Nomatic Camera Bags Review

Conclusion

There are tons and tons of camera bags on the market nowadays. But many of them are copycats of older designs, bringing nothing new to the table.

Then there are products, like the new Nomatic backpack and sling, which are both well made and innovative. As such, they are worthy of attention.

Both bags use the same design language, with a streamlined black exterior, excellent attention to details, and high quality manufacturing. Fabrics are durable (if easy to scuff), the bags are lightweight, elegant, and versatile.

The backpack, called the Camera Pack 25L, is a nice format for everyday carry, short trips, or to slide under an airplane seat. Its boxy exterior will not expand or compress; what you see is what you get. Comfort is excellent. The interior is easy to reconfigure for many scenarios thanks to the ladder system.

We lament the lack of a means to access photo gear when wearing the backpack, and the lack of options to attach optional straps underneath the bag. There is also no default way to store photo equipment. The user must purchase either a camera cube or dividers.

The Sling 8L appears much simpler by nature, but actually impressed us more than the backpack. This is for two reasons. The first is the wide opening, making it so easy to reach inside. The second is the genius means of quickly securing the sling’s cover without having to fumble with zippers. The sling features numerous attachment points for such a small bag, including some at the bottom for a tripod.

The Sling lacks a sleeve for a small tablet, and will be small when used with larger cameras, such as a full frame DSLR. It also lacks any means to attach a camera clip.

All in all, Nomatic, together with Peter McKinnon, created an excellent line of products, catering to photographers on the move, interested in modern and durable products.

Pros

• Refined design and build quality
• Wide opening of the sling makes it easy to reach inside
• Hook-and-loop quick closure system for the sling
• Water resistant fabrics
• Easy to reconfigure interior of the backpack, multiple organization options
• Thoughtful and streamlined design for both bags
• Backpack volume well adapted for everyday carry
• Two ways to organize photo gear inside backpack

Cons

• Optional accessories needed to fully take advantage of the bags (straps, dividers)
• No quick way to access backpack interior when wearing it
• Sling a bit small for larger cameras or lenses
• Price can scale up quickly with all accessories

Who is it for?

The two bags from Nomatic cater to different use cases. the Sling 8L is excellent for run-and-gun type of photography, where the user will want frequent and fast access to the interior of the bag. The Camera Pack 25L is best suited to carry equipment somewhere (along with a lot of non-photographic extras) instead of using it during a shoot. It will be well suited for people who want a backpack to serve multiple purposes, with easy reconfiguration.

In the US, the bags are in the highest tier regarding price: at the time of writing the backpack alone retails for US $299.99 at B&H Photo with accessories increasing the cost of ownership. The Sling costs $159.99. On other markets the price can vary considerably depending on the currency. There certainly are cheaper camera bags on the market, but also many that are more expensive. Users should decide if the price is adequate regarding their intended uses.