Suitable equipment bag for plane hand luggage

PetethePrimate

PetethePrimate

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Afternoon all
Can anyone recommend a bag that meets airline rules for handluggage? Ideally it needs to be able to hold 2 dslr bodies and 4/5 lenses + chargers and the like. Wondering if there's a make/model of bag out there that meets the ever stricter airline rules whilst accomodating our kit together (According to the other half it's going to be easier for me to carry it all :confused:). Thanks
 
Take a look at Thinktank - they tend to be a reasonable size and the bags themselves are around 1kg to 1.5kg. Though that's still a hefty chunk of some airlines' cabin baggage weight limits (if they're 6kg or 7kg).

Back when I used to carry two DSLRs and a range of lenses I used to pack a very lightweight daypack camerabag with a padded section in the lower part that took the two cameras plus primes and I packed my larger lenses in pouches in the top 'day' section. I put a heavier properly padded backpack in with my checked baggage and swapped when I arrived at my destination.

It's always worth checking the airline small print - apart from checking your compliance with weight/dimensions - there are still some carriers that will allow a camera to be carried in addition to your main cabin baggage allowance.
 
Have been wondering exactly the same recently Pete. I have an old Tamrac Expedition 8x which looks to be holding what I have planned to take as on board luggage but think it is just on the lines of the BA measurements . There is still room at the top end of the backpack so have thought about just putting a suitcase strip around it to reduce the height of it down.
 
That's interesting, from your link, British Airways 1 cabin bag + 1 laptop/handbag 56x45x25cm & 40x30x15cm 23kg combined weight
but I have this from when I booked. All customer are permitted to carry one piece of hand luggage and one small item (handbag, laptop) on board. Hand luggage must not exceed 56cm x 45cm x 25cm and the small item must be no bigger than 40cm x 30cm x 15cm. Both items can weight up to 23 kg each.
 
Di Stone said:
That's interesting, from your link, British Airways 1 cabin bag + 1 laptop/handbag 56x45x25cm & 40x30x15cm 23kg combined weight
but I have this from when I booked. All customer are permitted to carry one piece of hand luggage and one small item (handbag, laptop) on board. Hand luggage must not exceed 56cm x 45cm x 25cm and the small item must be no bigger than 40cm x 30cm x 15cm. Both items can weight up to 23 kg each.
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Small print with BA ..... yes two bags in cabin but they only guarantee that the smaller one actually stays with you - they warn about putting valuables in the other bag because if there is no space they will put it in the hold.

Also watch out for code share flights with other operators.

And there s the issue of duty free - BA don't treat BA as separate from your allowance.

It's a pity things are not more consistent across the industry.
 
PetethePrimate said:
Can anyone recommend a bag that meets airline rules for hand luggage?
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There is no such thing as "airline rules". Every airline is different. You need to look in detail at the allowances for the airline(s) you use most often, and plan accordingly.

PetethePrimate said:
Ideally it needs to be able to hold 2 dslr bodies and 4/5 lenses + chargers and the like.
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That's probably going to be about 12-15kg. (I've travelled with two bodies and three lenses - 100-400mm, 24-105mm, 16-35mm - plus laptop, and that was 11-12kg.) There are very few airlines that will allow >12kg. You may need to re-think your requirements.
 
I've travelled many times with my Billingham bags. Usually a 335 and if needed a Hadley Pro as well.
 
StewartR said:
There is no such thing as "airline rules". Every airline is different. You need to look in detail at the allowances for the airline(s) you use most often, and plan accordingly.


That's probably going to be about 12-15kg. (I've travelled with two bodies and three lenses - 100-400mm, 24-105mm, 16-35mm - plus laptop, and that was 11-12kg.) There are very few airlines that will allow >12kg. You may need to re-think your requirements.
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That's good to know as the equipment I quoted would have covered both of us, so perhaps an extra bag for the good lady and she can help share the load.
 
PetethePrimate said:
That's good to know as the equipment I quoted would have covered both of us, so perhaps an extra bag for the good lady and she can help share the load.
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Not sure if this has been mentioned, but a common trick is to wear a big jacket and stuff a few weighty items in the pockets - if you're wearing them, they don't count. You can even buy cheap overcoats specially designed for this purpose, like a walking wardrobe. I have a 'photographer's vest' - a kind of waistcoat with lots of big pockets which is actually a damn good alternative to a camera bag, but they also work well for the airline trick. Apparently ;) Around a tenner on Amazon/ebay.
 
Dryce said:
Back when I used to carry two DSLRs and a range of lenses I used to pack a very lightweight daypack camerabag with a padded section in the lower part that took the two cameras plus primes and I packed my larger lenses in pouches in the top 'day' section. I put a heavier properly padded backpack in with my checked baggage and swapped when I arrived at my destination.
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This was one of the reasons I went with F Stop as they are designed to do this if you need to do this

They have separate ICUs that fit inside the bag. You can take out the ICU part with the camera kit in. The ICUs have D rings to attach a shoulder strap to help carry them on their own. The outer bag can be folded up and put in the hold bag. Majority of the ICUs will be under most airline carry on size.

The only problem now is the cost and getting hold of them.
 
I flew with BA last week and they were allowing people to check in hand luggage. Then they were taking bags into the hold before we could take off as they was still not enough room. I’m sure if you told them it was camera equipment they might take someone else’s bag instead.

BA seem to be quite generous compared to some other airlines I’ve flown with.
 
Interested in Think Tank Advantage Plus roller bag, but I see that it is 1cm taller (56cm) than the maximum on Ryanair (55cm)
Anyone got this bag and had to travel Ryanair and managed to get it on ok
 
I try to do some little things to save weight as well. I buy USB chargers for the batteries as they take up much less space and weight!

Everything I take when travelling I can charge by a single plug with 4x USB outlets. Saves on multiple travel adaptors as well. Even the electric toothbrush as a new USB charger from Amazon.
 
Giblets said:
If you are that critical on weight you could always revert to an old fashioned hand-operated toothbrush! :cool:
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One has to maintain certain standards when travelling :)
 
Bebop said:
I flew with BA last week and they were allowing people to check in hand luggage. Then they were taking bags into the hold before we could take off as they was still not enough room. I’m sure if you told them it was camera equipment they might take someone else’s bag instead.

BA seem to be quite generous compared to some other airlines I’ve flown with.
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They are, but if things get tight for space they state a maximum size bag that you can take into the cabin to go under the seat.
Its about the size of a decent messenger bag, I know a ThinkTank Retrospective 10 is just about at the limit
If people were less selfish about what they put in the overhead lockers there would be room for all.
 
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