Veteran Member Registered: April, 2009 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 499 | | Review Date: November 2, 2010 | Recommended | Price: $175.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | expandable, airline friendly, water resistant, dual D-rings, tripod carrying attachment, hold 17" laptop, tough | | Cons: | only one water holder | |
I purchased this bag at the beginning of 2010. I had gone through several bags prior to this one and not found one that met all my needs. I was looking for something that would hold out a bit of water (light rain - not downpour), had 2 D-rings, could be carried on flights (with adequate protection for my equipment), was expandable/retractable in size, contained usable smaller pockets for all the other 'stuff' one needs when in the field, would carry my 17" laptop, could easily handle 6-7 lenses + my camera, had some way to attach my tripod directly to it, and...frankly...was tough enough to handle the weight I'd put in it yet comfortable enough to wear on all day long hikes.
My first trip with this bag was to Hawaii as a carry on. I took every lens I had (plus a couple rentals) for a total of 9 lenses and my camera. On top of that, I had my cell phone, chargers for everything (including computer brick and iGo), 17" laptop, and a few things my wife decided to chuck in there at the last minute. It and my equipment went through the airlines without a problem.
Once I got there I removed the insert and began carrying the lenses loose in the pack along with my other stuff (each in it's own protective bag). The bag worked very well and held up to light rain and being carried around all day lo[/LIST]ng. The one complaint I had was the single water bottle holder - I'd prefer 2 since 1 doesn't provide a lot of water.
I was very impressed with this bag's performance. It handled rain, dust, sand, the airlines...everything I threw at it very well.
Since this I've used the bag many times in the field. I normally pack it up with about 50-60 pounds of equipment and disappear into the mountains for the majority of the day. I love it...except for the lack of water bottle holsters. I get around this by attaching a couple to the outside, but would prefer a better solution to this for my purposes.
Additions I've made to this setup are as follows:
- Domke 720-240 FA-240 4 Compartment Insert - this is much better for managing my lenses in the field and protects them well
- Tamrac N-11 - Backpack Camera Straps - this allows me to strap the camera to my bag for hands-free hiking. It easily handles my K10D with the DA* 60-250 attached. For total ease of use, I got the neck strap that goes with these for when I want to go backpack free.
- a couple of water bottles with small rings to attach them to the pack
I highly recommend this bag. It has enough versatility and toughness to meet anyone's needs!
Update: I have had this lens for 18 months now and still feel exactly the same. This has been on many airline trips and has always perfectly protected my equipment. Plus, with the straps I added it really provides an easy to use system that I love!
Update: I'm 2-3 years past my last update and this is still going strong. I'm tough on gear...this pack still looks new.
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