Big Camera + Bad Back + too far to carry = Ideas?

My camera setup weighs 17lbs and with my bad back I am unable to comfortably carry it distances in resorts, or to the beach from my room, etc. I've got a rolling dive bag, but the dive op I'm with next week stores the gear at the shop so I don't have to take it back to my room each day.

I'm looking for ideas on a good case that might work for both safely securing the camera if I have to check the bag? Or a good case that will roll on the beach and rough terrain. (My carryon no longer physically fits everything and 1 of the dive lights has to be checked with the rest of the luggage.) How do other people carry their heavy rigs to & from the boat each day? (Also - I have to deal with getting said bag to our location via the airlines and would hope that it would be somewhat usable for the trip)

Thanks!

...Ryan

I often don't since it's such a PITA. Liveaboards are the way to go, especially the ones with crew who will take your camera off the camera table, hand it to you in the water, grab it after your dive, rinse it, and leave it back on the camera table where all you have left to do is dry the housing. Full-service resorts like Wakatobi also have camera sherpas who carry the cameras to and from the boats and to and from the beach if you dive the house reef.

My back isn't so bad that carrying it short distances will kill me, but it sure is work when you have to take it up and down stairs, across a large resort, or down a long dock. When we hiked to Jellyfish Lake in Palau, I stuck the rig in a mesh bag with backpack straps (Stahlsac) but fretted the entire time that it would tear through. Fortunately it didn't. There are plenty of Pelican-like cases around for securing the rig in checked baggage. Some of these cases have rugged wheels that could accomodate beach travel. A wheeled ice chest is another option. Or hire a sherpa, get a really strong dive buddy and pay him off in beers, have your wife carry it, etc.

If it were me and I were diving off a boat I'd let the dive shop know ahead of time that I needed assistance with the camera. Then I'd tip whoever gets stuck schelping my gear really, really well.

FWIW I stay away from Pelican cases these days, not because of the cases themselves (which are fantastic) but because they pretty much scream "I am full of good stuff you should steal!" to potential thieves.

Michael

I also dislike Pelican, but that is what you are describing. You have to get into the pretty big ones before they have wheels.



They are horrible as carry-ons... They give you very little capacity for volume of space that they consume.

A small piece of roller luggage used for carry-on would work. The dive shop really doesn't need your roller bag, anyway.



Unfortunately- you are asking for a multi-use traveling bag/case that used to make sense before the airline rules got so difficult. I have a full set of dive luggage that is simply no longer accepted- merely because of the wording in airline baggage restrictions.

I would go Demi Moore/Hugh Heffner, marry a youngster and have them carry your camera. Either that, or sell the boat anchor and keep it simple with a smaller camera. If you were shooting for "the magazines", you'd hire yourself an assistant.



The problem with the Demi/Hugh scenario is similar to your camera issue. By the time you can afford these toys (overblown cameras or similarly overblown nubile companions), you are usually too old to get any real use out of them.

Me? I would buy a Canon G11 and shop for a 22 year old. Sell the 17# of camera and get him/her a Rolex Submariner. Trust me- this works- "I seen it".

Oh, BTW- you are carrying-on way too much crap. Check it. Most experienced dive travelers don't carry regulator sets, dive lights, etc.

RoatanMan:

The problem with the Demi/Hugh scenario is similar to your camera issue. By the time you can afford these toys (overblown cameras or similarly overblown nubile companions), you are usually too old to get any real use out of them.

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Hire a "Dive Sherpa" at the shop.

I was about to suggest the shirpa too, but on a more practical side, I suggest that there are a number of pieces of rolling luggage that will suit your purpose that are not specifically for dive gear. If you want a hard case, look at something in the nature of a tool box with rollers and handle. I think that is the most likeley place to locate what you are after. As a final comment, if 17 pounds is an issue because of your back condition, have you thought of a smaller camera/lighting set up? Technology has come a long way, and unless you're filming for NatGeo, you can get terrific quality with smaller units. I once won 3rd prize in a national competition with a picture I took with the old Sea and Sea MX10 film camera with attached strobe, that maybe weighed 3 pounds.
DivemasterDennis

You might wanna take a look here: Camera Bags, Camera Cases, Digital Camera Bags - Think Tank Photo And you can do SO much better than Demi>