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Archive 2014 · Talk me out of or into buying the TT Airport Security

  
 
VothPhoto
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Talk me out of or into buying the TT Airport Security


Currently using a lowpro backpack (hate it, too small, too cheap) and a Domke F2 (love it, but can only carry a limited amount of gear).

I understand that the ThinkTank Airport Security is highly rated among photogs, but what about wedding photogs? I'm hesitant about the carry-on style and it being difficult to move with, but I've never had a bag like this so I'm not sure. I do like the idea of a "mothership" bag, but would like to hear from others regarding the practically in the field.

Edited on Jul 21, 2014 at 01:21 PM · View previous versions



Jul 21, 2014 at 12:50 PM
g-money
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Talk me out of or into buying the TT Airport Security


I had been looking at them and procrastinated long enough I ran across a great deal on barely used one. Been hauling it around for a year or so now. One of the best investments I have ever made.


Jul 21, 2014 at 01:02 PM
Nikon_14
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Talk me out of or into buying the TT Airport Security


No way I'll talk you out of it. I have nothing but great things to say about my TT International.

Well, actually, there is ONE minor thing... my Pelican 1510 is more "indestructible", having a hard outer case. I sometimes use it as a stepladder- could never do that with the TT.

But the Pelican doesn't protect stuff as well inside. Yes, you can buy foam from which you cut out areas for your gear, but other users have written that the foam loses its protectiveness after 1-2 years. And while the hard outer case is less likely to get moist than TT's soft outer layer, every TT product I've used has a rain cover with it.

Well, another counter-point... the TT comes w/ a built-in metal (steel?) cable to keep opportunistic thieves from walking off with it. But the Pelican, with its thick (1 or 1.5"?) plastic handles, might pose a bit more of a challenge to break.

Maybe that's why I have both.



Jul 21, 2014 at 01:04 PM
rondphoto
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Talk me out of or into buying the TT Airport Security


It's all I use. I have the TT Airport International. It went to Italy with me for a wedding there this year and travels with me domestically for weddings too.

I only use that bag...no shoulder bag either.

I also like to keep it simple...so I just use 1 body and 1 lens, usually an 85mm when I shoot. Sure, there's more bodies and lenses in the bag, but I just leave them in there while I'm shooting. It's definitely a different way of working....but I like it. I'm also that photographer that uses 2 D4 bodies at the same time with no camera straps. YMMV



Jul 21, 2014 at 01:14 PM
rondphoto
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Talk me out of or into buying the TT Airport Security


I also have an Airport Airstream. That was my first TT bag, and is now my lighting bag. I love that Airport series.



Jul 21, 2014 at 01:14 PM
canerino
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Talk me out of or into buying the TT Airport Security


the TT airport international has been the single best piece of gear i've purchased.


Jul 21, 2014 at 01:16 PM
swoop
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Talk me out of or into buying the TT Airport Security


I thought about getting one awhile back. Instead I went with a Pelican case. Some reasons I didn't get it

1) Cloth. The bag is made of cloth. It may resist water but it will get wet and it will get dirty. A pelican case is hard plastic and can literally be hosed down and wiped clean.

2) It looks like luggage. I really wanted a case that seemed more professional and the Pelican does. Like when a client sees it I want them to think "Wow, he brought some gear with him." not "Why did he bring a change of clothes?" It's perception, if you're traveling the luggage thing may be better.

3) Size and layout. The TT Airport is laid out to hold cameras and lenses. I needed a bag I could haul my lighting in and the Pelican seemed better for the job. When I played with them both in store I couldn't get the Think Tank to the layout I wanted.

Bonus. When I need to, I can use my pelican case as a stool to sit for awhile. I'm not sure if the ThinkTank let's you do that.



Jul 21, 2014 at 01:18 PM
joosay
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Talk me out of or into buying the TT Airport Security


The TT airport international bag lives up to the hype. One of my best investments. I have had it for two years so far and still running strong. If the bag was ever lost/stolen, I'd get another to replace.


Jul 21, 2014 at 01:21 PM
VothPhoto
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Talk me out of or into buying the TT Airport Security


swoop wrote:
I thought about getting one awhile back. Instead I went with a Pelican case. Some reasons I didn't get it


What model did you end up going with?



Jul 21, 2014 at 01:27 PM
VothPhoto
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Talk me out of or into buying the TT Airport Security


Any reason for going with the International over the Security?


Jul 21, 2014 at 01:27 PM
SloPhoto
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Talk me out of or into buying the TT Airport Security


cant help. I thought the roller would be stupid but it is one of the best purchases i have made.


(and FWIW I use pelicans regularly and love them... Still prefer the TT for a primary bag. Lighting might be a different story)



Jul 21, 2014 at 01:41 PM
Ziffl3
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Talk me out of or into buying the TT Airport Security


Just picked up a TT airport security. I went with the big one.
I out grew my pelican executive of 6 years this last year.

I have had it a for a month. No issues. I like the idea of a cable to lock up if I need it.

Between international vs security: Size. I wanted the size to handle the Cheetah CL-180 flashes.
I still have to take the bulbs out. but I can get everything in.

I still run with a shoulder bag too.

So all total: 3 bags: My TT, the shoulder bag and a bag for my light stands.
Outside of flashes/battery packs - the TT is for back up equipment.



Jul 21, 2014 at 01:45 PM
MRomine
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Talk me out of or into buying the TT Airport Security


Just a different voice in the woods.

I had a roller case once and it held a ton of gear, subsequently when it was full it weighed a ton. It was a beast just too big to mess with and I hated the massive top lid. So I got two medium sized shoulder bags one for me and one for my assistant. The foot print of these is much smaller than the TT or the roller cart that I had. They were $49 each from Calumet. Each bag caries one body, three lenses and a flash and bottle of water. Then I have a third bag of the same size that has backup gear in it but it never leaves the trunk of the car unless there is an emergency. Then I have two lens bags one for each of us. Each shoulder bag serves as the 'mother ship' for each of us and that is generally sitting in the back pew at church weddings and we work directly out of the lens bag which are extremely fast for changing lenses and not much weight.

Then at the beginning of this year I added this for all of my lighting gear and it generally only comes out at the reception: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/894330-REG/ruggard_psb_665b_commando_pro_65_dslr.html It has five full sized speed lights, a Lowel ID light and battery, 3 radio triggers and one Odin TCU, a speed ring for a soft box, a 3x4 LP Micro LED light, three speed light light stand adapters and bunches of batteries.

When we travel by plane we each just take one shoulder bag and it fits in overhead easily. So I have four shoulder bags total that cost roughly $230-240.00.



Jul 21, 2014 at 01:47 PM
Nikon_14
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Talk me out of or into buying the TT Airport Security


SloPhoto wroteI thought the roller would be stupid

Do keep the backpack because rollers don't help much going up stairs.

Which brings to mind one other point about the TT- I think they had a 4-wheeled version. If so, it might be worth considering. One small drawback to the TT Intl. is that it tips more easily than the Pelican when going around corners in a hurry.



Jul 21, 2014 at 01:49 PM
Chris Cooke
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Talk me out of or into buying the TT Airport Security


I have had my airport security for over 5 years now and its just getting to the point and I thinking about getting a replacement. Its super rugged (its been all over the country with me) and holds all of my gear with room to spare. Plus having the built in cable locks and zipper locks give me a lot of piece of mind when I have to leave it unattended. Its always attached my car with the cable locks when I am out shooting. I absolutely love the bag and when it does eventually die, I will be replacing it with the exact same model. Its that good!


Jul 21, 2014 at 02:24 PM
amonline
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Talk me out of or into buying the TT Airport Security


Pelican is a far better choice. I've owned both.


Jul 21, 2014 at 02:25 PM
JakeB17
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Talk me out of or into buying the TT Airport Security


I have to disagree with the sentiment about buying a pelican just to look professional. I carry so much expensive gear I'd rather my bag be low key and not attract attention, especially while traveling.

Let you work speak for itself, and don't worry about what your bag says about you. Pelicans are great, and I use them all the time, but they scream, "valuable gear inside, come steal me!" They certainly have a time and place, but you need to pay attention to when that is.

Also, for what it's worth, when I last made the comparison between all of the large wheeled bags I found the Think Tanks to have the least protection for the shell of the bag. I guess it saves weight, but they seemed to offer very minimal protection compared to the similar series of Lowepro rollers. I ended up going with a Lowepro x300 a while back because of that despite being dead set on a TT airport security early on.

On the other hand the larger TT logistics manager seemed a bit more secure, but it's kind of massive. Definitely not a carry on.



Jul 21, 2014 at 02:47 PM
tonyhart
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Talk me out of or into buying the TT Airport Security


I have a TT Airport International V2 and it's lasted me my entire 6yr career. It is a ridiculously good bag that is so far beyond any other camera bag I've ever used it's hilarious. The only bag that I own which is half as good is the TT Retrospective 5. Think Tank make truly fantastic products.


Jul 21, 2014 at 02:50 PM
mpwolfson
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Talk me out of or into buying the TT Airport Security


The TT International is a bit smaller, more likely to be allowed on international flights which are much more restrictive on bag size and weight.
I have both the TT International and the TT Airport Security bags. In fact, I have just finished packing the Airport Security for a trip to Newfoundland. It holds a 600VR, D4, D800, D7100, 80-400G, SB-910 flash and various incedentals in the lid zippered pockets. I hope I can pick it up to place in the overhead!
I will put a 24-120 and 70-200 2.8VRII lenses in the TT Urban Disguise 60 bag. This also carries all positively-can't-lose stuff ( meds, travel papers, etc). When walking thru airports, the Urban Dusguise has a flap in the back that locks it onto the extended handle rails of the roller Security. Easy breezy.
The TT International is the bag I use most, as most of my trips are to Africa or Asia or the Antarctic, or somewhere like that. It has been around the world a dozen times. And is still going strong.
I took the trouble to write all this because, after a bunch of trips, it seemed like the handle extension rails on the TT International were getting loose. I called Think Tank, and told them about this. Aside from sounding like that was impossible ( not impolite, just sounded like they never heard of that happening before) they without fuss immediately sent me a replacement set of rails. As it turns out, I was wrong. The rails were not coming loose, that's the way they are designed. The new rails were just as "loose" as the ones I replaced. But, when I compared them to the rails on the TT Airport Security ( which is a much beefier case ) they seemed looser. I have taken that TT International on many long trips since then, heavily overloaded, and it has never missed a beat. I wish every company I bought from was as customer friendly as Think Tank. Exceptional service!
Anyway, if you get a Think Tank bag, it will do what it is designed to do. You just have to choose the right bag for your purpose. If you are going international, get the TT International bag.



Jul 21, 2014 at 03:25 PM
rondphoto
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Talk me out of or into buying the TT Airport Security


I shoot high end weddings. Never once as any of my Think Tank bags come across as unprofessional or not polished. If anything...I feel that carrying too much crap or a really big case can make one look disheveled or seem intimidating.

I've also never been in a position where my bag could get wet....but if it did, Think Tank supplies rain covers for their bags. They're usually included with all the inserts and whatnot in the bag.



Jul 21, 2014 at 03:26 PM
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