Anybody use one of the Alaskan Guide Model Wheeled Duffel and care to share your experience?? Is it heavy/light, indestructable/flimsy, a pain to get into, good, bad?? How is the handle for rolling, will it break off?? Is the bottom stiff?? How much room is lost in the bottom compartment due to wheels and handle?? How did it stand up to the luggage manglers??

I'm looking for a sturdy (although light, if possible??) duffel, with a separate compartment for my take-down gun case. I was wondering whether this one would do the trick??

- mike

MHO - I've used one (before they were called the "Alaskan" series) on 6 trips to Africa plus Alaska, Germany, etc, and it has held up very well. Fully loaded, it can approach the 70lb mark. I forget the weight, but recall about 12lbs so it is chewing a bit into the overall if you take a lot of stuff. I think I have the "large" which is plenty big for me, and leaves room for candy/goodies there and curious on the way back. The handle, wheels, corners, zippers etc have held up well. The handle can twist a bit when using it to jump a curb for example, but it has never broken, and I tend to break things. Knock on wood it has never been tampered with (cut, which is the main aurgument against a fabric case), nor has anything been damaged in transit. Not much space is lost to the wheels, and you can pack around and in between the supports/braces with socks or whatever. I like the bottom expandable section for folded clothes, and the top for my MTM cases to hold ammo and other goodies (which also give the duffle some structure). Any valuables (binos, cameras, etc) I either take on my carry-on or pack in the gun case.

Works well for me, but I have NOT used it with a take-down rifle case. When going through airports, you'd want these separate.

Cabalas does have a "Freighter Duffle" which includes "front freighter compression panel that lets you carry oversized or bulky items such as gun or bow cases, holding them secure with heavy-duty web straps and quick-release buckles."

I have used on since 99 and it works great. It have been on a dozen trips including Africa 3 times. The Handle is easy to use and sturdy. The bottom stiff but not solid, you can see where the handled gos up and down. You do not loose any room. Mine has handled up fine including the wheels which is usually what breaks first. I have since purchased several other pieces from the collection. That and my Tuffpak are usually all you need.

Guys, just super! Thanks a ton for the feedback, I knew I could count on AR, this place is pretty amazing! It sounds like this bag might be a good option for future trips.

- mike

I may have one of the ones Bill describes. I have had it for over five years and it has been on at least ten trips with me. Indestructable? Perhaps. So far the only problem is that the liner at the back of the duffle that covers the metal frame has come loose, but that presents not real difficulty. The biggest problem is keeping the total weight under fifty pounds.

As an aside, last fall my wife and I went on a mule deer hunt in Wyoming. To get the weight of the duffle under fifty pounds I packed my boots in the carry on. When I got to airport screening, they wanted to see the lead film bag in the carry on, but after opening that, passed me through. That evening when unpacking, I found my folding hunting knife in one of my boots! If you think all that screening makes it impossible for someone to get a weapon on board, please think again. I surely am no threat to your security, but--------

mho,

Obviously several people have used these duffles for many trips And my hunting partners have both used the big green Boyt bag on our last two trips to Africa.

But, the Boyt size bags and probably the bigger of these two cabelas duffles exceed the allowable dimensions of most of the Int'l airlines as your #2 bag [rifle case being your #1 size bag]SAA baggage rules

They must not enforce this requirement very much, but you only need one person having a bad day to really mess up a trip [though it may only mean excess/oversize baggage charges?]

Mike:

I have two of them, and they are never packed under 70lbs. If the circumstances allow, I can put a take-down case in the lower compartment, avoiding the need for a separate gun case. I have lost three zipper pulls in five years, and maybe a dozen bag tags, but averaging 50,000 air miles per year, I am satisfied with the performance.

The only real problem I have had is on pack trips or in bush planes where the outfitter/PH needs things broken into smaller loads...NBD.

Note: I also have the "freighthauler", but its' dimensions are considered "oversized" by the airlines, so I do not carry it often.

British Air broke the wheels on mine last fall, but I am going to get a new one unless I can find something better.

Guys, thanks again for all the useful feedback. I can certainly see the problem with wanting to pack too much into the bag - after all, the first natural law of the known universe states: "Luggage will expand to meet whatever space is available (and then some)" .

The problem is that I have to get a bag of a certain size to be able to fit my takedown case into the lower compartment. If at all possible, that is the only way I travel with guns these days. One of the many advantages to this scheme is that I don't have to worry about the size of my (long) guncase taking up part of my luggage (space) allowance. So I guess, I'll just have to try to restrict myself by bringing a bit less stuff... (fat chance).

Good point about the limitation of space on charter flight - yet another reason to dislike small aircraft, as far as I'm concerned... At least, it is possible to dismantle some of your luggage on a charter flight - something not possible on a commercial flight.

All together, you are swell bunch, always willing to help out and share your experience. This place is a treasure trove of knowledge sharing!
- mike

Mike

I have one as well and it has made several trips without any damage.

It itself isn't light as has been mentioned and the wheels, bracing and handle probably cause this. But they are great when you have to cart the thing and gear many hundreds of metres around airport terminals.

I too planned to use the bottom compartment for a hard takedown guncase. But haven't found the right one to fit yet. Have you? If so please tell.

I would ensure the takedown case is suitable for stand alone luggage in case an airline requires you to separate luggage from firearms. Then it can just be taken out.

If you pack acouple of smaller soft bags inside you can get around breaking down your gear for lighter planes if you can store the big bag somewhere in the meantime. I usually put a day pack inside. Of course this all adds to the weight.

I am planning to use mine for a long time.

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Originally posted by NitroX:
I too planned to use the bottom compartment for a hard takedown guncase. But haven't found the right one to fit yet. Have you? If so please tell.

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Actually, you probably don't want to hear this, I use pretty basic break-down cases. Either an old Hoppes (I think it is?), which no longer seems to be sold in the States. Better (and above all bigger and sturdier) cases seem to be all the rage. Alternatively, I use one of the Blaser cases - since Blasers are what I bring most of the time anyway.

I have found that a breakdown case (even a cheapo one) inside a bag is fully adequate to protect my rifles, and have never experienced the slightest damage (touch wood). A lot of that has to do with the fact that the case is so much shorter, which, in addition to being inside a bag, makes it less likely that brute force is applied to one end of the case, while the other is stuck somewhere...

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I would ensure the takedown case is suitable for stand alone luggage in case an airline requires you to separate luggage from firearms. Then it can just be taken out.

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This they are. Good point, though.

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If you pack acouple of smaller soft bags inside you can get around breaking down your gear for lighter planes if you can store the big bag somewhere in the meantime. I usually put a day pack inside. Of course this all adds to the weight.

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Yes, that is also a way of being prepared if the airline insists on separating ammo and guns. Most of the time, if you show up with a single bag, they seem to let you through, though.

Thanks for sharing your experience.

- mike

If you don't think you would like the Alaskan Guide case you might consider the Takedown case that Tuffpak offers. No problems with them.
I have them ready to go. I used one on my last trip to RSA. Worked great!
Thanks,
Mims

Harry, in a Tuffpak, the guns go inside in a (soft) case, correct?? And the soft cases are then held in place by all the remainder of the stuff you pack into the case, correct?? I have thought about these, definitely an option.
- mike

MHO,

Just for your information on a Flight to Alberta on United Airlines they made a passenger remove his gun case from the bottom of the duffle bag. The reason was the ammo was also in the duffle and the Agent and her supervisor decided that eventhough they where in seperate compartments of the duffle and the gun was in a gun case they where all in the same bag and the rules stated ammo must be in a seperate bag. Of course he tried to argue but lost. Most Airlens rules I have read say that ammon must be in a seperate bag from firearms. So depending on what Agent shows up there may be some trouble using one bag.

On the same flight I had 2 Rifles and 2 shotguns in my tuffpak. The Agent said you are only allowed 3 guns per case. I had a copy of United Rules from the Internet whinch did not mention any case limitaions just 3 guns per passenger. They let us go because I had the rules in my hand. It was funny that the rules the Agent printed from her computer did not match what was on the Companies Internet sight.

Yeah, I'm with you on the issue of having to separate guns and ammo - potentially. I try to resolve that by having a separate bag that will allow me to carry the ammo separately, and keep the guncase in the duffel. More than one way to skin a cat, I guess. Thanks for pointing this out, though. The mysteries of airtravel with firearms....