MINI TEST
Calumet
RC1188 Rolling Camera Case
£169/$219
http://www.wexphotovideo.com
his may be one of the cheaper
options, but the RC1188 feels
pleasingly rugged. You get reinforced
outer corners, rigid sides, and plenty
of scuff protection underneath. However, all this
toughness does add up to a 6.5kg unladen weight,
making this the heaviest case on test – you’ll have
to pack light to stay within the strictest carry-on
weight limits. The bag’s 25cm thickness could
also be problematic at some check-in desks.
Inside, the padding and dividers are adequate,
if not as impressive as the exterior quality. A 30cm
internal width is slightly narrower than some bags
on test, but it’s enough to make it a tight squeeze
to fit fast full-frame lenses alongside each other.
But Calumet claws back ground with extra
features. The entire padded interior can be lifted
out and has its own lid and carry handles, and the
practicality doesn’t stop there. The front flap will
expand by a whopping 19cm, effectively doubling
the capacity of the bag.
PROS Feature-packed, but still keenly priced
and surprisingly well made
CONS Weight and size problematic as cabin
luggage; tight inside for some lenses
Verdict 4.0
Lowepro
PhotoStream RL 150
£149/$200
http://www.lowepro.comowepro’s entry has been designed
purely with cabin baggage in mind.
It’s exterior 55.5x37.5x18.5cm
dimensions should fit comfortably
in even the strictest carry-on limits, and at a
featherweight 3.63kg, you’ve got plenty of gear
headroom before you hit airline weight limits.
And yet the RL 150 isn’t a fragile, paper-thin
shell of a bag. The back, front and sides are all
pleasingly solid, it rolls smoothly, and the handle
feels perfectly adequate. Interior padding isn’t
the thickest however, and the internal lining of the
back panel is just a piece of plastic covered in soft
fabric, giving precious little cushioning. It’s likely
designed this way to increase the shallow internal
depth by a few millimetres, but we’d much prefer
better gear protection.
Aside from the restrictive 15.5cm internal
depth, the interior is a practical size, and there’s
a slot inside the front flap for a 15-inch laptop.
A tripod can also be strapped to one side.PROS Extremely flight-friendly; surprisingly
tough exterior; tempting price tagCONS Pared-down internal padding; shallow
depth necessitates some clever packingVerdict 4.0
Manfrotto
Pro Light Reloader Switch-55
£349/$390
http://www.manfrotto.co.ukt first glance this looks like a typical
roller bag. Its external 55x35.5x23cm
dimensions meet most airline cabin
baggage requirements, and this
translates to an equally practical 47x32x18cm
interior – enough for a decent selection of
full-frame cameras and lenses in a variety of
configurations. A large, top-loading slot on the
front panel can accommodate a 17-inch laptop,
and there’s a tripod attachment on one side.
The Reloader Switch-55 is also beautifully made
and feels reassuringly rugged. Its internal skeleton
resists hard knocks and abuse, while generously
thick internal padding cossets your gear.
But the standout feature of this bag is that it
can also be worn as a backpack. Discreetly stowed
in a concealed front pocket are two wide shoulder
straps that pack impressively flat. The conversion
isn’t the quickest, but the end result is surprisingly
comfortable. Despite the straps and quality build,
the bag still weighs a reasonable 4kg.PROS Great quality; practical size; genuinely
useful backpack conversionCONS Serious price; backpack conversion is a
little on the slow sideVerdict 5.0
Roller bags
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TLA
4.0 5.0