Camera Bags anyone used these?

Thanks Norman

[Woolley]

Re: Rolling Camera Bags anyone used these?

We're only going on one puddle jumper between Christchurch and Queenstown

Queenstown is a very small airport with a mountain at one end and a drop into the lake at the other. I'd want to be very sure I was within the weight limit flying into/out of there.

We saw a 737 take off. It went to the end of the runway, turned round and then reversed to make sure he'd got the maximum amount available!

When checking in your bag, put your camera with it's heaviest lens and a filter for luck over your shoulder. Perfectly acceptable to carry on a camera separately and it doesn't get included in the weigh in.

[collywobbles]

Re: Rolling Camera Bags anyone used these?

I couldn't get the "Thinktank" link to load. I have several Lowepro bags and they are excellent. I'm sure the Thinktank bags are just as good. The main thing to consider,I think is the weight of the bag itself as, obviously this will contribute to the the gross weight.
If it were possible to have a look at them in the flesh, as it were, I would be looking at how robust the wheels are.
Have a great trip (I'm not really jealous.)

[ST-EOS]

Re: Rolling Camera Bags anyone used these?

Thanks for your comments Wooley and Collywobbles

I yet to convince myself if I really need to buy a roller decisions, decisions