Greetings production experts! I'm working on an indie doc that is going to take me up and down the west coast on a lot of airline trips. I need a solid case I can check in, and would like to keep it away from the $75 baggage fee on united for weight. Here's a short list of things I want to throw in it:

1 Bogen Manfrotto 503 Tripod (30" when collapsed)
3 Arri light stands (26" when collapsed)
1 Pro light
1 Tota light w/ umbrella
1 Collapsible reflector
5" LCD field monitor

I am favoring the Kata Multilong or Tripolarge wheeled bags right now.

The Kata Palms 1 might work, but it barely fits the tripod length I think.

Also like the Maze 4, but exceeds 62" size limits.
Portabrace WPR-30 exceeds 62" size limits.
Pelicans will eat up all the weight in the case alone.

Everytime I think I make a decision, I find some new reason that a bag won't work, and I'm back to the drawing board. So I'd love to hear from those of you with experience getting this stuff on and off an airliner.

Hi Shannon and welcome to DVi,

I have flown up and down the California for the past 5 years with equipment. I use two Pelicans 1620s that when packed weigh 50 pounds each. SouthWest Air charges $25 if a checked bag is over 50 pounds. I stopped checking anything fragile, because no matter how careully I packed it, TSA takes it all apart and throws it back in the case. They would take my mixer out of its zippered bag and not put it back and then put it on top of a mic stand. They then leave me a note saying they checked my bag (like I couldn't tell). A couple of pieces of gear got damaged, so I now check only non-breakable items and carry on the rest in a Pelican 1510. My suitcase and the three Pelicans fit on a Smart Carte and into the trunk of a cab. Baggage handlers will distroy a soft bag. My Pelicans have many deep gashes.