Suggestions for Roller Bags.

I am looking to buy a roller bag for a trip I plan to take soon (airplane). I have seen some nice bags from Lowepro and Thinktank such as x100, x200 and Airport Security 2.0. Are there any major differences in quality between the two? Or is this mostly a matter of preference at this point?

Any suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks!

Hi. I'm in NOVA, too. I fly a lot sometimes. I bought the Airport International since I shoot pro sometimes and can't be separated from my gear. It's $350, but such a nice bag. It looks like a regular roller bag but can fit a lot of gear. If you need bigger, the Security model is just like it but bigger. I chose Think Tank because their workmanship is truly wonderful.

+1 for Think Tank. They cannot be beat.

How about a Pelican case? Are you looking to do carry on or checking? ThinkTank may be well made, but you can roll over a Pelican case with a Ford E350 van and not break it. Also, makes a great stool to sit on while waiting in line (ask me how I know)

Ideally I would like to use it as a carry on bag. What are some major differences between lowepro and thinktank? Or are the quality differences so negligible that you can't go wrong with either one?

Think Tank airport takeoff is great: Doubles up as a backpack too.

I have the Pelican 1510 with padded dividers. It has wheels with an extendable handle. I have taken it on the airplane to California a couple of times. It fits well in the overhead compartment. Extremely durable and solid. Well worth the money. It is somewhat heavy when filled with gear. I also keep 2 desiccant packs in it.

Hmm. Airport TakeOff looks like a great compromise between a backpack and a roller. What's the difference between TakeOff and AirStream?

If its a carry on roller then the TT International can't be beat. The compromise with the TT Takeoff is less internal space (I needed the depth so was a no go for me).

The Lowepro Pro Roller bags also double as backups.

I actually talked to the customer service at TT (very helpful and responsive). And regarding the bag's depth they said

"The TakeOff will fit a D3 but if you want a lens attached to the body, it will need to either rest in the bottom of the bag (lens facing up) or directed horizontally
across the bag."

So unless you need to use it for pro-body + 300mm+ lens you should be ok. I'll be ordering this bag soon. The backpack straps are very handy ( having experienced the pain of lugging around a heavy carry-on up the stairs ).

One point to consider...

Although I have never had my carry-on bag weighed for domestic USA flights, there are international carriers that have (sometimes quite strict) weight restrictions on carry-on bags for the various grades of flights.

China Airlines states that their restriction for economy class carry-on bags is 10 kilos or about 12 pounds. This made me rethink about using my Lowepro roller case for my upcoming trip to China aboard China Air since the bag itself, empty, weighs close to ten pounds. That would not leave me much leeway for gear inside.

I have, instead, decided to use my Lowepro Mini Trekker AW for the China trip. It weighs just about 2 pounds and I can (with some judicious selection of gear) pack my two 1.6x camera and three lens outfit in a bundle which weighs under 12 pounds.

The Mini Trekker, although it is without wheels, easily rides piggy-back on my small wheeled suitcase to and from the airport and between hotels. After I have checked in the wheeled case, the relatively light backpack is easy to lug around and place in the overhead rack.

If ever for some reason, the Mini trekker should exceed 12 pounds, it would be easy to remove a camera and a lens from the case and carry it though check-in around my neck. This would easily reduce the backpack to the allotted weight.

Additionally, I have learned from various Internet chat sites that the China Airlines check-in folks are not quite concerned with the weight of backpacks but, are fairly strict in weighing roller carry-on bags. This could be the case or not. However, I want to be on the safe side and will keep my gear below the allotted weight restrictions.

10 Kg is about 22 lb., not 12 lb.

I have a LowePro PhotoTrekker II AW. It is a good bag, but like all LowePro bags I think it is overdesigned. It has too much padding and is very heavy, even without any gear inside it. This is part of the reason I am moving to Domke for shooting and TT for travel.

metrically challenged....

Jon wrote in post #9635201
10 Kg is about 22 lb., not 12 lb.

I was wrong in my kilograms but close in my pounds. There is a 5 kg weight restriction = 11 pounds. Sorry about the confusion... I seem to be metrically challenged. It's still a very small weight allowance which can be taken up almost entirely by my Manfrotto roller carry on bag alone.

My problem with the Lowepro back packs is that the waist and shoulder straps are too heavy and bulky for a guy who only occasionally carries the bag on my back... However, if I did a lot of carrying of the backpack (which I try not to) the wider and more substantial straps would be an asset. BTW: I dislike a backpack when out shooting and tend to carry my pair of cameras on an OPTECH dual harness and any extra accesories in my photo vest.

I have stay away from TT bags because I have a TT holster case which I simply cannot stand using. I have no opportunity to test any TT bags in person (I bought the TT holster on the INternet) and would be worried that I would not like the bags eaiher. Once bitten - twice shy...