Topic: Air Travel with tripod? (Read 8708 times)

jwlimages · « **on:** January 27, 2015, 04:02:39 pm »

What are people's recommendations for commercial airline travel with tripods? Do you have a separate hard case & check it with your suitcase? Pack it inside your suitcase? Carry on the plane with you, or what?

I have a nice lightweight carbon (actually basalt) Gitzo, with a RRS ball head. It's a bit too big to pack in the camera backpack I carry on. More than several hundred $ there, so I really want to try to make sure it gets there safely with me!

Appreciate your thoughts & suggestions.

John

JWL Images
Emeryville, CA

Slobodan Blagojevic · « **Reply #1 on:** January 27, 2015, 04:14:55 pm »

I put mine (head removed) inside a carry-on backpack, or inside checked-in suitcase.

JNHenry · « **Reply #2 on:** January 27, 2015, 04:35:15 pm »

I remove the ball head, wrap the tripod in some clothes, and put it in my checked baggage.

Sure, I'd have a problem at the destination if my luggage was lost (though that hasn't happened in years). But, I'm also concerned I'd get the crazy airport security guy who wouldn't allow me to carry the tripod in, claiming it could be used as a weapon.

Jeff

Colorado David · « **Reply #3 on:** January 27, 2015, 04:40:45 pm »

I have used a large, very secure, Tuffpak (however you spell it) tripod case and check it when I'm carrying light stands and my portable jib along with the tripod. Otherwise I have wrapped the tripod in a heavy bath towel I bought just for this purpose and put it in the bottom of my rolling suitcase. If you put your tripod in a soft suitcase (or any other for that matter) be sure to flop the quick release plate to the side assuming you're using a ball head. A colleague of mine left his straight in his luggage and it was still usable but badly bent up when he arrived. In other countries I've seen people carry on tripods, but can't remember seeing that done in the U.S.

eronald · « **Reply #4 on:** January 27, 2015, 04:54:52 pm »

I think checked luggage loss rate is around 1%, I don't know what the damage rate is.

I think that it has been reliably proven that terrorists were people, and therefore people should be banned from taking planes

On the other hand, if you cannot fight them why not join them - I'm sure there are Gitzo and Manfrotto models that fold up or can be taken apart to comply with regs. I have never had any issues with the TSA, when in doubt I just phoned them and asked them in advance.

Edmund

James Clark · « **Reply #5 on:** January 27, 2015, 04:54:58 pm »

Quote from: Colorado David on January 27, 2015, 04:40:45 pm

I have used a large, very secure, Tuffpak (however you spell it) tripod case and check it when I'm carrying light stands and my portable jib along with the tripod. Otherwise I have wrapped the tripod in a heavy bath towel I bought just for this purpose and put it in the bottom of my rolling suitcase. If you put your tripod in a soft suitcase (or any other for that matter) be sure to flop the quick release plate to the side assuming you're using a ball head. A colleague of mine left his straight in his luggage and it was still usable but badly bent up when he arrived. In other countries I've seen people carry on tripods, but can't remember seeing that done in the U.S.

I've carried mine on strapped to my camera backpack many a time. That said, this is on Southwest (which has some pretty lenient carry-on rules), and the backpack is generally the only thing I'm carrying.

Slobodan Blagojevic · « **Reply #6 on:** January 27, 2015, 04:58:14 pm »

Quote from: eronald on January 27, 2015, 04:54:52 pm

...I think that it has been reliably proven that terrorists were people, and therefore people should be banned from taking planes ...

The only thing I am beheading is my tripod

langier · « **Reply #7 on:** January 27, 2015, 05:00:02 pm »

I have a carbon Benro and Markins head. I put a bag on the head and put it in my check-in roller with the cloths, chargers, cables. I seldom worry about it there. I bought this tripod for size and weight and leave my larger carbon tripod at home.

skimasks · « **Reply #8 on:** January 27, 2015, 05:46:56 pm »

When traveling light (only 1 checked bag) I simply store my legs in the checked luggage and have my AS Cube / Markins Ballhead in my carry on.

jwlimages · « **Reply #9 on:** January 27, 2015, 06:33:31 pm »

Thanks everyone for the responses. Since I'm traveling fairly light, I think I'll go with carrying the RRS head in my pack & putting the legs inside my suitcase. Gonna have to get a bit larger suitcase, and a hard one at that!

I have painful memories of the bad old days, traveling with an assortment of ATA-style cases stuffed with view camera & grip equipment. So I'm not tempted to get a shipping case for the tripod.

I can't imagine getting thru TSA carrying a tripod, but once I saw someone in a terminal (Southwest?) walking around with a little tripod - I almost fell over.

John

dwswager · « **Reply #10 on:** January 27, 2015, 07:01:10 pm »

Quote from: jwlimages on January 27, 2015, 04:02:39 pm

What are people's recommendations for commercial airline travel with tripods? Do you have a separate hard case & check it with your suitcase? Pack it inside your suitcase? Carry on the plane with you, or what?

I have a nice lightweight carbon (actually basalt) Gitzo, with a RRS ball head. It's a bit too big to pack in the camera backpack I carry on. More than several hundred $ there, so I really want to try to make sure it gets there safely with me!

Appreciate your thoughts & suggestions.

John

JWL Images
Emeryville, CA

If you fly a lot you quickly find out which airports and which airlines you might have problems with. I've done it every which way. When I take the Uni-Loc (tall because all 2 leg sections) it gets beheaded and put in checked luggage. The RRS 34L can go into luggage or in carry-on, or in separate tripod case as carry-on. or just attached to a pack.

TSA is nothing more than security theater. I worked 10 years for a military staff in security and Intelligence and it is a collosol waste of money. It gives the appearance of doing something while not actually doing something. Think Gun Control Laws and Peace Treaties!

chez · « **Reply #11 on:** January 28, 2015, 08:34:59 pm »

Quote from: eronald on January 27, 2015, 04:54:52 pm

I think checked luggage loss rate is around 1%, I don't know what the damage rate is.

I think that it has been reliably proven that terrorists were people, and therefore people should be banned from taking planes

On the other hand, if you cannot fight them why not join them - I'm sure there are Gitzo and Manfrotto models that fold up or can be taken apart to comply with regs. I have never had any issues with the TSA, when in doubt I just phoned them and asked them in advance.

Edmund

18 multi-leg flights last year. 3 times my luggage did not arrive at my destination and was delayed by up to 4 days.

armand · « **Reply #12 on:** January 28, 2015, 10:35:19 pm »

I used 2 options:
- first is to take the head off (optional, a couple of times I went without but if you can it's probably safer) and strap it to my carry on rucksack (which happened to be my camera bag also)
- second and the one I'm using these days is to pack it in on of my bigger bags, somehow shielded but nut by much; my current big bags are the hard shell type.

So far no real problems either way. Most of the travel was within US.

RBM · « **Reply #13 on:** February 02, 2015, 12:50:01 pm »

I ups the tripod in case in cardboard container to the first place I will stay. With the tripod goes a power strip, extra cords and other small stuff. Obviously I clear the shipment with the hotel, inn, etc where I'll stay. After 10 years plus of traveling I've never lost anything.

Harold Clark · « **Reply #14 on:** February 02, 2015, 05:15:55 pm »

I carried my Gitzo with leveling base and Manfrotto gear head on board several times last year ( Westjet, in Canada flights ). I have also removed the head and packed in a suitcase in the past. Air Canada seems better at losing luggage than Westjet, so I prefer Westjet.

tcphoto1 · « **Reply #15 on:** February 03, 2015, 10:47:30 am »

Fiberbilt makes hard tubes that can be checked in baggage. We often stored tripod, stands, soft boxes and grip in them. You may also consider boxing the tripod and shipping via UPS or FedEx to your destination.

armand · « **Reply #16 on:** February 03, 2015, 02:29:09 pm »

I can't really see the need for an additional tripod case when you place it in your checked luggage, particularly if you use a hard case luggage. Some piece of clothing around it should provide adequate protection, it's not like it will fall from the plane.

dwswager · « **Reply #17 on:** February 04, 2015, 10:08:45 am »

Quote from: tcphoto1 on February 03, 2015, 10:47:30 am

Fiberbilt makes hard tubes that can be checked in baggage. We often stored tripod, stands, soft boxes and grip in them. You may also consider boxing the tripod and shipping via UPS or FedEx to your destination.

Depending on your situation, this is a great way to go. I've done this before. I've shipped skiing equipment FedEx too.

Slobodan Blagojevic · « **Reply #18 on:** February 04, 2015, 10:27:09 am »

Quote from: tcphoto1 on February 03, 2015, 10:47:30 am

... boxing the tripod and shipping via UPS or FedEx to your destination.

Ten shipments or so and you can buy a new tripod... or lens, no?

dwswager · « **Reply #19 on:** February 04, 2015, 11:19:32 am »

Quote from: Slobodan Blagojevic on February 04, 2015, 10:27:09 am

Ten shipments or so and you can buy a new tripod... or lens, no?

When it absolutely, positively has to be there! Depending on the situation, what is is worth to have your equipment where you need it, when you need it and in working order? Not the every-time solution, but a good option to keep in mind.

Author Topic: Air Travel with tripod? (Read 8708 times)