bags, bags and more bags, bags inside bags

[marcr1230]

So in the eternal quest for the holy grail, the bag that rules them all...

I travel a bit, and more often then not, I go with carry-on only

I usually take a camera or 2, and how to pack them for the trip and then carry them while away is always an issue.

camera bags take a lot of space, the F-803 or Think Tank 5 are about the right size for walking around, but will count as a separate carry-on (personal item). I generally like to take a backpack/knapsack and a rolling carry-on suitcase. if I pack the bag with cameras, and put in in the backpack - there's no room for anything else. if I pack the bag in my rolling carry-on, it takes away a lot of internal room. if I don't take the camera bag, I end up with individually wrapped bodies and lenses in a backpack - jumbled together with my other traveling stuff (magazines , snacks, chargers etc)

So I stumbled across a post on Petapixel and am trying this:
https://petapixel.com/2017/03/30/camera-specific-outdoor-packs-suck-heres-use-instead/

The Tenba BYOB 9 & 10 - bags with enough padding and dividers to protect
equipment from casual bumps and scuffs, but compact enough to fit easily in a backpack.

The 9 is the right size for 2 bodies and lenses

the 10 is a bit bigger

I'm carrying the 9 today with a Nikon F + 55/12 , plus light meter and film. As you can see from the photo, the body fits pretty easily. there are enough dividers to be creative and carry a additional small lens underneath the vertically carried body (i.e. 2 bodies w lenses and an extra lens tucked underneath.

I rearranged the dividers and this bag easily carry a Nikon RF + lens and a Fuji x100 ( or another Nikon

You can leave it in your backpack for walking around, or use thin cloth bag with a strap to carry it on your shoulder (Tenba sells them but you can use anything you find)


Lest I forget - on the last trip, the gate agents grabbed my rolling bag ( Samsonite standard TSA approved), it's the size everyone uses, fits wheels in, into the overhead, no problem. It wasn't overstuffed at all. They pretended to put it in the too small sizer thing. It was like OJ trying on the glove - sorry sir it doesn't fit, it has to go underneath. meanwhile everyone else is marching past with multple bags either same size or bigger than mine. I hate air travel.

here are some pictures for reference, the cup is a Venti:

 

[Godfrey]

Looks good!

For similar purposes when traveling on bicycle or airplane, I have an A&A camera case that fits a Leica M with 35 to 75 lens protectively in the smallest possible space, and another small A&A case that fits the other lens, perhaps a third, spare battery, spare cards, cable release, and a tripod plate. The Sirui tripod and these two cases fit into even my small Timbuk2 Rapid Pack a little better than a single BYOB case.

G

 

[kxl]

I use a Kinesis gear backpack and various internal modules if I want to minimize luggage when I travel. I've never had any issues with it on domestic or international commercial airlines.

http://www.kgear.com/

 

[Chubberino]

I've just started to sell off my extra bags as I finally settled on what I need for various things. Feels good as I was rocking quite a few.

 

[sevres_babylone]

On my recent trip to Vietnam, on the plane I took my Hadley Pro stuffed with my cameras, and charger and anything I thought I might need on the flight, as my personal item. I generally find that bag too large for street shooting though. So in my main carry on bag I had my barebones bag stuffed with socks etc. This was my routine for internal travel there too. Once settled in at my destination, I would put my cameras in the Barebones bag, and used that. In the past, I've taken out the Hadley Pro insert and stuck the barebones with cameras in the space, but have found that not to be an efficient use of space.

 

[spaceistheplace]

I always use a Domke F6 that I find has the perfect size for my leica stuff, it's great for walking around, but I would like to put the domke and clothes in a backpack for when I travel.

Does anyone have experience with putting a messenger back inside a backpack? I don't know what backpack to get for this purpose.

 

[back alley]

i have a domke f1x that stores my canon film gear...couple of bodies and some lenses...
also have a domke f7 that houses my fuji gear...5 bodies and 7 lenses plus chargers, misc etc...
domke f2 for when i want more gear than i can carry...
domke f6 for around town with 2 bodies and 2-3 lenses...i have sand for summer and black for winter.

for travel...tenba cooper slim 13...2 bodies and 2-3 lenses...charger...medication and diabetic snacks...ipad pro...big plus for the tenba it the band on the back that fits over the handle on most wheeled travel bags...it's also a pretty classy looking bag (actually more stylish than i am).

 

[JoeLopez]

I use a Tenba BYOB 9 in my Timbuk2 eula messenger bag. Blends in just fine as it does not have the 'camera bag' look and my gear is well protected 🙂

 

[marcr1230]

My issue is how travel with a rolling bag and a personal item, and have a workable walk-around camera bag solution when I land, not damage my equipment en route, and have enough room to carry typical travel items that you want easily accessible ( book, snacks, headphones...)

it seems that there are a limited number of options with these constraints

1) carry a medium large camera bag and this is your one "personal item"

2) carry you kit loose , or individually wrapped , in a backpack and use the backpack as your walkaround

3) carry a regular ( padded bag , packed with gear, and travel to the destination with this bag inside a backpack ( or in the roll-on)

4) - as in 2) but carry a true (empty) camera bag in the roll-on, or pack it with clothes and carry it in the roll-on

5) carry an un-bag, like the tenba, inside the backpack, and then use the backpack+Tenba when you land ( removing the long flight essentials from the backpack)

6) carry the un-bag as above, also take a cloth bag with a shoulder strap to walk around with ( with the un-bag inside)

7) Brown paper shopping bag

I may be over-analyzing this 🙂

you can put a messenger bag in a backpack, but traditional messenger bags are large and unpadded. so you don't gain any space advantage if you stuff a full messenger bag inside a backpack.

I always use a Domke F6 that I find has the perfect size for my leica stuff, it's great for walking around, but I would like to put the domke and clothes in a backpack for when I travel.

Does anyone have experience with putting a messenger back inside a backpack? I don't know what backpack to get for this purpose.

 

[Godfrey]

Get smallish bag for carrying a useful two lens kit for walking shooting sessions, like one of the A&A bags. With these bags, you can remove and flatten the padding, flatten the bag, and put it in your rollaway. Then the personal items and camera gear can go into a small backpack, suitably wrapped or pouched, for transits and transfer it into the small bag for a shooting session when you get to where you're going.

The other solution is to use a slightly larger shooting bag and use it as your personal items carry for transits along with the camera gear. Then just dump out the unneeded stuff when you get where you're going.

G

 

[cz23]

....Does anyone have experience with putting a messenger back inside a backpack? I don't know what backpack to get for this purpose.

I usually travel with a backpack and often insert my Domke J803, a messenger style bag, into the pack. Fill it the rest of the way with stuff, and when I get where I'm going, I've got my stuff plus a camera bag. Works really well. Most commuter backpacks should work.

John

 

[Rob-F]

Lest I forget - on the last trip, the gate agents grabbed my rolling bag ( Samsonite standard TSA approved), it's the size everyone uses, fits wheels in, into the overhead, no problem. It wasn't overstuffed at all. They pretended to put it in the too small sizer thing. It was like OJ trying on the glove - sorry sir it doesn't fit, it has to go underneath. meanwhile everyone else is marching past with multple bags either same size or bigger than mine. I hate air travel.

What airline was this? A conference presenter several years ago said that a Southwest Airlines flight attendant admitted to her that SW airlines allows the first 27 passengers to bring on their carry-on bags, then takes away all bags after that. This, I believe, was on a commuter jet, probably an Embraer 145, that has limited capacity overhead.

 

[Rob-F]

Oh, yeah, thanks for the tip on the little Tenba insert. I may just have to get one!

(seems to me I have done a similar bag within bag thing with my Domke F-5XB.)

 

[marcr1230]

it was an American Airlines flight, I believe a 737

I knew it was arbitrary - but I didn't want to end up in a viral video being dragged away screaming "Get your stinking hands off my Tri-X!"

What airline was this? A conference presenter several years ago said that a Southwest Airlines flight attendant admitted to her that SW airlines allows the first 27 passengers to bring on their carry-on bags, then takes away all bags after that. This, I believe, was on a commuter jet, probably an Embraer 145, that has limited capacity overhead.

 

[twopointeight]

Small standard luggage rolling hardcase that contains two bags, a small Domke and a Think Tank sling. Plus a Think Tank small backpack for 11" MBAir and some other stuff. That gives me three camera bag options when I get to my destination.

 

[Mute-on]

My issue is how travel with a rolling bag and a personal item, and have a workable walk-around camera bag solution when I land, not damage my equipment en route, and have enough room to carry typical travel items that you want easily accessible ( book, snacks, headphones...)

it seems that there are a limited number of options with these constraints

1) carry a medium large camera bag and this is your one "personal item"

2) carry you kit loose , or individually wrapped , in a backpack and use the backpack as your walkaround

3) carry a regular ( padded bag , packed with gear, and travel to the destination with this bag inside a backpack ( or in the roll-on)

4) - as in 2) but carry a true (empty) camera bag in the roll-on, or pack it with clothes and carry it in the roll-on

5) carry an un-bag, like the tenba, inside the backpack, and then use the backpack+Tenba when you land ( removing the long flight essentials from the backpack)

6) carry the un-bag as above, also take a cloth bag with a shoulder strap to walk around with ( with the un-bag inside)

7) Brown paper shopping bag

I may be over-analyzing this 🙂

you can put a messenger bag in a backpack, but traditional messenger bags are large and unpadded. so you don't gain any space advantage if you stuff a full messenger bag inside a backpack.

I just returned from a recent trip to Japan with two bodies and three lenses, plus film, lightmeter, headphones, and other typical carry on necessities. All this was stashed in your item 3), using a backpack (Osprey) as the external bag, and a Billingham L2 as the internal camera bag. I also added 1 inch foam sheet on the base and back of the backpack around the L2 to absorb aircraft vibrations. I carried a surprising amount of gear this way. Of course I also had a full size check in roller bag.

However ...

After a few days of walking 8 hours a day with the Billingham, the single strap was becoming quite painful, even with a shoulder pad. I ended up getting a Hakuba camera backpack in Kyoto that has a padded camera section in the lower half which is, crucially, accessible via a side entry zipper, and has a separate top section accessible from the top. The camera section is actually removeable, and is similar to a typical camera insert, such as the Tenba, and many others. The actual backpack is unpadded and very light.

The very best combination, following this experience, would be a larger version of the Hakuba backpack that I bought, which is available, and has the same size camera insert with a larger top section. This is your personal item/carry-on. This would take your cameras plus everything you could need on board. Then you will need a check-in roller for the rest of your gear.
On arrival, the backpack becomes you camera/day bag, and extraneous extras go in your roller bag at the accommodation.

That is how I will be travelling from now on. As always, YMMV 🙂

 

[cz23]

However ...

After a few days of walking 8 hours a day with the Billingham, the single strap was becoming quite painful, even with a shoulder pad....

Yeah, that's the issue for me now, too. Should bags with all but the lightest weight dig into my old shoulder.

I now commute with a small Tamrac backpack with side access. Fits my Leica and Surface perfectly and gives ready access like a sling bag. I'm thrilled to have discovered this solution. More bag makers seem to be adopting this design.

John

 

[PhotoGog]

7) Brown paper shopping bag



I may be over-analyzing this 🙂



.

Yes and yes!

 

[willie_901]

...A conference presenter several years ago said that a Southwest Airlines flight attendant admitted to her that SW airlines allows the first 27 passengers to bring on their carry-on bags, then takes away all bags after that. ...

First, for many years now Southwest only flies 737s. The newest aircraft have lots of overhead space.

Second, I have been on many SW flights over the years and never had any restriction beyond normal FAA rules. If it fits under your seat, it will stay in the cabin (including pets!). Of course you can bring two items and put one in an overhead bin. Many passengers gate-check strollers. Occasionally flight attendants request passengers gate-check other items. Flight attendants always request when possible passengers use the space below their seat before they use the overhead bins.

 

[Rob-F]

First, for many years now Southwest only flies 737s. The newest aircraft have lots of overhead space.

Second, I have been on many SW flights over the years and never had any restriction beyond normal FAA rules. If it fits under your seat, it will stay in the cabin (including pets!). Of course you can bring two items and put one in an overhead bin. Many passengers gate-check strollers. Occasionally flight attendants request passengers gate-check other items. Flight attendants always request when possible passengers use the space below their seat before they use the overhead bins.

It was definitely Southwest. I remember her quoting the attendant, after complaining about her bag being taken, saying, "Southwest airlines is inconsistent, Ma'am!" But I think I mis-attributed the Embraer 145 to Southwest. I'm sure you are right about their using 737s. It was Continental who had the express service with the Embraer. Continental Express service was furnished mostly by Express.Jet. I seem to want to think that Southwest had some sort of express service with the smaller aircraft; but I'm probably wrong. I am still seeing the Continental tail logo occasionally--I think United has it now.