Before getting this bag I had always had smaller Lowepro camera bags. I had always bought bags that would just fit the equipment I had at the time. When it came time to getting another bag because I needed more room I decided to get something a little bigger and have room to expand. I wanted a backpack that was comfortable and I could hike in. I was also looking for something that was semi-water proof as here in British Columbia it likes to rain a lot. Another added bonus was that it was able to carry a laptop which is great if you are traveling. This bag overall has been great but does have some downfalls.
Features:
- All weather cover
- Tripod holder
- Full harness
- Fully customizable and includes removable padded dividers
- Lots of pockets and pouches etc.
I don’t have lots of equipment or to many large lenses but everything I do fits really well and there is plenty of room for more stuff. I have the following in my bag:
- Nikon D50 with Nikkor 80-200mm f/2.8
- Nikkor 60mm Micro f/2.8
- Sigma 10-20mm f3.5-4.5
- Nikon SB-600 flash
- Misc. cleaning stuff
- 12″ laptop, charger & mouse
- Spare batteries & chargers
- Memory cards
- Tripod
All of this stuff fits no problem and I could fit double what I have in there. The problem with putting more stuff in it would be very heavy. as it is it is pretty heavy but manageable, I don’t know how comfortable it would be if you doubled the weight. The tripod holder is great but only in ideal conditions, it makes the bag hard to set down as the tripod then extends lower that the base of the bag and with the tripod in the holder the rain cover does not fit. This is the one major flaw of this bag. If it is raining and you want your rain cover on then you will be carrying your tripod. The only other minor nuisance is getting your camera or stuff in and out you have to take your backpack off and set it down, it is like this for any backpack bag but you should keep it in mind.
Pros:
- Lots of room
- Good construction
- Very well laid out
- Fully customizable
Cons:
- Tripod holder cant be used with rain cover
- A bit pricey
Ratings:
Build quality 5/5
Price 4/5
Functionality 4/5
Overall 4.5/5
Overall I would highly recommend this bag, the only that really bothers me is that the rain cover does not work when the tripod is in its holder, other wise this is a great bag.
