How to pack equipment and keep it light

I regularly go in & out of Cairns with a 32kg storm ( precisely 32kg ) a soft bag wetsuit etc about 10 kgs , my rollon ( leather targus business traveller slight undersize ) usually contains 2 x d2x housings fitted with bodies - handles removed , a selection of lenses & gears ( usually 4 ) and a audio one back pack ( designed by AVID to house a mobile studio ) that has note book , chargers , spare harddrives , satelite phone and other essentials. no problems .

I pick the airlines and the tickets according to the baggage allowance and then bolster it with the extra's from Qantas platinum F/F program. - No I don work for qantas - but it does pay to be confident of your exact entitlement before it develops into a scene at the counter.

If i ever have to pay I make sure that it for all the way through and that i get an official receipt n( ammunition for the return journey )

My2C

That's part of my strategy for saving weight:

 

1) My dive kit (all light weight stuff) goes into a mesh bag (virtually weightless). The trick is to pack it well to avoid damage. I've used it on dozens if not hundreds of local and international flights without ever breaking a thing, and the bag alone saves about 5kgs compared with my old wheely bag. Total weight is just under 12kgs!

I'm very hesitant to pack either regs or primary photo gear (housing, ports, bodies, lenses) in anything but a hard sided case. Our cases are very lightweight samsonites which we switched to exclusively after I got a second stage which was well packed in my my wetsuit and bc crushed and another trip having the bayonet mount of a port cracked beyond usability.

Food for thought in any case!

On a few of my dive trips and non-diving, my lowelpro backpack, fully loaded with 1DM2 + 17-40,fisheye, 100macro, 70-200 2.8 IS, 100-400L, IBM laptop, backup eSata drive, assorted goodies, all came out to around 25kg! This is on my back. So far, I've gone through every major airport without a glitch, except LHR. Because of some extra waist strap, they would not let me take it through security. All I did was strap the camera to my neck, lens went into each of my pocket(s) and jacket. Then I checked in the empty bag. This was back in July of 2006. So if you ever run into a situation like this. just wear everything.

Since I pack all the dive gear for my wife and I, we sometimes exceed the weight limit. I guess it pays off being a United 1K member.

Curtis

When I go to Palau in April, I will have to fly Continental from Manila to Palau and I believe they use the US rule so I imgine 2 pieces of check in at 23 or 25kg each? Hmmm. I need to rethink my usual way of packing.

I did that continental flight last month and did not have a problem. They were really picky in the no-liquid subject but did not weigh our hand carry luggage (or anyones´ because we first looked at the counters to choose the nicest one...)

They should let you 18 kg as carry-on:

http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/conte...A2808EF09CE891A

"Carry-on Bag

Continental will permit one bag plus one personal item (see below) per passenger to be carried on the aircraft.

The maximum combined linear measurement (L + W + H) of the carry-on bag is 51 inches (130 cm). The maximum weight of the carry-on bag is 40 pounds (18 kg).

New Carry-on Restrictions for flights departing from non - U.S. locations

Continental Airlines advises passengers that one (1) item of carry on is permitted with maximum dimensions of 22in/17.75in/9.85in (56cm/45cm/25cm). See Travel Security Notice for details.

Personal items

In addition to the one carry-on item, you may bring free-of-charge the below items:

one small personal article such as a briefcase, purse, day planner, small laptop computer, camera case, compact disk player or similar sized personal entertainment item

personal aid devices such as wheelchairs, braces, canes, crutches, prosthetic devices and walking sticks, provided passenger is dependent on them.

one infant article such as a collapsible stroller, a diaper bag or a government approved child seat.

Note: Most knives are not allowed past the security checkpoint (including, but not limited to, pocket knives, folding or retractable blades regardless of blade length or composition, box cutters, X-Acto knives, scissors with a pointed tip, straight razors, Leatherman or Swiss Army Knives). Plastic and round-bladed (not serrated) knives are permitted in carry-on baggage.

Battery operated personal air-purifying devices are prohibited onboard all Continental flights.

Laptop computers must be removed from their cases and placed on the baggage belt at the security checkpoint.

Additional carry-on Baggage restrictions may apply on certain flights."

but they won´t let you ANY liquid, not even in a plastic bag etc....

HI All,

when I go to the Med which is most years, I tend to buy extra luggage

allowance which is about £30GBP. I started doing this after getting caught

at Fuerteventura & costing me £60+ GBP. But as many have said getting out

of GB is getting harder with just one peice of hand luggage, mine normally

weighs in at about 8KGs & my hold luggage normally 24/25kgs.

Andy

I had come to the conclusion some time ago that weight allowances are something of a gamble & that you will win some & lose some!

Example, one trip last year (I think it might even have been Alex's Red Sea liveaboard!) I was charged for excess baggage (about £80). On joining the boat I discovered that another passenger was also 'caught' - but the rest of them had got through without charge - and we were all 'overweight'!

Another one last year: my dive buddy & I arrived at Heathrow only to have to face the 'check in girl from hell' who really went to town on us for our excess baggage. We eventually negotiated down (from £hundreds ) to £60 for the both of us - but only after I insisted we spoke with a supervisor!

However, I have also had a number of trips where there has been no notice taken of my excess (and I always have excess!) weight.........

So, I am now somewhat 'philosophical' about the whole thing and accept that any charges are just rolled up into the overall cost. Hoever, I AM going to try harder to minimise the weight - so thanks to Alex & others for your tips!

As an aside, on my last trip to the Red Sea BA managed to deliver my checked luggage 3 days after my arrival (great when you are on a liveaboard trip ) - and the bag was badly damaged too.......

In the bag was my housing; this suffered some minimal damage & when I approached BA about compensation for the repair I was informed that 'cameras, or any associated equipment, are regarded as fragile & therefore not eligable for compensation if placed in hold luggage'. So I wrote back to them pointing out that I couldn't carry it on as hand luggage (too large) so what did they suggest? Their reply was interesting: 'you could take it on board, as BA will allow - in addition to one bag - a handbag, a laptop computer, any duty-free goods purchased after check in and camera equipment'. I asked for this in writing - and have subsequently received it - so my Pelikan will be travelling onto the flight in my hand next time I fly BA!

As an aside, on my last trip to the Red Sea BA managed to deliver my checked luggage 3 days after my arrival (great when you are on a liveaboard trip ) - and the bag was badly damaged too.......

In the bag was my housing; this suffered some minimal damage & when I approached BA about compensation for the repair I was informed that 'cameras, or any associated equipment, are regarded as fragile & therefore not eligable for compensation if placed in hold luggage'. So I wrote back to them pointing out that I couldn't carry it on as hand luggage (too large) so what did they suggest? Their reply was interesting: 'you could take it on board, as BA will allow - in addition to one bag - a handbag, a laptop computer, any duty-free goods purchased after check in and camera equipment'. I asked for this in writing - and have subsequently received it - so my Pelikan will be travelling onto the flight in my hand next time I fly BA!

Maybe you should distribute that letter with the British UWP as I find it as a good "weapon" against complicates checking people...

.... and clothes. .... toiletries.... I take the same stuff - I am just very careful to remove bit I don't need. I even don't take the integrated wieght pouches from my BC to save a bit!

Alex

Alex, don't forget the standard Cousteau red speedos!

... it may be cheaper to get an extra ticket! I suggest asking the cute receptionist at work if she/he wants a free trip......

SI, that's so dirty old man in south east asia sounding.

Maybe you should distribute that letter with the British UWP as I find it as a good "weapon" against complicates checking people...

Yes disseminate. I use to have a written letter from SIA allowing me extra quantities of luggage. Then like Pmooney, I achieved a certain FF status, so for awhile they stopped bugging me. Only flying the puddlejumpers in domestic airlines do I run into occasionaly problems, but by then each kg is about $3 so I put it down to the cost of the flight.

One thing I do recommend for those who want to is to carry the housing yourself. Nothing more frustrating than to arrive without checked luggage which include your camera and housing. Everything else from dive gear to underwear can be bought or rented at low expense, but not a housing and camera. At least this way you can still shoot.

I have 3 different hand carry configurations:

1. PITA check-in countries (eg. Australia, HK, UK etc)

- Heavy photovest carrying cameras, lenses and accessories, housing with UWA lens protector in hand, with camera inside, laptop bag with BU drive and batteries and chargers etc.

2. Non-PITA check-in countries (eg US,SIN etc)

- Photo-laptop backpack + fullsize roller case (usually Porter Case(WARNING: it doesn't fit in the Size-Wise box)) plus housing in hand.

3. Puddle jumper planes/crowded domestic flights:

- Photovest, photo-laptop backpack and housing in hand.

In most cases, once they see a big housing, they usually don't mess with you. It pays to have photojournalist credentials (press card or when I forgot mine, a Canon Professional Services member card (with pic) worked )

Suitcases:

Since I carry most of the camera gear it's down to dive gear and video lights.

I always have my NorthFace waterproof Duffel bag for clothes and wetsuit. It has a dry zipper and can take a beating. It acts as a wetbag on boats and carries luggage when you're travelling. It's also as light as a normal duffel bag. I'm worried as I can't find them anymore.

I have a big 32" cordura suitcase with hard sides and bottom but soft top. I wrap my lights in clothes or wetsuits and strap them down. Fits spare chargers, dive kit and other sundries (as well as the standard Cousteau speedo suit, I bring several though and rather not live in one the whole trip like they did on the Calypso and Halcyon(and yes I have confirmation of this from several former crew members!)) and weighs in under 25kg all the time.

Another bag I have is the NorthFace large roller duffel. It's very water resistant and has reinforced rear and rigid bottom so anything fragile can be packed there with clothes as cushions. Even with heavier cold weather clothes and booties and fins, usually drops in at 28kg.

Sometimes you just have to say "uncle" and beg the airline in advance for overweight. I did this with several airlines and now they even have the letter ready for me.

Happy light travels and may the bags be with you.

I was looking at the world press photo contest results:

http://www.worldpressphoto.com/index.php?o...;bandwidth=high

and checked this guy´s website:

http://www.paulnicklen.com/FAQ/equipment.html

I usually fly with fourteen to twenty 60 to 70lb cases. Airlines really detest me when I show up with three or four luggage carts all linked together with rope....

Talk about luggage!!