First test
PRICE: £285
SNAPPERSTUFF.COM
Built for travel, this new roller bag has a serious price tag, but one that it more than lives up to Think Tank Airport Advantage XT
SPECS
› Materials Outer: water- repellant 500D poly-tech weave, rubberised laminate base; inner: 210D silver-toned nylon, PU- backed nylex liner and dividers › Tripod holder Yes › Laptop pocket Yes, 17in › Zips YKK › Rain cover Yes › Dimensions (wxhxd ) Exterior: 35.6x53.3x20.3cm Interior: 33.8x45.7x16.5-19.1cm Laptop pocket: 35x44x5cm Tablet pocket: 25.4x25.4x4cm › Weight 3.18 to 3.59kg, depending on accessories › Contact snapperstuff.com THE ADVANTAGE XT HAS AN EXCELLENT BUILD QUALITY, WITH REINFORCED CORNERS
If you’re reading PN , you almost certainly already own a camera bag. Most likely a backpack, a shoulder bag, a sling or some multiple combination of those. But roller bags are far less popular among enthusiasts, simply because they’re comparatively niche items, suited to long-haul travel or urban and studio work. Think Tank’s new Airport Advantage XT is hoping to muscle into your collection, though, so let’s see what it’s got to offer. For starters, the Advantage XT is very light. Minus accessories and with minimal dividers used, it’s not far over 3kg, which might sound heavy in its own right, but is actually very sparing for a roller bag, and useful when weight limit is a factor – the lighter the bag, the more kit you can put in it before some airline cabin attendant throws a wobbly. Being designed for airline carry-on, the external size of is important; at 35.6x53.3x20.3cm, the bag is well within most major carrier’s limits. Talking of kit, the Advantage XT can swallow a lot. Think Tank
specifies ‘two gripped DSLRs with lenses attached, plus five to eight additional lenses and up to a 17-inch laptop’. We were tempted to wonder who has a 17-inch laptop, and why? But the point is there’s volume and depth enough for almost any kit. I fitted my a Nikon D850 with grip attached, and a 70-200mm lens mounted, plus a D810 body with a 14-24mm f/2.8 lens attached, a 300mm f/4, a 50mm f/1.4, an 85mm f/1.8, a 20mm f/1.8, a large speedlight and a stack of filters. The dividers are numerous and well designed, with a mix of brushed cotton and nylon used, and two different thicknesses to give lots of adaptability, and this, combined with the bag’s depth, means you can stack smaller lenses. What’s more, the two dividers at the top have rounded cut-outs for lenses, so you can fit mounted lenses easily, which is a nice touch. The thick protection extends all around the main compartment with no weak points that I could find, and the back of the bag’s rear has plastic reinforcement.
Verdict There’s no doubting this is a high-quality roller bag, and one that backs up its sizable price tag. If you’re in the market for a roller, it’s a top choice, as it’s very well built, capacious and easy to use. Remember: you can also use a roller like this as a very well-protected storage case, or take the dividers out and use it as a regular case, too. PROS Build quality, features, excellent handling, big capacity, and sized for easy airline carry-on CONS No padding to laptop pocket, it’s a serious outlay
ABOVE The Advantage XT starts with the advantage of being very light, which is definitely a plus point before you load it up with all your heavy kit. A generous supply of dividers allows ample storage configurations
which are very nicely padded for a comfortable carry. The third is a plastic handle at the base, which doubles as a stand, and is useful when lifting the bag over your head into the luggage rack. The trolley handle, which zips neatly away when not in use, extends easily, and is adjustable to suit different heights. The bag uses large YKK RC Fuse zips, which run very smoothly without snagging and, as you’d expect from a bag like this, the main compartment is lockable. Finally, at 80mm, the Advantage XT’s wheels are a little larger than many and have good ground clearance, which makes rolling the bag easier on uneven surfaces; they turn easily, giving a very smooth movement. They have sealed bearings to prevent grit getting in, and can also be removed, along with the housings, for cleaning if needed. You will really notice the difference between these and smaller wheels, where you often end up dragging the bag instead of rolling it. KS
Other storage includes two zippered mesh pockets on the main compartment’s door, and a large pouch on the front where you can fit your massive laptop if desired. The latter has a smaller pocket within for a tablet or notebook, and there’s a small zip pocket on the top of the bag as well as a name-plate holder. There’s not a great deal of padding to the laptop compartment, but with the size of the pocket, you can easily keep the laptop in a sleeve or case, which many bags don’t allow for. There’s a stretchy side pocket, and a strap for a tripod or light stands. Build quality is excellent, with reinforced corners and kick plates near the wheels. And although the outer is water repellent, a rain cover is included should you be caught out in the open. You may need this in a shower, as there’s no indication that the zips are sealed, and the laptop flap at the front will easily let water in at the edges. Handling is really good, too. The bag has three grab handles, two of
ABOVE The gear protection levels of Think Tank’s newAdvantage XT roller are impressive, and there’s plenty of storage capacity available. Build quality is of the highest order and handling is good, too, with three grab handles provided
74 Photography News | Issue 72
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