![\"\"](\"http:\/\/aboutrc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/image1.jpg\" "\\"image1\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\nSo, a couple of weeks ago, I was trying to get to a tour stop over in North Carolina from Tampa. \u00a0I totally blanked on checking what kind of plane I was attempting to board. \u00a0Not checking this, I was thinking to myself “Hey.. you never know if you’re going to have a shoot. \u00a0Why dont I pack a little bit of things just in case. The two bags that I tend to use when traveling are the ThinkTank Airport Security V2<\/a> and the ThinkTank ShapeShifter<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Im always made fun of for being notorious about overpacking. \u00a0K. \u00a04 SB800\/900 lights, Three hard drives (2 keep Lightroom Images, one personal stuff), 70-200 lens, Camera, 24-70 lens, Mophie<\/a>, plugs, cables, Flashlights, Elinchrom Skyports<\/a>.. that kinda thing. \u00a0I usually rest my Macbook Pro and my Intuos4 Med Tablet on top of all of this and shut the lid. \u00a0This roller packs EVERYTHING. \u00a0I even get the front pocket to hold my iPad. \u00a0All seemed to be set.<\/p>\n Until you show up at the gate and you find out that the plane you are about to get on is an MD88. \u00a0These planes will not be able to hold this big bag. \u00a0The gate agent looks at me and says “i’ll be happy to check it for you” \u00a0I let the lady know i’d sooner miss the flight than have this gear checked. \u00a0She proceeds to rebook me (thank you sooo much!!) for a couple of hours down the road. \u00a0I usually plan my trips early enough for these kinds of contingencies, so I wasnt really bothered by it. \u00a0Got to go home, catch up with my sleeping child and wife.. have breakfast, and try again.<\/p>\n Now, I cant bring the big behemoth with me, so what Is there to do?<\/p>\n For many months now, I’ve been toting the Thinktank Shapeshifter bag. \u00a0I had gotten tired of using this old Swiss computer bag – it was looking long in the tooth. \u00a0I wanted to find\u00a0something\u00a0that looked sleek but\u00a0wasn’t\u00a0incredibly bulky. \u00a0I also wanted something that was able to let me haul gear in a pinch. \u00a099% of the time around town, I usually keep it in its most compact state, with this expansion zipper way closed. \u00a0People usually comment as to how small my computer bag is.<\/p>\n However, I need this thing to transform. \u00a0Now! \u00a0How much will I be able to hold in this little bag? let the packing begin!<\/p>\n After opening up this zipper compartment in the middle of the bag, the bag expands and shows all of these pockets that you can use. \u00a0The pockets to one side are tall, letting you throw your lenses in it. \u00a0The pockets to the other side are wider, letting you put camera bodies or other\u00a0accouterments\u00a0in them. \u00a0This is my Nikon\u00a070-200 2.8\u00a0VRII<\/a> on top of one of the pockets.<\/p>\n 24-70 will go in this section at the top. \u00a0The Nikon D800 will go in this bottom pocket.<\/p>\n Middle pocket will get the three hard drives, a mifi card (in the event I need wireless somewhere), USB3 cables, and a flashlight.<\/p>\n The last pocket gets chargers, wacom cables, extensions, and other stuff. \u00a0Here is a charger for the iPhone, a Plugbug<\/a> that I use for my iPad (I love that thign) and the Nexus7 Charger. \u00a0Second Flashlight too..<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Any other assorted cables get thrown in in the middle of the pockets. \u00a0Thats where I usually put the power supply for the Macbook Pro. \u00a0This means that this pocket is good to go. \u00a0Zip it up!<\/p>\n Now this still leaves three whole pockets at the front of the bag that you can use for other stuff. \u00a0I find that papers, business cards, and my Nexus7<\/a> fit there perfectly. \u00a0I even throw in my Element Case Joule stand<\/a> for traveling (I like how sturdy it is). \u00a0 The bottom pocket gets the ipad, any other drives and cables, and assorted junk. \u00a0Front front pocket gets business cards, or other small things.<\/p>\n This is the bag all packed and zipped up, ready to go back to the airport.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n This is the gutted bag. \u00a0Now full disclosure – at the last minute I actually went back and threw two of the SB800s in the bag, so it was even emptier.<\/p>\n You’ll notice that even with all of this stuff packed, the bag still had a bit of wiggle\/pinch room in the middle. \u00a0Meaning that in a pinch, I could get just a couple of things more into it.<\/p>\n Now, is this a bag that you want to carry around with you everywhere? \u00a0Absolutely not. \u00a0I threw it on my bathroom scale, and this puppy weighed about 29 pounds! \u00a0Usually what I do is pack a smaller location bag (in this case the retrospective 30 from Thinktank<\/a>) with undies and clothes in my main suitcase. \u00a0This way, when I get to the location, I can just dump some gear into this bag.<\/p>\nI Tend To Overpack Gear<\/h5>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nDeploy the ShapeShifter!<\/h5>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nThe Front Pockets<\/h5>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nHow Much Do you Bench?<\/h5>\n
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