Are wheels really evil?
 

I'm going to South Africa (Capetown, Phinda, Singita Ebony and Lebombo) in August. The thought of treking across O'Hare, Dulles, JNB, and CPT with my carry-on filled with camera equipment makes my back twitch in fear.

I found a soft-sided duffle bag with wheels that is completely smush-able on all but one side. I was thinking about taking this as my carry-on and checking in a softsided duffle with my clothes and my empty camera backback. Once I got to Africa, I'd rearrange things and put my camera gear in the backpack, the clothes in the wheeled duffle, and pack the other duffle.

But judging from the posts here, taking a duffle with wheels is sacrilegious. Would I be committing a cardinal sin if I took this bag?

Hills-
Sacrilegious? Not a chance.
I can't imagine trying to lug a duffle around without them.

Most of my duffles have wheels and so do most of my camera bags, except for those I take on game drives or trekking.

Hills,

We had an air transfer from Phinda to Londolozi last September. There were four passengers in a 4-seater plane. We all had non-wheeled duffles and I was amazed that they fit into the luggage compartment. I don't think any bag with a stiff side would have.

I guess it all depends on the size of your bag. Could it still be your carry-on when you traveled in SA? We did keep our small carry-on bags with us in our seats.

CW

What about the wheeled duffles that have a hard botton only? Is this still a problem. We are leaving in, oh my gosh 9 days and I am in panic mode. I have not been able to find 30" soft sided luggage so am considering using the hard bottom with wheels. Help help

I had the same question, as we were going to be flying between camps. Rocco (Destiny Africa) thought wheeled duffel would be fine. To be sure, he put us in direct touch with the wonderful folks at Chiawa Camp(Lower Zambezi) who confirmed that wheeled duffels would not be a problem. We had weight limitations though (12 kilo-about 25 pounds for one of the flights), and, while bags were not weighed everywhere, they were weighed on a couple of links. So, I carried camera and big lens on my person to get weight down. Since then I've bought a travel vest with big pockets that I will load up in the future.

There have been half-dozen recent posts of travelers finding 30" soft-sided duffles at very reasonable prices ($30-$50), so they are available. See ebags, bagbuys, LLBean, etc. Just do a search and lots of vendors will pop up.

To wheel or not. There are a number of possible problems. Besides the added weight when you are already limited... in SA and Botswana especially to only 10-12Kg, there's the possiblity of
- those w/ wheels and telescopic handles being damaged and of no use once they are.
- if the bags are weighed, and found to be over, they a fee.
- if not weighed and the pilot feels the bag/s won't fit or too heavy, it may be left behind for the next flight, especially if a small plane with all seats taken by passengers.

Wheels are wonderful, however, in most every international airport where transfers are necessary, I can't recall not finding luggage carts right outside your deplaning gate to get you to the connecting gate. Unlike in the US, where they, sadly, often charge for the carts, they've always been free for the taking overseas.

It's your choice.

I've nearly always taken a soft-sided bag with wheels as my check-in bag. If it had ever posed a problem in safari vehicles and charter flights, I would have stopped using it. I make sure it goes on the floor of luggage compartments so the hard bottom isn't an issue. The extra weight of wheeled bags is a problem for those who find it difficult to keep under safari limits. However, I like the hard bottom because it affords some protection for photographic hardware (chargers, light tripod or monopod, not cameras or lenses) which I cannot fit into my carry-on. A wheeled carry-on bag would be OK, too.

John

I'm with Sandi on this. If you are flying some small planes (3 or 5 or 7 seaters), the wheels and/or hard bottoms make it difficult for the pilot to fit everyone's bags in that very small compartment. And it isn't safe putting it inside the plane in case of a crash (like the one recently where they ended up in trees covered with fuel). I saw the pilot make one girl leave her bag behind because she didn't follow her TA's advice to take soft-sided duffle bags.

We were weighed at several places when we went from Zambia to Botswana to SA. I know, hills, I have a bad back too, but I didn't have a problem in Africa. As Sandi said, there were carts everywhere.

REI always has a good selection of perfect duffle bags, Spieg and you can drive there or order over the phone or internet. You will appreciate not having the extra weight when you want to put some souvenirs in your bag instead. :)

And every season, someone posts this question. It is only second to "Is it Evil to Wear Pink/Red/Black on Safari?"

If you really need wheels, there are portable wheel carts that fold up very small and then telescoope and a rack folds out. They have little bungie cords and you strap your bag onto it. Not as stable as built in ones but works better than none. Weigh 2-2.5 lbs and mine are by Samsonite.

Wheels is ok, as long as the size limit of the duffel is not too big. I think, my duffel from last safari had wheels.

Good timing for this thread.....i better get to packing in a couple of days, myself!!!

Hari

That's great that they have carts in the concourses of most South African airports; unfortunately, they don't at O'Hare and Dulles. Not to mention, I'm really tiny (with a bad back, as I mentioned). So carrying a bag full of camera equipment, a change of clothes (or 2), and entertainment for a long haul flight can be painful.

This duffle is really small...20 inches long and not very wide. But maybe julienk's idea is best. Hopefully they've come out with better ones since the last one I had; it was a disaster.

Hills, there are no carts at Dulles, really?? First thing I do at any airport in the US is grab a cart. Usually they are in a coin-operated machine outside or - better yet - I can get one in the garage that was left behind and wheel it into the airport. They let me take it through security (usually they wheel it through a separate way), up elevators, all the way to the entrance to the gate. Are you sure you are really looking? <s> </s>

From the website for Dulles Airport: I'm sure O'Hare has them too. It makes it much easier to use these.

&quot;Baggage Carts
Smartcarte baggage carts are available throughout the terminals and in parking facilities within walking distance of the Main Terminal. The SmarteCarte kiosks accept credit cards, debit cards, coins, $1- and $5- bills.&quot;

http://www.metwashairports.com/dulle...enger_services

One thing you'll need to watch is the thickness of your duffle bag. If it's more than the allowed 9 inches, you may be required to check it, which would NOT be good with all your gear in it! One of our travelers to Tanzania had a small duffle that made it as far as Amsterdam, but was made to check it when he tried to board there. When he got to Tanzania, all his camera batteries were gone.

I've taken wheeled duffles on all my trips to Africa and on scuba diving excursions and have never had a problem fitting them into planes, small or otherwise.

I can understand if the bag had wheels and was hard-sided, but there are &quot;duffle&quot; bags that are soft-sided and mash-able that have wheels. I don't see what the big deal is with them. Mine fit in the luggage compartments fine, and can be mashed around just like non-wheeled ones.

And I've never had a pilot or anyone else complain about the wheels.

It's just a matter of using a duffle that isn't too big, whether it has wheels or not.

At O'Hare, carts are available in the terminals, but not in the concourses and you can't take them through security. I'm almost positive it's the same deal at O'Hare.

ShayTay, I'm not too worried about not being able to carry on this bag. I'm flying first direct from Dulles to JNB, so it shouldn't be a problem.

Oops, meant &quot;same deal at Dulles.&quot;

Almost embarassed to admit this, but after buying more than one wheeled duffel bag, then changing our mind, we thought we had found what we wanted at REI. Then, on a last minute spree at Walmart for pens/pencils soccer balls for kids, we saw very inexpensive duffle bags, that were much lighter than what we had already bought. So, we bought those, and traveled on small planes throughout Zambia. I am certain the weight added was minimal. As has been mentioned more than once, an important factor was size, Ours were 28 inchers, but 26 inchers would have been safer for meeting carry-on standards.

I bought a duffel for my upcoming safari at Target. They have several different sizes (S/M/L/XL), ranging from about $14 to $24, in black, gray, red, purple, pink. They are a very light nylon fabric, which won't add weight. I bought the size L bag (and the gray color). The XL was way too big. I had difficulty finding bags without wheels, and when I did find them, the bags were very gym-baggish looking with Nike or Adidas logos, which I definitely didn't want. These fit the bill and the price, and if I only use them for one trip, so be it. The LL Bean ones are nicer, though, and also more expensive.

fluffnfold:
What city are you in? I am on Los Angeles and have been to several targets and Walmarts and can only find 24&quot; bags. Help we are leaving in 11 days and all of the clothes are laying in stacks on the floor.

I am in LA also and bought my duffels at REI for $29 each-large size 29 1/2 in. They seem very sturdy so check them out if you have one near you or have time to order online.

We ended up at Walmart for completely different reason (see above) and ended up taking the ones from REI back. lightweight, sturdy, and they had wheels. ONE MORE TIME: Small airplanes throughout Zambia, never a question or problem about wheels (and we checked with both TA and our camp owner beforehand who gave us thumbs-up). Can't imagine having to carrg bags throughout a/p's esp. Heathrow SFO and we are in very good condition.
The only issue was weight.

Only other consideration is carry-on dimensions, if you do not want to check bags. A 26x9x11 is okay. Ours were 28 inchers, but we were able to get them aboard a shuttle flight on our last leg home

It's gonna be fine!

SPIEGELCJS! I wrote you above to go to REI.

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Call first.

hills, you are right. Dulles will not allow you to proceed through security with the cart. They will not push it through for you the way they will at other airports. If you are departing there, it's easy to get a cart to get to check in and to the start of security, but if you're arriving there from somewhere else, there are no carts near the plane.

I do think that a wheeled carry on, esp one where the wheels come off (so it can be left at a base while traveling in Africa) can be useful. But the larger duffle bags I don't carry through the airport - they go on a cart and to the check in counter and then I get them at the next airport (Jo'burg) and use a cart again. And that is the recent wheel/cart update. :)

Sorry spiegelcjs, I didn't see your message until now. I've been offline for a few weeks. I live in the Northeastern US: Pennsylvania. I had to go to several different Targets in order to find two of the same size and color bag, so they weren't simple to find. Most stores had the smaller sizes, in the girly colors, but the Large bags in black or gray were more scarce. I bought the bags about two months ago. I don't know whether they are still in stock. Hope you found something for your trip.

Hello,

On my last trip to Botswana I saw someone in Maun who had a large dufflebag with a stiff square bottom and wheels. The stiff bottom was too large to fit into the baggage compartment and couldn't be compressed, and the bag was left behind. So yes, it does happen.

Cheers,
Julian

sorry, all. This is a test, I tried to reply to another message and nothing posted.

hills- interesting that you should post about wheels on the duffle, as I meant to post to you somewhere about the Naneu Pro bag that you recomended , and that we bought just before we left! Jim (being a person with TONS of camera equipment) bought the large Tango bag - and he just LOVES it! But, it's REALLY heavy and it would be a great idea if they did that bag with a telescopic handle and wheels. We were going to write them and suggest that. But thanks for the recomendation, it is a great bag!

PS the Micato duffles have wheels, and even though we didn't have to handle it very much, the once or twice we did have to handle it, the wheels came in handy! But it does make it ehavier, that's for sure - that bag empty weighs 8 lbs which cuts into our 33 lb limit by quite a bit.

Lynda, I'm glad you're happy with the bag. (Naneu Pro...if you're reading this, please send me a Bravo or Sierra to thank me for all the business I've sent you recently :-D ).

I finally decided to buy the small, soft-sided wheeled duffle to use as my carryon (21 inches long, 10 inches wide). Our TA said a 30-inch soft duffle with wheels is fine, but I think it's a waste of weight, especially when I probably won't have to carry it myself often or far. So, i bought one of the large LL Bean duffles in guide gold. It just arrived today. I love the color.

One more question about weight limits. I am leaving the 29th from DFW to JRO, but stopping in Houston, Amsterdam and then a last flight from Nairobi to JRO. After reading some posts, I checked on weight limits. I leave DFW on Continental and their restriction is 2 bags, no more than 50 lbs each. The agent from Continental said that since I am ticketed all the way through, then those same restrictions should follow me to Kilamanjaro. Precision Air, for Kenya Airways is operating that last flight from NBO to JRO and their restrictions are pretty steep.

I plan on trying to be well below the limits, and I understand that if I fly while on safari, I will only be allowed the small light bag. My question to you all that have made this trip before is...Is what the Continental agent said true? Or will there be a chance that when I get to Nairobi that all of my baggage won't make it?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

godmother -

That Continental agent is good only to AMS and maybe to NBO, but once in Africa, no way 2/bags @ 50/lbs each. You are limited to 33/lbs intra-country on light aircraft in both Kenya and Tanzania. Between Kenya and Tanzania as this is an international flight, you're actually allowed 40/lbs. but best to keep it less.

Stick with the 33/lbs and you'll be safe throughout, whether with or without wheels. If the latter, just remember as above, their weight takes away from what you can pack, the good reason for without wheels.

&quot;...the good reason for without wheels.&quot; Oh my gosh, I can't believe to wheel or not issue is still alive.

THE reason? Well, if you shop around, you can find a duffel where the wheels, back, and handle add little more than two pounds, two pounds that can easily be shifted to a travel vest or backpack.

Now would you rather carry a 33-pound bag on your shoulder through airports, rather than roll it? For me, being able to roll is THE reason to have wheels and a no-brainer--making sure, of course that size contraints are met.

Shall we start taking bets as to how long this thread, which is starting to look rather silly in comparison with great trip reports and horrible news of poaching, keeps going? Reminds me of the news channels cutting away from the Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman announcing his resignation to watch Paris getting into the sheriff's car to go back to jail.

But, as long as people keep unfairly maligning wheels while praising the &quot;merits&quot; of wrecking their backs, necks and shoulders, I guess I'll chirp in from time to time as well. Poor wheels can't defend themselves, so someone's gotta do it.

Jim

Cheers,

Jim

Jim,
I really wasn't posting about wheels, just the weight issue with connecting flights. I read so many replies to posts from a newcomer that say &quot;do a search for it on other threads&quot; I just didn't want to start another thread. This looked like the one with the most information about baggage and wanted a little advice.

Sorry about keeping it alive.