Carry on bag

[Gerhard Delport]

With the trip to Vanuatu getting closer its time to start planning what goes where.

With the weight limitations for check in luggage the carry on bag becomes more and more important.

Emirates will allow a carry on back and loptop bag as carry on luggage but Vanuatu air only allows one carry on bag.

This means a bag to carry your reels (spools in check in), laptop to down load each day's photos and video, dslr camera and lens, back up travel camera and GoPro action camera.

I bet there will be some clothing squeezed in there as well.

I am starting to look more and more at a high quality DSLR pack packs in the Lowepro or MindShoft range because of the internal compartments you can adjust for a camera, reels and other odds and ends.

What do you use for your carry on bag and what work for you and what not?

[Martin Gundersen]

I use Shout Jigger III and plastic case (about 30x20x16cm) for my DSLR. Never had a problem (but never used Vanuatu Air)

[Saltywater Tackle]

Hi Gerhard,

I use the Pelican case 1510 for my camera and lenses, it is well build and protect your camera from the environment.
I get away with it at all times as it fits the size requirement for all airlines, take a look at it and ship your reels with the spools in your luggage,
with all the traveling and the fishing that I do i never missed anything from my luggage and I don't lock my luggage,
It might not be suitable to you or to what you're looking for but it is worth to take a look at it, the following is a link to the case:
http://www.foamerica.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=1510&gclid=CNCJttvmu8ACFQwV7AodAUgAwg
Good luck!

  Tight lines
    Sami

[Gerhard Delport]

Thanks for the info Sami,

I am not going to fly my reels in the check in luggage as my bag is a soft duffle.

The risk of damage to the reels are just to great.

I am working in Saudi and fly regularly between Dammam and Johannesburg with my fishing tackle.

Qatar and Etihad has no issue with the laptop bag and another carry on luggage bag.

I have sent Air Vanuatu an email regarding a laptop bag and a second bag.

If they allow the 2nd bag I will fly pack as I do currently.

But bussiness/work and a dedicated fishing trip has a bit different packing priorities...

Hope to hear how the rest of the guys here travel.

[Arnout Weber]

Hello Sami,

How many lenses and camera,s do you take with you?
Just looked at the pictures of the box!!!

Just windering how much tackle and equipment other people take with them
With a trip.

Best regards,

Arnout

[Dave Huck]

Hi Gerhard,

I've not been to Vanuatu (and I think the hand luggage dimensions might be a little tighter by a few cms length, compared to Europe/Africa) but I do a lot of flying for work and frequently have to find new ways of jumping through new sets of hoops created by the airlines and those wonderful people tasked with ensuring our safety.....

I honestly think you're going to struggle to get all the kit you describe into a carry on bag that meets weight and dimensions rules, particularly if you're carrying multiple lenses for the slr.

The way I've gotten around this in the past is to wear a combat jacket with huge bellows pockets. It's always nice to close out a "your bag is too heavy" argument with; "F#%k you I'll wear it then"..... To date I've only ever had arguments over the weight of my carry on and the number of pieces but that's just down to the person at check-in.

I've been through a ton of carry-on bags for fishing trips. I have yet to find nirvana but my current pack meets my needs pretty well. The Osprey Farpoint 40 is way overengineered for a carry-on pack as it has a full hip belt concealed in the back of the pack. I'd rather have the extra weight/volume and lose the belt but that's pretty much my only major criticism. The main selling point of the Farpoint is that it has an internal frame for rigidity. When I loaded out the competition with a conservative 10kgs they completely folded up, whereas the Farpoint stayed rigid and was much easier to carry. I just added a good shoulder strap from a kata camera bag and I can carry the thing fully loaded with up to 12 kgs with ease.

The competition to the Osprey are the Lowe Carry-on TT (comes in a pack and wheeled variants) and the Arcteryx Covert Case C/O. Both collapse noticeably when heavily loaded, particularly the Arcteryx. If you travel with the case permanently strapped to your back you'll probably be ok, but who does air travel like that...?

As far as camera cases go I can't speak from direct experience. I put my slr and lenses in individual ThinkTank pouches and strap them inside the Farpoint using the internal compression straps.

Going on experience of their other products (and if money were no object), I'd look hard at the ThinkTank Airport Accelerator or Takeoff packs as dedicated camera packs. I'm sure Lowe and Kata do similar. My main problem with a lot of these packs is that the non-frame versions end up relying on the laptop to provide rigidity...

Hope this helps.

Cheers

Dave

[Gerhard Delport]

Dave,

Wow lots of valuble information.

My normal day to day pack is the CamelBak Urban Assault

http://www.camelbak.com/en/Canada/Military-Tactical/Packs/Urban-Assault-XL.aspx

It normally function as my laptop bag but if I am allowed only on cary on bag this will be it.

[Mark Harris]

I don't use an SLR  but have seen how much bulk lens add to fishing luggage. I will leave that to the camera guys to answer.

Every time I travel for fishing I have three bags: a carry on which is always doubles as my deck bag, a holdall for check in and a rod tube.  Currently the carry on/deck bag I use is the hPa Fishbox 27.

In the carry on goes all reel bodies (normally 7-8) plus a book and maybe a few other things for the flight. The holdall has all other tackle in it plus sundry personal items.  Normally take 7 or 8 rods on a trip and they are obviously all in the rod tube which is padded out with screwed up clothing. 

All very simple really. I do appreciate that SLRs do complicate things though.

[Saltywater Tackle]

Hello Sami,

How many lenses and camera,s do you take with you?
Just looked at the pictures of the box!!!

Just windering how much tackle and equipment other people take with them
With a trip.

Best regards,
Arnout

Hi Arnout,
I normally have 2 Cameras, 3 to 4 lenses with 1 flash,
As for the tackle the following is my go most of the times:
6 to 8 poppers ranging from 140g to 230g
7 to 10 stickbait ranging from 120g to 200g
5 to 6 lures from 50g to 85g for a PE5 rod
10 to 15 jigs from 160g to 400g
5 Rods in total, 2 popping 2 jigging and 1 light popping rod
5 reels
3 shorts, 3 breathable fishing shirts, a cap, 2 sunglasses and a sandal (never fish bear footed)
All the above fits in the luggage except the jigs and i don't bother anymore with the TSA and their regulations.
I always wrap the jigs to the lower butt part of the rods and I tape them in order to ship them in the Sportube to gain and distribute weight properly.
My computer and my camera as a carry on as always.
At certain time and places no matter what you do and how organized you are you still have to pay for the access luggage ? unfortunately it is what it is..

 Tight lines
   Sami

[Craig Maree]

Thanks for the list Sami

Could you please list what terminal tackle, spare spools, spare braid and leaders etc you take.

[Arnout Weber]

Hello Sami,

Not so much fishingtackle as i touched you would take with you.
I allways think i have to much and useless tackle with me.

Next trip i will not take more as 5 or 6 rods with me ( do we need PE5 in raivavae?).

Best regards,

Arnout.

[Dave Huck]

Dave,

Wow lots of valuble information.

My normal day to day pack is the CamelBak Urban Assault

http://www.camelbak.com/en/Canada/Military-Tactical/Packs/Urban-Assault-XL.aspx

It normally function as my laptop bag but if I am allowed only on cary on bag this will be it.

Hi Gerhard,

Sorry if I went a bit luggage anorak there..... Some years I commute between UK and Europe nearly every week (with just a carry on), then head off to Africa for a bit of fishing and relaxation only to end up in a stupid argument with some jobsworth who wants to get in a pi$$ing match over my hand luggage being too heavy.

SLR lenses really add to the weight/bulk of my carry-on kit. I'm seriously considering researching a smaller camera for fishing trips but I know I'd miss the weather-shielding and burst rate of my 7D.

That Camelbak is a nice pack but it looks as though it busts every dimension limit for hand luggage on Vanuatu Air. The good thing about the dedicated carry-on bags I mentioned is that they are essentially one main compartment that will take a ton of stuff in a smaller dimension overall (the Osprey holds 3 litres more than the Camelbak but has a smaller profile, on paper at least).

It all boils down to the person on check-in duty when you rock up; If they're in a good mood and you don't show the strain when they ask you to show them your carry-on.....    . I just had one too many fights when I was flying to West Africa so I invested in a smock with huge pockets (I refuse to admit defeat to a bunch of retired trolley dollys).

If you're in Saudi and need a hand with sourcing any kit feel free to drop me a line, always glad to assist.

Sami, I wish I could learn the self restraint to limit myself to so few lures!

Cheers

Dave

[Gerhard Delport]

Thanks again Dave,

The info is valuable.

My time is a bit limited now as I am flying home (Pretoria) from Saudi on the 9th of September and then out to Vanuatu on the 12th of September so thanks for the offer on sourcing.

[Saltywater Tackle]

Dave,

Sami, I wish I could learn the self restraint to limit myself to so few lures!

Cheers
Dave

Dave, It is always a hard task to limit yourself, but think about it by the end of the day you will end up using 2 to 3 poppers and couple of stickbait and you ask yourself why did I pack all this tackle and i barely used any of them

Hello Sami,
Not so much fishingtackle as i touched you would take with you.
I allways think i have to much and useless tackle with me.
Next trip i will not take more as 5 or 6 rods with me ( do we need PE5 in raivavae?).
Best regards,
Arnout.

Hi Arnout,
I strongly suggest you a PE5 rod for Raivavae,
there is always that period when small lures works and save the day
also you need to consider taking a break from the heavy tackle, casting a PE8-PE10 rod all day will wear you out.

  Tight lines
    Sami

[Saltywater Tackle]

Thanks for the list Sami

Could you please list what terminal tackle, spare spools, spare braid and leaders etc you take.

Dave, Sorry i have no intention to hijack your thread
Hi Graig,
I normally take 2 spare spool, 1 for an 18000 and the other for a 20000,
since I use Hollow on all my popping reels i take a spool of Hollow line in case of a breakage and i can splice it if needed.
variety of Split rings ranging from 100lb to 400lb,
quality Ball Bearing Swivel such as the Owner TSS-54 for casting and the TSS-51 for jigging, all organized in Meiho Versus box
Variety of Shout Kudako hooks,
Shout PR Knot bobbing as i use the PR Knot for jigging and it never failed me through all the years of fishing. 
Fluorocarbon leader for jigging ranging from 80lb to 170lb depend on the terrain and species.
Nylon Shock leader in 80lb, 150lb, 220lb and 300lb
this variety allows me to cover all rods in my possession from PE5 to PE10 but anglers need to adjust to what they have and what they intend to use in terms of rods, also target species and size need to be taking into consideration when packing.

  Tight lines
    Sami