One of the biggest challenges of traveling with camera gear is getting it to your destination safely.
Last summer, I was hire to do photography and video for “Blue Sky Sage.” They offer weeklong horseback riding adventures in Wyoming’s wind river country, a three hour drive east from Jackson Hole.
The remote nature of the location meant that I needed to bring everything with me. There was no camera store or even a big box store to get supplies from once I got on site.
Traveling with still photography gear is easy compared to traveling with video gear. In addition to the usual cameras and lenses, I also needed to bring several tripods, a monopod, lens filters, viewfinder, a bag to keep my camera in while riding, and sound recording gear.
On previous videography trips, I had used a hard plastic case to transport my gear. I had a couple of problems with that case. First of all, apparently the case I chose is most often used for transporting firearms. This made for a lot of questioning when I checked the bag, and I had to sign for it at baggage claim.
Secondly, it didn’t roll well and was unstable over anything but a smooth surface. The nature of my work around horses means I am rarely on a smooth surface!
A few months before my trip to Wyoming, I started looking around for a better case. I was on the Photoflex site and saw the TransPac™ Single Kit Case. I wondered if it might be the right size and sturdiness to fit my needs.
I measured my gear and indeed, it would fit! Then I contacted Photoflex to make sure the case would hold up to the rigors of air travel and I was assured it would.
The case arrived and was very impressed with the quality of the construction and how customizable the interior is with the velcro dividers. I was excited that I would be able to fit even more in this bag than the case I was using before.
When the time came for my trip, I packed my gear into it and there was still room! I filled every nook and cranny with personal items, zipped it up and headed for the airport.
It rolled like a dream through the airport, was checked as a normal extra bag with no questions asked and survived the flight with barely a scuff. All of my gear arrived safe and sound and I was on my way. I spent my first day in camp filming interviews and some B-Roll before the guests for the week arrived. Things were going great!
Unfortunately, this is where my story comes to an abrupt end. I received an email that my dad was being taken into emergency quintuple heart bypass surgery and may not survive.
My wonderful client Bobbi took me to the airport so I could fly to be with my parents and she shipped the entire case to my home via Fedex.
The best news is that my dad survived and so did all of my gear! I plan to return this summer, with my Transpac once again loaded with gear, to finish what I started.
