Mindshift Gear Photocross 15 Backpack review

Conclusion

The Photocross 15 fills a relevant niche in the camera bag market, positioning itself as a larger alternative to sling bags, while being smaller than many hiking backpacks.

The quality of craftsmanship matches our expectations regarding Mindshift Gear and Think Tank, who are confident enough in their products to offer a lifetime warranty. Fabrics are sturdy and of high quality, the straps and padding are easy to adjust and generally comfortable.

Despite our comments on internal configurations, the Photocross 15 from Mindshift Gear is a bag with many qualities and few flaws. The challenge is probably to modulate one’s expectations by understanding the intended purpose of the bag. This is not a bag meant for long treks: it is not roomy enough, and while comfort is good, this is a day bag, not a hiking bag. It is not ideally suited to carry a small set of primes (though getting creative with internal configurations, or using a small camera cube or pouches, would work). It is designed to bring larger gear into locations in inclement conditions.

For what its designed to do, this backpack succeeds. Photo equipment will be extremely well protected, easy to access, and the photographer will be ready to shoot in moments. Both harsh weather and bumpy conditions were taken into account when designing this backpack. This bag is best suited for taking pictures in the middle of a ski slope or at the top of a cliff.

It is easy, thanks to the large dividers, to separate the main compartment into a few photo sections, and another dedicated to non-photo items. The bag is certainly capable of carrying a lot of photo gear, or a few large lenses and cameras.

The tripod attachment system is versatile and can be used for other items, such as mats or rolled-up jackets, increasing the virtual volume of the bag. Smaller tripods will need to go into the water bottle pocket, however.

One other drawback is that the bag offers little regarding modularity. There is no easy way to attach a camera clip or external lens pouch, for instance. Considering that Mindshift Gear and, to a greater extent, its sister company Think Tank, both offer numerous cases, pouches and pockets, even one rigid and reliable attachment point would have been a welcome inclusion.

Pros

• Very rugged, weatherproof, well adapted to winter sports
• Can carry long lenses, large volume for photo gear
• Flexible tripod attachment system (though see con below)
• Hip strap wide and comfortable, can be completely removed
• Many clever elements (zipper pulls, dirt protection, wide handles)
• Pleasing aesthetics with two color options
• Good craftsmanship, appears durable
• Water resistant fabrics, included rain cover
• Well priced

Cons

• Tripod straps not short enough for travel tripods or monopods
• Dividers cannot be attached to each other, limiting possible configurations; smaller items hard to separate properly
• No easy way to attach external items (lens pouch, camera clip, etc)

Who is it for

The Photocross 15 is ideally suited for outdoor photographers who want to bring a limited number of large photo items into difficult locations. Photographers who operate outdoors in winter should take a particular look: many elements are specially designed for such a use. This is one of the most rugged backpacks we have tested. The bag can of course be used in more urban scenarios.

In the US, the bag is relatively inexpensive: at the time of writing the Photocross 15 retails for US $169.99 at B&H Photo. On other markets the price can vary considerably depending on the currency. This is certainly in line with other rugged backpacks, and represents a good value.