# Need an transport-bag for large Tripod



## daniela (Jul 4, 2016)

Hello Guys!

I need an soft case to transport my tripod, that consists of an Gitzo 5542 tripod an an Sachtler 8 FSB head. 
The Gitzo bag, I bought is to small. I know, a lot of wildlife photographers use this tripod&head. So, please tell me, which bag (should be soft & protecting the tripod) to buy.
In August, I need it for an longer trip to Norway.

Thank you & G
Daniela


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## daniela (Jul 12, 2016)

Is nobody able to help me? 

How do you transport your Gitzo and FSB 8 head?

As many of wildlife photographer prefer this tripod and head, I was thinking, some one can reply.
I hope I get an tip.

Thank you a lot.
G
Daniela


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## neuroanatomist (Jul 12, 2016)

One of these should work. 

http://www.reallyrightstuff.com/TQB-89-Extra-large-tripod-bag

I have three of their quiver bags (compact, small and large), and they're excellent.


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## arthurbikemad (Jul 12, 2016)

I have the large Gitzo bag, takes my 5 series tripod and wimberly head... but damm...$$$$$$$!


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## Random Orbits (Jul 12, 2016)

neuroanatomist said:


> One of these should work.
> 
> http://www.reallyrightstuff.com/TQB-89-Extra-large-tripod-bag
> 
> I have three of their quiver bags (compact, small and large), and they're excellent.



+1. Got onto the RRS bandwagon after inquiring on this forum a few years ago with their L-brackets and tripod and never looked back. Over the years, the RRS stockpile grew with the tripod bag, pano rigs, macro rails, etc. I don't have much experience with other brands because RRS stuff works so well.


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## daniela (Jul 12, 2016)

Thank you a lot!
This RRS bag seems to be protective. I´ll order one. The Gitzo is to expensive and to oversized.

Another question:
If I do carry the tripod and head without the bag, mounted on my backpack, do you use an tripod-head-protection? Something like an neopren lenscase with an drawstring?
Do you know an fittig one? The Sachtler head is 15-16cm in diameter.
I would recommend such an protection against dust and scratches. 

G
Daniela


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## Pookie (Jul 12, 2016)

Tenba... tripak's are really nice for travel.

http://www.tenba.com/devices/tripod-light-stand-grip.aspx


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## neuroanatomist (Jul 12, 2016)

daniela said:


> Another question:
> If I do carry the tripod and head without the bag, mounted on my backpack, do you use an tripod-head-protection? Something like an neopren lenscase with an drawstring?
> Do you know an fittig one? The Sachtler head is 15-16cm in diameter.
> I would recommend such an protection against dust and scratches.



I use the bags for home storage and transporting the legs/head in the car or packed in luggage. My largest RRS bag holds the TVC-33 and BH-55 ballhead, but I'd need a prohibitively huge bag to hold the legs with the gimbal assembled on top. Since the RRS gimbal disassembles easily, I just transport it in pieces. I originally bought the LensCoat RRS-PG neoprene pouch for that, but the darn thing is the size of a 300/2.8 lens! I found that the pieces of the RRS gimbal (including a nodal slide) pack perfectly in a Lowepro Lens Exchange 200 AW case, which is the size of a 70-200/2.8.

When hiking with the lens, I just carry the bare tripod with the assembled gimbal mounted, the legs strapped to the tripod carrier on the side of my Lowepro Lens Trekker 600 AW II. No cover over the gimbal.

If you want to protect your fluid head from scratches, the first thing I'd suggest is an effectively free solution that you may already have in your possession...do you have any 'standard' L-series lenses? Personally, I find the leather pouches that come with them useless for the corresponding lenses, but you may have one that's the perfect size for the head. Else, there are large neoprene pouches available from OpTech and many other vendors.


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## bsbeamer (Jul 12, 2016)

I needed a spare bag for an additional tripod setup and picked up this:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014SB863E

It's surprisingly well-built and quite a nice bag for the price. Not sure if the size is perfect for what you're looking for, but maybe worth considering.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Jul 12, 2016)

have a old Bogen bag in good shape that is too big for my tripod, its fairly large, but you can have it for just the cost to ship it to you. If you are interested, I'll measure it up. It came with a truck load of photography stuff that I bought from a retired photographer at his moving sale. Its very well made.

s possible that it had Lightstands in it, I received a Bogen Lightstand, but it did not seem to be a match.

One good thing is that no one would think that it has anything very valuable in it to rip off.


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## harryallen (Jul 12, 2016)

Take a look at Golf bags or baseball bags at the sporting goods stores. They can be either soft sided or hard sided --take your tripod to the store.


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## NancyP (Jul 12, 2016)

Daniela, if you use a backpack for your wildlife photography, you might also consider the f-stop gear non-padded roll-top tripod bag with daisy chain and D rings, lashed onto your pack. You don't need an f-stop pack - it can be lashed onto a garden-variety hiker's pack such as the Osprey or Gregory packs. Note - it doesn't come with a shoulder or other strap. It is assumed that you probably have some straps already for lashing other things on your pack. The first url shows the manufacturer's page. The others show bag in use.

http://shop.fstopgear.com/us/tripod-bag.html
http://www.lincolnharrison.com/blog/2014/8/14/whats-in-my-bag
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1404397
http://dancarrphotography.com/blog/2011/12/01/introducing-the-f-stop-dakota-components/


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## pwp (Jul 13, 2016)

After two or three events where I've had tripod legs dinged by airline baggage handlers, I no longer pack tripod legs in soft bags. Damage to lightstands is annoying but tolerable. Not so with tripod legs. What I do now with my Gitzo legs is this. I made a tube from PVC plumbing pipe with one sealed end and one screw-on end. The caps are there in the plumbing department. Buy the correct glue to attach the permanent cap and the screw-on cap. Take your tripod to your local plumbing supplies outlet and buy a length of the minimum diameter to fit your tripod legs. For travel I always use a ball head as it is as slim as the tripod legs. If your head is larger, pack it separately. 

For travel I put the tube in a regular lightstand bag, or it would probably be a simple matter to attach a carry strap to the tube. You could just about run a car over the PVC plumbing tube. It may not be attractive but it's very light and very strong.

-pw


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## neuroanatomist (Jul 13, 2016)

pwp said:


> After two or three events where I've had tripod legs dinged by airline baggage handlers, I no longer pack tripod legs in soft bags.



To be clear in my case, for airline travel the tripod is in the RRS quiver bag, and that's packed inside a suitcase. Not just any suitcase, but one of these:







I have no worries about damage...


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## scottkinfw (Jul 13, 2016)

neuroanatomist said:


> One of these should work.
> 
> http://www.reallyrightstuff.com/TQB-89-Extra-large-tripod-bag
> 
> I have three of their quiver bags (compact, small and large), and they're excellent.



I agree with Neuro completely.

I have a RRS TVC-33 (sizeable tripo) with leveling base and quick release clamp. I use a Wimberly WH 200 II Gimbal head (large) to tote. I use the TQB-89: Extra large tripod bag SKU: #TQB-89- The largest bag they sell.

I don't want to sound like an ad for them but I love the ballistic nylon, external pockets, and the unusual (to me) stylish design.

The somewhat bulbous top of the bag has a protective firm end cap with a zipper up net for holding things like boxes with Allen wrenches.

I can't fit the assembled tripod & head in the bag so I remove the Wimberly and place it in a protective pouch from Lens Coat. 

This kit has been on many trips on planes and cars and all parts remain pristine.

Hope that helps.

sek


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Jul 13, 2016)

pwp said:


> After two or three events where I've had tripod legs dinged by airline baggage handlers, I no longer pack tripod legs in soft bags. Damage to lightstands is annoying but tolerable. Not so with tripod legs. What I do now with my Gitzo legs is this. I made a tube from PVC plumbing pipe with one sealed end and one screw-on end. The caps are there in the plumbing department. Buy the correct glue to attach the permanent cap and the screw-on cap. Take your tripod to your local plumbing supplies outlet and buy a length of the minimum diameter to fit your tripod legs. For travel I always use a ball head as it is as slim as the tripod legs. If your head is larger, pack it separately.
> 
> For travel I put the tube in a regular lightstand bag, or it would probably be a simple matter to attach a carry strap to the tube. You could just about run a car over the PVC plumbing tube. It may not be attractive but it's very light and very strong.
> 
> -pw



Thats my type of project. The pipe would fit inside that Bogen Bag. However, I no longer travel by air, no particular reason, I just have other priorities. I've traveled the world enough.


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## pwp (Jul 13, 2016)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> pwp said:
> 
> 
> > After two or three events where I've had tripod legs dinged by airline baggage handlers, I no longer pack tripod legs in soft bags. Damage to lightstands is annoying but tolerable. Not so with tripod legs. What I do now with my Gitzo legs is this. I made a tube from PVC plumbing pipe with one sealed end and one screw-on end. The caps are there in the plumbing department. Buy the correct glue to attach the permanent cap and the screw-on cap. Take your tripod to your local plumbing supplies outlet and buy a length of the minimum diameter to fit your tripod legs. For travel I always use a ball head as it is as slim as the tripod legs. If your head is larger, pack it separately.
> ...



Yes it's a terrific inexpensive DIY solution to protecting all manner of gear. I pack my two 86 inch PCB PLM Umbrella/Softbox http://paulcbuff.com/plm.php in similar, separate, narrower diameter tubes, plus another with just enough room for three lightstands. 

It wasn't my invention, the idea came from a friend who travels all over with a ton of gear shooting for a high circulation national car magazine. He could write the book on clever little tricks and work-arounds.

-pw


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## RGF (Jul 16, 2016)

I always detach my ball head (or Wimberley) from the tripod. In fact I also remove the bottom plate of the wimberley from the rest of the head. Once I did not do separate the bottom plate from the body and somehow my duffle got banged so that the tightening screw (for the arca swiss clamp) got bent. If everything was inside a PVC pipe I probably would not worry about this but I tend to keep the number of bags down to a minimum so tripod is packed inside the duffle (surrounded by clothing)


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## daniela (Jul 31, 2016)

Thank you. The RRS bag fits well. ;D


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## RGF (Aug 8, 2016)

I just put my tripod inside my suitcase and pad it with lots of clothes.

I always detach the ball head and with my wimberley I remove the clamp. Once the airlines must have really banged by bag because the tighten screw on the clamp was bent. I was able to close the clamp but it required some force.


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