By "safe to check" do you mean it won't break or it won't get stolen?

I always put mine in my carry on for the piece of mind it gives me. Breakage is my big concern. I've heard from someone else who travels a lot that he always checks his (well padded) and has had no problems.

When I do check luggage, it usually gets searched by TSA (maybe I'm packing things that look suspicious on x-ray), but nothing has ever been taken. That said, I've never checked anything small and valuable.

Karen Wosilait
Seattle, WA
karen.w.mobile at gmail.com

> On May 9, 2017, at 7:29 PM, kristinstewart01 at comcast.net wrote:
>
> I wouldn't check it ( I always carry all optics with me), and I also had my tsa lock disappear from my checked suitcase on my last trip (Australia) although nothing else was missing.
>
> Kristin Stewart
> Olympia
>
> Sent from my iPad
>
>> On May 9, 2017, at 2:12 PM, pat.mary.taylor <pat.mary.taylor at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> Hi
>>
>> I always carry camera, Binos, scope, and tripod (disassembled) in my carry on. Nothing worse than arriving at your destination to find you checked luggage lost. In fact I never check baggage and travel light.
>>
>> No guides are really necessary on Kauai as all the endemic birds are found with the help of the online Birding in Hawaii.
>>
>> Keith Taylor
>>
>> Sent from my iPad
>>
>>> On May 9, 2017, at 12:10 PM, Hilary Barnes <habarnes at earthlink.net> wrote:
>>>
>>> Greetings experienced nature travelers-
>>>
>>> We will be visiting Kauai soon for a week, and I would like to take my spotting scope along, or, at least have access to one while there. I have a rather clunky Vortex scope and a study Manfroto 190 tripod. We took it to Sanibel Island, FL, once, and I think I took the scope in my carry-on and the tripod in a large suitcase. Remembering the airport trek, I am considering checking the whole shebang and using a TSA approved suitcase lock. Your feed back on equipment management, safety and security would be appreciated.
>>>
>>> Oh, and any birding contacts or tips would be wonderful as well! We will be staying in Princeville on the north shore, and will be renting a car. I have found a lot of useful information online, and have copies of "A Pocket guide to Hawai'i's Birds" and "Enjoying Birds and Other Wildlife in Hawai'i'" from a previous tag-along trip to Oahu for my husband's atmospheric science work group meeting. The point of this trip is actual R&R- birding and botany will take place both deliberately and at leisure. Thanks for your input-
>>>
>>>
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