Vintage Safari Luggage - What I've learned

[mark-hunter]

In my experience:
I used scuba diving large bag for travel to Africa.
Then a bit smaller duffel bag.
Next trip I will use 5.11 duffel tactical bag.

Checked in travelling bag for safari must be is light as possible, as durable as possible and must have volume as much as possible.
Bag description: The volume and light weight is needed, to have bag half empty when traveling to Africa, and then to have maximum capacity used for travel back home when stacked with souvenirs, to make maximum weight allowance in one bag.

 

[WAB]

As a young man I did a lot of canoe trekking in northern Canada. We followed the old Hudson Bay trading and Courier de Bois routes. Our packs were always Duluth packs. They are totally indestructible. We used to have contests to see who could portage the heaviest loads with multiple packs and canoe. Probably why I have a bad back today!

 

[Rimbaud]

Agree with all sentiments about luggage on wheels. We use Rimowa. The quality is great and so is service. We had used Tumi for a long time, but the company was sold, and quality has gone down and prices keep rising. Pelican Air 1615 is a great gear trunk for flying. And London Bridge Trading Load Out Bags are incredible, too, and used a lot on domestic hunts when we are headed to camp. All that said, I have a weakness for fine leather good.

 

[VertigoBE]

I’d love to find a hard sided case (for idle fingers), wheeled, that I could also strap to my back if needed or strap on top of my Americase. Preferably in a bright stand out colour. Anyone have any good suggestions?

I’ve been using a bright blue Eastman rolling duffel for the past 20 years and have been very happy with it, but maybe there is something better out there.

Ps: apologies for the thread highjacking

 

[NIGHTHAWK]

I’d love to find a hard sided case (for idle fingers), wheeled, that I could also strap to my back if needed or strap on top of my Americase. Preferably in a bright stand out colour. Anyone have any good suggestions?

I’ve been using a bright blue Eastman rolling duffel for the past 20 years and have been very happy with it, but maybe there is something better out there.

View attachment 642246

Ps: apologies for the thread highjacking

Looks like my fall collection!

 

[Lone Star Bluegrass]

There is always Saddleback Leather Co. as well.

View attachment 641935

Gotta love Saddleback!

 

[Pondoro]

I have this big Samsonite bag...to and from Africa 12 times..still going strong..

 

[rookhawk]

This is my typical international setup for hunting. (For biz travel, its really hard to top a Tumi tri-fold suitor as carry-on and an oversized laptop bag as personal item…I could do 10 day biz trips that way)

I use an Americase for the guns, always bringing bungees to hold a huge Gokey duffel that is my “carry on” (Carry-on limits to 12lbs, I carry 75lbs….they never stop me because its soft sided). The rolling checked suitcase has my pelican ammo box in it, and anything the guys in Africa need included.

I just hate waiting for bags and really don’t trust my optics with anybody but myself. Thus, soft-sided canvas carry-ons have everything I need for a safari that I can legally carry aboard. Unstructured bags let you bend the rules of what you can get on a plane which is why I praise Gokey/Hulme/Duluth/Orvis options so much.

Pictured bag has been to hell and back dozens of times. I think I have a photo of me carrying it over my head while wading 1km through the Shashe river during wet season.

 

[rookhawk]

Gokey’s stuff is made in Tipton, MO. I knew they made quality goods, and took an interest in their bovine and bison leather rifle case. The description didn’t provide the interior dimensions, so I called their 800 number.
The gentleman who answered the phone couldn’t have been more helpful. He said he didn’t know but that if I held on a moment he’d grab one off of a workbench in the shop. In 30 seconds he returned with the exact dimensions.
I thanked him and he said to please visit them sometime and he’d give me a tour. He said, “just ask for the plant manager!” I told him I was surprised that he was answering calls. He said the receptionist was at lunch and it was his turn to man the phone! I ordered the case and love it.

Gokey is great. The Tipton, MO thing is rather new. Originally, Gokey was made in the Twin Cities and they had a store in St. Paul that shuddered in the mid-1990s. JW Hulme was also in St. Paul. Duluth Pack was just down the way in the same State. They appear to have all been doing private label for one another in various lines for many years.

I’m now up in this area and occasionally I’ll even find packs at garage sales that are unsigned on occasion, but have a MADE IN USA label inside. No idea which of the three made them, but same canvas, bridle leather, and copper rivets. Up here, nobody cares about Orvis, the latter three are a bigger deal. On the other hand, when I’m in New England visiting family they couldn’t care less about these midwestern brands, they only want Orvis. Ten years ago you could go to the Orvis outlet and it would have Gokey stuff way better made than Orvis stuff, but it would be on blowout liquidation. (At the time Gokey was owned by Orvis)

 

[375er]

Unfortunately JW Hulme has gone out of business. I use to stop in their shop once in awhile and they always had a nice display of products.

 

[Altitude sickness]

A versatile, affordable case system

PACKOUT 22 in. Rolling Tool Box, 22 in. Large Tool Box and 22 in. Medium Tool Box ProSystem LP Handle