Customer Reviews

Think Tank ~ Airport International V 2.0

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Okay, I don't know what's going on here because I have a Think Tank backpack and think the quality is top shelf. This $329 rolling camera bag body looks great and is very well built as I would expect from a Think Tank. However, when I extended the handle, I was, let's just say, shocked to see how poor the quality was. I've owned a number of rolling bags in my life and this was literally the flimsiest, most rickety handle I have yet to see on a rolling bag, of any brand or price!

I was really disappointed to see this because this bag is designed to house a 500mm lens, a 70-200mm and a couple of bodies. So, we're talking about gear valued in the neighborhood of $12,000 to $15,000 range? (depending on the bodies) and weighing in at least 17 lbs plus the 14 lbs of the bag. W-H-O in their right might would transport $15,000 worth of gear with a handle that feels like it's about to give out from the moment it's taken out of the box? Not me, that's for sure. I'm so surprised by the inferior quality that I'm going to call Think Tank directly and inquire. I just don't want to believe that this is what they call quality. How can you product a 5 star bag then put a .25 star quality handle on it?

I want to try another bag because it's construction and size is exactly what I need so if I just got a lemon, I will definitely post another review.

***UPDATED REVIEW JANUARY 11, 2010***

Okay, here's the deal. I went to a local camera shop that carried the bag and gave a try. The handle felt sturdier than the one I got from Norman Camera so I decided to call Think Tank Photo and ask them about my issue. The rep I spoke to told me that although I was not the first to complain about the handle, he also assured me that he had never seen one come back because the handle broke so I decided to give this bag another try, this time Adorama, I company I know and trust.

Guess what? The handle is still not rock solid but it's DEFINITELY better! AND this time it can lock at second tier so that shorter people can comfortably roll the bag too. I'm really glad I gave it another try so I've increased my rating from 3 stars to 4 stars. If Think Tank would make the handle that didn't shake I would give it 10 stars because like I said from the start, these guys know how to make camera bags.

Think Tank and Adorama also know how to talk to their customers, unlike Norman Camera because instead of using good customer service skills and trying to make an unhappy customer feel better about their shopping experience, I got an email from those guys calling my review "a rant." I was in the customer service business for years, that's NOT what you do when you've got an unhappy customer on your hands because in our case, repeat business was the name of the game.

Here's my closing advice:
The bag is good if you need to carry 500mm, a 70-200mm, a wide angle, and a couple of bodies internationally and BUY THE BAG DIRECTLY FROM AMAZON OR ADORAMA.

I hope I've helped somebody out there.

The other reviews are really well-written, no need to babble on, but I will say that after years of trying bunches of bags and never being totally satisfied, I've found the most near-perfect case available. GREAT quality, tons of room to spare, well thought out divider system, and thankfully a small zippered pocket on the outside for wallet and keys and boarding pass, etc! You'd be surprised how many other brands leave that out!

I did consider the bigger Think Tank Airport Security, in fact, I mulled over that one for days, but it just seemed a bit too big for comfort (unless you have a LOT of gear of course). I went with the International, hoping it wasn't going to be too small. Not even close! I've got room to spare and then some. I carry a 5D Mark II with several lenses including 70-200mm, plus Rode mic and some accessories, and I could easily fit a 300mm/2.8 in there and still have room left.

The build quality is the part I really like, those zippers are MEATY and strong. The outside sleeve fits my 17" Dell E1705 that's in a BodyGlove case... tight, but fits. This case is worth the price! What's not perfect? The handle, it does feel somewhat flimsy. It's fine for my gear, but I wouldn't stack a separate laptop backpack on top of this case, the handle probably wouldn't like it. Showstopper? Not at all, this case is so well made in every other aspect, it's a hands-down winner.

Someone told me when I started getting serious about photography that I would eventually have a whole closet full of camera bags, and they were right. There's no such thing as one bag that's perfect for every situation. You need several; this is my favorite for air travel.

I've tried backpacks and wheel-less bags, but camera gear is so heavy that I much prefer a wheeled bag. It makes sprinting from gate to gate and wandering around the airport during long layovers so much easier.

This bag is sized for European carry-on standards, which means it's slightly smaller than the maximum US carry-on size. I like that, even for domestic travel, because it means I can tuck a laptop in the stretchy front pocket without going over the limit. (You can buy shorter dividers if you want to put a laptop inside the main compartment, but that won't work for me; I have some lenses that take up the full depth of the bag, like the Canon EF 200mm f/2L IS USM Telephoto Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras.)

It fits easily under the seat or in the overhead bin in a normal plane. Not sure about commuter planes; I think it would have at least fit under the seat, but I was never given a chance to try. They made me check it at the gate every time with commuter jets. The bag is solid enough that I didn't worry my gear would be damaged. That was when having my laptop in the front pocket was convenient, because I could easily remove it and carry it on the plane.

Like others, I don't care for the handle very much. It's difficult to get out; it fits into the bag so tightly that it's hard to get a grip on it, especially if you have small hands. It does seem rather flimsy compared to the average retractable handle. And I, too, have problems getting the handle to stay at the height I want it to. Given the price, you'd expect better. But all in all, a minor annoyance. It doesn't keep me from using this bag whenever I fly.

I needed a solid travel bag for vacation and was bringing everything with me for the first time. Think Tank has an impressive reputation and although I use Domke for my shoulder bag, I really liked the build of this rolling case. My ONLY gripe is the handle (as mentioned in another review.) It does feel wobbly and should be more substantial for a rolling bag - that is the only reason for the 4 stars. For this type of $$$, it shouldn't have any flaws. YMMV.

That said, everything else about this item is top notch. It fits in the overhead bin like a dream (my biggest concern since I wanted no issue or fuss about having to check it with $10K worth of equipment inside.) It is well made, offers plenty of flexibility for multiple configurations with all the dividers they supply, and just inspires confidence once you pack your gear and zip it up.

I found it filled faster than I had anticipated, however. Some gear was double stacked (using supplied dividers or the original case, such as the 580EXII flash), which is perfectly acceptable to me, but I was surprised at how small it got with 2 bodies and 5 lenses, plus misc, stuff. I didn't want to go as large as the TT Airport Security so while there is no doubt about the size of that particular piece, the Airport International fit my needs like a glove. I have no doubt that if I chose to reconfigure the bag from scratch that I could fit even more but I'm sort of an isolation freak when it comes to having things touching or rubbing together regarding my camera gear, so those dividers worked quite well - and I still had leftovers!

Bottom line - extremely pleased with my decision and offer an emphatic "highly recommended." For the record, I packed the following gear:

1D3
5DII
300 f/4L
70-200 f/2.8L - hood reversed
135L - hood reversed
50L - attached to the 5DII - hood reversed
16-35 f/2.8L - hood in separate slot
580EXII
1.4x TC
extension tubes
misc. odds & ends (chargers, Lumiquest prod., QR plates, etc.) tucked into spare crevices and whatnot.

So you see it does hold a LOT of gear very safely and securely. I hope this helps - Think Tank makes an incredible product.

its a great bag. it provides awesome protection to my camera gears, good paddings, lots of spaces. the cable locks doesnt really helps much with real security, but its just enough for securing your bag to something during my work. But the huge drawback with this bag is that its pretty heavy by itself, its already 4.1kg with its own weight, flight hand carry luggage weight limit is 7kg. so, its gonna take some persuasion for the airport security to allow you to pass with a heavy bag.

Originally purchased Think Tank Airport International V 2.0 bag for Photo Safari Trip to Africa. It was recommended by the tour guide. Excellent choice. I have since returned to Africa a second time and taken it on several other trips without problem. I did purchase the low inserts for the bag. The inserts that came with the bag were not functional for adding a laptop. I have not had any problems with carrying this bag onto a plane (meets size regulations for carry-on). The airport security has requested removing several items from the bag for inspection. Nothing in my bag has broken/shifted in transport. The telescoping pull-handle could be designed better, cumbersome at times. None of the product components have shown to be defective/substandard. It would be nice if the lower inserts came with the bag instead of the high ones. Overall, a great bag, very functional and durable!

This bag is wonderful for the two use cases I bought it for:

(1) Driving to a shoot. It holds all the gear needed and is easy to lug around.

(2) Air travel. I never had issues with it being accepted as a carry-on.

I could comment on Think Tank's exceptional build quality, but that has been commented on already. Suffice to say: You get what you pay for.

Yes in my pinion this product is one of the best in the market today-if not the best.
Definitely will recommend to a friend without reservation.