Manfrotto Off Road Hiker 30L backpack

User report

We have mentioned it before, and will state it again: the Manfrotto Off Road Hiker does not feel like a camera bag with a few additions to make it masquerade as a hiking bag. Instead, it is a true blend of what a camera bag and a backpack should be.

Our feeling is that the bag was designed first as a hiking bag. A lot of thought was then given to create ways to carry and use photo equipment. This includes, but is not limited to, the camera compartment. This pocket is not unique: many other backpacks have a side-loading insert to store cameras and lenses. However, the many useful elements found all over the bag (just think of the several ways to attach walking sticks) help differentiate it.

The inclusion of the mesh back is to be commended. More and more hiking backpacks now include his feature, which has yet to become common on camera bags. On the Off Road Hiker, Manfrotto stuck a good balance between the amount of empty space created by the mesh and the volume of the bag.

28 to 34 liters appears to be the sweet spot for daypacks. At 30 liters, the Off Road Hiker is neither too small, nor too large.

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 Off Road Hiker was worn by a 182 cm (6 feet) tall male and a 160 cm (5 feet 3 inches) tall female. Finding a comfortable fit was easy for the male, and possible but slightly more complicated for the female.

The chest strap can be moved up or down by 15 cm, a large number which should help female wearers find a comfortable fit. The shoulder straps can be worn narrower or wider, freeing the chest partially. This is not a bag designed especially for women but it is better than most.

Positioning the hip strap caused our biggest challenge. It is very wide and located a bit high for taller bodies. The best solution is to loosen the shoulder straps, let the hip strap rest on the hips, then tighten the shoulder straps as needed. This adjustment only needs to be done once, luckily. When properly adjusted, we have used the bag on several multiple-hours outings, and never regretted bringing it along. It has proven comfortable, well balanced and able to carry a sufficient amount of extra gear. We used it with the lower compartment loaded as described in the previous page, which is to say nearly fully loaded. The weight of this amount of gear was never a hindrance during hikes; the size of the camera compartment has been well selected. Note that if the hip strap is poorly positioned, its thickness can prove uncomfortable.

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)

Manfrotto went with the third option, which is arguably the most common. Accessing the compartment in this fashion works well enough. In this case, the main problem is balance: with only one strap on and both hands fumbling with equipment, it is possible for the bag to fall off the shoulder. It takes a little time to master the operation, but after a while it becomes easier.

One thing could have been done differently with the Off Road Hiker. As can be seen on the picture above, the bottom compartment's flap opens towards the user instead of away. The latter would have been better, as the flap might get in the way otherwise.

Also, a backpacker using the camera maintaining band below the chest strap will have three buckles to unclip before removing one shoulder strap and finally gaining access to the camera compartment.

The hip pocket on the right side is surprisingly roomy. It is also lightly padded, which means that in a pinch it can serve to store a lens. It is just large enough to contain a 16-85mm lens as long as the hood is removed. This makes changing lenses much easier than otherwise. It is not obvious if this pocket was designed with this purpose in mind but it is a welcome perk.

The six elastic cables meant to carry walking sticks and monopods are both well positioned and well adapted for their intended purpose. They are not strong enough to carry a heavier tripod, which must absolutely go to the side or bottom. Even a light travel tripod will stretch the elastics and move during hikes. A more rigid anchor point for tripods would have been a nice addition.

Our tests show that using a hydration pouch with the Off Road Hiker is possible, but not simple. There is simply no dedicated pocket to place a water bladder. The side pocket is too small, and the housing for the plastic sheet is too thin. One solution is to place the pouch inside the main compartment, let it sag and try to place other items creatively to hold it in place. The water tube then must be slipped under the top flap. This is far from being ideal.

Verdict

Our time with the Off Road Hiker was pleasurable. The backpack ticks most boxes: it is well made, light enough, appears durable, can carry a good amount of gear (but not too much) as well as numerous extras, it is comfortable in use, ventilates better than almost any other photo backpack. Although access to the camera compartment is not perfect, it is relatively easy.

We would have preferred the photo compartment's flap to open away from the user and, as stated before, we miss a hydration pouch solution. Apart from that, there is little to complain, and much to like.