In the pre-9/11 pre-digital photography days, I could carry my photography equipment in a Lowepro shoulder bag that fit under the seat in front of me. I’d sling it over a carry-on sized roll aboard packed with clothing and I was good to go.
Not any more.
Today, I could find myself forced to check all baggage without warning due to a terrorist threat. No way would I put thousands of dollars worth of camera equipment in a canvas bag through checked baggage. Nor can my kit fit into a shoulder bag any longer, thanks mainly to the power cords, electronic adapters, battery chargers, cables, back-up hard drives and laptop computer, and the various other accessories digital photography requires.
Enter the Pelican 1510, a hard-sided, fully padded, waterproof case that could (and has) survived checked baggage when security personnel leave me no other choice. In addition, when push comes to shove, I can even fit my laptop (snuggly protected in its Built cargo sleeve) in the Pelican for extra protection. It’s the perfect travel solution for transporting and protecting my equipment when flying commercially.
And, so that the case doesn’t catch the eye of an unscrupulous baggage attendant who might recognize it as something valuable, I shove it into an ordinary looking large Eagle Creek duffle bag I carry for just such an occasion (or overflow shopping) and hope its mistaken for the luggage of any shoestring traveler.
Happy trails,
Ellen
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".