Size: 32x52x25cm
Shimoda Carry-On Roller V2 Review: TL;DR
Save your back and shoulders for the destination, by slipping your Shimoda Core Unit insert from a rucksack into a roller, and let the wheels take the strain through the airport.
Shimoda Carry-On Roller V2 Review: Intro
Shimoda is fast becoming the brand to watch when it comes to adventure photography luggage. For some reason genuine hiking rucksacks for photographers have been treated as something of a niche, with the big names aiming primarily at ‘urban’ packs or generic travel bags. F-Stop became the big name for a couple of years, but their recent decline has been as rapid as it has been gossiped about on internet forums. Enter Shimoda: founded by Peter Waisnor and Ian Millar – the latter being the former designer for F-Stop.
Having used the F-Stop Tilopa for several years, and more recently the Shimoda Action X30, we can safely say that Millar has built on his time with companies to create easily the best adventure backpack we’ve tested. So how to build on that?
Shimoda Carry-On Roller V2 Review: Who is it aimed at?
Adventure photographers are regularly on the move, and after years of carrying all that weight on one's back, the appeal of a roller case that fits the same mould is hugely attractive. It wouldn’t be most peoples’ first choice for camera-carrying, but as a secondary choice – for airports, to throw in the boot of the car and even for quite static shoots – the Carryon Roller is fantastic accessory.
The real appeal is for anyone who already owns a Shimoda pack since most of their Core Unit inserts (those in the DSLR and Mirrorless range) are compatible with the roller. This means the wheels can ease you through the travel and once you reach your destination the whole insert can be transferred into a pack in seconds.
There is also a larger roller aimed at those carrying bigger video equipment, called the DV Roller. It’s not specifically sized to meet airline carryon restrictions, but it’s compact enough that you might be tempted to try your luck....
Shimoda Carry-On Roller V2: Review Materials and Build
The Carryon and the DV Roller are made with the same materials as Shimoda’s packs – a lightweight and water resistant ripstop nylon that feels much more rugged than it should for the weight. The rollers are given a touch more refinement with some nice leather zipper-pulls and top carry handle, and the wheels are smooth and hardy, but are also replaceable.
Shimoda Carry-On Roller V2 Review: Features
To facilitate the simple transfer of Core Units the roller has a ‘Doctor Bag’ style opening, which means the whole width of the bag opens upwards and remains rigidly in place with unfettered access to the contents. This is a simply superb design feature which makes for easy packing, arranging and rearranging. It means if you do use the bag in the field that you can lift a fully rigged (small) cinema camera straight out. It also means the airport security scanners can get an unobstructed look inside and (usually!) negates the need to empty the whole thing.
The interior – just like Shimoda’s rucksacks – is entirely lined in a light blue fabric which makes finding things so much easier than in a dark interior. The sides of the interior are lined with small mesh organiser pockets, in keeping with the brand’s love of stowage options. And on the outside are two large side pockets that can accommodate a tripod or a water bottle among other things. They’re also very useful for quick stowing of a newspaper or book to read on the plane for example, and one side has even more mesh organiser pockets. Both sides have a bellowed edge with a small compression strap, enabling significant expansion. And even more expansion is offered via the attachment points for accessory straps.
Shimoda Carry-On Roller V2 Review: Verdict
In use the bag does everything is promises and does so without fuss – it's one of those pieces of kit that you forget about instantly because it feels like it's always been there. It has also quickly become indispensable. There are some trips where it’s not possible to pack a rucksack inside hold luggage, so the roller is sacrificed and that’s when you realise it’s value!
As with all camera luggage, there will always be one more lens you’d like to be able to fit in, but really the space is ample. Alongside the Core Unit it's possible to lie a laptop on top, and even a light jacket. Plus, those side pockets hold a few accessories. And anyway, the real restriction here isn’t the bag but the airline requirements. For anyone not flying so much, the DV Roller will prove a cavernous option. And either option makes for a smart overnight case for weekends away.
The price can’t be ignored – it's expensive. Expensive enough to probably be the preserve of jobbing professionals. On the other hand, luggage prices vary so wildly that this is competitive with the top end of the market and is smart enough to look at home alongside those fancy rollers.
But even on its own terms the Shimoda Carryon Roller is great value. And if you’ve read this far you probably already know whether or not it’s for you.
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