Think Tank Airport Essentials Backpack for Standard DSLR System, 300mm f/2.8/iPad/13" Laptop, Small

2025-04-17T20:00:00

I bought this bag primarily because my other "non-thinkthank" backpack had dividers that weren't staying in place and I need a smaller bag than my Airport TakeOff v1 for some assignments. I was shocked when I was able to pack 2 dslr bodies, 5 lenses (including a Sigma 70-200 f2.8), 2 eVolv 200s, a Braven Mini and several other items in this one bag. Blown a way! As we would say in Jamaica, "It likke but it tallawah" meaning it's small but packs a punch.

Gabre C.

Originally posted at

2024-09-07T20:00:00

This bag was recommended by the professional photographer group I take a few trips a year with. My old one, a different and cheaper brand, finally failed me on the last trip. I got the smaller essential, as I'm only 5'1" and 67 and it is going to be more than enough. I'm extra in love with how it is designed to support the tripod on outside and my Macbbook and older kindle fit perfectly. I'm hoping this is my sole carry on piece and I can get my meds and must-haves in it along with my camera gear.

Linda S.

Originally posted at

2024-08-26T20:00:00

Bought eight years ago when moving from DSLR to mirrorless. It was perfect for traveling for landscape photography, although my clunky laptop at the time was too bulky to fit smoothly. Then I started shooting birds and needed bigger bags for larger lenses (notably the Airport Advantage, which takes my 600 f/4, and Backlight 36L). All that was fine until I went to an overseas bird workshop, and neither of those bags met the airline's carryon dimension limits. Resigned to taking a 60-600 zoom, I looked for what other TT bag might work. Although ready to buy a new bag, I suddenly remembered the trusty but much smaller Airport Essentials. It was PERFECT to hold the 60-600 and 100-400 and miscellaneous gear, plus thinner laptop, iPad and their paraphernalia. Very comfortable to wear through airports and short hikes. So the lesson is: never get rid of a bag, especially if it's a rugged, quality TT one. You never know when it will be exactly what you need!

Susan S.

Originally posted at

2024-08-14T20:00:00

I've had this bag for a few years now and while I also have the backlight 26L, had the airport international, still have an airport airstream (an old beast). This bag just does everything the others can do (in different ways) but in a very well-thought-out manner. I think everyone would agree. It's a great bag and the reviews speak for themselves. But I have 2 wishes. #1 Add a handle pass thru. This is an "airport" bag. I want to have the ability to slide it over the handle of my other carry-on. #2 Add 2 more nylon eyelets to the bottom (on the closer to the back side) so I can carry a tripod horizontally under the bag. The side pouch is my water bottle holder. Other than those things, that still keep me some-what searching for an 'even better' bag, I love this bag. (straps could be a wee bit more padded) if we are being honest, or maybe mine have just deflated over time. But again, my favorite bag of all of the ones I've ever owned.

Chris L.

Originally posted at

2024-02-28T19:00:00

I needed a bag that had a specific size and had to be light. International intra country flights are very limited. This bag fits the need and when I needed different inserts to make it work -all I did was call. Louis was outstanding!! I'll buy again from them.

Susan F.

Originally posted at

2023-07-29T17:17:02

This is a well made bag that stows perfectly under all airline seats. I fly regional jets and the overhead compartments are not always available or big enough. I could not risk a gait checked bag. I fly United Airlines and they have one of the smallest personal bag size limits. This is exactly the specs for their requirements. I fit 2 Fuji H2s bodies, 150-600 lens, 24-70 lens, 6 batteries, memory card reader, think tank memory card holder, 14" laptop and charger, my 3 oz liquid bag, wallet, small bag of lozenges, tissues, and other toiletries. It can be a had held bag or backpack. Not the most comfortable backpack for long hikes (use a Tenba solstice 20L) but it works just fine in an airport. I also found that I used it in the car as my storage bag with the wide opening I could easily access everything I needed when we drove up on a wildlife moment in Yellowstone. Build quality is great. I can see this bag lasting for years.

Todd C.

2022-09-27T20:00:00

I love this backpack. It's pretty much everything I could hope for. The only *possible* tweak is that it would be nice if the clamshell opening were on the back versus the front so that when I lay it on the floor it's not the part that goes against my clothes that's going on the ground. But that's nitpicking. I love how this backpack actually stands up on its own. The padding is sufficient for my gear. It's designed to WORK. It came with dividers already in place (SO nice). It's just a slamdunk piece of equipment.

Shanti K.

Originally posted at

2021-10-13T20:00:00

Needed something a little smaller than my Mindshift 26L, fits two Sony bodies, several lenses, and iPad, for international travel quality isntop notch, like my other TT bags.

James W.

Originally posted at

2021-10-12T20:00:00

Needed something a little smaller than my Mindshift 26L, fits two Sony bodies, several lenses, and iPad, for international travel quality isntop notch, like my other TT bags.

James P.

Originally posted at

2021-08-14T20:00:00

I purchased this bag to transport my cinema kit. The amount of equipment the bag can hold is phenomenal. It?s small and comfortable to carry between scenes. The bag currently holds 3 cameras, 6 lenses, lights, filters, and more. I do a lot of multi-camera shoots. So, finding this bag was godsend.

Shaun M.

Originally posted at

2020-12-09T19:00:00

For anyone who is interested, the 16" MacBook Pro fits in the computer slot of this bag (I had the same question about the 15" MacBook Pro when I originally bought the bag - that fits too). Great combination of external size and capacity in a carry-on backpack!

Don

Originally posted at

2020-06-22T20:00:00

After several years of use, it's in perfect condition. And it's my choice whenever I have to travel on international flights. It can easily take a huge amount of material. A safe purchase!!!

Ricardo B.

Originally posted at

2020-02-10T19:00:00

This is my choice for commercial and assignment fieldwork. I really like the black exterior design with minimal visible features, pockets, straps. The handles are A+

Stephen D.

Originally posted at

2019-11-07T14:13:08

Love the bag, no regrets.

Gerald B.

2019-08-01T20:00:00

Compact and carries a lot. Can even fit a 15 inch laptop!

Jett B.

Originally posted at

2019-07-01T20:00:00

I ordered this bag for my recent hoping to avoid the hassles of trying to fit my previous bag into the overhead bin of the smaller jets that I have to take on the home leg of my flight. I'm very happy with this bag. It has met all my requirements. Very compact but I was able to fit a D750, D810, Sigma 150-600mm, Tamron 24-70, Rokinon 24mm, Rokinon 14mm, iPad, cables, SD cards, cables, straps, and a few other things all into the bag. It fit easily into the smaller overhead bins of the smaller express jets and I never had a worry of being forced to "check" my bag. The bag is well made and seems to be durable. I expect to use this bag whenever I travel by air.

Clark E.

Originally posted at

2019-03-01T19:00:00

Just traveled with it and was able to put it inside my carry on. This way on the way home when I needed more room for purchases on my trip I had an empty carry on to fill up with things I purchased out of town. It distributes the weight perfectly and is great quality!

Michelle R.

Originally posted at

2018-10-08T20:00:00

i really love this backpack. it allows me to travel without freaking out about my gear breaking or trying to figure out how to travel with a backpack my gear in another bag. it allows for all the gear i need to travel all the other little things here and there that i like to have with me when i travel!

Lealah a.

Originally posted at

2018-09-09T20:00:00

Having recently changed from a Canon 5D series kit with f/2.8 zooms, I’d been finding my old bags (Airport 4-Sight, Addicted, and Urban Disguise 50) a bit large for my new Fuji X-H1 / X-T2 kit with similar lenses. Info online couldn’t quite tell me whether this would hold (a) an X-H1 with battery grip, (b) a 15” MacBook Pro Retina, and (c) a good range of lenses. Well, the answer are yes, yes, and YES. With the gripped X-H1 rolled on its side (and the 50-140mm f/2.8 attached), the zipper does up easily; and the bag is the perfect depth that the Fuji 16-55 f/2.8 will fit standing on end, as will the 56 f/1.2 even with the lens hood mounted. Overall, it holds the following: - Gripped X-H1 with 50-140mm f/2.8 attached; - X-T2 body - 16-55mm f/2.8 - 10-24mm f/4 - 56mm f/1.2 - 35mm f/1.4 - 18mm f/2 (with the 1.4x TC sitting below it) - 2x Godox V860II (the lithium battery model) - Godox remote trigger X-Pro F - Sekonic L308S - Colorchecker passport - 77mm polariser - Off-camera flash cord (Canon) - Rain cover - Hahnel Captur remote transmitter / receiver Plus the 15” MacBook Pro, and iPad, and whatever else I can fit in the inside and outside pockets. (If I’m honest, I didn’t even try very hard - I could probably get more in...!) All this in a bag that, outwardly, doesn’t even look all that big. Total weight with the full kit loaded is 8.8kg, or 11.3kg with the laptop and iPad as well. All in all, this seems like the perfect Fujifilm working / travel bag. Nice one, ThinkTank!

Robert

Originally posted at

2018-08-04T20:00:00

I find the Airport series by ThinkTank very useful, well thought out bags. I would prefer to see the bags open from the strap side so opening bag in wet, snow or worse, mud, the wet does not transfer to you when putting the backpack back on. I also like the security of this. The bags are designed to let you see everything in one glance when open. This is the reason why I bought the bags. I would like to see more attachment components on the handle side of the bags not just the other side. This is not a comprehensive review. But fundamentally, while not perfect, these are exceptional bags. For example, on a recent shoot in Venice Italy, I used the Airport Commuter with a Fuji GFX body and GF lens, plus a Cambo Actus body, a bunch of enlarger lenses used for camera, plus Fuji XH-1 and 3 Fuji XF lenses, along with a tripod head and 17.5 inch Gitzo travelers that fit [just barely] into the bag. This all allowed me to carry on bodies, lenses and tripod on to plane. The bag helps you organize your kit. I’d like to see a more neutral color, maybe soft grey or green or brown. Black calls attention as photo bag and soaks up heat. The Essentials bag is a little smaller and a nice balance between large kit and lighter weight kit. Bottom line: one of the top series out there. Highly recommended.

Joseph P.

Originally posted at

2018-07-11T20:00:00

The bag worked perfectly for my mirrorless kit, two lenses, filter system, and battery charger, plus small travel tripod mounted on the side. That left plenty of room inside for mom-stuff like snacks and books, etc. Once we got to the hotel, I used it for early morning shoots, then removed the camera gear and stocked it with beach essentials, locking it to our beach chairs while we were in the water. It worked perfectly for me. It fit under the seat on the plane, and was easy to handle for my small frame. The front pocket held my boarding passes, phone, and iPad pro 10.5 inch. We are very light packers and this was a great bag for our entire trip.I no longer have to decide between taking my camera gear and taking my kid gear.

Jennifer W.

Originally posted at

2018-06-26T20:00:00

I was amaze what i got into it. D800 with 24-70, d750 with 24-120 , nikon 14-24 and sigma 70-200. With no problem.

Steve L.

Originally posted at

2018-05-24T08:44:06

Love this backpack! Holds my Sony A7riii with the 70-200 on it perfectly! I use this for outdoor portrait sessions with my think tank photo retrospective lens changer 3 and it's a perfect combo.

Nick P.

2018-04-19T20:00:00

I realized that I have been using and traveling the world by plane with it for over 6 years now. I had spent a few days looking for a slightly larger bag but have rearranged things a bit and it works again. So my contents are: Nikon D500 with 200-500mm f/5.6 lens attached with a big Kirk lens foot rotated and lens hood reversed. Nikon D7200 with 70-200mm f/4 attached with lens hood reversed. Nikon 300mm f/4 E PF with TC-14e iii attached and lens hood. Nikon 10-24mm DX. Nikon SB-800 speedlight. I also have three stacked ND & polarizer filters, a pouch with 2 spare batteries and a ThinkTank cable pouch. Cleaning bits in the inner pockets. Generally got flying the laptop and iPad slots are kept empty to keep the profile low but still have space for bits in the field. For a bag that never looks big at the checkin and still easily go into any overhead bin or under seats on any jet or into luggage spaces on 4 seaters, that’s quite a feat. The rearrangement allows me to carry the 300 with TC attached which make things a bit easier so I’ve decided to keep using this bag for its stealth abilities. Comfortable to backpack too.

richardb

Originally posted at

2018-02-19T10:09:57

Camera bags are a personal choice. I have many, including different backpacks. All are different sizes for differing needs. But when I want the room and protection for a fair mount of gear and am not too concerned with hiking or a long walk, this is great.

jeffrey p.

2018-02-14T19:00:00

I currently own 5 Cameras bags... 2 of those are from ThinkTankPhoto. The Airport essentials is by far my favorite of them all... I go on about 30-40 trips a year and i get so annoyed to find out that ill be flying on Small planes. Many times airlines forced me to check the bag (with thousands of dollars worth of gear). i could not relax the entire flight... with this bag i no longer worry about all, when flying. the bag fits everywhere. and if i boarded the plane last it goes easily under the seat with now issues. Thank you for making such a versatile product!! Note; i usually carry a canon 5d mark 4, 70-200, 24-70,16-35 and 14mm lenses. as well as filters, batteries, speedlight, headphones, ipad pro, and many other accessories.

Franklin

Originally posted at

2018-02-06T19:00:00

Very light, but robust. Quite small footprint, but able to load a great amount of gear. I use it with my Olympus OMD gear and it is the perfect size for 2 complete professional kits and some accessories. It looks fine and elegant, ok for weddings or other event where you need to be elegant even if wearing a backpack. The only downside il the cable lock system: I wish it to be attached to an harder part of the bag and not just to a little rope inside its pocket. I understand it is not intended as anti thief solution but it feel to me that if someone pull the bag strongly it will detach. It should be a great solution if just a bit more secure (I think I will make a custom modification to it).

Luca

Originally posted at

2017-04-13T13:20:32

I had been looking for a sturdy package to take on the airplane. I bought several different ones and ended up sending them back. I will not be sending this one back. I am able to pack two zoom lens and a wide angle lens easily. Also packed the battery charge, extra battery, a couple of lens filters and cleaning kit. It had room left. Plus my 15" MacPro fits in the computer section.

C E.

2017-01-31T07:42:40

Well designed and functional backpack.

DAVE K.

2017-01-04T19:00:00

Bought the current Airport Essentials this past fall for my Fuji gear. It holds a fairly large kit, including both the 100-400 and the 50-140 (lying down flat)with several bodies and assorted smaller lenses. It is small enough that no one will ever look twice when I carry it on an airplane with me -- and it could probably pass muster as my "second bag". Both the X Pro 2 and the XT2 are a little taller than the padding when placed vertically, but they fit. The 90mm fits vertically with ease. There is a hard foam pad between the camera compartment and the computer sleeve to prevent hard camera edges from damaging the computer. The new 15 inch Macbook Pro (late 2016) does fit easily into the laptop compartment. I was a little worried about that when I updated from my 11-inch Macbook Air (which fits in anything). The suspension is basic - a couple of padded shoulder straps, a thin webbing hip belt which is removable. There is a stretchy pocket on one side that can hold a thin water bottle. The other side has a handle like a briefcase -- I would prefer another water bottle pocket. I also wish Think Tank would offer a way to carry a tripod on the front of all their bags, rather than the side. Carrying even a smaller tripod on the side of the bag totally unbalances it, and is not comfortable at all. (I'd say the same thing about their roller bags - adding tripods and large light stands on the sides is ridiculous, not to mention makes it difficult to get through doors.)

Ken B.

Originally posted at