Camera Backpacks

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Soopaman
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Camera Backpacks

Post by Soopaman »

I have a birthday coming up soon, and I'm looking into getting a good backpack for carrying my camera, a tripod (strapped on) as well as a few other minor hiking supplies such as water, first aid, and snacks.

Does anyone have an recommendations? I want something that is essentially a day pack for short hikes, not something I'll be camping with (I already have one of those kind). It needs to be able to hold a camera and 3 or so lenses, as well as straps to attach the tripod to. I've looked at a few on Amazon, but it's hard to tell if it will suit my needs without more anecdotal evidence.

Thanks,
Kyle
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Hans Breuer (twoton)
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Re: Camera Backpacks

Post by Hans Breuer (twoton) »

Look into can American company called "F/Stop" (fstopgear.com). A friend recently bought one for his high-end Nikon gear, and it's an amazing pack, especially the modular design (Internal Camera Units). I'm getting one as soon as my old FoxFire wears out...
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Stohlgren
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Re: Camera Backpacks

Post by Stohlgren »

I have an f-stop Loka, and it is excellent and would probably suit your needs (I believe someone reviewed them on here, but could be wrong. Either way there are plenty of reviews online). But they are very pricey.

I do have a Lowpro Nature Trekker AW 2 that I am trying to get rid of, but it doesn't really suit your needs (mine either, which is why only used it a few times before getting an f-stop). But if there is anyone out there that wants this pack, let me know (I will give you a very good deal).
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Antonsrkn
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Re: Camera Backpacks

Post by Antonsrkn »

I use this one...
http://www.amazon.com/Canon-Deluxe-Back ... mera+canon

As a day pack it works great for my needs, I have had it for atleast 2 years now and it has gone to a variety of countries with me and has held up well.
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Soopaman
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Re: Camera Backpacks

Post by Soopaman »

Thanks, folks.

I really like the f-stop packs, those look awesome. They are very pricey though. The guru one is within my price range, but unfortunately they are backlogged until February 2013. The Loka is the next closest, but $340 seems expensive, and it's a bigger pack than I need.

An odd question for those with f-stop packs, have you ever done a running dive with one? Or more importantly, would you feel your gear is safe if you did. I'm thinking that based on the position of the gear in the pack, it'd be pretty safe to go diving after a coachwhip or whatnot.
bgorum
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Re: Camera Backpacks

Post by bgorum »

How long do you usually carry your gear for? If you hike for more than a few hours at a time the F-stop bags are worth every extra cent you pay for them! F-stop bags have an internal frame that does a really good job of distributing the weight of the bag and making it much more comfortable to carry all day. I used Tamrac and Lowepro bags before buying my Loka, and my back would always ache after only a few hours of hiking. I can carry the Loka all day long with almost no soreness. Another really good feature of f-stop bags is that they open up on the side that rides against your back. This means when you put the bag on the ground to access your gear the part that goes against your back is facing up. Whats great about this is that you don’t get stickers in your back when you put the bag back on, as you do with more traditional designs. I use a large ICU in my Loka and it holds a camera, four lenses (including a 300mm f4), two flashes, and a couple odds and ends like an extension tube, diopter, flash diffusers, etc. For a camera and three lenses you could probably go with the medium ICU and then have more room up top for clothes, food, etc. Another cool feature of the f-stop bags is that they have a place for a hydration bladder. I also find that my Gitzo GT3542LS tripod rides very comfortably strapped to the side of the pack. As far as protecting your gear when you dive for a coachwhip, I think any backpack will do that. The more important question is why do you want to dive for a coachwhip in the first place! If you want to be bitten and shit on you could always jut go work in a preschool or a nursing home :) I can tell you that I fell backwards on mine this summer when a tree branch I was using to pull myself up over a boulder broke. I landed on the pack, which I’m pretty sure kept me from cracking my head open on the rocks, but now my 300mm lens is having difficulty with autofocus and will need to be sent in for repair this winter. They’re not bulletproof, (or rockproof)!
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Hans Breuer (twoton)
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Re: Camera Backpacks

Post by Hans Breuer (twoton) »

bgorum wrote:The more important question is why do you want to dive for a coachwhip in the first place!
If you have to ask, you wouldn't understand :-)
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Fieldnotes
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Re: Camera Backpacks

Post by Fieldnotes »

I use a camera backpack and will not use anything else because it works so well. I noticed that you want to carry water with it. You may want to reconsider that because bottles will leak and the condensation released from cold water is a problem. If you must carry water with the pack, consider outside pockets. Tripods will attach to the outside of the back.
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chrish
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Re: Camera Backpacks

Post by chrish »

I have a Lowepro Trekker which I have used for years with no real problems. I also have half a dozen other camera bags that all work well for different functions. The real crux is that you need to decide what you need in a camera bag:

- how big is your camera?
- how big is/are your lenses?
- how many lenses will you carry?
- do you want front access or top access?
- do you want it to carry other gear as well (GPS, phone, binoculars, etc)?
- Sling or Backpack style?
- Weatherproof or not? (You can get cheap backpack covers to make it weather proof if it isn't).

There are lots of good packs ranging in price from $100 and up (way up).

Get a good backpack and you will use it for years.
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Owen
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Re: Camera Backpacks

Post by Owen »

I have a Lowepro Flipside 400AW. What's nice about the Flipside is that they open on the side facing tour back, so you can swing it around to your front without taking the pack off and access the gear in front of you. The Flipside 300 might be a bit small, but the 400 is a good size for gear. I can bring a full size SLR with flash and decent size lenses with me. Also, I got the green colored one and it looks less like a camera bag than your typical black pack. Of course, if you throw a tripod on the back, all stealth bets are off.

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MonarchzMan
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Re: Camera Backpacks

Post by MonarchzMan »

Here is my review on my F-Stop Gear Tilopa BC.

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=10521

It really is worth every cent. What I especially like about them is that they're designed like a backpacking backpack, so they distribute weight well and really hug your back. I've gone through a number of backpacks, and this is my last one. There is no need to go to any other bag.
jimoo742
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Re: Camera Backpacks

Post by jimoo742 »

F Stop Loka for me. Never thought I would spend that much, but worth every freaking cent. Can carry it fully packed all day, great balance. Highly recommended. Also fits carryon sizes for every airline I've flown.
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Soopaman
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Re: Camera Backpacks

Post by Soopaman »

Thanks again for everyone's contributions to this thread. I placed my order for a foliage green F-stop Loka this morning. Unfortunately, it's back ordered until November 30th, but I'll have some good gear to start off next Spring right.
steve534
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Re: Camera Backpacks

Post by steve534 »

Try intimepromos.com backpack bags, they have variety of backpacks, every bag is available with his details. I'm sure you can easy find out best backpack for your trip in reasonable price.



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