N-Photo - The Nikon Magazine - USA (2019-07)

MINI TEST

Tenba

Roadie Air Case Roller 21
£299/$382
http://www.tenba.com

t’s a shuddering experience: you’re
about to board your plane, only to
be told there’s no more room for cabin
baggage and your gear will have to go
in the hold, at the mercy of baggage handlers...
This needn’t be a worry if you’ve got a Tenba Air
Case. Designed as a cross between a conventional
roller bag and a tough hard case, the Air Case is
exceptionally crush-resistant. We were able to
stand on the bag and it easily retained its shape

• only the Think Tank bag comes close. The secret
  is a solid internal construction encasing the whole
  bag – not just the top, bottom and rear panels.
  It’s basically a hard case dressed as a roller bag.
  The Air Case range comes in many sizes: the
  Roadie Air Case Roller 21 is cabin-compliant at
  53x35.5x23cm, and though its substantial
  construction restricts interior space to
  45.5x30.5x15cm, it’s still a practical space for
  gear. There’s also an easily removable camera
  insert, but sadly no laptop slot.

PROS Extremely strong and well made, yet
reasonably light at 4.7kg; cabin-friendly

CONS No laptop storage; doesn’t have the
largest interior due to the substantial protection

Verdict

Think Tank

Airport International V3

£369/$399

http://www.thinktankphoto.com

his may be the priciest bag here,

but you get what you pay for. This

is a roller bag built for pros, and its

interior is cleverly shaped to fit a pair

of gripped Nikons and lenses as large as a 500mm

f/4. There’s also space for a 15-inch laptop and

10-inch tablet, plus a tripod on the side. It’s

carry-on suitable at 53.3x35.6x20.3cm, though

we measured the external thickness at 23cm.

Many of the bags here are built to last, but this

one exudes quality at every point, from the handle

to the zippers. It lacks the sheer rigidity of the

Tenba bag, but zipped shut it still manages to

retain its shape when stood on, partly thanks

to the excellent, well-padded rigid dividers.

Smart touches include a four-stage extending

handle that only intrudes half-way down the bag

when stowed, generously-sized underside scuff

panels, a stout zipper lock, and even a coated

cable and combination lock to tie the bag to an

immovable object.

PROS Stunning quality; extremely robust;

space for all essential gear

CONS Heavy at 5.2kg, and heavy on your pocket;

slightly thicker than advertised

Verdict

Vanguard

Alta Fly 55T

£200/$230

http://www.vanguardworld.com

nusual among camera roller bags,

the Alta Fly 55T boasts a four-wheel

design for ultimate manoeuvrability.

And the features don’t stop there.

You also get backpack straps, so the bag can be

carried over rough terrain, and Vanguard includes

generous lower back padding and a simple waist

strap to further lighten the load. There are even

covers for the two rear wheels to protect your

back from dirt. Despite all this, weight is still a

reasonable 3.9kg, and while the overall rigidity

is nothing special, gear padding is sumptuous.

However, the four-wheel setup inevitably eats

into interior capacity, as the 54.9x34.6x21.9cm

external dimensions shrink to 40.9x31.1x11.4cm

inside. You can fix this by stepping up to the larger

Alta Fly 58T, but that’s not carry-on compatible

like the 55T. Alternatively, there are the 49T and

slightly larger 48T, both of which use

a conventional two-wheel design and sacrifice

backpack straps to maximize internal space.

PROS Bristling with useful features; very

well priced; carry-on compatible

CONS Small inside, especially for depth;

not as solid as some rivals

Verdict

Five

things

to look

out for

1

These bags will get

you through most

check-ins, but travel

light, most airlines

don’t allow more than

10kg carry-on.

2

Interior width is critical

when packing larger-

diameter lenses. Good

dividers can adapt to

super-telephoto lenses,

or even video lighting.

3

Roller bags can take a

lot of abuse. Quality

wheels should be

sturdy, while reinforced

corners and undersides

will add longevity.

4

Look for bags that have

a laptop slot and tripod

attachments. Easy-

access pockets are

great, as are removable

main compartments.

5

A roller bag with a pair

of backpack straps are

handy when tackling

rough ground.

Expandable sections

can also be had.

ITU

4.5 5.0 4.0