Gear Review: Think Tank Airport Essentials

I was looking for a bag that would hold the bulk of my camera gear and the Think Tank Airport Essentials fits the bill.

It is large enough but not too large. Equipped with plenty of compartments to fit the necessary items with plenty of room for any other random items you might need. This bag holds everything I need to take to a shoot.

The bag starts with the usual Think Tank high quality materials.

It is well built. It has nicely padded handles on the top as well as the side, making it comfortable to carry, and can be worn as a backpack as well. As backpacks go, it is very comfortable, with padded adjustable straps and a waist belt. The waist belt is tucked neatly in it’s own compartment and the back of the bag is padded which adds to the comfort when wearing. I have not yet worn it as a backpack on any long excursions. With all of my gear, my 15” laptop and iPad mini, it weighs in at just about 22lbs. The zippers are sturdy.

The main compartment of the bag consists of adjustable padded dividers that allow it to be customized to your needs. It is easy to rearrange.  My gear fits snugly and is well padded.

The inside of the top has two nylon zippered pouches. For me they store my extra cards, batteries, lens covers/caps, and the extra compartment dividers.

Moving to the outside of the bag, the top has a roomy zippered compartment that will easily fit my 15” laptop and I pad as well as smaller spaces for pens, business cards, manuals, etc. I also keep my cleaning solutions there.

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On the top of the bag, underneath the handle are two small flat compartments, one with velcro and one zippered. Mine are empty as of yet, but they could hold business cards, or other flat items. The larger compartment does hold my Iphone 6S with a snug fit.

Next to the side handle is a small zippered compartment that includes a security cable/lock. I will be adding an alarm to this setup. The bag also comes with a rain cover, which can be stored in several of the compartments.

The opposite side of the bag has two adjustable straps. I will be carrying my tripod here, but you could easily adapt it to other items you wish to carry on the outside of the bag. There are also two strap loops on the bottom that can be used to attach additional bags or items.

My contents- I carry a Nikon D7200 with 24-70 lens attached, my 70-200 lens, one speed light, a Gary Fong diffuser a small Rogue Flashbender, my 50 mm lens, two battery chargers, two polarizers, and one compartment for either an extra camera body or my Lumix G7 with 14-140 lens attached. This leaves one corner space empty. I also like to carry my wallet, hand lotion, lip gloss and keys to avoid having to carry a purse and they all fit nicely.

All said, this is a great bag and will serve me well. As I have had it for a fairly short time, I’m sure I will be rearranging and adding items as I need. A lightweight jacket would easily fit as well as other personal items I might want to carry with me. Removing a few of the extra accessories would allow this case to double as an overnight bag and still hold my camera gear.

The Airport Essentials just about has it all. Right size for Airline carry on restrictions, easy to access your gear, comfortable to wear and carry. Wheels and a handle would be a nice addition, but  that would also add weight.

All in all this bag meets all of my expectations. Order  and SAVE – plus get a FREE Gift By using our Links and code!

Debbie Clem – Photographer & PAC Member