Backpack woes...

Bought a Dakine Sequence Photo Backpack Early this Year.
http://www.dakine.com/sport-packs/photo/sequence/
Because, well because I'm sick of Lowepro really... Not that they've ever done me any harm but they always seem heavy for what they are. Unfortunately it has a Flaw with the Harness arrangement which means it rubs and almost caused me to lose my kit! I have both a bad back and arthritis in most of my joints so the bag weight is pretty important to me as it allows me to maximise on the gear side. So I tried a Kata Bumblebee today but it would not let me fit all my gear in nor let me fit in my 300mm DA* stood up. So I'm getting a Kata Owl in instead to try out, if this un is no good I'll be after carrying suggestions...
Gear Lst
K5 with 21mm Ltd Attached
15mm/40mm/70mm Ltd's
DA*50mm-135mm (current) or maybe a DA* 60-250 in the future?
DA* 300mm
Newly aquired 10-17mm Fisheye
Manfrotto 190 Carbon Fibre four sction Tripod
I like a bit of room to stuff a Jacket and Sarnies etc this seems to be where some Backpacks fall down in my opinion, loads of gear room but nowt for anything else...
Given all this, any fairly lightweight Pack options out there?
Read most reviews but I want to stick with gear thats easily gettable in good old Blighty.
So no go, on Click Elite or F stop packs...etc
Any good Info gratefully recieved

All the Gear and no Bag to put it in!

I've the Bumblebee-222 UL and i'm wondering with what pens i would fill the spare space since i can't fill it with what i've.
I'm quite sure you should be able to fit everything you've in it though so find your comment about not enough room a bit strange...

The DA*300 will fit on the right side laid down (i doubt you will find a bag that will fit that lens upright), the camera in the middle with a lens. The DA*50-135 will fit in the pouch, and well i at least will throw the LTD lenses together in one of the space in the pouch and the 10-17 would fit in the last available space in the pouch.
You probably will still have room to carry one more lens or a flash that way (2 maybe 3 flashes if you stack them).

National Geographic have just extended their range of bags tremendously. Maybe there is something there to suit you.

I have a Tamrac Expedition 5 which is just about perfect for me being extremely comfortable to wear and holding my K-5 with 17-70 lens plus the Bigma and the 60-250, with room for a couple more and a flash, plus my netbook and my tripod too on the outside. It is heavy though, but I manage it with my bad back, arthritis etc etc. Not much room in it for sarnies and a jacket though.
The straps are well padded and comfortable with both waist and chest straps for added stability and comfort.

Hi Stefan, my Bumblebee was the DL 210 which is a good bit smaller, I like the look of the 222UL, However budget has to come into play somewhere and I have a budget of around 250 quid, with that I want a Backpack and a small quality shoulder/Messenger to carry just the body and Ltd's. At 300 quid the 222UL is not out of reach but getting beyond what I am prepared to pay for a single bag. Apologies for not mentioning budget, I bet it's very good though Stefan...

I would suggest any of the Naneu bags. I use the K4L model for hiking and day trips and find it extremely comfortable, even when fully loaded. I also find their quality a bit better than other bags that I have had or seen.

Hi Tyr
I have two Hiking Backpacks with a Similar System including a Berghaus Bioflex one, which moves with you as you walk coupled with the Airmesh backsystem it's supremely comfortable, theres nothing like it available to Photgraphers over here but in the States they have F Stop and Click Elite (Don't think there current Packs have Airmesh but theyr'e on it!)to name but two, often thought of starting a Firm making inserts to go in the two comparment Rucksacs offered by the Hiking/Climbing Fraternity...

I was considering modifying a Berghause backpack and using the waterproof compartment from my Lowepro rover on the bottom. I found a pack suitable for the modification but I'm not sure I'd want to risk it as the lowepro was over £100 and the Berghause is £80!

The Kata Bumblebee UL-222 has that as well, one of the reasons i bought it.
Video review http://vimeo.com/11497898

btw i bought mine for € 269 (239 GBP) i'm sure if you look around you will be able to find it below the 250 GBP.
http://www.kamera-express.nl/product/kata-bumblebee-ul-222/

The whole bag is only 3.3 lbs (1.5 kg) and that's not heavy if you consider it also has a metal frame in it...

WOW! I want one of those!

Even though it would probably not survive a fall in a river like my current backpack. Sadly that is a real issue on our trips to Scotland, people do fall in on river crossings. Luckily it has not been me yet.

Nor does it have space for a hydration pack and a hole for the tube. Damn!



But it looks comfortable.

Also, being white that will collect dirt so fast! (also looks quite effeminate...)

You can use the laptop compartment for that
There is quite some fabric between the compartments but they aren't water proof so i would do the hydration pack in a plastic bag for example but i've never had mine leak...

Yeah i've no idea how well the dirt get's off since i didn't got it dirty so far, might need to make a trip through the woods to test it.

There is one thing though, it's desgined to be light so that means it probably would not strong to be really abused so you need to take some care for the bag.

Damn you Stefan:arrow:

Just shelled out big for the 222!

In the end I knew I just wouldn't be happy with anything else so the bag budget is blown and then some!
Lightweight bag will be a Tesco's carrier bag now methinks...

If they had that bag in Black I'd get it. Good idea with the hydration pack in the laptop compartment.

Great to hear.

Sadly i've only use it 2 times now so can't really say how good or bad it is.
I had bought it for weekends away or when going on long walk but sadly i didn't had the time to do any of that.

I did went away on photo trips but those whore in the city and there i find a shoulder bag with less gear far more handy because the bag is very big.

So far i've been happy with it though but look around for the price and if you can't find anything the shop i linked to might sell to the UK, i doubt that will eb a problem.

Yeah on walk a laptop isn't that handy so you might as well use it for something else

I've been thinking as well to convert a 60 liter back to a photo back as well.
I believe it was Lowe (or berghaus) that had actually 2 main compartment that you could access separately, you might give them a look if you think about doing that.
For one day hike the Kata is good enough but you can't carry anything that will get you through the night so you will need something bigger/better for a weekend or very technical walks.

Arrived today Stefan and I'm absolutely Gobsmacked! Some parts seem very high tech indeed and only time will tell if they will last, it's the most comfortable Backpack I've tried and if it lasts out it'll be the only one for me, incredible!