A good "security friendly" bag

Looking for a good bag (I'd kinda like to have room for a 17" laptop) But it needs to be easy to open for security checks, so security personell can quickly and easily see there is no weapons, etc. So I am not really after a backpack...
It will should be able to hold a 17-40L, an 18-55 IS, a 7D (possibly gripped), batteries, memory cards, and chargers. I have done some searching, and I havent seen what I am after.
Thanks!

Try checking out pacsafe.

Are you asking from personal experience? I've been through security over 50 times in the last few years with gear and have been pulled over a handful of times, usually just for a swipe test. They've never asked me to take gear out other then my laptop.

I've used a backpack for the last few years but I've also used various shoulder bags.

Lowepro Stealth Reporter series.

any bag should work for security, i've only had them rummage around in mine once. find the bag you want and worry about the security stuff later, it shouldn't be a problem

I have never had the TSA security get excited about my camera gear, they only seem to worry about my computer, iPad, and having too many "layers" of electronics that the x-ray couldn't clearly see through. If you get a "CheckPoint Friendly" carry-on bag (shoulder, backpack, or roller are available) which will unfold to expose the computer section clearly, you should have no problem going through security. Or, remove your laptop and iPad as expected, but then you have to keep track of all the pieces until you are able to collect them together again.

Of course ... individual TSA agents may make unexpected requests of you which you should probably submit to, even if the printed TSA regulations say differently!

I use a small "Skooba CheckThrough" roller carry-on which will fit under the seat. It unzips to unfold for x-ray. I removed the center divider in the main section of the bag so that I can either put a camera insert in it, or simply put my smaller walk-around camera bag loaded with my camera and lenses (Billingham Hadley Pro or Hadley Small usually) inside along with other small stuff like chargers, cables, gps, etc. It will even hold a Think Tank "Urban Disguise 40" bag inside, but that pretty much fills the main compartment, and my computer goes in the fold-out computer compartment which also has a see-through window for visual inspection of the computer within.


-howard

I never bother opening mine at all. Assuming you don't have fuses sticking out of your underwear, maintain a buoyant attitude and refrain from wearing the tee shirt with "I'm a bomb" printed on it you'll do fine.

rick_reno wrote in post #13904703
I never bother opening mine at all. Assuming you don't have fuses sticking out of your underwear, maintain a buoyant attitude and refrain from wearing the tee shirt with "I'm a bomb" printed on it you'll do fine.

So you are saying I should leave the "I shoot people" camera shirt at home when I go to DC?

Might be a good idea.

I've had my bag opened, swabbed, unpacked, and pawed over so much that I pull the cameras out and put them in a separate tray when going through airport security, just like I do with the computer and other digital display devices.

I remove my laptop as others have mentioned and let the bag go thru xray. I have yet to have an issue, and I fly out of NY. I did have an issue on one of the Carribean Islands but that was because of a bottle of the island's finest rum was stowed away....hehehe

errm..you're supposed to remove the laptop and have it sit in it's own tray when it goes thru the x-ray machine. They told me this every time I flew, same goes for shoes, and jackets. They never go thru my camera bag but I've read some people had to open it up.

I've had them want to take the 70-200 2.8 off my camera (and remember kids, you're not allowed to touch anything once they have control of it) and look inside it because "it's really dark in there". This happened around mid-night and I was beat and didn't have a good response other than "Could we get a supervisor here? I don't want you taking anything off my camera." Next time I'll tell them "Just yell for the little man who lives in there to turn on the light. He's probably sleeping."

Vixen89 wrote in post #13907927
errm..you're supposed to remove the laptop and have it sit in it's own tray when it goes thru the x-ray machine. They told me this every time I flew, same goes for shoes, and jackets. They never go thru my camera bag but I've read some people had to open it up.

There are bags which are approved for leaving the laptop in; it's in its own compartment that folds away from the rest of the bag (and, at least in some examples I've seen, has a clear window so they can visually confirm the laptop-ness of the item).

I love my Timbuk2 Snoop. I carry a gripped body and 4-5 lenses easily (up to a 70-200 f/4), sometimes even a flash as well as a Macbook Air and iPad.

CameraClicker wrote in post #13904823
So you are saying I should leave the "I shoot people" camera shirt at home when I go to DC?

Feel free to take it with... but, it may be a good idea to refrain from wearing it to the airport