Lowepro Photo Sport BP 200 AW II

User report

The Lowepro Photo Sport BP AW II is a fine example of how much camera bags have evolved in recent years. Far from the black, boxy bags where comfort was an afterthought, camera backpacks are now true outdoors products which do not fear to be compared with the best hiking bags.

The people at Lowepro obviously challenged themselves to go beyond what a normal bag offers. They included a few ideas that are not always apparent, but improve usability.

The "Ultracinch" is one such idea: it is a simple and elegant solution to a problem that might not be obvious but which can affect hikers on a trail. It is an effective added security.

The dedicated hydration compartment is everything it should be: large enough for a 2 liters bladder (which is standard), separated from the camera equipment, designed in such a way that the bladder will not sag. It is even partially insulated, so water will remain cool longer.

There is no lack of storage on the bag: a top pocket in the cover, a bottom pocket underneath the bag (where the rain cover is stored), a side pocket large enough for a small tripod or a water bottle, plus the main and camera compartments. The front adds even more storage and is useful for many things. This section can expand quite a bit and its opening can be expanded or compressed significantly.

The Photo Sport BP lacks a mesh back for improved ventilation. Instead, it relies on a nested pattern and is made of knit polyester, also used on the hip and shoulder straps. This material is not as common as the porous padded mesh almost always found on such bags. According to the manufacturer, polyester does not absorb water, which means it will not hold sweat.

The Photo Sport BP comes in two sizes, 20 and 30 liters. 30 is a common value for daypacks. 20 is ideal for smaller bodies or adventurers traveling light.

The fit will vary greatly depending on the wearer's body shape. It is hard to comment on this in general terms. Ideally, one should always try a backpack before deciding on a purchase. For our tests, the Photo Sport BP was worn by a 182 cm (6 feet) male and a 160 cm (5 feet 3 inches) female. This 20 liters bag was easier to fit on the female, but the many possible adjustments made it simple to find a good fit in both cases.

The chest strap can be adjusted up and down as needed, which should help female wearers find a comfortable fit. However, this adjustment feels rough because it uses a thick nylon band instead of the more modern tubular band commonly used on hiking bags. The width of the shoulder straps can be adjusted, but the range of adjustments could be wider. This is not a bag designed especially for women but it is adequate.

The hip straps are well positioned and fall naturally to the right position when the shoulder straps are loosened.

Both the shoulder and hip straps are stiffer than usual, because of the gray fabric. This causes no problem in use: when the bag is properly adjusted, this material offers sufficient padding and helps the straps retain their shape. The hip straps do have a tendency to hug the back of the bag, getting in the way sometimes.

Once adjusted to the wearer's shape, the backpack offers better than average comfort. The padding is thick enough on both straps. The back's pattern and material is nicer than one could expect: the grid pattern is not felt by the wearer and increases comfort. Even fully loaded, the bag is small enough to never become too heavy, which certainly helps. Some backpacks rely on a rigid frame; not so with the Photo Sport BP. The back can be bent in half if desired, and only the camera padding provides any kind of rigidity. This can be both good and bad but in this case it's mostly good: the bag molds itself to the back of the wearer for a good fit.

Ventilation is adequate. The knit polyester doesn't do much to whisk moisture away and after using it we can confirm that it really does not absorb transpiration. When performing high-intensity sports, the bag remains almost completely dry. The same cannot be said of the wearer, who often ends up drenched. The grid pattern on the back is mostly cosmetic: when pressed against the back, it does little to improve ventilation. The bag is certainly not worse than many other backpacks regarding breathability, nor is it particularly better. A mesh back and padded mesh shoulder straps do a better job in our opinion. The importance of good ventilation will vary according to the wearer, the type of activity and the weather.

Giving access to the camera equipment is probably the biggest challenge backpack designers face. There are four main options:

• Front access (the bag needs to be set down)
• Back access (shoulder straps must be removed, then the bag swiveled around the hips)
• Side access (one shoulder strap kept on and the bag swung to the front like a sling)
• Swivel the whole camera compartment (only Mindshift Gear does this with their 180° line)

Like many others, Lowepro went with the third option. With the small Photo Sport 200, this works well. The bag is small enough to retain a good balance on the shoulder, but it is still tall enough that removing one strap is not a difficult process. The camera compartment's cover opens away from the photographer, a simple thing but very useful in actual use.

The hip pockets have a small capacity and lack any kind of padding. This means they cannot be used to carry a (small) lens except for a very short period of time. Even sunglasses would be at risk in these compartments. They are better suited for snacks or non-fragile items.

The two elastic cables meant to carry walking sticks and monopods and their associated loops at the bottom work as well as can be expected. The bottom loops cannot cinch the poles and as such, only serve to guide them. The top cables can be positioned as desired along the lip of the front pocket. This is very useful although most users will probably leave the cables in their default position. Care is required however since it is possible to lose the loops if they are not properly secured.

These elastic cables will not bear heavier tripods: anything above 2-3 pounds will stretch them too much. With such a small bag, large tripods are not a good idea in any case, but for those who desire to carry heavier gear, there are not many solutions available apart from the side pocket.

The bag is not without flaws, and these relate mostly to the various attachment points. Frequently, buckles and straps get in the way. For instance, two buckles must be detached to insert the water bladder. The top flap's attachment points can easily be hidden by items stored in the side pocket. The same is true for the front pocket's buckles. Even "Ultracinch", for all its cleverness, also relies on a buckle over a compartment. In short, buckles frequently slow down operations.

The inside compartment's open nature means that smaller items could easily fall to the bottom of the bag and get lost. Luckily Lowepro included a mesh pocket for such small objects. The lack of separation between top and bottom is rare: some will like it, others will hate it.

The choice of material is average. There is nothing wrong but also nothing which sets the bag apart. Some zippers on our test sample are stiffer than ideal, the straps' materials are fairly standard and although they are comfortable, the hip and shoulder's straps do not look particularly high-end. Since this choice of knit polyester is deliberate, we feel Lowepro should put more emphasis on it by marketing its advantages. On the flip side, every buckle is sturdy and will be durable. Also, the bag's exterior materials (except for the stretch fabrics, webbings and zippers) are coated with polyurethane and a Durable Water Resistant coating.

Verdict

We had a positive experience with the Lowepro Photo Sport BP 200 AW II. The bag incorporates many good elements. It succeeds at its main task of carrying and giving quick access to photo equipment. The level of comfort is more than satisfactory.

The bag is hindered by the number and position of its buckles. It is also below expectations regarding ventilation.