Favorite boom for travelling light?

[Chad Peter]

Hey all,

 

I'm on the hunt for a travel boom pole - something light and easily packable for a low profile shoot.  I've been digging around and haven't really come across anything that checks all boxes yet.  Any suggestions?

[Bluelobster]

I've been using the VdB S-QT for this purpose. It's been working well!

[Philip Perkins]

How long do you need it to be (extended)?

 

[OB1]

Does travel entail flying? The TSA bin is 25" diagonal and whatever fits in there doesn't need to go through special screening.

 

I carry a 9ft KTek in the OR432 with the side exit dismounted within the case and have never been stopped. Yes the OR432 is 30" long but sitting diagonally the 5-6" depth of the bin allows it to fit-ish. Never has it been an issue. They're probably focusing more on the mixer bag in the KTek backpack.

[Eric]

I'm not sure they made them anymore, my PSC elite (medium) boom pole is brilliant for travel. Fits inside a pellican case (im2950) or even a large suitcase at 2'2" collapsed. 8'3" extended. Suits all the national/international travelling. 

The PSC elite large can even fit crossways in a pellican (im2950). 

Both internally cabled.

Not sure they make them anymore, so this may be moot.

[The Immoral Mr Teas]

On 6/27/2025 at 5:42 PM, Philip Perkins said:

How long do you need it to be (extended)?

 

 

I'd add to that, "How short do you need it to be?"

These are really the two main questions to start looking (with Philip's being the more important).

 

But I'll chime in with a vote for the VdB Baby Boom as an ultra useful accessory which is small, seemingly weightless and can be thrown in any bag. I sometimes take it on trips where I don't really need a boompole.

 

I have one from the 1990s (Vdb BB-QL) but they still make them (VdB BB-QT).

https://vdbaudio.com/vdb-boompoles/

 

Bluelobster's S-QT is the slightly longer model. They now make an even shorter one, the Pocket-QT.

 

On 6/27/2025 at 4:48 PM, Bluelobster said:

I've been using the VdB S-QT for this purpose. It's been working well!

 

Useful for all sorts of things but ultimately useless if you needed to extend further than its maximum length however. But another vote.

 

Jez

 

[jason porter]

I fly with a k-tek 102cc with a quick release tip, it's fits diagonally in a Pelican 1637. I also sometimes use a vdb-m, which is a bit smaller.

[edward chick]

I have a K-Tek Avalon Traveller that extends to about 9’. I bought it over 25 years ago from Trew when they had a starter package. I think it’s been recabled 3 or 4 times and new collars at least once. Love it. It’s my go to pole for ENG and doc style shoots. 

[Jim Feeley]

I travel/fly with a K-Tek 9-foot pole (can't recall the model number; perhaps a 102cc like Jason's above) that I stick in an old Petrol boom pole tube. You could make something similar out of PVC pipe, I guess. Then that goes either diagonally into my clothes suitcase (if I'm traveling with one) or into the camop's tripod case (that's where the protective tube comes in handy). 

 

I also bring a shorter Avalon Traveller, that's shorter than Edward's; maybe seven feet? I bring that in a carryon as a spare. A couple times I've had to explain myself to TSA/security that no, it's not a potential weapon (and it's a mic pole, not a "boom" pole). Compact, but I feel the short length (not in a great way). Something like this: https://ktekpro.com/product/keg88cc-avalon-graphite/

 

Let us know what ends up working for you!

 

 

 

 

[jason porter]

[Derek H]

I travel with a light stand bag containing a C-stand anyway so I just bring a K-152 in there inside of an fishing rod case and I’m always glad to have the 12’ pole for documentary. If you’re actually going to do some booming bring a useful length I say. If it’s just going on a stand for sit down interviews then I guess you could get by with a smaller pole. 
 

My light stand bag almost always gets searched by TSA but whatever that’s their problem. I also pack a bunch of other stuff in there like chargers and pouches of spare cables, I even fit a 302 in there for backup. It lets me get by just having my bag rig and 1510 to roll on the plane. 

[Phillip C Dent]

I find traveling with stands for the boom pole much more difficult. Does anyone here have an elegant solution for travel with stands? or any lightweight, yet sturdy  stands to recommend? My go to has been to  put two light stands with grip heads and boom mates along with a couple sand bags in an old hard sided case designed for snow skis.

[Jim Feeley]

I either plan ahead to borrow a stand from camera, or carry a small(ish) Matthews stand that I bought used 20 years ago and is still going fine. Either a medium duty kit stand or their light/medium kit stand. The light/medium has only a 27-inch/700mm (or so) footprint, but collapses to 26-inches and extends to about seven feet (if you include the boom holder in that height 😉 ). https://www.msegrip.com/collections/kit-stands/products/kit-light-medium-with-brake-black

 

That small footprint and everything means it's not super stable; nowhere near a c-stand. But on minimalist travel shoots, I'll hang a small backpack/bookbag from one of the lower knobs (they've held up fine). A bit less minimalist, I'll take a 10lb/4KG bag of rice that I buy during the first grocery/snack stop, place it in a sleeping bag stuff sack (that I travel with) and use that as a sandbag. 

 

The Matthews medium-duty kit stand is better all around (and I'll take it if there's room), but I do like the compactness of the light/medium stand. Just depends on how much space I have...

 

That's my take.

[Derek H]

6 hours ago, Phillip C Dent said:

I find traveling with stands for the boom pole much more difficult. Does anyone here have an elegant solution for travel with stands? or any lightweight, yet sturdy  stands to recommend? My go to has been to  put two light stands with grip heads and boom mates along with a couple sand bags in an old hard sided case designed for snow skis.

See my post above. I’ve been traveling with a full size c-stand for years and wouldn’t want to do anything else. I have a heavy duty Versa Flex stand Bag that just fits the C-stand riser and I use a Matthews model with a turtle base so that comes off to reduce the length. 
 

For weight I throw in a Mafer clamp with a J hook and hang whatever I have on hand including my entire Pelican 1510 if need be. Makes for a very stable setup even outdoors in wind with a full zeppelin. 
 

You’re hanging a hard metal object above people’s heads. You want it to be solid not just easy to pack. 
 

I do think a kit stand would be good too as long as you don’t go too light weight and if it has a footprint at least as large as a C-stand. That would have the advantage of letting you go for a model with an adjustable leg for uneven ground which I’ve found would be handy.