Travelling / relocating with lights

<p>Hello All, <br>

I will be looking at transport options for a trans-continental (UK to China) relocation journey. I decided on taking my existing portable setup of 4 Elinchrom Quadra ranger packs, some spare batteries, ringflash and basic modifiers so about 30kg worth of lighting equipment in total. It looks like the most cost-effective option for having additional bags is air travel, postage (+insurance) is prohibitively expensive. Having looked at baggage allowance the likes of pelican hard cases or ThinkTank manager 40 options are simply too heavy or too large (the latter case). I've been trying to come up with an alternative (I would like to pack everything into two bags ideally) and thought of getting a regular hard case bag, such as this<br>

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Aerolite-Hardshell-Luggage-Suitcase-Charcoal/dp/B019IGCFW2/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8<br>

And purchase some dense foam from a local foam supplier to create custom inserts for all the equipment. I would also secure the bags with adjustable luggage straps. The size seems to meet the size specifications for check-in luggage and is much less heavy. <br>

Has anyone tried a similar solution? Unless you can think of an alternative? It would be great to get some opinions on this? <br>

Many thanks! <br>

Pat</p>

<p>I don't fly, but I do send and transport quite a bit of equipment, and I have learned that anything which will be handled by couriers, airport staff etc. must be capable of literally taking a kicking, being stood on, thrown, dropped etc. I think the case in your link would be great to transport gear in a vehicle under your supervision, I would doubt it is gorilla-proof. I idly checked British Royal Mail, 30 kg to China would cost almost £300, I am sure there would be import duty, particularly if you are staying for some time, and I am sure excess baggage charges wouldn't be cheap either. My personal inclination would be to take nothing, my guess is you could buy your set-up again locally for the shipping costs, servicing would be easier with local products, and no worries about transit damage!</p>

Thanks for your thoughts David. Checked in luggage is

much cheaper than postage, for example, £65 for the 1st

extra bag and £120 for any additional ones, up to 10

bags, 23kg each. Most size restrictions prevent taking

anything over 90cm in length so the tripods are staying

at home). For the price of one parcel I can have 3

23kg bags on the plane, hence the idea. It just leaves me

with the question of the case.

<p>Get there, rent what you need, when you need it. </p>

<p>As David said, your cases will get thrown around, dropped off belts or carts, and have hundreds of pounds of other stuff thrown on top of them. If what's inside is important then you need a case that meets ATA standards. Agree w/ Marc — rent or buy what you need there.</p>

Check the airline regulations on batteries. Batteries in checked luggage are considered hazardous because they occasionally catch fire

and, in the cargo hold, this can go unnoticed.

 

 

 

Airlines also have other means, such as Delta Freight, which can work out cheaper. I heard Getty, to send photo gear, uses a service

where you can place stuff on a supplied pallet and they will wrap it and send it for you. A photographer I spoke with said many airline

employees are not familiar with these services, but once you know the name of the service, you can ask for and get it. Be prepared to get

to the airport hours earlier.

<p>I don't see a problem shipping that equipment per air luggage at all. I've done thousands of miles (Europe, US, Africa, Asia) and a variety of air carriers with equipment and in general everything works out fine (My record in my assistant years was 56 cases: 8x10 with Pola, strobe, grip, film, from NYC to Wyoming, no issues).<br>

You can bring luggage under 55lbs as regular pieces and up to 100lbs as oversized. Over 100lbs it's unlikely it will make it on the plane. And it's nice to keep unregular shaped pieces (i.e. drum case for beauty dish) under 55lbs for handling. The key is packing and padding, and i can only recommend Tenba, Thinktank, Pelican, Lightware, Fiberbilt per experience.<br>

If you want split risk, i would split equipment up a little, and see what the import/carnet situation is for your trip, this along with personal luggage and cameras will not fly under the radar.</p>