Backpacks...

I have the Lowepro Sport 200AW which I love but I am now carrying three lenses as well as the K3 when out hiking and one lens has to ride shotgun in the main compartment which all the butties etc, I actually caught myself idly looking up a forty limited so everything would fit in the bag! (Pentax K3/12-24/17-70/60-250) There be madness in those preciouses! I'd far rather just carry the three I have as they are my preferred choices, so bags, what backpacks do you guys recommend? What have you bought tried and still love? I'll be hiking with it multiple miles with tripod butties and water and need room for all of this and a storm shell! Make does not bother me I've looked all over like the look of the Fstop Guru, the Click Elite Obscura 2014 version but am I missing something?
Cheers in advance for your thoughts...

How about this system instead?

http://www.lowepro.com/sfseries

Hmm they've updated that little lot since I last looked, just a bit!
No stowage though, te bag is as much about the parafinalia I carry with me as much as the camera kit...

Hi Jules, in a similar situation to you looking for a backpack which can hold k30+4-5 lenses and also still leave room in another compartment for butties and dog walkie stuff. Was looking on fleabay at the 350 fastpack

Hiya Jules, Have you looked at the Peli U160 Half Case, I know there pricey, I have one and find it awesome. link. http://www.peliproducts.co.uk/backpacks/u160.html

Regards Bob.

I use the Tamrac Evolution 9.

I think you'll find it can take what you're wanting to carry. Has a rain cover as well, although that will only go over a small tripod. Any tripod of any size; I bought one of those cheap £10 jobs from Millets or somewhere like that. Also has a waist buckle and has swing under the arm side access pockets for quick access to camera etc.

Have been using for last 3 years and find it comfortable. Will also take a laptop, but I don't carry that, instead use that space for my waterproof leggings and kag!

Hey Bob that Pelican looks awsome is it a bit rigid?
How's the weight, don't mind a heavy pack if it's a comfortable pack...

Thanks Andy, I had forgotten about Tarmac, remember them being in bother and thought they had folded. Obviously not!

Yes Tamrac did get into a spot of bother recently, but seem to have pulled through somehow - at least for now!

Hiya Jules, Yes it's rigid, Its has a box in the bottom part and is latch locked, And a flexible type upper box, Which is zipper closed, The back of the pack has soft pressure pads, Very Comfortable to wear, I dont mind carrying it at all, The sides are pockets which are quite roomy. The bot box is 240mm wide X 170mm deep X 200mm high. The top compartment 310mm wide X 140mm deep X 210mm high. It will last my lifetime. Really pleased with it, I was lucky enough to see it on Ebay second hand.

Regards Bob.

Hi Jules,

I have a few back backs of different sizes including a trusty Lowepro AW Trekker (XL) but recently I bought a Vanguard uprise 48 which, like the big Lowepro will hold more than most people would want to carry on a Trek; packed carefully for recent trip to Cambodia it took quite a load as follows.

K3 with 60-250 DA* (or 300mm DA*),
K5IIs with16-50,
200 DA*
100mm macro,
1.4tc,
Metz AF58 flash,
Pentax 160c ring flash,
4x6 Ansmann AA's,
10x25 Bins,
CF tripod
Small monopod
Ipad

Plenty of room for other small accessories in the main external pocket and Ipad Compartment but very heavy when full; stands up well to travel and "yomping" though, and the rain cover is super.

Only criticism of the Uprise 48 is that it can't comfortably take a DSLR body with Grip fitted in the side access compartment or the main compartment because there is not quite enough depth; it will if you utilise the "zippable expansion feature", but I don't feel it secures or protects the contents as effectively , so I remove the grips and pack them separately, but according to Vanguard it does the job so maybe I should give it a try ?

I had mixed opinion about the Uprise 48 when I first got it, not in relation to its "build-quality", it is a very well made and robust bag with excellent materials and corresponding weather-proofing and durability; but it is quite different in it's internal design to most bags, but now I have had a year with it, I would not hesitate to recommend it and would buy another in the future if needed - it is an excellent "tool".

On wildlife trips to "adverse climes" though, I tend to additionally take a Tamrac extra large zoomster with a Body and grip fitted with a 300mm DA* (I have been known to take two XL Zoomsters and a smaller backpack).

If I am away for an extended period and need the grips and rapid access to a big lens outfit, whilst maintaining good protection, I find that backpacks can be unwieldy and never give real rapid access,.

With humidity at a high level and the other challenging conditions that arise the camera needs to be protected as much as possible, it can't be just hung around your neck when passing through such environments and should be covered as much as possible, so popping a "big lens set-up with a mounted grip" in and out of a zoomster is the perfect answer in terms of true rapid access and optimum protection.

The Tamrac (PRO ZOOM PACK Model 519) is the most robust weatherproof and protective large zoomster I have seen and mine has survived long term duty in the Amazon (4 years), the southern " Cloud Forest of Mexico and subsequently Borneo, Sarawak, Cambodia and some other tough environments and it still looks and performs like new - (very expensive but worth every Penny, it is just great)

I am not averse to Lowepro and have a "couple or three" of their camera bags but when it comes to XL AW zoomster cases the Lowepro version is OK (that's all) not in the same league as the Tamrac 519 ; my Lowepro XL AW Zoomster is looking quite jaded after some fairly strenuous trips to Skokholm, Skoma and Ramsey over this year.

When it comes to smaller "daypack type" back packs though, I really do like Lowepro, so for a day out carrying, maybe a body with a tele lens and another body with a smaller lens plus a flash and batteries etc, the smaller Lowepro Trekker and Fastpak bags have proved to be very comfortable and durable.

Sounds like I have more bags than I need, but I do believe that equipment is better protected when it is held securely in a bag and isn't subject to chaffing and strain when an "under filled" bag flexes so I do have several sizes that enable me to neither overfill (cram) or under fill with equipment and my equipment is always sold on in excellent condition .

Hope this helps

Hi Jules

Another thumbs up for the Tamrac Evolution 9! Won't repeat what's already been said but when I was looking, there wasn't a review out for it, so did a 3 page review myself, can be found here!

Since that review was done I've found myself shooting more landscapes and use an almost exact lens setup that you do, swapping the 17-70 for a 16-50, having a Lee adaptor ring and lens cover on each lens when I know i'm going out for a landscape shoot.




The image above (excuse the phone pic!) shows the 60-250 at the bottom with tripod plate attached, a K-3 with 16-50, 12-24 alongside, top has grip (not used when shooting from tripod) and spare K-5 body with grip, 100mm WR Macro can fit in that top right gap. If it helps, an iPad can fit on top of that lot.

A useful trick that I worked out if you are going to be shooting from one spot for a while, or want to keep the bag off the floor is attaching it to your tripod. This works for any 'double sling' bag that lets you remove the straps and attach them on the other side, like so :-




This has plenty of advantages, helps to weigh the tripod down for those with less stable tripods, gives you easy access to top pockets for items such as filters / lunch!, keeps the bag off the floor and dry, makes lens changing easier, wired remote can stay in top pocket instead of hanging around etc. etc. The only real disadvantage of this approach that I can think of is it takes a minute to set it up!

Hope that helps!

Hi Danny
As the one who mentioned the evolution 9 - thanks for the idea as a tripod stabiliser as well!

I have a Lowepro Flipside 400AW (bought from fourfivesix on this forum a month or so ago - thanks again). Belting backpack - lots of room, waterproof cover, tripod holder etc.. Having used an old TKMaxx daypack for years till it finally gave up the ghost, it's been an absolute revelation. Highly recommended.

Best

http://www.jack-wolfskin.co.uk/acs-photo-pack-pro/2003131-6000.html
Added the above to my list of ones to look at, I had the original ACS that I think I sold to a forum member and I loved it.
That Tamrac looks pretty damn good guys, thanks for the info!