Amateur Photographer - UK (2019-08-23)

subscribe 0330 333 1113I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.ukI 17 August 2019

ROLLERcasesareperfectfortakingthestrainwhen

youneedtotravelwitha significantamountof kit.

Howevertheycanbeunwieldytolugaround,

particularlyupordownstairsoracrossuneven

ground,andespeciallywhenheavilyladen.Manfrotto’s

latestProLightReloaderSwitch-55aimstoaddress

thisbyaddingbackpackstrapsthatcanbetucked

awayneatlyintoa pocketwhenthey’renotin use.

Likethefirm’sotherrollercases,theSwitch-55

impresseswithitshigh-qualityconstructionand

extensiveprotectionforvaluablegear.Toughrip-stop

fabriccoverstheexterior,andthere’sa generous

amountof paddingaroundtheedgesof theshell.The

laptopcompartmentin thelidhasnoouterpadding,

butit’sprotectedbythebackpackstrapswhen

they’renotin use.A separateraincoveris included.

Withtheharnesshiddenaway,theSwitch-55

lookslikeanyotherblacksuitcase.It hasa

sturdythree-sectionextendinghandle,along

withchunkywell-paddedgrabhandlesonthe

topandside.Theexternaldimensionsof 35.5x

23 x 55cmmeanit canbeusedascarry-on

luggageonallexceptthemostbudgetof airlines.

Manfrottohasadopteda two-wheeldesignand

shapedtheinteriorcarefullyaroundtheextending

handle.Twothicklypaddedreddividersrun

lengthwaysinside;eitherorbothcanberemovedif

youwish.Plentyof lighter-weightgreydividersare

includedto customisethespaceforcameragear

andpersonalitems.Thecasecanswallowa huge

amountof kit;it’sdeepenoughforgrippedbodies

andwillaccommodatelongtelephotolenses.

Fittingtheharnessis straightforward;youonly

needtoextractit fromthefrontpocketandclip

ontothecaseat fourpoints.Theshoulderstraps

havea decentamountof padding,alongwith

breathablemeshontheinside.Because

they’reonthesoftfrontsideof the

caseratherthanthehardback,it’s

reasonablycomfortabletocarry.A

sternumstrapprovidessome

welcomeextra stability.

Ve r d i c t
Fittinga backpackharnesstoa
suitcasemayappearcounter-intuitive,
butin practiceI foundit makessense,
particularlywhenusingpublictransportto
reachyourshootinglocation.I wouldn’twantto
carryit fullyladenonmybackforlong,butforshort
distancesit’sfine.Withitsimpeccableconstruction
andcapaciousinterior,theSwitch-55is a great choice
ALL PRICES ARE APPROXIMATE STREET PRICESforprotecting your kit when travelling.

Ataglance

●Rollercasewith

backpackharness

●Carry-onfriendly,

35.5x23x55cmsize

●Externallaptopcompartment

● External tripod holder

Manfrotto Pro Light

Reloader Switch-55

AndyWestlaketriesoutarolling

cameracasewithanunusual trick

● £350● http://www.manfrotto.com/uk-en

ACCESSORIES Testbench

GOLD

Laptop

Aseparatecompartment

in thelidfora laptopand

tabletmeansyoudon’thave

to openthemainzipat

airportsecurity.

Ifyoudon’tseeanyneedforbackpack

straps,theManfrottoProLightReloader

Air-55is a similarlysizedcaseata lower

priceof£325.Wegaveit a 5-starreview

whenwereviewedit a fewyearsback(AP

19 November2016).Meanwhilethe£300

ManfrottoProLightReloaderAir-50(right)

is a slightlysmallersizeto fit domestic

carry-on dimensions.

ALSO CONSIDER

Addressholder

Aslimpocketontheback

willholdyourbusinesscard

orcontactdetailsin case

thebaggetsmislaid.

Tripodholder

Astretchyneoprenefoot

holderandtwoadjustable

strapsallowyoutosecurely

attacha full-sizetripod,

suchasa Manfrotto

190-seriesmodel.

TSALock

Themainzippullsare

designedtoclipintothe

three-digitTSA-approved

combinationlock,tokeep

yourvaluablekitsafefrom

pryingfingers.