Tuffpak?

[Philip Glass]

One of the advantages of a TuffPak is your Rifle is in it's soft case inside the TuffPak With a Boyt or Pelican are you packing your soft case in your duffel ??

My rifle is in a soft case inside my Pelican, just take out some foam.

 

[Philip Glass]

I’ve looked at the Red Ox bags, they look great. However, I was under the impression that soft sided duffle bags weren’t allowed on some airlines now, so I went with a Pelican air case. I’ll use an AER backpack for my carryon, along with a briefcase type shoulder bag. I’ve poured over the airline baggage requirements and hopefully can get my allotted 30 lbs of essentials in the two carryons. Thanks for your comment!

I love my Pelican Air suitcase. JNB does not like standard round duffles as they clog the baggage system. The flat bottom ones with wheels like you see often these days are fine.
Pelican all the way!

 

[Philip Glass]

I was thinking about stuffing a knife into the gun case, is that a problem? I have air tags for every bag. Thanks for your comment!

No problem. I put a gear bag with some items in my gun case. No clothes, no clutter to get in the way of inspections and you are fine.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

You will get bad info here on your question from the Tuffpak guys. It is a rule now that you may not put clothing in the gun case when traveling to South Africa. I have had clients not listen to me and had to repack everything at the Delta counter. Do some get by? Sure they do. Do you want to have to repack at the ticket counter or worse?
11lbs total ammo. IATA rule. Locks are your choice but TSA locks will save you from headaches.
There is a lot of discussions on these topics here on AH. I suggest everyone uses a TA to avoid some of these problems.
Happy safari planning!

I presume TA = travel agent? Are TSA (whatever that stands for) locks an American thing? I've never seen them for sale in Canada. Never yet had a problem traveling with "normal" Master locks but want to avoid potential issues too.

Those TuffPak cases appear to be extremely bulky (and expensive!!). I think throwing a whole bunch of detritus in with guns is just asking for trouble with airport/security agents ... or others waiting their turn for inspection. Wheeled luggage is something begging to get crippled. At the carousels I see way too many wheels broken off or dangling. I use trolleys and they handle my non-wheeled gun case and checked bag just fine (carryon pack and computer bag are strapped to me). If no trolley available, I can unzip the shoulder packstraps for my checked bag, put it on, shoulder the computer bag, and carry the gun case and day pack in each hand. Not fun but I can manage ... until I can find a trolley.

 

[Surgeon1]

FAA rule gun cases to be locked with non-TSA locks as is ammo box! TSA now also has that rule.
How well is it enforced or understood, not at all! Airline ticket agents are even worse, just had one in Denver who argued with me that the orange "gun tag" needed to be on the outside. (that was changed 20 years ago).

 

[Rafiki]

I considered TuffPak for my last safari but ended up getting a Boyt. I took 2 rifles and it just seemed to me much easier to go through the inspection process (several times) with a case that opens fully instead of dragging rifles out the end. Like others have said, keep it simple.

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

I have used a TuffPac last 3 safaris. No issues with it, 3 rifles in it also. No clothes! Only guns and shooting sticks. I rotate between it and Pelican depending on what rifles I am taking.

 

[mdwest]

I tried really hard to like TuffPac... bought one.. then sold it to another member here..

They are definitely a well thought out design, and do a great job protecting your rifles..

Ive just been using Pelicans since the early 90's (dates back to my old miliary, and then later to my old police units)... so its what Im comfortable with and used to..

We've got multiple pelican rifles cases rigged for a variety of different rifles and shotgun combos as well as spare foam for other combos..

Which has led me down the path of seriously considering getting one of the magpul inserts for pelican which would allow just one case to be configured for whatever I want to put in there (Im constantly swapping out foam for a pair of O/U shotguns.. then for a pair of bolt action rifles.. then for an AR with a thermal.. then for a pair of AR's with LVPO's.. etc..etc..)...

 

[meigsbucks]

I used a Tuffpak on both my trips. I put a jacket in the bottom and two rifles in heavily padded soft cases, shooting sticks and a cleaning rod. That’s it. No issues. However, it is a little ungainly to pull the cases out with the TuffPak vertical.

 

[Monski]

I really like my Tuffpak and have used it a handful of times travelling to Africa. Tuffpaks allow you an easy way to bring your own shooting sticks if needed (I actually haven't done it). My first couple of trips my PHs had 2 legged shooting sticks that were far inferior to what I practised with at home. Also probably something I would now ask a new (to me) PH about when planning. I have taken 3 rifles before but that isn't normally necessary. Easy to bring more gear and still make airline weight. That came in handy when going to Alska.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I suspect if one wanted specific style shooting sticks, he could let the lodge operator or PH know in advance and they would make sure a set was on hand upon arrival. Whatever the lodge supplies has worked for me. I prefer to travel light. No sticks or soft cases or other extra crap that I really don't need in my baggage (e.g. knives, GoPro, GPS, basketball, beer fridge, inflatable girlfriend, etc.).

 

[Philip Glass]

I presume TA = travel agent? Are TSA (whatever that stands for) locks an American thing? I've never seen them for sale in Canada. Never yet had a problem traveling with "normal" Master locks but want to avoid potential issues too.

Those TuffPak cases appear to be extremely bulky (and expensive!!). I think throwing a whole bunch of detritus in with guns is just asking for trouble with airport/security agents ... or others waiting their turn for inspection. Wheeled luggage is something begging to get crippled. At the carousels I see way too many wheels broken off or dangling. I use trolleys and they handle my non-wheeled gun case and checked bag just fine (carryon pack and computer bag are strapped to me). If no trolley available, I can unzip the shoulder packstraps for my checked bag, put it on, shoulder the computer bag, and carry the gun case and day pack in each hand. Not fun but I can manage ... until I can find a trolley.

Yes sir. TA is travel agent and is what I recommend for traveling hunters. We live in a time of little personal service and it has been a pleasure to have a good TA.
TSA locks are a US thing and create more controversial discussion here than most anything else. They are a lock system that has a master key that only the TSA agents in airports have. TSA will open and inspect the rifle case after check in. Some times it can be done in your presence but in some airports they don't have a place for the public to go into. The bottom line is that if you don't have TSA locks you have to wait for an agent to meet you at an undetermined time and give them the key or combo. If you have TSA locks then you just head off to security and wait for your flight. When I have groups of hunters traveling with me often times the one with no TSA locks will be paged or chased down in the airport to get a key or combo.

 

[375Fox]

FAA rule gun cases to be locked with non-TSA locks as is ammo box! TSA now also has that rule.
How well is it enforced or understood, not at all! Airline ticket agents are even worse, just had one in Denver who argued with me that the orange "gun tag" needed to be on the outside. (that was changed 20 years ago).

You are the only one who is supposed to retain a key to your gun case. Non-TSA lock is correct for gun case. For ammo on domestic flights though it’s not even required to be locked. There is no FAA/TSA rule on locking ammo. It is required to be locked at different international destinations you’ll fly to. A TSA lock is fine. Makes it easier in US if they want to inspect your bag.

 

[Hunt27]

I presume TA = travel agent? Are TSA (whatever that stands for) locks an American thing? I've never seen them for sale in Canada. Never yet had a problem traveling with "normal" Master locks but want to avoid potential issues too.

Those TuffPak cases appear to be extremely bulky (and expensive!!). I think throwing a whole bunch of detritus in with guns is just asking for trouble with airport/security agents ... or others waiting their turn for inspection. Wheeled luggage is something begging to get crippled. At the carousels I see way too many wheels broken off or dangling. I use trolleys and they handle my non-wheeled gun case and checked bag just fine (carryon pack and computer bag are strapped to me). If no trolley available, I can unzip the shoulder packstraps for my checked bag, put it on, shoulder the computer bag, and carry the gun case and day pack in each hand. Not fun but I can manage ... until I can find a trolley.

I may be mistaken and if so someone please correct me. I believe some countries have the key and or a way to open tsa locks.
When i fly with rifles i use regular locks on rifle case, make sure a lock is in every lock spot on the case, or you will have problems.
My father had his binos and a extra pair of glasses in his gun case and had no problem in Africa.

 

[JimP]

On binoculars in the gun case, I'll do it on the trip home not on the trip over.

I want my optics, spare glasses, and a extra set of clothes with me in my carry on. That way if my rifle case and or checked bag goes missing for a day or two I can still have a enjoyable time until they catch up with me.