Traveling with Tripod?

R

RocketCowboy

Senior Member
This may not be the right sub-forum, in which case my apologies.

My wife and I are traveling at the end of the month, which is part of the motivation for gearing up on the photo gear. Planning for the flight ... what has been the general experience when trying to have a tripod as part of your carry-on luggage, if any?

I picked up a Case Logic backpack in order to combine my laptop (MacBook Air), camera and lenses into a single pack. The bag has an option for strapping a tripod to the side of the bag. With all the TSA restrictions, I'm trying to decide whether that would be the best way to transport the tripod, or should I just plan on packing it in my checked luggage? The trip is an international flight, if that makes a difference.

Any experiences? Thanks!
 
S

SteveH

Senior Member
I'm not sure how different the UK & US are in terms of this, or even each airline for that matter. I'm travelling later in the year, and I'm going to send my tripod in the suitcase, checked and carry my camera bag as hand luggage. I think anything strapped to another bag, no matter how secure it is attached, is going to have someone say it's an extra item and not allowed.
 
BackdoorArts

BackdoorArts

Senior Member
Strapped to the outside of the bag it's more likely to be categorized as a "potential weapon" than it is as an extra item. That said, I've traveled with mine inside my carry-on suitcase with no issues several times. That's not to say you won't have an issue. TSA seems to have a rotating set of things over which they've decided to be strict about during any given week (something I've learned from a friend who works for them), so you can have no issue flying out with something on a Friday, and by the following Wednesday it's getting you a pat down.

If you don't need it at the airport, my advice is to stick it in the checked bag. The last thing you want is someone in the security line telling you that you cannot go through with it and your bag is already somewhere under the airport.
 
R

RocketCowboy

Senior Member
That's been pretty much my experience as well. I travel regularly for work, just usually not with camera equipment. There's been a few times I've traveled with motorcycle gear (helmet, body armor, etc) that raised some questions, so figured I'd ask now before TSA confiscated the tripod.

I think y'all are right. My preference isn't to check it inside my luggage, but that's more to do with luggage space and not because I need it before we get to our destination.

Thanks for the reply!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Browncoat

Browncoat

Senior Member
Your two best bets when it comes to this stuff is to:

1) Check with the airports you will be visiting
2) Definitely check the policies of the individual airlines you will be flying

Every single airline has a detailed web page dedicated to size/weight/etc restrictions on luggage. In my experience, it can take quite a bit of digging, but it's there.

Also in my experience, it's best to check your camera gear as luggage and not carry-on. You won't need any of it on the plane. I don't know if you've ever seen videos on how baggage is handled, but it should suffice to say that you want to get a good hard-shell case with plenty of foam lining on the inside to protect your gear. The other (and even better) option is to get some cases designed for photography travel. Think Tank has some excellent products.
 
D

dukatum

Senior Member
I've travelled 3 times via airlines in the last 12 months and always had my tripod strapped to the side of my bag. The tripod isn't a travel one but it's ever so slightly taller than the bag itself. Every time I ask them during baggage check in and every time they have said it's fine. 1 time they stuck a sticker on it like they do your bags which basically shows you got it okayed.

They allow people to take prams, walking sticks, skis, and crouches on board, and if you stuck the tripod into your bag they wouldn't have an issue with you carrying it on, so the classification of it being a weapon appears to be null and void and it really makes little difference to them if it's strapped to the side.
 
Top