travelling with gear - case needed

[Text_Edifice]

Hi all,

Sometime early next year I'll need to transport a bunch of gear internationally. At present I'm travelling with a laptop / interface 1ru of pre's and a 1ru compressor. I need a better transportation option than my current two and a bit bags of gear and was wondering if anyone knew of a product available in aus / os that was kind of like the small suitcases with wheels and a handle (sorry can't think of a better description) that is designed to carry audio / video gear? Gear's kind of heavy and I don't want to check it in as I'm not 100% confident that it'll be treated carefully.

Any ideas?

Thanks.

[Neurosound]

Something like this from Pelican cases would probably do the trick

Cheers,

John[/url]

[Text_Edifice]

yeah kinda like that BUT I don't want it to LOOK like it's something really heavy. Would be better if it looked like a suitcase or something - worried that I won't be able to take anything that looks too heavy duty on the plane as carry on and I reckon showing up to an international airport with a pelican case might require more unpacking / repacking / "what's this for? oh it's fragile? sorry about that" time than something less assuming.

[Aearth]

You can put all sorts of stuff in a boogie board bag.

nIC

[TimS]

You can put all sorts of stuff in a boogie board bag.

nIC

Sure can - just as Shapelle!!
:o
T..

[Text_Edifice]

might want to avoid bags that are gonna get me cavity searched :shock:

Thanks for the suggestions.

[Text_Edifice]

In case anyone else is interested this or this is the closest solution I've found so far.

These are a little expensive to buy locally (in Lao / Thailand) - if anyone knows of similar products I'd really appreciate a heads up.

Cheers.[/url]

[Luke Garfield]

Hey Text, I can tell you now from personal experience that checking in your gear maybe the only option you have.

I racked up my gear when we moved over to the states and when I got my rack case (which had gone with the fragile items) the polyurethane casing was cracked. It obviously took a fairly serious knock at some point in the journey.

You will get a laptop on the plane easy peesey. And with the amount of gear you sound like you've got you will probably get away with bringing it as carry on. ...but don't count on it.

The crazy thing is the first time I travelled over when I was sussing things out before moving I had my interface wrapped up in some clothes and wedged in the centre of my bag and it was sweet. I was carrying my baby bottle mic in my carry on and got stopped at every security check (3 in total).

Anyway the point of the story ... there is no real point. I guess get the wheely thing and hope that you can board with it..

[Text_Edifice]

Hey Luke,

thanks for the info - the gear has already flown inside a large briefcase as carry on but I want something that will fit all my recording gear while I proffer the rest of my life to the checked luggage gods ;-)

real problem seems to be that the stuff is heavy - how much did you end up paying to have your gear checked in?

[wez]

I was carrying my baby bottle mic in my carry on and got stopped at every security check (3 in total).

condensor mics tend to look exactly like pipe bombs when x-rayed (think about it).

[Text_Edifice]

get some really funny looks when audio gear is scanned but once I explain 'it's for audio' airport dudes were fairly understanding. All those wires and components do look a bit intimidating on an x-ray scanner though...

[jkhuri44]

get some really funny looks when audio gear is scanned but once I explain 'it's for audio' airport dudes were fairly understanding. All those wires and components do look a bit intimidating on an x-ray scanner though...

LOL, we'll see if that train of thought works for middle eastern audio engineers (me being one of them)

"Excuse me sir...what do you think that is?"

"I swear! its a pre and mic!"

"Nice try buddy....Preanemike....is that what they call bombs these days?"

[Text_Edifice]

my passport photo looks like a taliban insurgent - full beard and very serious face. Passing through the thai border last week and the guy on the desk took one look at my passport and burst out laughing... Airport dude at heathrow last year thought it was less humorous and made me take everything apart to make sure I wasn't smuggling bombs in my laptop.

Am reconsidering my 'musician' look as I keep getting searched for drugs / other contraband when travelling - last week spent twenty minutes in a bus station bursting for the toilet while two thai police officers searched every inch of my belongings looking for 'something'...

[Kris]

lol.... try going through with guitar pedals. They look just like timers/detonators on x-ray. Err, not that I would know what those things actually look like. Also, try going to the USA with an e-ticket and no physical ticket..... almost got my ass marched straight back on the plane 'cos the guy didn't believe you could travel without an official issue ticket. Didn't help that it was midnight and I gave him some Aussie sarcasm for his trouble.

*cough*

anyway..... move along. nothing to see here.

[Jason Dirckze]

I travel throughout the USA and the Australia for work, and carry on my soundkit, including mixer, wireless receivers and transmitters, and shotgun mic. Never had any issues thus far. TSA sometimes ask me to pull the mixer out, as it is partially hidden in the bag, so I keep all cables unplugged. I also carry a printed list of all equipment with description, serial numbers, country of manufacture and value. Being prepared like that usually helps...

The number of times that airports/airlines lose baggage, I never risk checking in the important/valuable gear. Everything else is packed tightly in a Pelican case. Never had any damage...

[Text_Edifice]

hi Jason,

thanks for the feedback - do you ever get in trouble with the weight of your carry on?

[Jason Dirckze]

My sound kit only consists of a field mixer and 3 x wireless mics, so the weight is quite low. Less than 10 kg I reckon. The main point though is that most customs/security folk have seen it all before, and even though I look like a suicide bomber with my kit strapped to me, they know it is audio gear. I'm also a Qantas club member, so I get allowances for extra pieces when traveling to the US.

[Text_Edifice]

ok thanks - that's helpful. I think my gear comes in at about 15kg so hopefully should be ok.

Please excuse jokes about airport security - generally they're really good and as you say have seen it all before.

Cheers

[wez]

many airlines have a strict carry on luggage limit of around 8 kgs. but at tullamarine international (for example) they only weigh carry on randomly... one day i went through the big grey doors carrying a very heavy backpack and was fine because there was noone there... but i had to go out again to do something and when i came back they were weighing, so i got pulled up. i was right on the limit but they seemed pretty serious about it.

admittedly it's only happened to me once but officially they do have a limit. 15kgs would be really pushing your luck i think.

[rob]

recieved a flyer from RS components yesterday

it had in it a flight case with internal rack mounting in a 3U and 6U version

front and rear lids are lockable

and...it's rated to IP65, ie totally dust proof and low pressure water proof

cost ??

3U... $1,162, 6U... $1,324

oh...and plus GST

R

[Kris]

Weight considerations for an airline are pretty serious business. Weight needs to be known so they can calculate the correct amount of fuel. Some airlines are less insistant on charging you for it though. Just smile at the check in girl and tell her she looks nice. Usually works.