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May, 2025

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Flying with camera gear?

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Sklar
Posts: 8865 - Karma: 31,618
When I'm traveling I usually carry on all my gear and put my tripod in my checked bag, I haven't flown with my glidecam.

I'd like to bring my glidecam back to school with me from home, when I go back to school after thanksgiving, but I'm not checking a bag.

Does anyone have experiences with carrying on tripods/glidecams? How'd it go? I'd just have it strapped to my backpack.
13 years ago
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Mkvackay
Posts: 1903 - Karma: 5,453
i 've flown through chicago/denver/vancouvers airport with my glidecam strapped on the back of my camera bag and my tripod checked with all the rest of my shit.

they've pulled me aside twice and checked my glidecam for explosives and poisonous substances (partly because i gorilla glued the fuck out of the quick release plate)

you should be fine!
13 years ago
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WillStart
Posts: 3955 - Karma: 3,192
I bring my tripod on all the time, never had any issues.
13 years ago
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heath
Posts: 475 - Karma: 13
I usually have my ski bag when I travel with camera gear, so I toss my glidecam and tripod in that. I know that Kevin steen had to leave his tripod in sweden when he came back from joss because they wouldn't let him carry it on, only time ive ever heard of that being a problem.
13 years ago
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TijmenDal
Posts: 4849 - Karma: 1,296
I'm interested in this as well. Mostly with checking baggage. I'm thinking about picking up a pelican case (1560) and it's just above carry-on size, though I have heard of people being able to carry it on. I wouldn't mind checking it, but am a little afraid something might get broken. Anyone experience with checking camera gear?
13 years ago
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Mkvackay
Posts: 1903 - Karma: 5,453
tsa told me my camera bag+glidecam was not carry on size but i carried it on no problem

if i remember correctly dan carr checked part of his camera gear overseas once and they lost some of it, so in my opinion i would not check anything unless its a tripod
13 years ago
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[J_Gasper]
Posts: 2983 - Karma: 1,594
If I bring my Tripod/Glidecam, then I will put that in the suitcase wrapped up with my clothes. The camera, lenses, and everything else goes in my Dakine sequence photo pack, which I carry on.
13 years ago
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Juicy-J
Posts: 1903 - Karma: 1,785
yeah youll be fine
13 years ago
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S.C
Posts: 3071 - Karma: 2,523
I've travelled all over, domestic and international, with my tripod. I assume the policies would be similar with a glidecam. Never had a problem.
13 years ago
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[J_Gasper]
Posts: 2983 - Karma: 1,594
haha I worded that poorly. What i meant to say is when I do bring my tripod and glidecam, I put it in my suitcase, while everything else carry on. I didnt mean it as a question. my b.
13 years ago
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Juicy-J
Posts: 1903 - Karma: 1,785
haha either way, I cant imagine that you will have a problem
13 years ago
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Sklar
Posts: 8865 - Karma: 31,618
I should probably check light stands though, yea?
13 years ago
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1337
Posts: 31078 - Karma: 29,667
Bump, trying to bring some stuff on a flight with me tomorrow (photo tripod, Medium Format body and film, digital body and 50)

Anyone know if shoving my tripod in with my clothes is alright, as I have a small bag and larger bag already? And will they hassle me if I have to put a lens in there too?
12 years ago
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Mkvackay
Posts: 1903 - Karma: 5,453
you're talking about checking that luggage right? and i have done that many times, no issues
12 years ago
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1337
Posts: 31078 - Karma: 29,667
no carry on so I DONT have to check
12 years ago
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steezysteeze
Posts: 1739 - Karma: 1,012
If you're checking your back they don't give a damn what's in there as long as it's not lethal. And with your carry-on, as long as you can squish all your shit in a backpack they don't care at all.
12 years ago
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1337
Posts: 31078 - Karma: 29,667
how tight are they on laptop backpack sizes as my "personal" item? I dont have any pack that's the exact size...
12 years ago
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zahava
Posts: 7791 - Karma: 12,039
Jamie, I flew today with my tripod and light stands in a little sling tripod bag. That and my loka and I had all my gear. I still think you'll be fine if you strap the legs to the side, put the head inside your bag....
12 years ago
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jkauffman22
Posts: 2592 - Karma: 1,150
I flew a while back with my dakine mission pro super packed with all my stuff and a XL saga jacket and I was totally fine
12 years ago
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Mkvackay
Posts: 1903 - Karma: 5,453
well i guess that depends on the size then, i for sure couldn't carry on my tripod, that would only fit in my snowboard bag. if it fits in a small enough suitcase to go in the compartments over head then you're fine, they don't care whats in them as long as it doesn't pose a threat
12 years ago
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steezysteeze
Posts: 1739 - Karma: 1,012
I used the Dakine Tanner Hall pro model backpack (decently large) just filled with shit when I flew overseas to visit family in Hungary. I mean this bag was FILLED: laptop, t2i body, 4 lenses (3 of which were vintage and very heavy metal) a mini telescopic tripod I picked up in the Frankfurt airport among many other things. This bag weighed like 40 pounds. The only trouble I had was clearing customs at Frankfurt before boarding my flight to Budapest, they took me aside and looked at my lenses. Not sure why, but it only took about 45 seconds anyways.
12 years ago
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123+ski
Posts: 2832 - Karma: 581
I just bought an icu for my main lenses, mic and body, and dropped that in a backpack with my laptop. Tore my labrum right before, and because most of the places I will be travelling don't allow tripods (in Germany for the semester), I chose not to bring one. Same thing with the glidecam, as much as I like it, it would be difficult for me to use it, and even pack it. I think I will pick up a gorillapod though, because I did bring my ballhead and i think I would find it useful for a little.

As far as bags, it can vary by airline. Some are strict, some not. I just flew lufthansa, and i had a very big backpack, but it was fine (I think it was outside of the dimensions). on other airlines I have brought an average to medium large school backpack (burton, fits 15" mbp, piar of shoes in the bottom, and then textbooks or other random junk) and a decent sized rolling suitcase, and I was fine. Most do have specific guidelines, and I'm sure there are some travel forums where they discuss which airlines are the most lenient etc.
12 years ago
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1337
Posts: 31078 - Karma: 29,667
Well i have my tripod in a roller carry on with my clothes, and a backpack (oversized if it isnt scrunched) with a digi body + 50 and Bronica with 2 lenses, and then my laptop and stuff. On the bus now so lets hope it goes well
12 years ago
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1337
Posts: 31078 - Karma: 29,667
Through TSA with no issues, didnt even search my tripod, just handed them the film camera and film and they hand checked it out of the xray. swag
12 years ago
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zahava
Posts: 7791 - Karma: 12,039
They are supper lax about film, pretty obvious it's not explosives...
12 years ago
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Laurent.
Posts: 10056 - Karma: 25,311
Nitrate based film is crazy flammable do.

But I doubt anyone has that.
12 years ago
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123+ski
Posts: 2832 - Karma: 581
I got stopped once, back when I had a fisheye for my sony superzoom. guy was actually pretty nice, asked if I could take it out when I said it was camera stuff because he didn't want to damage it
12 years ago
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jkauffman22
Posts: 2592 - Karma: 1,150
Has anyone ever tried attaching their tripod on the outside of their pack? This Thursday I'm going back to Montana for the weekend and really need to bring one of my tripods. It can't fit in my smaller carryon suitcase because my boots and hardrive etc need to go in it. I have an 055xdb with 501 head and am wondering if anyone else has gotten through or had any issues with it strapped onto the side. Maybe I can just keep it attached and once I ditch my other carryon I can detach it and put it in an overhead bin? Also, I have the dakine poacher pack
12 years ago
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123+ski
Posts: 2832 - Karma: 581
If it has spiked feet, likely a no go unless you can cover them very well. I could fit mine inside my roller carry on (clothes) the one time I brought one on a plane (it had spikes with retractable threaded rubber covers). Take the head off, because those make it look much bulkier, maybe see if you can jam it in to your pack or something, and you should be able to fit the legs going right up the side, or at least that it what it would appear from google images. I just flew to germany with a pretty big pack (similar if not bigger), and I had my helmet clipped on. It was way over the size limit, but no one seemed to really care. You should be fine tho, tsa will only stop you if it violates the actual safety guidelines, or if it is blatantly way too big, but you could always say you are gate checking it. My parents do this when they bring hiking poles, sometimes they can get on, sometimes they have to gate check them, but it has always worked out fine
12 years ago
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