To Ship or Not to Ship Tripods

[naturephoto1]

Hi All,

For my upcoming trip to Oregon, May 1 to May 23 I am debating as to how to get my tripods to and from Oregon. I have one of the Pelican 17XX series "gun" style shipping cases that I have used several times prior to 9/11. This hard case is heavily padded with the cut foam to house and protect my Gitzo Carbon Fiber 13XX series Tripod with the Gitzo Gitzo 1321 Leveling Base, Gitzo Carbon Fiber 1257LVL Tripod, Markins M20 Ball, Markins Q3 Emille Ball, and my Leitz Table Top Tripod. Additionally, I have 2 TSA locks that will arrive shortly to lock the case. The case would be my second stowed piece of luggage; it meets the Airline onboard stowed requirements and would not incur any charges or additional oversized/overweight shipping charges. My concern is getting the case with the tripods to and from the Eastern PA and Portland, OR. I am somewhat concerned about TSA and the baggage handlers running off with the tripods.

Another option that I have is to ship the tripods via DHL Ground for pickup at the DHL Depot or to have it shipped for pickup at a friends in Eugene, OR. As it is, I will be shipping a 100 Quart Coleman Cooler with Film and Backpacking/hiking equipment back and forth across country. I am not sure if I want to spend the several hundred additional dollars to ship the tripods.

Particularly those that travel much by air, what are your recommendations. If I ship the tripods by DHL, then I will pack my Non-Collapsible Carbon Fiber Trekking Poles (quite expensive and about 3 oz each) in a heavy Duty Cardboard Map Tube as my second stowed piece of luggage. If I take the tripods in the Pelican Case onboard the plane, then I will pack my Collapsible Leki Trekking Poles (about 20oz for the pair) probably in the Coleman Cooler.

Thanks for your comments and recommedations.

Rich

[Ed Richards]

If your tripod box will go on the plane, it is not going to cost several hundred dollars to ship it by DHL ground. I would be surprised if it costs $50 each way, unless you are loading the tripod legs with lead shot to stablize them.

[naturephoto1]

If your tripod box will go on the plane, it is not going to cost several hundred dollars to ship it by DHL ground. I would be surprised if it costs $50 each way, unless you are loading the tripod legs with lead shot to stablize them.

Hi Ed,

I may be high on the DHL Ground Shipping charges, but I would certainly want to insure them if they were shipped via DHL.

Rich

[Gordon Moat]

When I travel with my aluminium Bogen, I disassemble it to fit into my checked bag. I figure someone checking it probably would not bother to put it together to steal it. Probably helps that it looks beat up, even though it works great. If I had nice looking carbon fibre legs, and a shiny expensive looking tripod head, I would worry more about theft potential.

You might want to compare UPS, FedEx and DHL. Another alternative is Greyhound, who do handle some shipping, though you need to be able to pick it up at a bus station (no delivery). Whatever shipping choice you make, add some padding (bubblewrap, etc.) to protect the tripod legs.

Ciao!

Gordon Moat
A G Studio

[Ted Harris]

Ed is right and even insured for 1K they aren't going to be more than 50 bucks. BTW, I lnog since stopped using carrier insurance and added coverage on my business insurance policy.

[Bill_1856]

I can't advise you about the big tripod, but have to warn you that the shape of a Leica table-top tripod looks like a handgun when viewed through an X-ray machine. If you carry it aboard it's 99% guaranteed to get your baggage hand searched in a special little room (and probably you, too).
I wouldn't worry about theft of your tripod, as they're too big and not valuable enough to make it worth pillfering, but there's always that 5% loss of anything the airlines check.
Oh yeah, and have a great trip!

[BradS]

slightly OT...the building I work in is just down the street from a DHL warehouse. I'm not exactly sure what they do there but there are always lots of DHL trucks coming and going.

Anyway, I can't tell you how many times I've driven by and either saw boxes falling out the back of departing trucks or boxes laying by the side of the road. Needless to say, I would not choose DHL - insurance or not. The insurance isn't going to do you any good while your in Oregon if they loose your gear.


I'd find a a way to carry what I need (NEED...not what I think I might like to have) with me. Either in checked baggage or carry on.

[rjphil]

Hi All -
Along the same lines, I am going to AZ at the end of April, for just a few days.
I want to pack my Manfrotto tripod (about 14" collapsed) in my carry-on bag,
as I am not checking luggage. If they want to search me, fine, I just don't want to potentially have to check it by itself. I'm not sure if they would classify it as a "blunt object".

[PViapiano]

Slightly off subject, but a good story nevertheless:

Years ago, before 9/11, I tried to bring a gardening pitch fork (don't ask...OK...custom-made English tool) on a plane. The skycap looked at me and said, "Are you kidding? You might go crazy and do a Jason on somebody up there!"

[Louie Powell]

I have taken a tripod with me a checked luggage several times. I use a Slik canvas tripod bag. Each time, when I got to the destination, I found the notice in the bag that TSA had opened the bag for inspection - after all, it's just a zipper closure. Remember, you cannot lock or seal a container that you check as luggage.

Frankly, I wouldn't worry too much about TSA running off with anything. Baggage handlers are another matter, but tripods are really too specialized and hard to convert to cash, and the likelihood that you would encounter the one dishonest baggage handler who happens to be in the market for a tripod for his own use is pretty remote.

You don't see tripods as carry-on luggage nearly as often since 9-11. While they aren't actually banned in the cabin, I think a lot of TSA inspectors discourage them because they could be used as weapons. But I would be more concerned about "trekking poles". I really don't know what they are, but they sound like something long and pointed and I think you might have difficulty getting them past security.

If I were in your situation, I would put them into a container of some kind, and then check them as luggage.

Oh - one other piece of advice. Fly Southwest - according to the news report earlier this week, they have the lowest incidence of lost luggage. And while there service is as miserable as all of the other airlines, at least they have a sense of humor.