Traveling with Pelican 1510 carry on

[BJB Productions]

Hi all-
I'm going to be traveling to the British Virgin Islands to go sailing there for two weeks. I'm flying via Delta and since I've actually never traveled really anywhere that far with all my gear, I had a few novice questions:

First of all, here's a quick rundown on what I'm bringing:

• Canon MIII
• 3 lenses
• Canon accessories (batts, chargers, cards, etc)
• Filters
• iPad
• Possibly laptop
• GoPro

1. I was planning on keeping all my equipment in one case and doing carry on. My plan was to use my Pelican 1510 case since it is carry on size and since I'll be in a salty, humid environment.

Has anyone used this as a carry on camera case? How do the airlines like it? I also have this bag as another option.

3. Any suggestions on what I should/shouldn't do? (Besides the usual keeping hands on it at all times)

Any tips would be most appreciated. Thanks

 

[Attonine]

You shouldn't have any problems with this case. It seems a good idea as you are going sailing. It's quite a big case, but if you have one anyway, might as well use it.

If you have doubts, contact Delta just to check if they have any specific carry on requirements. Usually the airline websites have pretty detailed carry on requirements, dimensions etc. I've never flown Delta, but I have experienced recently airlines being more sticky regarding carry on weight. Think of you really need 3 lenses, an iPad and a laptop, and even the GoPro, as the Canon does good video. I usually travel around Europe, Middle East and North Africa, so these restrictions may be different from US carriers.

Could be a good idea to get some silicon gel packs to keep inside the case with your gear, this can help to keep the humidity down. Another suggestion I've read is to use large, sealable freezer bags to put kit in, with silicon packs inside. Again, this helps keep humidity around your kit to a minimum. I don't think the humidity itself will damage your kit, but I suppose it's a good idea to try to keep electronics in as dry an environment as possible, also it can help to prevent things like fungus on lenses developing.

 

[Laird Knox]

If you need to make any connections on smaller aircraft you likely won't be able to hand carry that case. In that instance you might consider putting a TSA approved lock on it.

 

[monokakata]

Could be a good idea to get some silicon gel packs to keep inside the case with your gear, this can help to keep the humidity down. Another suggestion I've read is to use large, sealable freezer bags to put kit in, with silicon packs inside.

The OP might have trouble searching for those drying packs unless he searches for "silica gel."

Your suggestion is a good one, both the packs and the ziploc bags. I've carried equipment around in the hot humid tropics (rainforest) and the combo works well.

OP, if you decide to go for this, make sure you get the metal-encased packs that you heat up and then reuse. The silica gel changes color to show that it can't absorb any more moisture.

Here's a link:

http://www.amazon.com/Gram-Desiccan...id=1374189003&sr=8-3&keywords=silica+gel+pack

 

[OreoCookie]

I don't own a Pelicase, but I have traveled extensively over the last 10 years (25+ countries easily, typically 2.5 months a year in total). I put my own equipment in a Lowepro Nova 5 AW. There are a few tips and tricks:

(1) Usually the camera bag does not count towards your carry-on allowance which means I get to carry my camera bag plus, say, a backpack or a traditional carry-on bag for clothes or other sensitive equipment.

(2) Never, ever, ever check in your camera gear. At least avoid it like the bubonic plague. If something gets stolen or damaged, it will not be fully covered by a usual insurances. (My liability insurance has a cap of 1.000 €, nowhere near enough to cover serious damage to my equipment or total loss of equipment.)

I have not noticed any problems with carry-on luggage even in smaller planes (my Samsonite carry-on suitcase is of the largest allowable size). In very few instances where I flew with smaller turboprop planes, I have had to put the bigger carry-on luggage in an external carry-on luggage compartment. From that perspective, I expect that you're fine with the Pelicase, they're extremely robust.

The only downside of Pelicases I can think of is that you see immediately that it's a serious case made for serious equipment. A thief with a discerning eye may notice your more easily. On the other hand, my big camera bag is also just as visible.

 

[acearchie]

(1) Usually the camera bag does not count towards your carry-on allowance which means I get to carry my camera bag plus, say, a backpack or a traditional carry-on bag for clothes or other sensitive equipment.

I have never seen this before. Certainly in inter-europe travel this has not worked for me.

 

[admwright]

The only downside of Pelicases I can think of is that you see immediately that it's a serious case made for serious equipment. A thief with a discerning eye may notice your more easily. On the other hand, my big camera bag is also just as visible.

What to do here is get a duffle bag just bigger than the pelli. does not add much weight and hides the distinctive case.

 

[OreoCookie]

I have never seen this before. Certainly in inter-europe travel this has not worked for me.

I'm German, and I've traveled extensively throughout Europe by plane (mostly Lufthansa but also other airlines), and I've never ever had problems. Even though I certainly don't check this with every airline, but Lufthansa and all other airlines I have checked expressly allows one additional bag in their carry-on baggage rules: under the section Additional items which are allowed in the cabin, they allow for »One personal piece of hand luggage such as, for example, a woman’s handbag, a laptop case or shoulder bag with a maximum size of 30 cm x 40 cm x 10 cm.« Other airlines mention camera bags explicitly. Hence, you can take two pieces of luggage with you.

When I travel transcontinentally, I often take 3 pieces of carry-on luggage (backpack, camera bag and carry-on suitcase with emergency clothes in case they lose my checked in bag), knowing full-well that I exceed the tourist class' limit. But even then, I have not had a problem once.

If I were the OP, I would not take two carry-on suitcases with me, perhaps they'll object then. But just taking two small suitcases with me seems cumbersome. But taking the Pelicase for his equipment and, say, a backpack should not be a problem.

PS You may have some trouble with the bargain-basement cheap airlines where even for regular luggage you have to pay extra. I've lived in Munich for the most part and due to the high taxes, not a lot of cheap airlines service it. Hence, it may be that for some of the cheap airlines, you may run into trouble. Years ago, I flew with Ryan Air once, and then, nobody objected to the camera bag + backpack combo either.

 

[Laird Knox]

(2) Never, ever, ever check in your camera gear. At least avoid it like the bubonic plague. If something gets stolen or damaged, it will not be fully covered by a usual insurances. (My liability insurance has a cap of 1.000 €, nowhere near enough to cover serious damage to my equipment or total loss of equipment.)

I use the Kiboko bag and it travels very well. However, flying from Belize City to San Pedro there is no on board storage (10 or 12 seater). I always ask then to let me hand carry the bag to the plane to be directly given to the ground crew. This has never been a problem but the funny thing is the ground crew never take it from me so it travels safely on my lap.

My underwater gear travels in a larger Pelican case that is checked.

 

[MattSepeta]

I travel with my Pelican 1550 sometimes and have never had any problems carrying it on. Love my Pelican cases!

The only thing I have ever checked was my lightstand bag, because it is simply too big to carry on.

 

[ChrisA]

Hi all-
I'm going to be traveling to the British Virgin Islands to go sailing there for two weeks. I'm flying via Delta and since I've actually never traveled really anywhere that far with all my gear, ...

I'm a big fan of Pelican cases. I live near the factory in So. California. I've been inside a couple time for warranty returns. They fix or replace anything even if you obviously abuses the case.

But The 1510 is HUGE. even if it is just legal there is a really good change there will be no room and you will have to gate check the box. I've had this happen several times, they look for people with the just under the limit roll ons and swipe them at the airplane end of the gateway.

What I strongly suggest is use a much smaller "briefcase" size case and checking what will not fit in it.

You CAN pack a pelican case so that it will survive the gorilla-like baggage handlers. I re member taking a load of underwater video equipment and they chucked it in a stake bed truck, loaded scuba tanks and weights on top if it then unloaded the truck like it was a dump truck load of gravel. I really did not care. That cube foam padding is very good as long as you don't get greedy and over fill the case. leave LOADS of foam it. The bare minim 1" between all the parts and the outside of the case. These were the big 16xx cases with soft bags inside.

No way will the 1510 case go inside an intra island plane or a bus. In both cases it will go down below.

One way to back a Pelican case is to pack a soft camera bag then place the bag into the hard case. This is my favorite method so most of may cases are bare inside. Simply wrap the soft case in bubble pack, use lots of it. This works for My video gear, scuba equipment, photo stuff and electronics. It survives being checked just fine. I move it to the local beaches a couple times a week in an open pickup truck (with a bicycle cable lock through the handle(s))

One tip: hose any sand off the cases and wipe them down. BEFORE you open them, Keep the o-rings good

Get a TSA lock or they will simply cut whatever else you put on it, and they might cut the TSA lock buy a spare or two.

To prevent theft: Put a huge bumper sticker on the case, something you could see 200 feet away. Or spay paint the case purple and green or what ever you can think of to make yours look UNIQUE and easy to ID from a distance. Theives always take the generic black cases. Make your bright and ugly.


The one thing I wanted to say is the closer your bag is to the caryone limit the more likely it get taken from you at the gate., (you know where they put all the strollers and wheelchairs.)