Tripod... check in luggage or carry-on?

[nsurit]

I pack my tripod in my suitcase as I've seen how the luggage folks handle your stuff while doing their jobs. It use to be packed in a seperate padded case along with some other soft items to give extra padding . . . that was until the adjusting knob on my Kirk ballhead got bent due to lack of care on the part of the airline employees. Bill Barber

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

When I check the tripod, I leave the knobs loose and use a Tenba TTP 34 case. I've watched from the window as it's been tossed on the ramp, and I once saw it go flying off a baggage truck as it made a sharp turn to line up with the luggage ramp, and I've never had anything damaged.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Last leg of the trip--Las Vegas to JFK, same setup, but this time traveling with wife and toddler, so we've got more stuff with us and one checked bag. No questions at security about the tripod. X-ray inspector asked if I've got some "heavy duty camera equipment" in the camera bag, but no more than that. The diaper bag got the full explosive swab test, because it had a sippy cup with some water in one of the side pockets.

 

[archphoto]

On my trips between Europe and Brazil I put my 055 tripod in my suitcase: it can be used as a weapon (baseball-bat) and neither KLM or BA
don't like that.
On the other hand they were curios about my table-pod, one that stores the legs inside the tube, but it gave me no problemm.

It is a matter of thinking "safety" and thus avoiding problemms.

Peter