Carry On With Porter Case

Gadget Bag
Rolling Cases
Transporting your arsenal of camera gear and accessories is easy when you have a case that can hold everything and doesn’t require heavy lifting

By Glenn Terrence

I was traveling recently, and I saw a gentleman in the airport. He was struggling with his luggage, coat, laptop case and a huge shoulder bag that I immediately recognized as a camera bag. Managing all of these items was clearly taking a toll on the intrepid adventurer as he made his way to the security checkpoint. The camera bag kept falling off his shoulder, the rolling suitcase wasn’t rolling—generally, he looked miserable. You can probably guess that the security staff took an interest in the array of gear that was coming through their x-ray machine. The last I saw of him, he was slowly trying to unpack parts of the various bags to pull out items for closer inspection. I hope he made his flight.

Rolling cases can be a big help when you’re traveling. The PorterCase, shown above left, has a unique feature that turns it into a dolly to carry all your luggage.


	Traveling with camera gear is never all that easy. If you have a lot of gear, it seems like travel can become exponentially harder. Lugging a heavy bag on your shoulder, or worse yet, bags on your shoulders, while you try to maneuver through a crowded airport can’t be called “fun” by any stretch of the imagination. For those occasions when you really need to haul around a lot of gear, a rolling case is your best friend. Rolling cases probably aren’t the kind of thing you’ll want to use for the daily camera bag. Because they can handle so much stuff, though, a roller is perfect for extended trips. Roller bags all have, you guessed it, rollers. Usually, these are very durable inline skate-type rollers and they have sealed bearings to keep mud and water from getting into the wheels and making them seize. Most rolling cases were designed around traveling on airplanes. Therefore, they will fit as carry-on items on most planes. We wouldn’t recommend putting one of the soft-sided rolling cases into a luggage hold unless you can’t avoid it. Also, whenever you’re traveling with lots of photo gear, check with the airline ahead of time to be sure that your rolling case will indeed work as a carry-on.			Resources Lowepro (707) 575-4363 www.lowepro.com Pelican (310) 326-4700 www.pelican.com PorterCase (800) 356-8348 www.portercase.com Storm Case (800) 542-7344 www.stormcase.com Tamrac (800) 662-0717 www.tamrac.com Tenba (718) 222-9870 www.tenba.com

Some manufacturers offer hard-sided rolling cases. These are ideal for anyone who needs more impact resistance than the soft cases offer. A good hard case can be virtually indestructible (I’m reminded of the Pelican Products Guarantee, which protects against everything except bear attack, shark bite or children under 5—and if damage occurs due to one of those exceptions, Pelican will still replace the case). These cases are so durable that, personally, I wouldn’t hesitate to ship a good hard case if I needed to.

When you’re thinking of buying a rolling case, you want to assess your needs, then choose the most appropriate one. Do you want soft or hard construction? Will you need dividers or will customizable foam be a better choice? These are the sorts of issues you’ll want to think about.

Since these cases are primarily used when you’re traveling, we have a couple of suggestions to help you get through the airport quickly. The security screeners have a tough job and they will naturally key in on photo and electronic gear. Having your equipment situated so that it’s easy to remove for inspection will help you get through the process quickly. Also, when it comes to traveling with film, most films with an ISO of less than 800 will be fine in the carry-on x-ray machine. If you put the film in your checked bags, though, it will likely be fogged by the very powerful x-ray machines used to screen checked luggage.
There’s a whole range of rolling cases available from different manufacturers. Here are some examples of a few models.

Soft Rolling Cases
Lowepro’s Pro Roller 2 has a fully adjustable interior designed to accommodate camera outfits from 35mm up to large format. The dividers are fully adjustable via hook-and-loop-type fasteners. The Pro Roller 2 measures 161/2x11x251/4-inches, and it includes a nifty tripod holder so you can tame that other piece of awkward gear as you travel. Tough bumpers protect the bag from stairs and curbs and the odd kick by people who don’t look where they walk. Lowepro also incorporated an exterior bungee system that’s very convenient for holding loose accessories. Estimated Street Price: $280.

The Model 652 Rolling Strong Box from Tamrac has plenty of space for your cameras and lenses. Measuring 233/4x14x9-inches, it can carry a variety of formats and plenty of accessories. The interior compartment has dividers that are fully adjustable, which attach via hook-and-loop-type attachments. There are slots that allow you to connect elements of the Tamrac MAS (Modular Accessory System) to the Rolling Strong Box. That’s particularly handy if you have other Tamrac MAS cases. See-through interior pockets make it easy to locate filters and cleaning cloths. Estimated Street Price: $275.

The Tenba ACW Air Max features a telescoping handle with a posi-lock button release to keep the handle up when you want it up and concealed when you want it concealed. The wheels are three inches in diameter and have ball bearings sealed in a metal housing. There’s a metal plate that serves to keep the bag balanced on all kinds of surfaces, plus skid plates on the corners and edges to protect the ACW Air Max in the event you have to deal with stairs or curbs. Inside, dividers are fully adjustable with hook-and-loop-type fasteners so you can quickly and easily customize the fit for your gear. Estimated Street Price: $415.

Hard Rolling Cases
The Pelican 1650 case is big and durable. It won’t fit on an airplane as a carry-on, but that’s okay—there’s nothing a baggage handler can do to this case to damage it when you check it. The interior has a pick-and-pluck foam system that allows you to completely customize the space. If pick-and-pluck isn’t your thing, you can get the 1650 with fully adjustable dividers as well. The case is also completely watertight—you could probably use it as a life raft in a pinch. A telescoping handle and inline skate wheels facilitate easy transport. The 1650 measures 321/2x201/2x115/16-inches. Estimated Street Price: $230.

The PorterCase II is a unique rolling case. It’s telescoping handle extends from the case, then the case itself folds down, converting the entire unit into a fully functional dolly. You can pile all of your luggage on it and off you go. The case adheres to airline carry-on requirements. Measuring 22x14x8-inches, it weighs 13 pounds and can handle up to 200 pounds of luggage in its dolly form. The case itself is constructed of durable hard materials, which will protect your gear. Estimated Street Price: $275.

Storm is a relative newcomer in the case lineup. The iM2500 is one of four in its arsenal that has wheels and a telescoping handle. The exterior measures 213/4x14x9-inches. Storm’s cases are very solid and will endure the worst abuse you can throw at them. While questionable as carry-on luggage (Storm claims it will fit in the airlines’ overhead compartments, but our experience has been that airline employees frequently see a hard case and send it to the hold), the iM2500 case can be checked with confidence that the gear inside will arrive safe and sound. The inside of the case has precut foam that lets you create a completely custom inside layout. Estimated Street Price: $210.