Flying with Camera Gear - Shimoda Designs Explore v2

Great idea for video Jeffery. Thanks, I'm going to share this on our channel - Ian

Great video, Jeff! Always love seeing how people pack their gear when they travel. This is good food for thought when I fly next.

My experience exactly. I do like the idea of having the separate insert cover. I’ll have to get one. I also try to get a rear seat unless I have a tight connection. Much less competition for the overheads during loading.

Nice to see what is in your bag! I recently posted a video of my Shimoda bag set up for a trip. Thanks for sharing!

Thanks :) useful tips there!

Jeff, good video very informative. I travel a lot with my camera gear both domestically and internationally. I like a bag that will fit under the seat if possible. I had the bag you are using but sold it and replaced it with a Think Tank 18 L bag. It will fit both my 24-120 and the 100-400 S lenses as well as the 14-30 wide if needed. I can also carry two Nikon Z bodies. Southwest Airlines is not a problem but when you fly any other airlines out of Columbus more often than not you are flying on a regional jet (RJ) for the first leg of the flight. The bins on the RJ's are much smaller than on SWA. Also when I am traveling internationally unless I am going specifically on a photo trip I would not take a tripod. If I did it would be a gorilla pod of some sort. If I did take the tripod I would put it in my passthrough luggage. I have 20+ years of travel experience with camera gear and internationally it is a lot more challenging. It is so much better to use one camera, and one lens. The 24-120 S Nikon is a perfect travel lens. More often than not you can get 90% of your images with that focal length. Of course if you are going to Africa, it is a different story and a longer focal length would be necessary. Once again thanks for sharing. Eric

All great tips. I had no idea that bag has that removable compartment. My mindshift bag fits just barely under the seat in front of me, so that's nice. But it's really close and does make me nervous in case they would say that it doesn't fit 100% for some reason

thanks for the backpack tour lol. Has your bag ever been weighted and you have been above the allowed weight? btw I actually put my tripod inside the bag, with a small icu, placed vertically you can slide the tripod right next to it and pull it out from the top. Makes the bag look much more low key, not just for airlines.

Good Job Jeffrey. Plane travel with photo gear is always a concern of mine. Good tips and well presented.

I run a 30L Explore V2 as my EDC. Fully loaded down. I travel constantly for work so I find myself in planes quite a bit. It will fit under most seats if you don’t mind a little reduced foot room. On longer flights I will gate check my duffel and toss the V2 in the overhead so I have more foot room.There are some aircraft will this will not fit under aisle seats due to width of seat braces. All in all, it is the best I have found on the market for my EDC needs. I do wish the 25L would fit a 14” laptop and I would have gone that route…I think? Wish there was a divider in the laptop compartment so it is easier to run and laptop and iPad. I stick the iPad in the front pouch when I need quick and easy access.

Thanks for the video Jeffrey, I’m surprised they let you carry the tripod as a carry on ! Have they ever stopped you with the tripod outside your bag? Thanks again Rick

Solid tips! Thank you! Could you fit the bag underneath an airline seat if the only thing in the bag is the cube insert?

Hi Jeff! Do you also bring a carry-on luggage with your Shimoda Explore when you do longer travels? I was thinking of getting the Explore 35L to pair with a carry-on luggage, but i’m just worried about the Explore fitting under a typical airplane seat on most North American planes.

Do you think it's possible to use it as a travel bag? meaning you can pack light gear like a tripod, 3 lenses, a body, some filters and so on but also like 4 changes of clothes? The main doubt I have with this bag is that I don't want to be carrying my camera bag AND also another bag just for my clothes and toiletries. Thanks for your insight!

That's a great idea, keeping the ICU bag in the backpack to stow it separately - thanks! Slightly unrelated question (this is your most recent Shimoda video): in your experience with the Explore V2, have you noticed issues with water getting in through the back zipper that leads to the main compartment? I've seen a couple of mentions online of people having that problem, but that may just be people not admitting they didn't zip properly. I can't tell if that zipper has water resistance built in or not, especially since I assume the rain cover wouldn't cover that zipper.

I just gave up and bought TSA Precheck just so I wouldn't have to unload my bag at all while going through TSA.

I might have missed this but what is the size of your main ICU, please?

Good tips, have you ever been told to check your tripod?

Where didbu get the cover for the core?

What is the largest tripod you’ve carried attached to this backpck? Not sking with regards to flying with it, more related to carrying the tripod while out photographing on shorter hikes. I have a long legged tripod