Tripod in Carry On

<p>While this question has been asked many times, since things are a bit fluid in terms of air travel, think this is still a relevant question to ask from time to time. Has anyone traveled recently with a tripod that they have been able to take as carry on luggage? Have a small 16" aluminum tripod I am planning to travel with to Puerto Rico and would like to take it as carry on. Thanks in advance.</p>

Discussed about a month ago; my response is #3 but there is lots of great info in that thread.

 

* http://www.photo.net/nature-photography-forum/00VesY

<p>You need to check with the TSA office at the airport you are flying out of. The kindly TSA folks may or may not have <strong>a metal thing</strong> on their <em>it could be a weapon</em> listing.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>If you check with TSA they will tell it depends how the TSA screener the second you go through the line. They can allow banned items, or the can ban allowed items. However, they usually allow them. </p>

<p>I agree with Jim. It depends on the TSA agent who screens you.</p>

<p>Can I ask: <em>why</em> do you want to carry it on, due to expense, fear of losing it if checked? Just curious.</p>

<p>Personally I wouldn't want to share the cabin with a carried-on tripod: they are way too easy to be used as a stabbing weapon, or could be an out-and-out weapon in disguise (made up by some machinist), or could contain a significant amount of explosives.</p>

<p>Just for the sake of argument, an slr slinging around at the end of a shoulder strap could also do significant damage, but it's relatively cumbersome and hard to use in close quarters.</p>

<p>I recommend placing it in your checked luggage. It would be very inconvenient to show up at security and the TSA not let it through. If you check it in a soft-sided bag like a duffel bag, remove the head and put it in a sock or something. That can save your arriving at your destination and discovering the head was broken off. It happened to me.</p>

<p>A bar of soap in a sock is an improvised weapon too but I don't mind flying with people who have showered. As it is, most people who have tried taking smaller tripods and monopods in carry-on seem to have succeeded. I don't mostly because I'd rather have the space and not risk the hassle of having to go back and try to check it separately. My walking stick would be checked because it is essentially a collapsible ski pole, that is, it has a seriously sharp, steel point under it's rubber foot, and those are banned from the cabin.</p>

<p>The above referenced thread says it all but FWIW here's my experience from the last 3 weeks and 4 round trips (3 domestic in the US, 1 to/from Nicaragua) with a tripod and a monopod attached to my camera bag carry-on: no issues whatsoever. My cameras OTOH got swabbed a few times which is something new to me. YMMV of course - lots of stuff done by TSA is ad hoc and/or discretionary.</p>

<p>I carry tripods on airlines quite frequently.</p>

<p>I've found it's not viable to take it as carry on, and hasn't been for three or four years. These days there are too many problems - ranging from a lot of inconvenience, right through to outright refusal, or being told to abandon the tripod at security or be refused boarding. Depends on your route, but if you travel through Europe, or on certain airlines, you can usually expect to have the tripod confiscated if you pass through security. (Of course, a trip from the US to Puerto Rico may not present you with the same problems).</p>

<p>So for the last few years I've travelled with a tripod that fits inside my rigid suitcase. This gives it all the protection it needs while also allowing it to go on board comfortably and safely as checked luggage. If your tripod has a detachable head it's possible to fit a fairly large combo inside a case just by partially disassembling it.</p>

<p>Why take a chance, check it is best. You don't need it during the flight and the extra 5 or 10 or 15 minutes at bagage reception is probably not much to worry about on a several day or multiple week trip. You may well spend more time waiting above for the pilot to get runway rights.</p>

<p>I was able to travel from Helsinki through CdG to Venice and back through Amsterdam with my tripod strapped to my camera backpack but the key was that the tripod is quite small (Gitzo Ocean Traveler) and I was able to mount it to the side of my backpack without getting close to the size limits. I did get harrassment about it when I had mounted it on top of the backpack; this was already outside the weight limits and it would not have fit on the aircraft I was going to. But I moved it and it was fine.</p>

<p>The problem really is that the size of the tripod is quite limiting - its stable height (with no center column) is not high enough to be able to shoot across bridge railings, for example. It's a good lightweight tripod for shooting sans the center column if you can live with the (lack of) height. </p>

<p>For a tall tripod, no way would they let me take it to carry on. I do not even try; it goes to checked baggage.</p>

<p>Just flew into Brazil and on my connecting flight was not allowed to carry on my backup tripod that was 10 inches long collapsed. I had just flown there from the States with no problem but Brazil said NO, I was late for my flight and had no time to reclaim my checked bag to put the pod in so they confiscated it. Luckily I had my CF pod in a checked bag so I was able to shoot but Brazil left a bad taste in my mouth. I mean really, a tripod that is meant for tabletop shooting and they confiscated it, be forewarned, Brazil is run by morons, most of my lenses weigh more and could be used as weapons before that tripod could have.</p>

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<p>I mean really, a tripod that is meant for tabletop shooting and they confiscated it, be forewarned, Brazil is run by morons, most of my lenses weigh more and could be used as weapons before that tripod could have.</p>

 

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<p>Ah, the joys of air travel.</p>

<p>Mendel, G. Gordon Liddy bragged he can kill with a pencil. Let's ban everything.</p>

<p>A 16" tripod may be too much. On a recent flight from Gothenburg to London I was asked to check in my 7" table top tripod.</p>

<p>I once carried a table top tripod from Maui to LA, but because of its size, it folded into leather case and looked like a gun. TSA quite rightly had their hands on their guns as I opened the case.</p>

<p>Brad,<br>

Im from brazil and I faced the same issues that you described, except by confiscated declaration and I was able to get it back when I come back.... (from RIO to Sao Paulo)<br>

In US I was locked in a immigration cell (LAX) for 6 hours to explain why I was carrying a tripod (manfrotto carbon fiber) and almost they sent me back... <br>

From Orlando to Miami i had no issues... <br>

Well, I suggest you to check TSA website before flight or carry int your luggage.</p>