Article by Cameron Hopkins

on

                As it appeared in
                             

June  1997

Gun cases might as well be fitted with blaring sirens and have "Steal Me!" painted in bright red for all the attention they get in an airport. Then scrutiny begins as you walk through the airport to a ticket counter. People stare at you like you're Quasimodo as you awkwardly lug your aluminum gun case up to the ticket counter.

Finally, you make it to the ticket counter, get checked-in, and nervously watch your precious rifles disappear down a conveyor belt into the bowels of the airport.

Beneath you a gorilla waits for your bags. Worse yet, the gorilla might never get to practice the hammer toss with your gun case because a weasel sees it first. A thief can pop your locks faster and more deftly than you could do it with the key and, presto-chango, your guns are now his.

Ah yes, the joys of flying with firearms. Even if your guns aren't stolen, your stock not splintered or your barrel not bent, your gun case could always end up in Timbuktu.

British Airways has taken a public anti-hunting position. Since they cannot legally refuse your luggage, they have a neat way of foiling your hunting plans: they intentionally send your bag to the farthest corner of the globe away from where you're going.

The answer to these problems is what I christened the "stealth gun case" from NALPAK Sales. Originally designed to carry a movie camera tripod, the unusual case looks like anything but a "gun case." Officially called "TUFFPAK", most people assume it's a golf club case.

NALPAK is the leading supplier of tripod cases to the film industry, and airport personnel around the world have frequently seen "TUFFPAK" cases in with cargo shipments for film crews going on location. TUFFPAK draws no more attention than a Samsonite.

Made of rugged cross-linked polyethylene – okay, it's plastic – the octagonal case features wheels on the bottom for easy transport, two ergonomically shaped handles at the balance point and a tamper-proof lock.

Best of all, TUFFPAK is spacious enough to hold more than just guns. On a recent varmint hunt, I loaded two heavy barreled scoped varmint rigs in soft, zippered cases, boots a down vest filled in around the guns with socks and T-shirts. Everything fit snugly and the guns came through unscathed.

Quite by accident, I found that the hollow carrying handle is perfect for a Dewey cleaning rod, which fit so perfectly I would swear it was a design feature!

Strength, durability and capacity are main selling points NALPAK has chosen to emphasize, but I think they're missing TUFFPAK's main attraction: It doesn't look like a gun case. The case retails for $325, is extremely well made and is rugged.

As I picked up my TUFFPAK off the baggage carousel after the varmint hunt, a fellow next to me said, "Nice golf bag." I smiled as I pulled the TUFFPAK behind me, walking out of the airport without anyone giving me a second look. Obscurity is a good thing.