Camera Travel Bag: Hello. My planned travel to Rome and Athens received a lot of helpful tips on safety and photography. I am now asking for your recommendations on "Camera Travel...

desperante

Hello. My planned travel to Rome and Athens received a lot of helpful tips on safety and photography. I am now asking for your recommendations on "Camera Travel Bags." I have been checking out "PacSafe" bags but the more I read the reviews, the more I think that they are made for women travelers. I have a Canon bag but I don't want to use it to advertise myself as a tourist carrying an expensive camera. I prefer a shoulder bag, not a backpack. Any suggestions from all the experienced travelers and photographers will be greatly appreciated.

Bridges Loc: Memphis, Charleston SC, now Nazareth PA

Check out a good quality diaper bag. They have multiple pockets for holding bottles (lenses), pockets for accessories, have some padding, are designed to be carried as a shoulder bag. Adding a sheet of thin foam rubber to the bottom and using lens pouches makes this as safe as a photo satchel type bag at about 1/4th the cost. I carry one with extras in it like batteries, extra flash, flash modifiers, and a couple of lenses that are in lens pouches.

rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

I had a quick look at what PacSafe has to offer concerning camera travel shoulder bags. For the most part, they do not appear as specifically aimed at women in either design or colors. However, they do seem a bit pricey overall compared to similar bags by other brands.

desperante

Lol. Seriously!

desperante

I guess in Europe, it doesn't matter since according to my niece who just returned from Italy, most men carry a bag.

JimBart Loc: Western Michigan

When I travelled to Europe repeatedly for business I used an over shoulder duffel type bag. I then took concentrated foam and cut out spots for my camera lenses and flash. Side pockets held all extras.
This bag lasted me for over 25 years and cost me nothing as it came with the luggage I purchased.
You may want to try it and save some bucks.

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Txauditr wrote:

When I travelled to Europe repeatedly for business I used an over shoulder duffel type bag. I then took concentrated foam and cut out spots for my camera lenses and flash. Side pockets held all extras.
This bag lasted me for over 25 years and cost me nothing as it came with the luggage I purchased.
You may want to try it and save some bucks.

Thank you. The new technique nowadays by pickpockets from what I've read is to slash your bag to get what is inside. That is why some bags being sold are now being touted as slash proof.

JimBart Loc: Western Michigan

That is why I pritected it the way I did. Another thing "American Tourister" luggage trademark is the red whit and blue luggage tag. Remove it and replace it with any other. It identifies you as an American. Told to me by an overseas baggage handler

desperante

Txauditr wrote:

That is why I pritected it the way I did. Another thing "American Tourister" luggage trademark is the red whit and blue luggage tag. Remove it and replace it with any other. It identifies you as an American. Told to me by an overseas baggage handler

Thank you so much for your tips. I will surely consider it.

rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

desperante wrote:

Thank you. The new technique nowadays by pickpockets from what I've read is to slash your bag to get what is inside. That is why some bags being sold are now being touted as slash proof.

Pickpockets using slashing to get to the booty is nothing new, it's been around for ages. However, it's being often promoted as a new phenomena by companies trying to market their "slash proof" products, then repeated by media sources who don't do proper research.

JimBart Loc: Western Michigan

Also watch out for street mimes jugglers and the like. Pickpockets and gypsies especially abound. Be leery of children esp

desperante

rook2c4 wrote:

Pickpockets using slashing to get to the booty is nothing new, it's been around for ages. However, it's being often promoted as a new phenomena by companies trying to market their "slash proof" products, then repeated by media sources who don't do proper research.

You have a point there. It isn't a new technique. It is a new marketing ploy. Thank you.

desperante

I'll try to remember and watch out. Thank you.

rjaywallace Loc: Wisconsin

Bridges wrote:

Check out a good quality diaper bag. They have multiple pockets for holding bottles (lenses), pockets for accessories, have some padding, are designed to be carried as a shoulder bag. Adding a sheet of thin foam rubber to the bottom and using lens pouches makes this as safe as a photo satchel type bag at about 1/4th the cost. I carry one with extras in it like batteries, extra flash, flash modifiers, and a couple of lenses that are in lens pouches.

:thumbup: :thumbup:

mrova Loc: Chesterfield, VA

I have a really nice non-camera backpack that I used while traveling in Italy...hotels, buses, trains, airports. Kept all my camera gear along with my laptop in it and carried it with me everywhere I went and it worked just fine. In addition to the lens on my camera, I had two additional lenses plus flash, other camera necessities, and the laptop.
No problems with folks, standard awareness of those around you should suffice. To anyone else, besides the camera over my shoulder, it was just another backpack similar to what every other person around me had.
I was a touch panicky about what I was going to carry my gear in as I traveled through airports and in-country, thinking I really needed a specialized camera backpack with all the padding, etc. - or whatever - when I finally decided to just use what I had. Worked perfect and would not have changed a thing.