Tenba Roadie v2 Spinner 21 International review: A camera roller bag that’s designed for the whole journey, not just the airport terminal

Take a bow, Robert Weinreb. He’s a native New Yorker and professional photographer who’s faced challenges in his career, confessing to wrapping his cameras and lenses into knitted hats for packing into regular backpacks when going in search of ‘the shot’, most notably while trekking in harsh Himalayan environments. His solution was to get a Manhattan-based sewing shop to stitch up a bespoke camera bag of his own design and that’s how, back in 1977, Tenba was born. Almost 50 years later, Tenba has become one of the top names in the camera bag business. The name itself comes from a Tibetan word meaning strong, unshakable and reliable, backed up by a company motto of ‘Never Compromise’.

Tenba’s evolutionary design process has recently hatched the Roadie v2 collection, claiming to be the world’s first rolling camera cases with completely removable backpack straps. The backpack straps themselves are actually sold separately as optional extras but even so, the Roadie v2 series builds on the successful design concepts of the original versions, aiming to be the ‘most advanced camera carry solutions’ on the planet, and among the best roller bags for photographers. I got my hands on the Tenba Roadie v2 Spinner 21 International, which is literally a case in point.

Tenba Roadie v2 Spinner 21 International: Specifications

Tenba Roadie v2 Spinner 21 International: Price

From full-sized bags to small battery pouches and accessories, I’ve consistently been impressed with Tenba products large and small. The Tenba Roadie v2 Spinner 21 International case that I’m reviewing here lives up to my expectations, with a premium look and feel. It’s only fair that this is reflected in the selling price, which is towards the top end of the scale for a camera roller bag, at $489 / £445 / AU$699. The Tenba is undeniably more expensive than a few other popular camera roller bags that double as backpacks, including the Lowepro Pro Trekker RLX 450 AW II at $429 / £319 / AU$549 and the Vanguard Alta Fly 55T G2 at $349 / £250 / AU$469.

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If you’re in the mood for extras, the completely removable Tenba Roadie v2 Backpack Straps sell for $39 / £52 / AU$99, and they’re an additional purchase, not supplied with the bag itself. You can also unzip and pull out the entire camera insert section and replace it with the optional Tenba Roadie v2 Luggage Liner Kit, converting the camera bag into a regular, general purpose carry-on roller bag, at an additional cost of $49 / £56 / AU$109.

Tenba Roadie v2 Spinner 21 International: Design & Handling

I’m precious about my cameras, lenses and photographic accessories, which is only natural because they’ve cost me big bucks. The hustle and bustle of air travel can make it a dangerous environment for kit that’s made from glass and delicate parts, so I’m up for all the cossetting I can give them. I like that the Tenba Roadie v2 Spinner 21 International feels soft to the touch, its outer being made from padded water-repellent 1680D ballistic nylon that helps to absorb the shock of any knocks. The inner camera compartment is soft but firm, and fully customizable with plenty of adjustable Velcro dividers. Even so, reinforcements are on hand, with rigid protection featured at likely collision points around the bag’s construction.

The sibling Tenba Roadie v2 Spinner 21 ‘Air Case’ is advertised as being so strong that you can stand on it. The ‘International’ that I’m reviewing here doesn’t have as much weight-bearing potential but you can happily put it on its side and sit on it without fear of damaging anything inside. That’s thanks to a rigid inner frame that runs around the top, sides and bottom of the bag. Unlike the Air Case, however, there’s no slide-in pad that fills the laptop compartment and adds weight-bearing potential to the lid.

In terms of size, the bag is designed to be small enough for full compliance with the international carry-on regulations of commercial airlines, although weight might be an issue, as I’ll come to later. Despite being built down to certain size regulations, the bag can accommodate two or three mirrorless or DSLR cameras, or a pro-sized cine camera complete with a grip. Got lenses? You can pack eight to ten of them, ranging in size from pancake optics up to and including a typical 400mm f/2.8 prime and/or a 180-600mm super-tele zoom.

Lifting the lid on the bag, so to speak, is a pleasurable experience. It lifts easily on its hinge but has the added attraction of adjustable Velcro-fixed straps, for which you can change the length or remove them altogether. I like that I can adjust the straps to stop the lid opening too far, making the four pockets built into it easily accessible without any kerfuffle. These zippered pockets have a neat organizer layout, ideal for storing accessories like photographic filters and spare batteries, or any other little extras that takes your fancy.

Call me greedy but I prefer roller bags that have four sets of wheels rather than just two. For one thing, you can just nudge the bag along in small increments, when you’re queuing for check-in or boarding. Four sets of wheels also enables you to roll the bag sideways, making it easier to navigate narrow aisles, whether you’re on a plane, train, coach or anywhere else with limited space. What I don’t like are small wheels that catch on the smallest of lumps and bumps on the floor or ground.

The Tenba wins out on both counts, with four sets of wheels that boast ‘WideTrak design with CloudDrive technology’. They’re placed in the extreme corners to give maximum stability and avoid the risk of the bag toppling over. They also glide over challenging surfaces thanks to having large-diameter, elastic, shock-absorbing outers and carbon-steel bearings. The result is that the Tenba is a smooth operator in the rolling stakes.

I’ve often been identified as ‘the tall guy’, standing at 6ft 5in. Catering amply to me and others of pretty much any height, the sturdy, aluminum handle of the bag is made in telescoping sections with three alternative locking heights. I found the uppermost option supremely comfortable in use, not only because of its generous height but also due to its rubberized grip area, which ensures a comfy and secure hold. As I’d expect, the handle folds down flush with the top of the bag, for when you want it to be out of sight and out of mind.

With the best will in the world for rolling along at every opportunity, there are times that you simply have to carry any carry-on bag, even if it’s just to lift it onto a security check conveyer or into an overhead locker. Catering to this, the bag has two luxuriously comfortable and padded, leather-lined carrying straps on the top and on one of the sides. They feel like they’re lightening the load when you’ve got the bag fully stuffed with camera gear and the weight becomes considerable.

If your bag gets lumped in with a load of other luggage, it’s a safe bet that it’ll somehow be facing the wrong way when you want to retrieve it. With that in mind, as well as for packing or maneuvering it in tight spaces, there’s a third grab handle on the bottom of the bag. It’s a more basic strap that isn’t leather-lined like the other two, but it’s still padded and comfortable to use.

Stop for a moment and consider the total value of a bag like this, when it’s packed full of expensive camera kit. It can feel like putting a huge wad of cash within easy reach of anyone who’s technically competent enough to undo a zipper and help themselves to what’s inside. Making your camera gear inaccessible to anyone who’s not desperately determined to get at it, there’s a TSA-approved combination lock on one side of the bag, which secures the two main zipper handles of the main camera compartment. This makes it impossible to open the bag without cutting/breaking off the zipper handles or slicing into the bag itself.

Taking security a step further, you can lock down the entire bag rather than just confining the zippers of the main camera compartment. A small pocket at the top of one side opens to reveal a long steel cable which is fastened internally to the base of the bag’s aluminum extending handle. The other end has a loop and the cable comes with a TSA-approved combination padlock, so you can tether your bag to any suitably immovable object and make sure it stays put.

Naturally, tethering your bag to an immovable object is all very well (and safe) until you actually want to go anywhere. And going places is kind of the whole idea of a roller bag. To help you keep tabs on your bag when it’s on the move, one of the four zippered sections in the lid has an internal neoprene sleeve that’s designed to hold an AirTag or Tile tracker.

Whereas there’s a small pocket on one side of the bag for the steel security cable, a much deeper pocket on the other side acts as a drop in holder for a tripod. It’s zippered, so you simply open it and drop in one or more of the legs of your tripod to stow it. An adjustable strap helps to keep the tripod firmly fixed in place.

When you’re traveling with a lot of luggage, keeping it all together in one place can feel a bit like herding cats. But at least if you’ve got a pair of bags that you don’t want to be separated, there’s a strap that pulls out of the Tenba’s top zippered pocket. It has an easily adjustable length and works well for securing an additional bag to the roller bag.

I’m old enough to remember international photographic expeditions to far-flung destinations where one of the biggest concerns was where to stash all my dozens of rolls of film. They’ve now been replaced by the obligatory laptop computer and, sure enough, an addition to the v2 is a whole new dedicated compartment that can accommodate a 16-inch (or smaller) laptop. This compartment was notably absent from the original Tenba Roadie Air Case Roller 21 roller bag. It’s housed within a separate zippered enclosure at the front of the bag that also has a supplementary full-length pocket and an organizer section for the likes of your passport, business cards, wallet and other travel essentials.

The Tenba Roadie v2 Spinner 21 International is so travel-friendly, well made and smartly turned out that it seems a shame to only use it when you’re on photographic assignments. As luck would have it, however, undoing a single internal zipper is all that’s required so that you can lift out the entire camera compartment. You can then fill the empty space with whatever you need instead of your camera kit, for the journey at hand.

Nature abhors a vacuum, as they say, and the empty space that’s left after removing the camera compartment can be suitably filled by the optional Tenba Roadie v2 Luggage Liner Kit, at an additional cost of $49 / £56 / AU$109. Of similarly high quality to the bag itself, this offers the perfect way of converting your camera bag to a regular roller bag for general traveling. The kit comes complete with a liner that zips into the main compartment, plus a soft inner bag.

The retail pack of the optional Tenba Roadie v2 Luggage Liner Kit is shown above, supplied in its own handy mesh pouch. It only takes a few seconds to install the kit in the empty space left by the removed camera compartment, the net result being shown below.

Tenba Roadie v2 Spinner 21 International: Performance

There are various aspects to the performance of any roller bag designed for camera gear but for me, the main one is how well it protects the camera kit itself. I’m happy to say that the Tenba Roadie v2 Spinner 21 International accommodates all of my photographic paraphernalia in cosseted comfort and safety. I’ve got cameras of different sizes and lenses large and small, and they can all be made to feel right at home, thanks to the provision of many dividers that are endlessly customizable to enable a tailor-made solution.

I like that the space on the inner side of the lid doesn’t go to waste. The four separate zippered pockets are useful for stashing all sorts of small gadgets and photographic accessories, but one of my favorite uses is for stowing photo filters.

The outer 1680D ballistic nylon skin of the bag is water-repellant and very resistant to inclement weather but when it comes to camera protection, I’m a belt and braces kind of guy. I’m happy therefore that Tenba has seen fit to include an additional weather-proof cover. It scrunches down nice and small, into its own integral pouch, but pulls out to cover the whole bag. Furthermore, it’s reversible so that the outer surface can be either black or silver. Black is good for going incognito, while silver is ideal for reducing the build-up of heat within the back, if it’s out in the blazing sun.

Another critical aspect of the performance of any roller bag is just how well it rolls along. The Tenba scores really highly here, thanks to those trick wheels and sturdy extending handle that I mentioned earlier. During my testing, I found that the bag successfully negotiated tricky terrain, quietly gliding along where some roller bags would have trouble traversing. That’s all well and good but if you’re trekking across the likes of sand, mud, snow or craggy terrain, there’s no other option than to pick up the bag and carry it. The optional backpack straps are ideal for this, being highly adjustable, very comfortable and of similarly high quality.

The external dimensions of the bag mean that you can expect it to sneak in below the size limits for carry-on luggage imposed by international airlines. The only problem might be the weight. Even by camera roller bag standards, the Tenba is hefty at 10.9lb / 4.9kg, and that’s when it’s completely empty. Many international and domestic airlines are relatively relaxed about maximum weights but some restrict carry-on weight to as little as 14.43lb / 7kg, which would only enable you to pack one camera body, a couple of standard lenses and no laptop before flying. It’s something to bear in mind when you’re planning a trip.

Tenba Roadie v2 Spinner 21 International: Verdict

I reckon Tenba Roadie v2 Spinner 21 International could easily become my favored travel companion. It’s thoughtfully and cleverly designed, expertly manufactured to the highest standards, and impeccably finished. I really like that the styling makes it look like a regular roller bag, rather than something that’s shouting out that it’s holding a not-so-small fortune’s worth of camera kit.

The build is a great blend of shock-absorbing soft surfaces and padding, with hardy, rigid interior sidewalls. I feel that the bag also has a really go-anywhere attitude, working perfectly as a smoothly gliding roller bag over most terrains, and having optional backpack straps for when the going gets really tough. I’m not quite so happy that I have to buy the backpack straps separately as an optional extra, but feel it’s more reasonable paying extra for the luggage liner kit that can take the place of the camera compartment. The Tenba is quite hefty so it’s worth checking carry-on weight restrictions before you travel, but all in all, it’s a brilliant bag that’s terrific for almost any journey you can think of, near or far.

Alternatives

The Lowepro Pro Trekker RLX 450 AW II is a 3-in-1 backpack, camera bag and roller case that’s again full of tricks and constructed to the highest standards using quality materials. It’s rather less heavy than the Tenba and easier on the wallet, costing around $429 / £319 / AU$549.

The Vanguard Alta Fly 55T G2 is another camera bag that works equally well as a roller bag and as a backpack. Instead of having optional, removable backpack straps like the Tenba, the Vanguard comes complete with wheels and straps, and you can remove the roller wheels and stash them within the bag. It costs a relatively budget-friendly $349 / £250 / AU$469 to buy.