Flying with an expensive tripod

[Jad]

I am interested in how you fly commerically and deal with your tripod. Do you shipping it through baggage or carry it on? I have an expensive carbon fiber tripods and head I would hate to lose. In past years I had done a lot of traveling by air, both overseas and regional and knew how to handle my equipment during travel. You can no longer secure your checked on bag and items can be easliy stolen by a handler. With the ever increasing strict regulations that are being enforced it is hard to know what you may be faced with when showing up for a flight with equipment in hand. We have done most of our traveling in an RV in recent years and haven't kept up with a lot of the new hassles of flying. We are planning a few trips this year by air both overseas and domestically and I am interested in how others deal with their equipment when flying. Thanks, John

 

[Overread]

One thought is to post your expensive equipment to your destination. Whilst luggage is a nightmare, the international postal services are generally considered far safer (and more likely to ship your item to the right country!). Of course this adds a cost to your trip and international post of large and heavy items can get quite expensive very quickly (esp if you're doing recorded with insurance).

 

[SnappingShark]

carry on - but check it at the gate.
It'll get on your plane at least.

 

[KmH]

My travel tripod and the tripod head go in my checked baggage.
Cameras, lenses, flash units are in a carry-on bag.

 

[Designer]

You could call the airline. Or is that just too funny?

 

[runnah]

My travel tripod and the tripod head go in my checked baggage. Cameras, lenses, flash units are in a carry-on bag.

Same here.

 

[minicoop1985]

Everything but the tripod for me goes with me. The tripod gets checked with the other bag. I can afford a new tripod. A new camera? Would rather not.

 

[JoeW]

First, I don't check photographic equipment. I did it once (well, an assistant did it without my permission or approval--I was parking the car) in 1985 and I lost two bags of equipment. So now, I do one of two things: I either carry it on with me. Or I mail it via someone like FedEx (with insurance).

Second, I usually have a soft-sided black duffle-bag for my carry-on. In it goes some clothing, some key toiletries, and all of my photo equipment. Including my tripod.

Third, it always sucks to lose photo equipment (be it speed lights, tripod, whatever). But if you have it insured, you'll be able to replace it.

 

[Tailgunner]

My travel tripod and the tripod head go in my checked baggage.
Cameras, lenses, flash units are in a carry-on bag.

This^

I've got about $350 tied up in my CF MeFoto Globe Trotter and fly all the time. It folds down to 16" and easily fits in my medium sized suit case.

 

[CameraClicker]

I put my tripod in my checked luggage. I usually put a kit lens in there too. Good camera gear is carried on. Usually I carry on my computer too. Last trip home I slipped my drive into my camera bag and put my computer in my suitcase and checked it. That wound up TSA but everything arrived home.

 

[Smokeyr67]

I made a case out of PVC pipe for my tripod, wrap it in bubble wrap (or put it in its soft case) and pop it inside and it's safe as houses. Added bonus is that it fits most of my multi piece fishing rods too

 

[Civchic]

PVC pipe case, that's brilliant!

I'm flying with my stuff for the first time, and while it's not crazy expensive stuff, it's still mine and I worked hard to buy it. The camera, laptop, and lenses are going in my backpack as carry-on, and the tripod is going in the suitcase. The PVC pipe thing may be used.