THINK TANK AIRPORT TAKEOFF When I planned a trip that included a flight I came to the conclusion that my current Lowepro camerabag was not really suitable as cabin gear so the search for a new bag began. The guys at Think Tank Photo were so kind to send me an Airport TakeOff backpack to take with me and put it to test on my recent Italy trip. The hybrid combination of a stroller and backpack seemed perfect and I wonder why nobody else thought of that years ago. I told them the bag would have to be pretty sturdy to survive the conditions the derelict buildings are in as well being pulled through overgrown gardens while at the same time being comfortable as I am carrying the bag a lot. I was being told that should be no problem and the asked me to write and publish an honest review. So here we go. When I received it and took it out of the box I was a little sceptical about the dimensions and I feared the bag would never fit into the airplane cabine storage unit. There was nothing to worry because it fitted the cabin locker without any problems. You will get a LOT of bag space for your money. This bag will easily hold 2 dslr’s with lenses fitted and plenty additional gear. I managed to fit in all the gear I own and still have space left.There are many zippered pockets and I even used one to carry my passport and boarding pass. The backpack is made from very heavy duty canvas and looks just like a normal airplane stroller but it can be transformed into a backpack in seconds. It features it retractable handle, two wheels as well as tucked away backpack straps. The build quality is simply amazing. It’s build like a tank with high quality materials. The wheels are not the average stroller plastic noisy ones but can be compared with high quality rollerblade wheels. On 2 sides there are big padded handles for lifting. The retractable handle feels a bit flimsy due to made of very light weight material and although Think Tank recommends not lifting the bag on the handle I could lift the bag easily with full gear inside. I had no problems attaching my large Really Right Stuff TVL-34 tripod to the side of the bag with the straps and included tripod cup. If you want to take your laptop on your trips, forget about taking a seperate laptop case. The Airport TakeOff features a separate front pocket for it, including a lock and cable. It fits 15” and probably even most 17” laptops. I was a bit suprised how comfortable the backpack straps are, they are thick, padded and it gives you the feeling you are carrying a high grade backpack. While the combination of the stroller / backpack is executed in a flawless way for me it’s just a bit too big. If you are a photographer who is also a frequent traveler you will love this bag. If they ever release a mini version of this back which is about 10cm smaller in height & width and about 5cm thinner It would be a perfect solution for me. For now, despite the size it will remain my number one bag when flights are part of my trips.
