Hardcase or Backpack/Sling bag for MF gear?

[maxs]

Recommendations for carrying around MF gear (Camera + 1 or 2 lenses).

Was originally thinking of getting a Pelican case that can be taken onboard aircraft, but someone suggested a backpack or sling bag to carry the gear in. I am looking for most protection and most conspicuous when traveling.

Some of the ones I was thinking of:

Hardcase -- Pelican 1514 - Crush proof, floats, water tight, BUT if the cabin is full and the airline decide to tag my bag and send it down can I trust my equipment will stay un-damaged?
Back Pack -- Booqbag's - They gave a backpack that allegedly has a crush proof section... Boa Flow or even the Think Tank Street Walker
Sling Bag -- Think Tank -  More conspicuous than the other 2 options. Was thinking of something like the Retrospective

Any one has any real life experience with any of these options? or other recommendations.

Thanks

[The View]

Do you want one bag that can do it all?

Or would you also buy something for transport, and a second bag/backpack for the shoot?

I almost exclusively shoot on location and could not imagine using pelican cases. I currently have a backpack myself for shooting.

[maxs]

Good question. I may be open to 2 separate mediums of transport. What I do not want is a bag that becomes so heavy that my shoulders/back hurt :-(

:-)

[danord]

I own most of the bags/bag-types you suggest and have tried out quite a few different solutions throughout the years. I dropped the sling-bag/shoulder bag (own largest think-tank sling and retrospective 40) due to weight. It just became too much to carry around on my shoulders at airports and was pretty much useless when hiking. I went for a real backpack solution as I do most of my photography in forests and mountains which require a little or very much hiking. After having considered and tried out a few backpacks I ended up with f-stopgear's mountian series. The reason for this is the interchangable ICU-system. I have them i different sizes but most often use the ICU large slope. The reason for this is that almost all my MF gear fit in there (usually Hasselblad H5D, HCD28, HC150 and HCD35-90 or HC50+80, 2 spare batteries, Remote, memorycards and a Lee filter setup) and I can easily move the ICU between the backpack and a rolling case. I have used it in my PELI carry on, but then i have no room for a Laptop. I ended up With Think Tank airport international rolling case, and can easily fit the large slope icu in there with a laptop and some spare room for other travel essentials or backup gear. So when I go travelling I pack my F-stop backpack in checked luggage (it flattens out totally without the icu) and put the icu with gear in the rolling case as carry on. When I arrive at destination I just slide the ICU over in the backpack and I'm ready to go.
You can find f-stop gears backpacks in different sizes. I have Three from 30 to 70 liters and use them all for different purposes depending of how much non-photogear I need to bring along on the hikes.  Both Think Tank and F-stop gear make top quality goods with many clever solutions for everything from key-Storage to waterbladder solutions. I can highly reccomend both brands.

[maxs]

I had seen mentions of the ICU in some forums but I guess I never dug into what it is/was. Now having read your comments and being in EXACTLY the same gear situation I will look into this setup a little more. Thanks for the feedback.

[Gigi]

Like others, have tried a variety of packs - Thinktank, Midshift, Fstop, Kata. Totally prefer the F-stops. There is just something well-thought out about their bags - they are comfortable and stay close to the body. I have two about the same size - an older Loka and a newer Lotus. The Lotus is lighter, the Loka a bit better built with more features. These are preferred to all other bags.

For simpler use, there is a small innocuous Tenba -  one MF camera goes in a well padded bottom pocket, and then an extra lens up above. Works for walking around. 

All the other bags are in-between in sizes, and once you start adding up the MF gear (its not so light) then fit and comfort become an issue. The F-stops are the best for walking several miles. The others might be OK for a short jaunt here or there, but largely occupy the "to be sold someday" corner.