Travelling & Storage Solutions - Safari

After my last big 6 week trip to Singapore \ Australia and Thailand where I took a Pelican 1514 which weighed 6.88kg empty and nearly 15kg full I got it past a few guys at check in but paid on others.

In 8 weeks time we're off to Kenya - Kicheche Camp followed by Msambweni House the first part is safari followed by a beach retreat.

Im not taking the Pelican and am looking to take a rucksack styled case.

Im taking a 40D Body & lenses 10-22 \ 24-105 \ 70-200 plus the usual bits and pieces any sugguestions on a good rucksack styled bag appreciated

Well, I'm a big fan of Thinktank products and I used their Airport Antidote for my last trip to Africa. That will easily hold all the gear you listed.

It would also hold the gear not listed, but you might consider taking. Especially a longer lens as 200mm is a bit short for safari. I'd strongly recommend hiring a 100-400 for that part of the holiday. It should only cost around £100, depending on the hire period, from Lenses for Hire.

I'd also think about a second body, just in case the 40D dies. You can pick up a second-hand 300D for around £120. That would use the same battery and lenses as the 40D, so would add minimal weight, and would allow you to take decent images if the worst happened. you could always re-sell it after the holiday. That's exactly what I did on my second safari (when there were four of us, all with Canon cameras, so that one 300D acted as insurance for all of us).

Finally, what do you plan to do for power and storage? A few spare batteries at £13 from play.com would be a good idea. For storage you really want to make sure you don't run out of CF card space. I wouldn't consider going to Africa again without storage for at least 1000 images a week - and preferably some way to back them up as well.

I'd also look at the Thinktank Rotation 360, which allows you to access one half of the storage while it's still on your back! A bit expensive as you pay for the ingenuity and convenience.

Look at the Tamrac Expedition series. The 5X and 6X have narrow waist straps, which can be fixed with waist belt pads from Blackhawk! The 7X has a wide waist belt, and is excellent but will get heavy when loaded. These Tamracs are bulletproof, made extremely well, as is the Rotation 360. Both have super padded and constructed shoulder harnesses and back support as well.

hollis_f wrote in post #10247996
Well, I'm a big fan of Thinktank products and I used their Airport Antidote for my last trip to Africa. That will easily hold all the gear you listed.

It would also hold the gear not listed, but you might consider taking. Especially a longer lens as 200mm is a bit short for safari. I'd strongly recommend hiring a 100-400 for that part of the holiday. It should only cost around £100, depending on the hire period, from Lenses for Hire.

I'd also think about a second body, just in case the 40D dies. You can pick up a second-hand 300D for around £120. That would use the same battery and lenses as the 40D, so would add minimal weight, and would allow you to take decent images if the worst happened. you could always re-sell it after the holiday. That's exactly what I did on my second safari (when there were four of us, all with Canon cameras, so that one 300D acted as insurance for all of us).

Finally, what do you plan to do for power and storage? A few spare batteries at £13 from play.com would be a good idea. For storage you really want to make sure you don't run out of CF card space. I wouldn't consider going to Africa again without storage for at least 1000 images a week - and preferably some way to back them up as well.

whoa whoa.. OP already said he has too much weight to carry! No need to overload him with more

Guys,
Thanks for all the tips and advice, where can I see the inside of the Thinktanks so I can see what they will hold ?

Frank I do have a 1.4x converter for the 70-200, this lens is new (Jan 10) so it will be its first holiday so to speak, my next lens will be 100-400 or 400mm but I have been advised to get a 400mm have to see how my bank account is at the time

A second body is a good idea I'll take a look on fleaby..

Media I have 4 x 8gb & 1x 4gb Extreme IV cards. Batteries also sorted

This is our third trip to a Africa first time we just did a small safari in our trip in Krugar where i got hooked.

Last time was 2 weeks solid Safari, and a week in Zanzibar. 2 camps in Kenya one was little Shompole cant remember the other then over to Tanzania -> Lake Manyara National Park -> Ngorgora Crater -> Serengeti -Wildabeest migration

Next I want to go Okavanga Delta follewed by Rwanda for the Gorrilas so much to see in a fantastic country give me safari rather than the cities any day.

Clive,, check out the Lowepro SlingShot range

http://products.lowepr​o.com …ingShot-200-AW,2035,4.htm

I have the 200AW which is great when I travel light and should be big enough to take the gear you mentioned.. They also make a larger one the 300AW..

The SlingShots fit nicely into the overhead compartments in aircraft..

M5Man wrote in post #10257250
Guys,
Thanks for all the tips and advice, where can I see the inside of the Thinktanks so I can see what they will hold?

Hmm, I was lucky enough to have a shop near me, but they've gone bust. It really is a pain that there's not really anywhere once can check out cool gear from people like Jobu, ThinkTanks, RRS, etc.

All I can suggest is look at pics on the web.

This is what mine looked like last year -

M5Man wrote in post #10257250
Next I want to go Okavanga Delta follewed by Rwanda for the Gorrilas so much to see in a fantastic country give me safari rather than the cities any day.

Been to the Okavango twice now and it really is fantastic. I've also been to Rwanda for the Gorillas - and I wish we'd stayed there a little longer as it's a great country.

Good (or bad ?) sites for bagaholics :

http://www.taschenfrea​k.de/indexliste.htm (German)

http://www.cambags.com

Hope this "helps". Hehe.