ohboy...I could write books about this. As a frequent victim of the legal
form of torture called airline travel, I do have opinions.
"ONE bag to rule them all" is the way to go for air travels. Duty-free bags,
purses camera-bags etc. are fine, but they should be able to enter your one
carry-on bag. So basically, this leads to dogma 1 regarding carry-on bags:
it should have room for twice what you plan to carry in it.
Secondly, duffle-bags and backpacks are fine, but not for air-travel. You'll
want something which as closely as possible resembles a box, and which is
sufficiently rigid to maintain that shape even when empty.
Thirdly, you'll have your bag inspeced by steadilly more anal and less
patient professional harrassers...ehh...security people. So you wants
something which opens easilly and has a big opening, preferably allowing
inspection without taking everything out.
Fourthly, you'll want something which you won't be tired from carrying when
waiting in line for being harrasses....ehh...security checked.
To me, that amounts to either of two bags.
The first is a small trolly in cabin-size, with the Zuiko's in their org.
hard-cases. Laptop goes in a neoprene skun in the front pocket, along with
reading matter etc.. The main room is divided in two -- bottom part for
zuikos & camera, top is for housing my "purse" containing the
PDA,breathmints, aspirin and other stuff that I won't leave unattended
while queuing for the in-flight toilets. Once at my destination, the Zuikos
go in the LowePro specialist 80 which is in my checked-in suitcase -- and
the laptp goes in the hotel safe.
Pro: rigid, easy to pack and use while in transit,
easy to show to airport-harrasors.
Con: not good for the touristy stroll around the city,
hard(er) to get stuff out of from the overhead
bin.
The alternative is a Tamrac camera bag, which has room for both laptop and
zuiko's. I forgot which model. Cover the Tamrac label with your favourite
flag/badge, and it looks just like any other bag.
Pro: Can be used for walking around.
contrnts can be accessed while in overhead bin,
Con: Not too rigid, not enough space for "stuff",
can't hold my purse.
I've got opinions, ideas and even sketches for the ideal travel bag,
accomodating cameras, office-stuff and leisure-stuff etc., collected from
more than a decade of travelling while wearing out some 20 "carry-on-bags"
of all possible manufacturers and designs. Unfortunately, I do not have
the skills to make it myself. If anyone knows of a bag manufacturer willing
to listen to me.....
Anyways, that's my take on carry-ons and travelling. The worst problem,
btw., isn't your own carry-ons....it's your fellow passengers carry-on,
which usually is multiple duffle-bags, purses, camera and camcorder,
duty-free etc., all in individual bags, bouncing around and taking hours to
store in and retrieve from overhead bins....
With overtravelled greetings,
--thomas
Rob Harrison <robhar@xxxxxx>
was written successfully
> What's the good word from all you world travelers on a bag that will
> fit in the overhead compartment of an airplane, and fit a couple camera
> bodies (OM & MP) and 6 or 7 lenses (3 RF, 3-4 Zuikos incl 180/2.8),
> plus flash, film, filters, etc? Room for a PowerBook would be good too.
> (Basically everything I'd take that was fragile.)
>
> Carry on, or check through? Hard case, like the Pelican 1520, or soft,
> like the LowePro MiniTrekker?
>
> Rob Harrison
> Seattle
>
>
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