How do you haul your gear
So I have been thinking about getting some new gear and when I say some I mean as long as things go as planned I will be fully kitted out around March.
So I am looking for your reviews and opinions on some bags.
I currently have a Lowepro Compuday pack it is a decent bag for someone just starting out and is traveling around short distances (city hopping) and you just want to carry your camera body, 2-3 lenses and a few little accessories. The main reason i got this bag was the move over to Aus from Can. The bag allowed me to keep my gear and my 17” laptop with me on the plane and anywhere else I headed to.
Now that I need a bag with more room for my gear, is better for my back and for actually getting around I use a lululemon cruiser backpack with my lowepro padded camera compartment in the bottom of the bag. It is also less likely someone will look at it and think of running off with it. It has a special little fold out area meant for a yoga mat but fits a tripod perfectly to.
I am looking at something like the F-Stop Loka for my next bag. I have read a few reviews and it seems like a great bag designed for people in adventure photography. But truth betold it is really one of the only bags I have researched. What are you using, are you planning to upgrade anytime soon. What have you used in the past and what bag would you never ever purchase now.
Darb,
you’ve made a great initial pick for a bag! The F-stop Loka is a killer bag. If you want to shred with it on, you won’t even feel it, the straps are so good. Last winter I demo’d a prototype of the bag and was hitting big pillow lines no problem.
There’s a new bag coming out soon which is slightly bigger in volume but according to this review they look the same!
http://dancarrphotography.com/blog/2010/11/02/introducing-the-new-f-stop-tilopa-bc-photo-backpack/#more-4855
The Loka review is here:
http://dancarrphotography.com/blog/2010/10/14/f-stop-loka-photo-packpack-and-new-icus-photo-satori-tilopa-fstop/
I have a Dakine sequence but it’s meh. For the winter I will be getting either the Loka or the Tilopa BC. I was set on the Loka until I just read that review lol
Hey Brad,
We have the Burton Zoom Pack - LINK HERE.
While I haven’t used it for shredding yet, it has been great to travel with. The pack has a removable section for all the delicate camera equipment. It comfortably fits our DSLR, video camera, three external hard drives, three point and shoot cameras, two lenses, batteries, USB sticks, CD wallet, and more (it even had room for a bunch of goggle lenses and we still had a few pockets to spare) . All the gear is really protected so it’s been great to travel with. The bag is pretty big so I don’t think I would want to take it up the mountain unless I was taking a lot of camera equipment with me.
I haven’t really used anything else so I can’t compare to the bags mentioned above, but so far I’ve been impressed with the Zoom Pack.
Can the new zoom pack fit a shovel and probe? I had one a few years ago and while it had a spot for the shovel head, it had no spot for the handle or a probe!!!!
Definitely has a spot for a shovel, and I’m almost certain a spot for a probe too. I will have to double check when I get back to Whistler.
I’m currently using the Lowepro Slingshot 200AW. It’s a great bag for a small, light kit, it has a sling design carry strap, and side entry, which gives you really quick access to your gear without having to take the bag off. It’s really handy for those times when you want your camera in a hurry.
The only drama I have with it is that the sling design makes it a little uncomfortable when you start carrying a lot of gear. Especially if you’re carrying it all day, as the majoroty of the weight is on one shoulder.
I’ve just started thinking about getting a new bag myself. Now that I have the 100-400L, I need something that’ll carry more gear, and be more comfortable. the 100-400 doesn’t fit inside my Slingshot.
I’ve been thinking about getting the Lowepro Flipside 400AW. It’s a more traditional backpack, and has a chest strap, and well padded waist strap, so would be far more comfortable to carry, especially for extended periods. Plus it fits quite a lot of gear, and has the rain cover. It goes for around the $200 mark.
I’d definitely suggest checking this one out.
I’ll probably keep my slingshot for days when I’m only carrying a small kit.
That F-Stop Loca looks like a wicked bag! i’ll check that one out now.
the thing with LowePro, etc is that they are not designed for action sports. So the straps aren’t designed for carrying snowboards. Also, you should be looking at a back-entry system, so you can put the bag down on the ground/snow and get at your stuff easily
One of the reps for Fstop is in Syd this week, I am working on trying to meet up with him so I can take a look at the bags in person. Will let you all know what I end up doing. Thanks for your feedback.
bring your gear with you, and load up their bag and try it on. That’s the best test
Ya thats the plan Gamblor. But the down side is in the next 4-5 months I am hoping / planning to upgrade pretty much everything.
Dan Carrs reviews are really detailed I have been following him for a while now. The rep I am meeting with has got both bags so Im pretty stoked to see them.
So I met the owner of F-stop Gear. He is a major cool guy he brought the Tilopa bag it is the perfect bag for anyone that is into photography, and gets involved in the action or even if you just travel and need a good bag to keep you kit sorted and carry your clothes.
I am getting a bag and will do a big review with photos after it arrives. If you are in the need of a new bag definitely check out the site and for all you Aussies dont worry there is a brand new distributer down here too!
Check out F-stop Gear now!
How did you get to meet him?
which bag are you getting? the Tilopa or the Loka?
First of all the 7D replaced the HVXV1U. The 7D are great for both digital photography and cinematography! Awesome as I now only need to carry the 7D, I also use the Burton Zoom camera bag. Got this pelican case from the HVX and made my own foam lining, so saved a few extra bucks.
How did you get to meet him?
Social networking is amazing. Basically I follow Fstopgear on twitter and noticed he was in Spain and then heading to Sydney for a couple days. (He was meeting with a guy about being the Aus distributor) Simply just said hey and let him know if he wanted to meet for a beer I would really like to see some of the gear. He got into town and we met up. He was using the Loka for all his traveling because it fits as carryon. So I got to feel it fully loaded and it was amazing. The straps really distribute the weight evenly.
It was a good experience and Im stoked for the bag and ICU to arrive. Im going to keep the bag a mystery until I get it and can get some photos of it and a true review.
Nice case Cupid,
I have heard Pelican Cases are pretty much like the little black box on a plane, they live through anything…I have also heard they are crazy expensive. Are you using it mainly for traveling on flights and in vehicles then swapping over to the Burton Zoom while in the field?
P.S.
What whitey is that 300?
Just picked up the Lowepro Flipside 400 AW yesterday. Love it!
It’s so much more comfortable to carry than my old bad. I feel like I could carry it for hours now. Even when it’s fully loaded.
It has the rear entry system, and the padded waist and chest straps. It fits my camera, 100-400L, 70-200L, and about 4 other lenses no hassle at all.
I know it doesn’t have the strap for a board, but I think it would make a great travel bag.