It holds my Manfrotto 190CX4 + 488RC2 ballhead just fine - two of the legs fit in the pocket (which tucks into a little compartment when not in use), and the strap holds it up higher. The legs + ballhead are about 25" long, and the top of the ballhead is just a couple of inches above the top of the pack (and the pack is deep enough that the ballhead is nowhere near my head).


I don't find a need to do a balancing act or use my thigh to support the bag when it's in front and opened up. Unlike the lower numbers in the series (Flipside 200/300), the 400AW versionThe only 'issue' I've noticed is that the camera body is a significant weight positioned near the top of the bag. So, when the body is in the bag and I spin it around and open it, I need to support the bag with one hand when pulling out the body - it drops about 6" when I pull the body out. That does not occur when pulling out lenses (even heavier ones, which I place near the base). Even so, I don't feel anything is likely to fall out - the dividers hold things in place nicely.


Hope that helps!


--John