Traveling with my gear to potentially dangerous places

[bc_steve]

As far as insurance goes, you may be covered under home insurance. My brother was robbed of his slr and video camera in Indonesia and got it back on home insurance.
I read the fine print about insuring your luggage with the same company I got my travel insurance with. It covered virtually nothing, and I couldn't find any other kind of reasonably priced insurance for my gear in Canada so on my last trip I went without.

Almost everyone you meet will be honest and will have no intention to steal from you. But of course it does happen from time to time so a little common sense goes a long ways.

The tip about a non-obvious backpack is a good one. So many try to use you as a billboard and end up telling everyone what you've got inside.
Reaaly just make sure you keep your stuff with you or have it locked up in your room. If you're sleeping on a bus, have your bag where someone can't get it without waking you, etc.
And it's never a bad idea to bring your own lock for your room. Won't be useful everywhere but some places use the padlock system.

I've traveled quite a bit, never had anything stolen while abroad. Just be smart about it. Enjoy your trip!

 

[Msteelio91]

Thanks Steve. I know for a fact that I'm not covered right now though. We have Liberty Mutual for our home and anything over $1k needs to be appraised. Wish I had known that before getting robbed 2 months ago! We've since moved from there and learned more than I'd like to know about insurance, though they were very fair with replacing what was lost. I'll be getting my camera appraised and hopefully they can offer coverage for travel as well.

Ya'll are settling my mind right down. I think between some simple prep and not showing off, I'll be pretty solid.

I just got back from 2 weeks in Lima. Peru feels a lot safer than it used to be. I walked around with a 24-70 without attracting too much attention. Some people thought I was a journalist.

Before going somewhere, ask if it is a safe area and plan accordingly.

Use a plain strap that doesn't say something like "Nikon D800" in shiny gold letters.

I've seen people taking pictures in downtown Lima with Pro-looking bodies and lenses that have electrical tape covering the bright-shiny areas.

Maybe use a regular backpack and go light, then it won't be obvious that the bag is filled with photo gear.

Enjoy the trip. Peru is a great place to visit.

Good to know! We've haven't been to SA yet so this is a whole new experience for us. I read some things online that had me worried but the people who have actually been there seem to tell a different story.

 

[ecphoto]

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Hi all, looking for some advice on traveling with your camera gear.

I'll be taking a trip to Peru with my girlfriend in June. This will be a pretty intense trip and we'll be traveling relatively light while staying in hostels.

We'll be hitting the following cities and places:

-Lima
-Puno
-Lake Titicaca
-Cusco
-Machu Pichu
-Sacred Valley
-Puerto Maldonado
-Huacachina

Super excited and I'm expecting a ton of great photo opportunities. However I am honestly worried about my gear. I'll be bringing my D7000, a couple lenses, GoPro, tripods, some filters, SD cards, batteries/chargers, etc. Typical camera gear for traveling, basically all stuff I don't want getting stolen or killed over.

SO - To the meat of my question: How can I travel with my gear in a way that won't attract too much attention, while keeping it close to me and not weighing me down too much. I've been thinking a sectioned backpack may be a necessary move, though I'd like to avoid a bag that screams "HEY, VALUABLES IN HERE".

Also, does anyone have any experience with travel insurance for your gear? Is it worth it for what I'm bringing?

Thanks for any input!

Don't take everything and be ware of crowds. Lima is the one where you have to worry the most. Lima Peru has a lot of street crime and tourists are easy prey. Try to downplay that your from the US. Say your Canadian, if your Canadian they mess with you less in foreign lands. I've been to some sketchy places in Mexico city and it seemed to be easier because I know the language and look like one of them, my German/Polish wife not so much lol. Avoid too many side streets and overly helpful locals, sometimes people pose as a helpful native to lure in victims. Don't get into taxis that don't have antennas, are missing ID markers or the light on the roof. Those are signs of a pirate taxi, those can be big trouble for foreigners.

Don't take a photography backpack, its pretty obvious to experienced thieves. I have my lowepro sling that I tuck into a very nondescript canvas backpack.

 

[JoeW]

Several thoughts:
1. Peru (Lima in particular) is noted as having some incredibly innovative fusion cuisine--some of the best in all of South America. Maybe you're doing the budget trip but set aside some money for some serious dining out while you're there.

2. Multiple tripods? I can see one (for tourist selfies and long exposures) but that's it. And you need to pick one that you don't mind hiking a long distance with. It will almost certainly have to go on the outside of your bag/pack.

3. I second/third the suggestion of a bag/ruck that doesn't say "Nikon" or "Lowepro". Ditto with insurance. Your best bet is to travel light. I have a Tamrac Holster that I like to use...handles a body with 2-3 lens, SD cards, cleaning stuff, extra battery. All of the examples I've heard of camera theft in Peru happened in Lima or Iquitos. They involved a grab and drive away and they involved someone who had the camera out and made themselves a target. So on tip is to keep your camera packed away and only pull it out (in crowded areas) when you want to take a picture. I know, I know--that may take a bit of adjustment but I was told that if you advertise yourself as someone with a camera then you become a target.

4. Make sure you're in shape and also get some experience with physical activity at altitude. And no, hiking the stairs of the DC Monument or the Exorcist Stairs isn't good enough.

 

[Civchic]

My backpack is a canvas rucksack type thing that has foam camera inserts in it - it doesn't fit much for gear - a body and two lenses, some filters, cleaning gear. Then there's enough room in the top half for a hydration pack, some snacks, and extra tshirt, etc. You can get a bunch of different types on etsy, for not much money.

I second Joe's recommendations for altitude exercise. I'm not a fit person, but I hike a LOT. As in, it's my main activity most of the year, and I don't generally even think about not being able to do something. When we went to Guatemala to climb Pacaya volcano, it completely levelled me. I could barely lift my feet by the end of the climb. My lungs were nowhere near prepared for that level of work at that altitude (I'm used to 100-200m above sea level, LOL).

And just don't be obnoxious or stupid. Obnoxious = flashing crap around like you're the Great White Tourist. I don't get that vibe from you, but we see it like crazy in the dumbest places - a market in Antigua, Guatemala, and this older guy was flashing around jewellry and money and giving out sweets to the kids like he was doing them some kind of favour. Stupid = leaving your gear unattended, including in a rental car. How dumb is that? But people do it - and now you've lost your gear AND have to pay the rental company for a replacement window.

 

[Imasphere]

I traveled throughout central America a few years back with a small professional video camera. I had a carrying bag adapted for it using an old canvas shoulder bag, the kind that hippies used to wear in the 60s and 70s. I would wear sandals and an old t-shirt so people would think I was a pot smoker instead of a cameraman. It worked wonders.

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