14 Top Travel Bags and Cases

May 16, 2016

By Greg Scoblete

SKB 1914 Pro DSLR Case
This bag is built to endure the rigors of the road. Often aimed at traveling music photographers, we think it works well for anyone who has some extensive travel in their future. There’s room for up to two gripped camera bodies with adjustable compartments for up to four lenses. Cameras can be placed in the case so that the memory card slot is accessible without removing the body. There’s space for lens hoods, a flash and other critical accessories. The case is waterproof, submersible and airtight—it can take more of a pounding than you can.

Price: $280
www.skbcases.com

Think Tank Airport International V2.0
A carry-on friendly option, Think Tank’s Airport International V2.0 is roomy enough for a pair of gripped DSLRs, up to a 500mm f/4 lens and between three and five additional lenses. There’s a dedicated sleeve for your laptop, a retractable handle and backpack straps if you get tired of wheeling it around. It features a TSA-approved combination zipper lock and has locking cables to keep unwanted hands from groping your gear. The wheels are replaceable and the exterior of the bag boasts a water-repellant coating.

Price: $390
www.thinktankphoto.com

LowePro DroneGuard Backpack 450 AW
The growing popularity of drones has spurred demand for easy transport systems. LowePro’s new DroneGuard Backpack 450 AW lets you tote your flying camera with ease. The DroneGuard Backpack 450 AW can fit a DJI Phantom-sized quadcopter, batteries, propellers, remote and tools. Your drone is nestled safely in LowePro’s CradleFit pouch. The bag can also fit a 10-inch tablet and sports a top pocket for smaller accessories like glasses or headphones. SlipLock attachment loops on the bag’s straps give you real estate to add pouches and cases for extra storage. It has a built-in rain cover to keep your drone safe from nature’s fury.

Price: $250
www.lowepro.com

Manfrotto Advanced Camera Backpack
Manfrotto is helping road warriors pack more efficiently with its new three-in-one camera backpack. It can serve as a camera backpack, a laptop backpack and/or a daypack. It has a back side opening to keep gear protected and is roomy enough to hold a DSLR body and 70-200mm f/2.8 lens (detached). The bag’s interchangeable dividers can be customized to fit your gear precisely to your needs—they can be folded out of the way or pulled out of the bag entirely if you don’t need to tote your gear. There’s a dedicated compartment for a tablet and a fold-out protector that you can install to keep bag contents dry in the rain. Depending on your tripod, you can also fit it inside the bag in its own pouch. The bag should slide easily into the overhead bin.

Price: $160
www.manfrotto.us

Tenba Transport Rolling Tripod/Grip Case
When it’s time to lug the light stands, tripods and bulky modifiers, Tenba’s Transport case has a rigid internal frame that offers some of the durability and protection of a hard case without the added weight. Your gear is protected behind multiple layers of plastic panels, high-density foam and a reinforced ballistic nylon exterior. Tenba says they’re strong enough to stand on, even when they’re empty. The entire line, including the Rolling Tripod/Grip Case, has just been updated to improve the build quality with new interior zippered pockets and a revamped interior lining that’s now gray so all those black camera accessories aren’t camouflaged. The Tripod case comes in two lengths: 38 or 48 inches.

Price: $280 (38-inch)
www.tenba.com

Vanguard XCENIOR 48T
The XCENIOR 48T can hold two pro DSLRs, five to seven lenses, a flash, accessories, a 14-inch laptop and a tripod on the outside. It has anti-shock feet and water-resistant, anti-scratch fabric (plus a rain cover if the skies really open up). It uses Vanguard’s 3 Security Point System with a buckle lock over the external zipper and an internal zip mesh flap. The dividers inside are customizable. With handles on the top, side and bottom, you can quickly pull it out of an overhead bin before the plane passengers behind you start grumbling.

Price: $280
www.vanguardworld.us.com

Tamrac G-Elite
The G-Elite is a roomy camera backpack with a butterfly multi-access system that provides several ways to get at your gear. The butterfly flaps let you open a smaller portion of the bag to grab the camera body/lens you need without exposing the rest of your gear to the elements or curious onlookers. If you need access to the whole enchilada, the bags’ flaps can be released for total accessibility. There’s a M.O.L.L.E. compatible side attachment system that allows for several tripod or monopod configurations as well as the attachment of other accessories via quick-hook side straps. The G-Elite series comes in two sizes. The G26 is large enough for medium format and DSLR camera bodies with lenses and L-brackets attached. It can hold lenses as long as 500mm. The G32 can stow even longer lenses—up to 500mm when attached to a camera body or an 800mm lens unattached. Both are sold in Charcoal and Olive colors.

Prices: $360 (G26); $400 (G32)
www.tamrac.com

Jill-E Designs JACK Rolling Camera Bag
Traveling bags tend to be, well, fashion-challenged. And don’t get us started on hard cases. Jill-E’s Jack stands apart from the pack with its sharp looks. It’s clad in weather-resistant Colombian brown leather and has adjustable dividers internally with room for a 17-inch laptop, up to four DSLR bodies and up to five lenses. There are exterior and interior pouches for accessories. This rolling bag has a telescoping handle, sturdy wheels and should squeeze into an overhead bin, too.

Price: $380
www.jill-e.com

Tekniq Camera Bag
One of the major problems you encounter when traveling with gear is that the bag you need to transport your gear to a location isn’t always the ideal bag for when you’re at the location. TEKNIQ solves this conundrum with a clever three-in-one bag. It starts out as a full-sized backpack that can be separated into a smaller messenger bag and shoulder bag. When fully assembled, the bag can hold a pro DSLR body, a 70-200mm lens plus smaller lenses, a flash, photo accessories and personal items like a sweater. The messenger can hold just about the same amount of camera gear but fewer lenses and no personal items, while the shoulder bag is roomy enough for a DSLR with small lens attached and a second lens. The backpack also has a rain cover and an external holster for a tripod.

Price: $235
www.tekniqphoto.com

Ona Hamilton
This rolling camera bag and duffle is built with heavy-duty 1050D ballistic nylon and features full-grain leather accents and gunmetal solid brass hardware. It will fit most airline carry-on requirements and has space for a 15-inch laptop. There’s a padded removable insert for gear and duffle compartment for your personal items with a TSA-approved combination lock to keep it all safe.

Price: $589
www.ona.com

Fovitec StudioPRO All-in-One
While the StudioPRO won’t fit into an overhead bin (at least not without drawing angry looks) it should fit comfortably into your budget. The rolling bag has three moveable padded dividers to keep gear secure and is padded with PVC. The top opens if you need quick access while the bag is in the upright position and can be fully unzipped when it’s placed horizontally. It has a retractable handle, rubber feet at the base (when upright) and a removable shoulder strap if you’re feeling up to slinging it around your shoulder.

Price: $100
www.fovitec.com

Porta Brace WPC-2OR
A rigid frame and Cordura nylon keeps the Porta Brace WPC-2OR robust enough for even the most aggressive road warrior. This rolling case’s wheels have steel axels and ball bearings so they too will hold up under a pounding. The case features a retractable handle, customizable divider kits and is large enough for production-grade video cameras like Sony’s FS100 or JVC’s HM600U. It includes a removable light that runs on two AA batteries so you can view the contents of your bag in the dark. The light is attached to a zippered pouch for extra storage and hooks onto any of the WPC-2OR’s interior pouches. You can purchase extra lights for $60.

Price: $442
www.portabrace.com

Pelican 1510
Pelican’s 1510 is the case you need when you’re expecting the worst (i.e. TSA luggage handlers). Forged with stainless steel hardware, this case is watertight, dustproof and crush-proof when sealed. You can drop it in up to 3 feet of water for up to 30 minutes before calling your insurance agent. It has a retractable handle and ships in multiple configurations—with foam, without foam, with padded dividers—but all variants share the same durability. Thanks to a new partnership with TrekPak, new and existing owners of the 1510 and similar Pelican cases can outfit their cases with TrekPak’s customizable closed-cell foam dividers.

Price: $250
www.pelican.com

HPRC 2600W
This resin hard case is waterproof with an internal valve that adjusts the air pressure inside the case to keep your cameras from harm. The exterior is forged from a unique polypropylene material that is durable yet lightweight. It can also endure extreme environmental conditions, up to 176 ° F. The case can be outfitted with either optional cubed foam or a removable bag and divider kit. It has a retractable handle and wheels and is available in black, blue or orange.

Price: $280
www.hprc.it

Related: Travel Light: Essential Photo Gear for the Road