Backpacks?

Lately I've been using a Lowe-Pro 200AW. It has two exceptionally well padded cells. One will hold an SLR with lens, the other is good for maybe two more lenses. I put them in Domke wraps or Calumet wraps so they won't clank together. There is even a drawstring that pulls the padding in around the gear, so it can't bounce around as the wearer is bouncing over rocks. When I read that you wanted to carry just an M with 2 or 3 lenses, I thought the 200AW must be perfect for you. But then i saw the part about the OM and more lenses. Well, all that won't fit in the dedicated camera area.

But wait! there is lots more room in this bag. The OM and its lenses could go in the camera area, and the M and its lenses could go in wrapped in a jacket or raincoat, or in Domke wraps. And I still have room for lunch, first aid kit(s), flashlight, lip balm, car keys, film, etc. Four small zipper pockets, to right in front where I can reach them without breaking my stride, keep small things organized.

But wait, there's more! There's a deep pocket for my Camelback hydration unit. And a large wide pouch across the rear, and a smaller elastic closure pouch on the right side. And a rain cover that stores underneath.

I's not really a photo pack. It's multipurpose for hikers, climbers, etc. The amount of dedicated photo space is small. But it might just meet your needs. And it is comfortable!

My other pack is a Lowe-Pro Photo Trekker. It's good, and It's comfortable, but meant for a lot more gear than you want to carry.
 
kxl said:
The f-stop backpacks are nice, but the Guru is not small and is not cheap. It's a 28 liter pack and is about 19 inches long. A good size for trekking out in the great outdoors (for which it was designed) but not exactly a city street walker type of backpack. Also, buying the Guru backpack gets you just that--the backpack. If you want an insert with dividers (what they call an ICU), you'd have to buy that separately.

To me, the best f-stop backpack for your needs would be the Black box Multi Pack -- although it might be difficult to find in the US.
Click to expand...

Comment on pack length: a pack should be selected according to the length of your back. When I was fitted out by a good outdoor shop, the pack that was right for me was/is a North Face. Years later, when I met my wife, she had the same North face pack, in a shorter length, fitted for her years before we met! Love at first sight. Really.

A pack must be selected to fit you.
 
The actual size of the pack is not relevant so long as the straps can be adjusted enough to set the pack in the proper position. Having set up a number of rucksacks as an Infantryman under the impatient instruction of an experienced First Sergeant, I have figured out how to make a pack fit comfortably enough. The Army does not believe in making different size pack frames, so, man or woman, tall or short, everyone gets the same size. But the various straps can be used to make an Army ruck fit anybody.

If you plan to carry anything substantial in your pack, it must have a good waist band, not a simple strap. The weight should be carried on your hips, never by your shoulders. The waist strap must be wide enough and thick enough to distribute the weight evenly. The shoulder straps are set once the waist strap is tight, and in the correct position on your hips. The shoulder straps should not be tight, they should be used to adjust how close the pack sits to your back.

I use a Thinktank Shapeshifter pack with a Klattermusen waist band. It's not a cheap pack, but I can use it for work or for carrying gear. The Klattermusen waist band can accept accessory pockets, bottle carriers, etc. When using the pack for work, I remove the waist band, as an iPad and a few files aren't heavy enough to require one.
 
kxl said:
The f-stop backpacks are nice, but the Guru is not small and is not cheap. It's a 28 liter pack and is about 19 inches long. A good size for trekking out in the great outdoors (for which it was designed) but not exactly a city street walker type of backpack. Also, buying the Guru backpack gets you just that--the backpack. If you want an insert with dividers (what they call an ICU), you'd have to buy that separately.

To me, the best f-stop backpack for your needs would be the Black box Multi Pack -- although it might be difficult to find in the US.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I talked to them and I guess the Multi is no longer around. I may try out the Guru, 19" is at the top of my size range, but it could work, and anyway the multi is 18.5" already. I am willing to pay for a good pack that I'll use... anyway it's nice that you can buy and return if it doesn't suit you. I like the separate ICU, even if it does add cost, as it can keep gear in one place, say access through the back, and and other stuff separately accessible.

The Lowepro Flipsides look good, I'll see if I can try them out somewhere around town.
 
I have a long back and that means I want a back that is good. I was looking for a backpack with a frame, but I couldn't find a photo backpack with a frame. The next best thing was the F-Stop Kenti. It is a good backpack that I can carry on my back for a few hours. I would've liked some extra pouches and loops indeed, but there are loops where you could hang a bottle on. And if you want to go pro, it can hold a hydration system.

I compared it in store with some LowePro sport backpack, but the F-stop Kenti was much better.
 
Sorry to slightly "necropost" but I've been looking into getting a "dual purpose" backpack as I've tried the "camera bag into a normal rucksack on top of clothes and food etc." and it's too much faffing about. At present for local shooting, I use a small backpack with my normal bits in and a camera bag at the side, but this is no use if I want to carry a tripod. Camera backpacks have no space for food, water, first, aid kit etc. So that leaves "dual purpose camera backpacks".

I have just found two, one called "Atlas Athlete" which is $467 on "PicClick UK" and Atlas Adventure" which has a list price of $367, so they're out even though they would seem to fit the bill.

Two cheaper ones I've found are the "Endurax":



and the "Tarion Pro B1":





The sizes mentioned in the listings of this bag are:

Spécification
Dimension du compartiment supérieur: 310 * 180 * 260mm
Dimension du compartiment inférieur: 310 * 180 * 200mm
Matérieu : Matériel Polyester
Stockage informatique : 17 pouces ou moins
L'ensemble de la taille du paquet 310 * 190 * 490mm
Matériau d'isolation du compartiment pour appareil photo : EPE
Taille du petit paquet extérieur 230 * 130 * 165mm
Taille du petit paquet intérieur: 220 * 125 * 160mm


Specification
Dimension of the upper compartment: 310 * 180 * 260mm
Dimension of the lower compartment: 310 * 180 * 200mm
Material: Polyester Material
Computer storage: 17 inches or less
The whole package size 310 * 190 * 490mm
Camera compartment insulation material: EPE
Small outside package size 230 * 130 * 165mm
Size of the small inner package: 220 * 125 * 160mm

Does anyone have any experience of these bags, and can the dimensions of the lower section of the Tarion actually be as listed? They don;t quite right to me.

Any help would be much appreciated.
 
I didn't want to pay the prices of a specialised bag so I made one using a basic day pack with inserts made using bits of other bags and jeans to make an accessory pouch in the front panel, I then use the small camera bags as inserts so I can swap out or have multiple kits to hand.
It does have the bottle pouches but I also have a Former Yugoslavian forces mess kit that straps on with a large capacity canteen, I can also pop in my Altoids tin stove to make a cuppa on the move.
 
I've got one big backpack like what seany65 shows above, and a more normal sized backpack made by Manfroto. Don't really like either one for normal shooting. The big one is okay if I need to lug all my DSLR gear (two big bodies, 24-70 & 70-200 lenses, and a flash) to a location, and have a place to store the backpack while I shoot. And the normal sized Manfroto is okay if I need to lug less gear to a location, and have a place to store the backpack while I shoot. But I've never found a backpack that works while shooting.

For me, a shoulder bag is essential so I can get items in and out of it while I'm working, something that never goes well when I try to use a backpack.

Best,
-Tim
 
Thanks for the replies.

I don't think I'll try and "make" my own dual purpose backpack as I'm rather cack-handed.

I'm not sure if I'd use a backpack for "normal" shooting as I like to be able to put the camera back in a shoulder bag even though I'm usually wearing a small "rucksack" with an umbrella and other bits and pieces in, but I do imagine using one with my gevaert gevabox or welta perle etc. which aren't really suitable for whipping out for a quick a snap.

I mainly want a bag to go for up to a couple of days away for landscapes. I've just started looking at some ThinkTank bags that were linked to earlier by bwidjaja.
 
There has been mention of f-stop backpacks. I have had a Guru for a few years now, bought on clearance when the line was being phased out for the new styles. It's a pity it's been replaced as it's a fabulous backpack. Things I like: decent 28 l capacity, internal frame, back panel access, good waist belt, and very comfortable fit. I have travelled a lot with it, and airline regulations being what they are, you have to carry photo equipment, laptop, other electronics as carry on, and it adds up to quite a bit of weight. The internal frame, waist belt and capacity come in useful. With a small ICU there is still space for a laptop and personal items (book, jacket etc.), so I use the bag a lot. The Guru hasn't been available for some time, but I see it is now listed on the clearance page of the company's site. They are great quality bags, built for photo travel, but unlike most photo backpacks, very good for general use too.

Steve
 
@Yokasuka_Mike: Thanks for the link. From what I can tell, even though the price ain't bad, it does seem rather small for what I want.

@sanoire: Thanks for the link. It's out of my price range and looks too small to me. I've had a quick look at their other backpack but that's also a bit small and expensive.

@SteveM: Thanks for the suggestion. I've just been looking at their website. They do look interesting, but having to buy separate ICU's for the camera gear pushes the prices even further beyond my reach or justification.

If we're going on our "talent" being justification for spending money on photo gear, I wouldn't be allowed to spend £1 per year.:eek:

I've done some re-measuring of gear that I'd want to put in the "Dual purpose backpack", and it may be that the two bags I posted pics of previously may be just too small, so I may decide that if I don't take a change of clothes (in case of need), then I could go for bags that are much cheaper which would then be big enough.

I think there may be a bit of "Paralysis through analysis" going on, on top of other ideas of what other photo stuff to buy with my money.:eek: :bang:
 
Here I am, necroposting yet again, sorry. I wouldn't have done it, but I've been looking at the Tarion Pro PB 01 again. I've had my mamya m645 1000s with 80mm, 45mm and 150mm lenses and three 120 inserts with cases arranged onto an A4 sheet of paper with the horizontal dimensions of the lower compartment marked on it, and as far as I can tell the whole (maybe with out one of the insert and case) lot fit onto the paper inside the marked dimensions although the camera with 80mm has to be stood on it's backside. According to the measurements given for the height of the bottom compartment, and the marked measurements on a second piece of paper, that would work, and I've included a bit of space around each item for the padded dividers.

Trouble is, when I look at the photo of the Tarion pro B 01, I cannot for the life me see how the Mamiya stuff would fit into that bottom compartment!

Is this an optical illusion?
 
Turns it it really WAS an optical illusion. I bought a Tarion Pro PB-01 and all my Mamiya geaa fitted into it! Unfortunately there's something wrong with the lower compartment's zip, so it'll have to go back.
 
semordnilap said:
So... I would love to have the right backpack! I'm tired of just sticking loaded camera bags into a regular pack. Photo backpacks seem expensive so I've been hesitant to try out a bunch of them, but I figured I'd try out the collective wisdom and see if there are any suggestions!

My ideal backpack would be on the smaller side (I tried and returned the kinesis pack because it was too large for my needs). I'd like to be able to carry an M with a lens attached plus 2 or 3 extra lenses, an OM-D EM-1 with lens attached plus an extra lens, and maybe an x100s. If like to have some extra storage for snacks, change of clothes, ipad... Basically a carry-on or dayhike pack.

One necessity for me is water bottle pouches on the sides. Of course, it would be nice to have the photo stuff in a separate pocket from everything else.

I'm not opposed to just using a regular pack with padded inserts, but most normal packs seem to have two or more vertical pouches. Then the photo packs seem to be geared towards big slr setups.
Click to expand...

Edited to add: Oh crud, I just noticed that the original post is from ten years ago!

---

I have the exact same gear and a backpack that works for me, except the water bottle pouches on the sides.

My favourite backpack for travel is the Incase City Compact backpack. With a small padded camera insert, it can carry my M9, plus lenses, a small m43 camera, and it has enough room for snacks and the occasional purchase. For airline travel, I've also used it to transport a Panasonic S5 mirrorless camera with 24-105 attached, two Olympus f1.2 primes and a Panasonic 35-100 f2.8. My G9 with 12-35 and a third Olympus f1.2 lens goes in my shoulder bag on these occasions. The backpack also has a padded sleeve compartment for laptops and tablets. It's a pretty low profile backpack, doesn't look like a camera bag, and is relatively inexpensive. No water bottle pouches, though.

www.incase.com

City Compact Backpack

Protect, organize and carry your MacBook and other essentials in our stylish full-size laptop backpack. The City Backpack features two primary storage areas, a 360-degree padded laptop compartment, quick-access pockets and padded shoulder straps. Plush fleece lined laptop compartment, large...
www.incase.com

incase-city-collection-backpack-black-grey-1_1024x1024.jpg

The padded insert I use comes from a Lowepro Passport Sling, which is a reasonable shoulder bag in itself. The bag material is quite thin and light but sturdy, it has a number of pockets for batteries and other odds and ends, and the padded insert is easily removable. The strap is wide relative to other bags, which makes carrying gear more comfortable.

www.lowepro.com

Passport Sling III, Black

Space for your camera. Space for your personal gear. Space for your tablet. That’s what you get with the discreet, protective and versatile Passport Series.
www.lowepro.com www.lowepro.com

camera-sling-bags-passportsling3-insert-lp36657-0ww.jpg
 
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