[mou] RE: Travel Suggestions

[Al Ferber]

My wife and I recently purchased a Pelican hardshell carrying case for our 
binoculars and camera gear.  It has internal upper and lower thick foam 
pre-cut into 1/2" cubes.  (You remove cubes to form-fit the equipment you 
are packing into the foam.)  We checked the case as luggage on our flights 
to/from our Arizona birding trip.  Worked great!  Also served as our gear 
transport as we trekked around in our rental car.  Unfortunately, we started 
our trip at the beginning of Spring Break, and the TSA folks were so 
overwhelmed with luggage that they refused to inspect our case on the spot 
so I could lock it before it went on the conveyor belt.  We had to send it 
on its way unlocked (it was eventually inspected, it turns out).  We 
subsequently learned that there are TSA-approved locks that they can unlock 
to inspect the case -- the TSA website lists them.


Al Ferber