Review on Think Tank Airport Navigator Messenger Bag - 75 Cm, Black (Travel And Carry With Ease) by Terry Herrera

The Airport Navigator is one of Think Tank's older wheeled designs but it is well conceived, well-built, and a generally solid choice. Its size and design are somewhat unique, though it is worth noting that Vanguard has created a clone of this bag, the VEO SELECT 42T GR TROLLEY BAG, that addresses the few complaints flyers seem to have about the Think Tank original. But I'm not using the case for air travel. Instead, I'm using the bag as a gear locker. It happens to fit perfectly in a cabinet in my truck camper and its combination of front and top access provides exceptional flexibility when I need quick access to anything in the bag. (I've removed the telescoping handle from the back of the bag, an easy task since it is designed to be replaceable.)Like every Think Tank bag I've ever owned, the Airport Navigator provides solid protection for its contents. In my case, that is a Canon R5 body, RF 14-35 F4L, RF 24-105 F4L, RF 70-200 F4L, RF 100-500 F4.5-7.1L, and RF 100 F.28L MACRO, an RF 1.4x Extender, and a few accessories. All lenses fit with their hoods. (image #1) The Navigator is deep enough that, except for the 100-500, all of the lenses fit into it vertically. This makes it easy to create a very efficient layout inside the bag. As can be seen in the images, the rear cap of the RF 100 sticks up into the space allotted for the laptop and tablet compartment however this has not interfered with either my slim Dell XPS13 or my iPad Pro. This might not be the case for anyone using a large, thick laptop. (image #3)The bag's biggest design flaw is its divider system. The bag comes with three substantial main dividers covered in a velcro-compatible material; and a number of thin, 4-inch wide smaller dividers covered in a nylon material that is *not* velcro compatible. The fact that the smaller dividers are covered in a material that velcro doesn't stick to means that it is impossible to turn a couple 4-inch wide dividers into a 5-inch wide divider by combining two of them together. It is hard to overstate the degree to which this limits one's options when trying to create a layout for a unique combination of gear. In my case, it means that I cannot create a compartment sized to fit my RF 28-70 F2 lens and hood, which is just over 4.5 inches in diameter. This is a frustrating and needless limitation. Compare this to the image of a Shimoda core unit with its best-in-class dividers that can be combined in any number of ways. Think Tank needs to address this. (images 4, 5A, 5B)The larger, main dividers are not perfect either. They bend on one end in a way that looks like they are designed to move out of the way of your camera body. With a smaller body—a Fuji X-T4, for example—this works well. It works less well for larger bodies. My R5 fits fine oriented on its side but fits tightly the other way, when sitting on its base. (image #2, 3)Another thing worth noting: The two zippered compartments sewn onto the inside of the top/front door are made with a mesh that feels somewhat abrasive. I suspect that they will act like a pair of cheese graters if any gear happens to be up against them when the bag is bouncing around during transport. When stored upright, I would guess this isn't a problem. In my case, the bag will be transported horizontally so I will definitely be covering these zippered pockets with something softer. (image #7)Finally, it is worth noting that the back couple inches of the bag, the end to which the wheels are attached, have an angled/curved bottom. This is not atypical of rolling bags. The result is that the two small back compartments (in my configuration) are less useful than they might look when viewed from the top. (image #6)Although I've spent more time writing about negatives than positives, this is only because the negatives aren't necessarily obvious. The Think Tank Airport Navigator is a good bag that I can easily recommend with the caveats mentioned above. If you're looking for a smaller wheeled bag that will protect your gear while commuting by train, plane, or the trunk of your vehicle, the Airport Navigator will serve you well—assuming it holds the gear you need it to hold.