Roller bags

Fed up with back-breaking backpacks? It’s time to get your gear on a roll

We’re somewhat spoilt for choice when it comes to carrying camera equipment, but most methods demand

you shoulder the burden. So if you travel frequently or far, or simply need to carry some serious gear, put it on wheels and you won’t look back.

A rolling camera bag is basically a rolling suitcase that contains customisable dividers tailored to support cameras and lenses. Not only are they more comfortable than a backpack, rolling bags also tend to be tougher.

You can certainly expect a rigid back, base and sides in your roller bag, and most designs also include exterior scuff protection in vulnerable areas. But if that’s just not rugged enough for your needs, cosset your camera and lenses in a rolling plastic hard case and they’ll be near-invincible.

With wheels taking the strain, it’s tempting to buy the biggest bag you can afford. For maximum travel versatility, however, we’ve selected five designs for this Mini-Test that are just small enough to qualify as airline cabin luggage. However, size limits vary hugely across carriers, with budget airlines usually having the strictest rules, so make sure you check requirements with your airline before you show up at the airport.

Calumet RC1188 Rolling Camera Case £169

This may be by far the cheapest option here, yet the RC1188 feels every

bit as rugged as pricier rivals. You get reinforced outer corners, rigid sides, and plenty of scuff protection underneath – although all this toughness adds up to a 6.5kg unladen weight, making this the heaviest case on test. Its 25cm thickness could also be problematic at some check-in desks.

Inside, the padding and dividers are adequate, if not as impressive as the exterior quality. A 30cm internal width is about 3cm narrower than a case like the Manfrotto Reloader, yet that’s enough to make it a tight squeeze to fit fast fullframe lenses alongside each other.

But Calumet claws back ground with extra features. The entire padded interior can be lifted out and has its own lid and carry handles. The practicality doesn’t stop there: the front flap will expand by a whopping 19cm, effectively doubling the capacity of the bag.

Manfrotto Pro Light Reloader-55 £310/$380

The Reloader-55’s boxy design and 55 x 35 x 23cm dimensions fully use the carry-on size limits of most airlines. That gives it the most practical interior layout here, only rivalled by the Think Tank bag. You can also fit a 17in laptop and 10in tablet in slots on the outside of the front flap for easy access, and the underside of the flap contains plenty of pouches for filters and memory cards.

Compared to the feature-packed Calumet bag, the Reloader’s extras are more subtle. One nice touch is an integrated zipper locking point on the side of the bag, which secures the main zippers more elegantly than a padlock.

This bag nails the basics though. Manfrotto’s extra-thick dividers are sized to fit perfectly around full-frame kit while giving unmatched gear support and protection. Outside, the tough exterior is well-reinforced on key wear points, and includes user-replaceable wheels of a common size.