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Going to Namibia next May Via Johannesburg. My luggage is similar to the Cabela's Outback Series (Soft Sided). Will overnight in Johannesburg and on to Windhoek on SAA the next morning. I see on some sites "Soft Sided" maybe subject to pilfering. Should I leave the "Soft Sided" home; go to Goodwill and get good Used "Hard Sided"? Thanks for any advise. MauserK98 | ||
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No, just put all your valuable stuff in your carry-on; binos, cameras, etc. | |||
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Jesus saves, but Moses invests | |||
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It's common knowledge that pilfering occurs with soft-sided luggage in JoBurg and elsewhere. The thieves simply split the zippers with a pen or a pencil and take what they want, then seal up the zippers by sliding the zippers back and forth and "healing" them up. They can do all of this within a just few seconds. After experiencing theft on a trip in 2008, I and my wife bought Samsonsite hard sided luggage with built in TSA locks and have never looked back. Never had a problem with theft since, and have literally traveled all over the world with that luggage.  | |||
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the only thing a thief will find in my soft luggage is well worn hunting clothes. never seem to have a problem with theft. i wonder why?? anything i want to keep goes in a carry-on. Vote Trump- Putin’s best friend… | |||
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Agree with Jdollar, when I was over there a few weeks go, I did the exact same thing, all my valuables in my carry on including a spare set of hunting clothes and the rest in my soft bag all good. | |||
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I met my wife at the Seattle/Tacoma airport and were waiting to pick up her bag at the luggage carousel. I noted that every single soft sided bag that came down the chute had all of their zippered pockets open, every single one. I loudly pointed this out to all of the folks standing there waiting with me, too. I also note that there have been a number of recent incidents where TSA agents have been arrested and charged with theft. It ain't always in Africa where you find thieves. Nothing of value goes into my checked luggage, nothing. Camera, Ipad, cellphone, binos, change of underwear all go into my carry on bag. | |||
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Even on some types of "hard" luggage with zippers, entry (and pilferage) is as eazy as sticking a ball point pen inbetween the teeth and separating the zipper halves. Of course, a determined thief will get into any luggage but it is wishful thinking that any zippered bag will be "safer" than "soft" luggage. The thief's access is exactly the same. JMHO, but I fly with hard bags with no zipper and real locks and riveted with hasps thereupon and hopefully avoid all but the most serious crooks. JudgeG ... just counting time 'til I am again finding balm in Gilead chilled out somewhere in the Selous. | |||
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Judge G.: Agreed. My hard sided luggage has NO zippers at all. And, with the Tuff Pak, the only zippered item that I even have is my PacSafe Backpack that accompanies me on the plane as my carry-on. If they are going to steal a bag, then there is nothing that you can do. But up to that point, I make damn sure that I don't give them any opportunities to do otherwise. | |||
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what happens when the TSA gorillas decided they want to check your bag after a random xray tweaks their interest? don't they just cut off the locks.?? 3 of the last 4 trips i have taken, i found a card inside my check in bag( which was unlocked and contained only clothes) saying the bag had been opened and inspected. Vote Trump- Putin’s best friend… | |||
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Valuables in carry on is the answer. NRA Patron member | |||
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In some of my travels, I have noticed some suitcases wrapped in Plastic Wrap. This service is offered in some airports I'm told. Has any of you had any experience with this. I have to wonder how this would work going thru the Jo-Berg Airport?  | |||
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The airport at Windhoek offers plastic wrapping for a couple of dollars. My wife used it in August when we flew back through Joberg, and it thwarted the Joberg pilferage. My hardsided Sampsonite bag with hasps and locks was also unpilfered. Jesus saves, but Moses invests | |||
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I did some checking and the UPS Store here in town also provides the service. Money well spent I think? | |||
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I use the Tuffpac for my guns and my ammo is in the other checked duffle. Both are checked by TSA in my presence and tagged as checked by TSA also both bags are locked with non TSA locks as bags with guns and ammo are to be accessable by owner only. I have never had a problem. Now I am not the seasoned traveler as some here, so I guess it could be worse. | |||
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Any & all bags, whether hard or soft or whether fitted with factory locks or padlocks can be opened by these bastards so don't thing that because you have a hard case with extra locks, you're safe. Better to put all valuables in your carry on and even better, remember that a good layer of clingfilm is liable to put the thieves off and make them target something easier instead. | |||
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Does this really work? May have to try it out! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “A man can never have too much red wine, too many books, or too much ammunition” ― Rudyard Kipling | |||
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In April my wife and I traveled from Windhoek through Joberg. We had a bunch of curios in the bags and nothing of real value. We cling wrapped the bags at the airport in Windhoek and had no problems with them. THe cling wrap was still in good shape when we picked them up in Toronto. The Windhoek cling wrap is the shrink wrap type and not the wind around type. It seems a bit thicker and more durable than the wrap type. As a side benefit I think it would delay bags getting wet while out on tarmac being loaded. As stated before nothing stops a determined thief. We always cary anything of value in the carry on. If you have that much to fight for, then you should be fighting. The sentiment that modern day ordinary Canadians do not need firearms for protection is pleasant but unrealistic. To discourage responsible deserving Canadians from possessing firearms for lawful self-defence and other legitimate purposes is to risk sacrificing them at the altar of political correctness." - Alberta Provincial Court Judge Demetrick    | |||
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PD Nothing will stop them if they're determined to get in but they'll usually look at one cling film wrapped bag and then opt to go for the several unwrapped bags they could open in the same time as it'd take to get into the wrapped one. | |||
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Folks, I just checked the Samsonite site as I had two new duffles develop holes on this last trip. The price for the Samsonite is pretty high at $600. Any ideas on a less expensive but equally durable hardsided alternative? Mark MARK H. YOUNG MARK'S EXCLUSIVE ADVENTURES 7094 Oakleigh Dr. Las Vegas, NV 89110 Office 702-848-1693 Cell, Whats App, Signal 307-250-1156 PREFERRED E-mail markttc@msn.com Website: myexclusiveadventures.com Skype: markhyhunter Check us out on https://www.facebook.com/pages...ures/627027353990716 | |||
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Mark Here is one I got off e-bay.   Seller is "computercrusherrecycler" I used the "Make offer" and got it for $55.00 to my door. I had to add 1 more hasp to it. The Foam lifts out, but you can use part of it to fill up extra space. Dimensions exterior 29x21.5x11.5 interior 28x21x11 Hope this helps. Larry | |||
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MARK: For my latest trip from Namibia through Joberg, I went to my local Salvation Army Thrift Store and picked up a large hard sided Samsonite suitcase for $8.00. I then went to my local hardware store and picked up a pair of hasps for locks for $1.78 and installed them on the suitcase myself with an electric drill and four small bolts and nuts. The beauty of a used suitcase is it's all scratched up and completely unobtrusive to the bad guys at Joberg or any place else.It worked. Jesus saves, but Moses invests | |||
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Larrys01, That was was a good deal. I'll have to check it out. "There are worse memorials to a life well-lived than a pair of elephant tusks." Robert Ruark | |||
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A few ways of looking at this... Purchase a semi soft case that is hard on one side and soft on the other with adjustable straps on it to bind tightly. This has a flap over the zipper...i have never had any issues with this case. Any case with side pockets is open for and easy target weather wrapped or not...i have seen many bags with the shrink wrap where the plastic is cut and the side pouches open and empty... As mentioned all your valuable in your carry on and in your tuffpak...clothing and shoes in your checked bag... Hard cases i have had have been opened so you just think you are safer with a hard case. I also have had all checked bags while traveling to Africa inspected and a card inserted letting me know that my bag was selected for inspection. >>>>>>>>>>>>>> "You've got the strongest hand in the world. That's right. Your hand. The hand that marks the ballot. The hand that pulls the voting lever. Use it, will you" John Wayne | |||
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Larry and Bud, Thanks for the tips. Definitely some things to look into. Mark MARK H. YOUNG MARK'S EXCLUSIVE ADVENTURES 7094 Oakleigh Dr. Las Vegas, NV 89110 Office 702-848-1693 Cell, Whats App, Signal 307-250-1156 PREFERRED E-mail markttc@msn.com Website: myexclusiveadventures.com Skype: markhyhunter Check us out on https://www.facebook.com/pages...ures/627027353990716 | |||
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I have never had my hard side luggage opened for inspection in Africa or anywhere else in the world for that matter. Nor has it been pilfered through as there are no zippers at all. TSA has inspected it occasionally in the U.S.,as there is a built in TSA lock in the luggage. But the cost of the expensive Samsonite luggage has been more than offset by the lack of worry and expense in replacing personal items being stolen by the thugs in Joburg and Vic Falls. Mine has literally traveled world without any problems since I purchased it back in 2008, and it has given me as much peace of mind as one can have in traveling these days. | |||
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Good morning, Gents: What do you think of this idea for travel: Take two hard rifle cases. I use the SKB as it has lots of interior room as compared to the aluminum type. Use one for rifles and some gear, the other for gear and ammo. They are about as foolproof or tamper proof as possible and about 1/3 the cost of the Samsonite. Of course, outright theft is another problem, but I think I will take a pair of SKBs on my next venture. Cheers, Cal _______________________________ Cal Pappas, Willow, Alaska www.CalPappas.com www.CalPappas.blogspot.com 1994 Zimbabwe 1997 Zimbabwe 1998 Zimbabwe 1999 Zimbabwe 1999 Namibia, Botswana, Zambia--vacation 2000 Australia 2002 South Africa 2003 South Africa 2003 Zimbabwe 2005 South Africa 2005 Zimbabwe 2006 Tanzania 2006 Zimbabwe--vacation 2007 Zimbabwe--vacation 2008 Zimbabwe 2012 Australia 2013 South Africa 2013 Zimbabwe 2013 Australia 2016 Zimbabwe 2017 Zimbabwe 2018 South Africa 2018 Zimbabwe--vacation 2019 South Africa 2019 Botswana 2019 Zimbabwe vacation 2021 South Africa 2021 South Africa (2nd hunt a month later) ______________________________ | |||
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Check out stores like TJ Maxx, Tuesday Morning, etc for hard side luggage. I have seen some nice hard side pieces in TJ Maxx very reasonable. | |||
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My check in luggage from Dar to Jo'burg in Aug was gone through, nothing there to steal. Always have it wrapped now, even singapore to Indo or in Indo as well. Best to be safe. Many airports will have this service. Soft bags without fixed zip locks can be opened too easily. Make it just a little harder and they will try something easier. Just like your home. Cheers, Chris DRSS | |||
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It's pretty cheap travel insurance! Not 100% guaranteed but anything that discourages the thugs is helpful.  | |||
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Because of this thread I started researching various options to at least slow down anyone who might want to go through my bags and came up with this line of luggage, Pacsafe. You can go to pacsafe.com Their luggage is lined with steel mesh to prevent slicing through with a knife and their zippers can't be opened with a ball point pin or the like. They have a new line of luggage called Toursafe with different sizes of bags with rollers and the prices are in the $200's. Haven't bought it yet but went to a local luggage store in the mall and was really impressed. You can buy directly from them or they give you multiple on-line retailers that sell them. For example, Pacsafe sells their mid size (25") carry on for about $240 with free shipping but I found one of their retailers that sells it for about $20 cheaper. It's worth a look Hook em Horns | |||
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For my latest trip from Namibia through Joberg, I went to my local Salvation Army Thrift Store and picked up a large hard sided Samsonite suitcase for $8.00. I then went to my local hardware store and picked up a pair of hasps for locks for $1.78 and installed them on the suitcase myself with an electric drill and four small bolts and nuts. The beauty of a used suitcase is it's all scratched up and completely unobtrusive to the bad guys at Joberg or any place else.It worked.[/QUOTE] Why spend $200+, when for under $10, you can have an equally effective system?? Jesus saves, but Moses invests | |||
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I've got a lot of PacSafe stuff. I especially like their backpack. I have used it all over the world. It has the built in steel mesh that prevents someone cutting it and the inside has a soft "safe" for valuables. I give PacSafe's items the definite thumbs up! | |||
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Mauser K 98 I have been using a Walmart action packer about $30 for years I also put my Blaser rifle in it . Never had a problem 14 trips over Put 2 locks on it Make it look ratty nobody has a clue. Plus strong Also makes a great foot locker in camp and a seat and table. Larry | |||
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When you guys say locks on your checked bags, do you mean TSA locks? (not gun cases) TSA is likely going to check your bags so they have to be able to gain access. I noted the lock comments with regard to hasps on hard sided luggage as well. | |||
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I have never used TSA locks In africa they have no clue what TSA means Over there if they want in its bolt cutters or a screw driver and hammer Most airports you have to wait to get the Clarence that your gun has gun thru. If it needs to be open they will ask you for the key or combination . Larry | |||
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I always thought TSA was a useless piece of S--- because they provided no security only harassment. This is why they have time to rummage thru luggage. Recent stories in the news from whistle blowers is now showing this to be the fact. | |||
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I know they're not cheap, but a tuffpak case holds rifle(s) and plenty of clothes/misc. stuff. Its essentially a funny-shaped suitcase that holds guns. A great way to go 2-for-1 on keeping pieces of luggage at a minimum. Great tamper-proof locking systems as well. | |||
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I had a similar thought as I have a hard Boyt double gun case and a TUFPAC. Actually was considering taking 3 rifles as my wife is accompaning me. Taking a "little gun" for her. Thought about putting one rifle and gear in the tuffpak with the pelcan case with ammo in the tuffpac as well. Just have 2 other rifles in the Boyt. Are there any issues placing the locked ammo case in the Tuffpak with a rifle for the trip to Joberg? I realize it has the be separated to my final destination in Harrare. I think having a gun in each case would keep you having to deal with TSA locks. Check you guns and gear in the same case.
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