Rolling Camera Bag and Case Round-Up — 2009-2010

Rolling Camera Bag and Case Round-Up — 2009-2010 — Medium Size/Carry-On Review

It's the second largest rolling bag in this lineup, and when fully loaded can easily hold enough gear to blow away the internationally common 22 lb (9.9 Kg) per-bag carry-on weight limit. At 9" (22.5 cm) deep when unloaded, you can bulge this bag just past the point where it will fit into a TSA or international luggage size measuring frame, so be careful not to overload for that reason as well. We had a number of overhead bin problems on a number of short haul jets, commuter turboprops, and small regional jets. The bag may fall within the carry-on size regulations, but the reality is that at 20.5" (51 cm) in length, it hogs a lot of space even in the larger bins found on medium and long haul jets. Forget about under-seat storage because (again, at 20.5"/51 cm) it sticks out, forcing you to place your feet widely on either side, or tuck them in front which is uncomfortable for any flight longer than two hours. Deja vu - it's just slightly smaller than the Lowepro Computrekker Plus AW. As with the Lowepro, we were forced to stow the Speedroller 1 in the luggage hold of every commuter and small regional jet we flew. When the bag had to go into the small or main luggage holds, it did as well as the Lowepro and protected all of our gear. The wheels are mounted in the same way as the wheels on the Tenba Roadie Small, which means they're just as subject to entanglement with paper and detritus. The extension handle is very resistant to twisting and damage from lifting, so we have to rate the handle the best of the bunch. Tamrac should consider revising this design by reducing its depth to 8" and it's height to 18" (in our opinion the maximum depth and height for a sure fit everywhere). The Tamrac Speedroller 1 held up well although the outer material tends to show abrasion marks quite quickly. Despite wear marks, expect to use this one for many, many years. Recommended only for long haul aircraft.

Tenba Roadie Small

It's the smallest bag in this lineup, which makes it hard to overload it beyond the internationally common 22 lb (9.9 Kg) per-bag carry-on weight limit. Easily fits in overhead bins in all aircraft except for some small commuter turboprops (e.g., the Dash 8, some of which don't actually have overhead bins of any kind). Some of the smaller short-hop and regional jets (Dash 16 and larger), also don't have overhead bins in some configurations and/or have seating configurations which don't have under-seat storage in some rows (so the bag has to go into the luggage hold). When the bag had to go into the small luggage holds, it did perfectly well and protected all of our gear. No problems of any kind for overhead bin or under-seat storage on any full size regional or long haul jets. The bag, in our opinion, looks a bit cheap (because of the contrasting trim color), but is in fact very well made using top grade materials and hardware and will likely outlive all of us. The wheels are partly recessed, which means that it's possible for paper and other detritus to get tangled in there and momentarily jam things up. It's easy enough to clear out, but we prefer wheels mounted in a corner detente. The interior of the bag is well designed, with a tough main compartment liner that can be completely removed to turn the Roadie into a standard piece of rolling luggage. This bag has a longer-than-normal extension handle that does not tolerate any unusual twisting, and which will definitely not hold up to being used to lift a fully loaded bag. That aside, the Tenba Roadie Small is a very good performer that should stand up to lots of abuse and protect your gear while doing so. Expect many years of use, but don't abuse the handle. Recommended.

Think Tank Airport AirStream

A little more than 10% larger than the Tenba Roadie Small, in our view the Think Tank AirStream is the best bag in this lineup and may also be the best medium carry-on roller available today. It's just large enough to hold notably more than the internationally common 22 lb (9.9 Kg) per-bag carry-on weight limit, so be careful when packing and weigh the packed bag at home. It's a snug fit in some smaller overhead bins found in some older and/or medium/short haul aircraft (e.g., 737, smaller A320, etc.), and won't fit into the emaciated bins in some small commuter turboprops (some of which don't actually have overhead bins of any kind). Some of the smaller short-hop and regional jets (Dash 16 and larger), also don't have overhead bins in some configurations and/or have seating configurations which don't have under-seat storage in some rows (so the bag has to go into the luggage hold). When the bag had to go into the small luggage holds, it did perfectly well and protected all of our gear. No problems of any kind for overhead bin or under-seat storage on any full size regional or long haul jets. The well designed main compartment liner can be removed and the bag converted for use as a large item carrier or for use as a standard piece of rolling luggage. Good wheels tucked into corner recesses means paper and other detritus will rarely get tangled. The extension handle tolerates a fair amount of twisting, but won't hold up to being used to repeatedly lift a fully loaded bag. The AirStream has an integrated set of tough, combination locking cables - 1 for securing the bag to another object, 1 for securing a laptop to the bag. Both cables/locks work well and are very hard to cut or otherwise break. The only bag in this lineup with integrated theft prevention hardware. The Think Tank Airport AirStream is among the toughest bags we've ever tested, and holds up to almost any sort of rough treatment during the most difficult trips. Highly recommended.

They're all usable. They're all tough. All of them will last through years of continuous use, or through decades of occasional use.

Always check with your airline (or airlines, depending on the number of carriers you'll be using on any particular trip) to ensure you're not exceeding any of their per-bag carry-on size or weight limits. Buy a travel scale and check your bag weights before leaving home! Check airline web sites just before you actually pack, because things such as alerts and emergencies can change the rules when you least expect it. All of these bags qualify as a carry-on luggage, so you'll still be left with the option with most airlines and airports to carry on an additional personal article bag. We don't know of any airline or airport which currently allows more than one carry-on luggage bag plus one carry-on personal article (total of two bags). Our reviews were all based on detailed report sheets provided to us by photography travelers to whom we gave these bags for use and testing. I personally tested the Think Tank AirStream. We based our conclusions on a minimum of three traveler reports for each bag, plus our own analysis based on general travel experience with a wide range of bags. The product rating below reflects our overall impression of these good rolling bags. Happy trails and happy photography!