My friend Emily wanted to invest in an easel for her upcoming trip but was unsure what she might want. Since I have so much equipment we look at my portable easel collection and talk about what works and what dose not. Equipment is personal so I thought it would be helpful to see them in action in order to know what will work for Emily. (Watercolor easel, oil, both?). Budget easel kits (box, bag and tripod) are about $150-200 (US), and can go up to $700+ for advanced higher end kits. Parts can be purchased separately (such as a pochade paintbox) but be careful.... not all boxes go on all tripods. Nor with the same shoe. Make sure to order any extras needed such as trays (wings) or connecting pieces (such as a tripod head) if not included in a kit you are interested in. Pochade kits often take more time to ship than art supplies do, so allow extra time before a trip. You'll also need to try it all out prior to departure.
This video will also be helpful for those who have a basic setup but might want to invest in a better box (or a larger or smaller easel). I have about 10 easels! I just got another one recently (Urban Goat) and am trying this out before I travel.
Review the supply tab for a detailed list of current materials and easel suggestions. (Small, medium and large kits are covered.)
Remember it's up to you how you'd like to travel. Attached is an Airline data sheet for TSA. Manafacturers have tech sheets for their paints as well. You can search for this online and print out. Usually I toss my paints in a ziplock bag and then wrap loosely with bubble wrap. I like to mix my clothes and art equipment together to make sure TSA knows my stuff is not hazardous or extra special. I often bring half-used tubes. New tubes could look suspicious? Maybe. Also there is no need for a full tube of Cad Yellow Light for example, so by having a quarter tube it's enough, and then I can toss the empty tube before I return home.