Fear for your gear

In the Think Tank Photo site (makers of the best camera bags in the world), there’s a pair of articles, "Fear For Your Gear," on travelling with pro equipment in this day and age. Lots of quotes from photographers on what works for them, various strategies (roller vs. backpack vs shoulder bag), and how to handle confrontations ("don’t be a jerk" seems the most effective).

The link for the articles is here, once you register on the site.

Here in the US we have it easy. Airline limits are lax, and they rarely check weight or size on carry-ons. Internationally it’s a very different story. Most carriers limit you to one bag, 22 lbs. The second installment of the series covers way to deal with this.

I travel by air a fair bit, and usually do it completely carry-on. I have an Eagle Creek roller that holds clothes, tripod, and cables and chargers. I have a shoulder bag for my bodies and lenses. I have another slim bag for the laptop, which I can fit into the roller case and pull out once I’m on the plane.

When I go to the airport, I plan double the amount of time that I think I’ll need, so that I’m not stressed. When I’m stopped by security, I usually get into a nice discussion about equipment.

Comments

[Paul McEvoy]

Hi Doug,

I'd love some info or a post on insuring your cameras. None of my stuff is insured right now but I'm finding it really confusing as to how to insure it. I'm going to be investing in more stuff shortly...can you share your insurance situation?

All the best
Paul McEvoy

[Jeff Henderson]

If your equipment is used for personal, hobby use only, call your home owner's insurance agent and ask for a policy rider for your camera equipment. If you use it for a photography business, you may need to get a separate commercial policy. I have a significant amount of equipment insured through my home owners policy and the incremental increase in premium was fairly small. Here's a link with some very good info on insuring camera equipment. http://photo.net/learn/insurance