think tank airport airstream review

Think Tank Airport Airsteam Roller Luggage

 

I though it would be a good idea to write a Think Tank Airport Airstream review since I recently bought one.

I've been looking for just the right photography luggage for several months and invested hours and hours watching You-tube and scouring Airport Camera Bags on Amazon.

There are several features that I had to have in order for me to shell out my hard earned cash for another addition to add to my collection of bags, backpacks, and cases to hold the right amount of camera bodies, lenses, gadgets and accessories.


best features of a good travel photography bag

Thin Tank Airstream under the airline seat

1.  My travel bag must be small enough meet the size requirements of the airlines to be a carry-on.

2.  Must be easy to transport.

3.  Must protect my valuable camera gear from damage and theft.

4.   Must be large enough to fit all of my necessary equipment for a serious photography excursion.

Here is a short video, showing an up close look at the inside and outside of this bag or you can go straight to Youtube to watch in a a new browser window  

Youtube-Think Tank Airstream Review




 think tank airport airstream review - best features

The Think Tank Airstream appeared to meet the first three of my personal requirements listed above.  Based on the specs and many reviews and opinions of other photographers I purchased it from Amazon.


Inside view of Think Tank Airport Airstream Roller


Now it had to be tested for its ability to hold the gear I was taking on my travel photography adventure to Alaska.

The first arrangement I used was with lenses attached to my two Canon DSLR bodies.

This gives you access to cameras that are ready to shoot in an instant.

This  was a good arrangement and leaves me room to spare for a few more small accessories.


Re-arranged Inside of Think Tank Airport Airstream Roller


I confess I have a concern about storing lenses on bodies while traveling.

This is the new layout with my lenses and two camera bodies separated.


I did a third arrangement with my Canon 400mm f/5.6 included; it fit fine but was just a little too snug for my liking.  

Lenses like this and the 100-400 zooms will fit, but this is a case that is not designed for large super telephotos.


think tank airport airstream - what i would change

There is no such thing as a perfect bag, but I do like this bag quite a bit.  If I designed it myself, what would I change?

A SHOULDER STRAP would be great for situations where the rollers can't be used and you need to carry the Airstream a fair distance.  The handles are strong and well-padded, but for a wimp like me with a bad back, shoulder straps would make this task a bit easier.


Perhaps I am nitpicking. There are designs without the telescoping handle that will give you addition room inside travel camera bags and they have shoulder straps instead. 

LARGER LAPTOP POUCH.  This is more perhaps a sign that I need to get a smaller laptop, an iPad or an Android table rather than lug around my over-sized Dell.  



Think Tank Airstream low divider set

Think Tank does offer a low divider set which is an optional way to store a small laptop internally. 

This bag is categorized as a small bag.  It is specifically made to easily fit both under an airline seat or above in the overhead storage areas.  It is significantly smaller than the Think Tank International model, which also meets international carry-on requirements. 

One of its purposeful design features is to have it appear as if it just an ordinary piece of travel luggage.  The camera backpacks tend to look like they may be designed for camera gear and thus more subject to theft.

Parting thoughts for my Think Tank Airport Airstream Review?  It's a little pricey, but there is no doubt a lot of thought and effort went into making this a high quality bag with the traveling photographer in mind.

Keep shooting. Keep learning. Keep improving.

Article published by Bruce Lovelace

ABOUT BRUCE LOVELACE

Bruce is the publisher of Better Digital Photo Tips. Read more on the About Page. He's been known as The Traveling Photographer ever since he started his location photography business in 1994.

View some of Bruce's photos on Instagram.   Visit the Facebook Page. Watch him on YouTube.  Bruce runs photo workshops and provides one on one digital photography coaching.

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As a reader of Digital Photo Tips you can receive a special gift for any order over $50 with ThinkTank. It's a pretty good deal. The consumer reviews of their products are very high. Here is the link to their web site: ThinkTankPhoto