Camera Backpack

[Kayaker72]

Hmm...I haven't read the entire story yet and I see that you've bought a new backpack already, but I just have to say that I've had a Fastpack 350 for about 10 years now and it worked really well for me. However the fact that I can't carry a tripod properly made me look at other bags constantly. I normally put the tripod in the side-netting(had to stitch it up several times)

Ha! I borrowed surgery suture from my wife to stitch that netting on my Fastpack 350. And, of course, if you have the tripod on that one side, there is not room for water.

I also like the back access. Instead of only at the bottom of the backpack I now carry my gear directly against my back. It feels lighter doing so, even though the backpack itself is substantially heavier.
The storage compartment is a lot more useful now it covers the entire back area of the backpack. It's also possible to add a little more storage space by opening the zipper that keeps the back smaller when you don;t need the extra space. The storage is also "waterproof" and has a hole at the bottom to let water out. So ideal for hikes and activities in mountainous and wet environments where you might have to pack wet stuff in the backpack. Your gear will stay dry.
Add the ability to attach pretty much anything to the bag with all the attachment straps and loops and you end up with a much more capable backpack.

I like it a lot. In the next few weeks I'll be trying it out in Italy and hopefully I'm still as positive as I am now when I get back

Congrats! Especially with the 50% off. I am sure you'll still like it. I did look at the Whistlers. As you just described, they have a lot of good features and seemed to be great bags. Its funny you mention V1 vs V2 having and not having an ICU. If I recall correctly, that is why I stopped looking at the Whistler, that I wanted an ICU system. Looking at Lowepro's website, it does look like V2 you can remove the camera insert, but I do not see other smaller ICUs that would be interchangeable ...just the one that comes with the bag.

Anyway, looks like a great bag, hope you enjoy!