Pelican cases, camera equipment and airplanes

[Dave_W]

I'm preparing for a 2.5 week trip to Glacier and Banff Nat Park coming up in August and am considering ways of transporting my gear. Typically I would just load as much as I could in my camera bag and call it a carry-on but it sure would be nice to bring more than a carry-on's worth of gear, especially in this part of the world. The thought occurred to me that a Pelican case might be nice but on the heels of that thought is the fact that a Pelican case is tantamount to a big giant sign that reads "expensive gear in here".

So I'm wondering how others travel with their gear and if they've ever checked in a Pelican case and/or something similar? Is there another way to transport delicate camera gear outside of these two possibilities?

Thanks in advance!!

 

[AC016]

First, I would never check my camera equipment in unless you have it insured against everything, including the 2nd coming of Jesus Christ! I would pack it up in a good back-pack camera bag and bring it aboard with you. Things like your tripod or anything else that you may not consider "delicate" can be checked in. You can even ask one of the stewards to put the back-pack in their personal storage space. I would pass on the pelican case, just something else to lug around with you.

 

[Horoscope Fish]

... a Pelican case might be nice but on the heels of that thought is the fact that a Pelican case is tantamount to a big giant sign that reads "expensive gear in here".

HA! Between baggage handlers and the TSA?

Personally, I'd give better odds to a snowball passing through all nine levels of Hell than I would a Pelican-cased duck turd making it from SAN to LAX.



...

 

[slowpoke]

Dave,Check with your airline.Usually camera bags are free to carry on the plane.NEVER check camera gear in.My Lowepro 302aw sling shot fits under the set in front of me,while my hard case carryon goes up above.

 

[nikonpup]

a thief has read this web pages and knows u will be gone from home. Mistake one. Flying mistake two.
get good insurance. Depending on how you will get around, i would get the pelican cases and ship to your destination via ups, usps or fed ex.

 

[Dave_W]

Thanks, guys, for all the input. Part of the whole Pelican case idea is that over 2 yrs now I've been eyeing a Pelican case for my gear and it suddenly occurred to me that I might finally have a reason (excuse) to pick one up. Oh well...back to the drawing board!

 

[AC016]

Thanks, guys, for all the input. Part of the whole Pelican case idea is that over 2 yrs now I've been eyeing a Pelican case for my gear and it suddenly occurred to me that I might finally have a reason (excuse) to pick one up. Oh well...back to the drawing board!

Well, heck, then get one. I am sure it will serve you well in other instances. Personally, for travelling light and staying flexible, a back-pack camera bag would be best in my opinion. If you were to bring your camera bag as well as the Pelican, that means you would have an extra bag to haul. If you stow the camera back-pack in the overhead bin, I am quite sure that it will come to no harm. You can even put it at your feet and wait for everyone to put their bags in first, then put yours in.

 

[Rick M]

I hope to get a pelican case for lenses. I would get the insurance for sure. Might try buying the pelican case and then finding a tuffle bag or something it will fit into. That way you have the impact resistance of the pelican and the camouflage of a duffle or other bag around it.

 

[canux]

Thanks, guys, for all the input. Part of the whole Pelican case idea is that over 2 yrs now I've been eyeing a Pelican case for my gear and it suddenly occurred to me that I might finally have a reason (excuse) to pick one up. Oh well...back to the drawing board!

I've trekked my camera gear to both Iceland and Hawaii in a Pelican case and it has been great. Of course I didn't check it but it fits well in the overheads and has a very comfortable padded carrying handle. I have been asked what was inside more than once, but when you say camera gear it is always "Ah, okay then..."

 

[WhiteLight]

This maybe somewhat off topic a bit, but what would be your suggestion if i were to get some lighting equipment shipped from the USA?
The package would not be more than 5kg
Should i be getting a Pelican case (or any other hard case considering the pelican cases are quite expensive) & FedEx it to here?
OR
would it be a better option to bring it with someone who is travelling from there to here?
As cabin luggage or as check-in?

 

[Dave_W]

This maybe somewhat off topic a bit, but what would be your suggestion if i were to get some lighting equipment shipped from the USA?
The package would not be more than 5kg
Should i be getting a Pelican case (or any other hard case considering the pelican cases are quite expensive) & FedEx it to here?
OR
would it be a better option to bring it with someone who is travelling from there to here?
As cabin luggage or as check-in?

I'm thinking a Pelican case screams "sensitive and valuable items inside" and would not be surprised if it arrives a bit on the light side. That said, shipping with an international shipper that offers insurance would make more sense.

On another topic, why not attempt to build your lighting configuration yourself? There's hundreds of DIY plans posted on-line that would reduce the items you need shipped to you and probably save you a few rupees. (btw, is there a slang term for rupee, like "buck" is to dollars and "quid" is to pounds?)

 

[WhiteLight]

I'm thinking a Pelican case screams "sensitive and valuable items inside" and would not be surprised if it arrives a bit on the light side. That said, shipping with an international shipper that offers insurance would make more sense.

On another topic, why not attempt to build your lighting configuration yourself? There's hundreds of DIY plans posted on-line that would reduce the items you need shipped to you and probably save you a few rupees. (btw, is there a slang term for rupee, like "buck" is to dollars and "quid" is to pounds?)

Haha.. No slangs of it's own yet, but all the other 'ready to use' slangs are incorporated quite regularly

I did a bit of research & if i want the quality & 'one time investment-long term service' kinda of thing, it's going to cost me just as much or maybe more, even if i purhcase local..
and the quality of the PCBs would not be matched... not even close.
The closest i can get is Elinchrome, but that would be base model or one step next to base & it would require more additions in the near future.
I have some family coming down from texas next month, so was wondering if it would be a good idea to have them get it along.. or have them ship it to me..

 

[Dave_W]

This Pelican case I purchase, the 1510 has the dimensions of a carry-on and even has wheels. So as long as it will all fit in one or two of these cases you'll be fine and it will never leave your (or whomever is bringing it) sight.

 

[Bill16]

I have a Doskocil brand camera case I got cheap years ago before I ever had a camera. I just need the pick and pluck foam replacement for it. I used it for hand guns for awhile and kept it because it was so tuff and water proof. Lol
I guess now I can finally put it to use for what it was intended for, once I get the replacement foam that is! Lol

 

[canux]

I have a Doskocil brand camera case I got cheap years ago before I ever had a camera. I just need the pick and pluck foam replacement for it. I used it for hand guns for awhile and kept it because it was so tuff and water proof. Lol
I guess now I can finally put it to use for what it was intended for, once I get the replacement foam that is! Lol

Okay, I can't resist telling a story here. I was on my way back from a trip in April and had my Pelican case with me as carry on with my camera gear in it. Going through airport security I could see the monitor the x-ray guy was using to scan the hand luggage. I saw my case come through and on the screen was my camera gear PLUS what looked like a glock!

The guy stops the conveyor, examines it back and forth, they move it out, point to it and then ask me if that is my case.

"Uhhhhhh.... Yes?" I say.

"Mind if we open it?"

"Uhhhh... No?"

Guy opens the case to reveal nothing but my camera gear. Lesson learned: to keep the guys on their toes the imaging software superimposes hand guns on luggage at random. I didn't know this.

I promptly went off to find myself a drink.

 

[slowpoke]

Bin there,Done that.LMAO

 

[Whiskeyman]

Okay, I can't resist telling a story here. I was on my way back from a trip in April and had my Pelican case with me as carry on with my camera gear in it. Going through airport security I could see the monitor the x-ray guy was using to scan the hand luggage. I saw my case come through and on the screen was my camera gear PLUS what looked like a glock!

The guy stops the conveyor, examines it back and forth, they move it out, point to it and then ask me if that is my case.

"Uhhhhhh.... Yes?" I say.

"Mind if we open it?"

"Uhhhh... No?"

Guy opens the case to reveal nothing but my camera gear. Lesson learned: to keep the guys on their toes the imaging software superimposes hand guns on luggage at random. I didn't know this.

I promptly went off to find myself a drink.

I would have needed to find a new pair of skivvies, as well!

​WM