Photo Bag needed

[erno james]

My neck and shoulder nearlywent numb carrying a sling bag for 6 miles in Yosemite last month. The Think Tank Streetwalker may be myfirstback-packing camera bag. I am hoping this will fare better on an upcoming trip to the Southwest Desert next month. If anyone has had experience with this product, would you mind sharing your opinions? thanks gang.


here's what i carry:


Canon 7D


70-200 f/4 IS


24-70 f/2.8


135 f/2 (although this one most likely wont make the trip)


benro carbon fiber tripod, 4 leg sections


sony Tx5 point and shoot


various polarizer filters, the typical odds and ends (but no flash)

[Brendan7]

I can't help you with the Streetwalker, but I will tell you to compare it to a similar Crumpler backpack (Keystone or Whickey&Cox). They're unique, sturdy backpacks that are comfortable and disguised.


Good Luck!

[neuroanatomist]

Like Brendan, I have no experience with theThink Tank Streetwalker. But, I find my LowePro Flipside 400AW to be very comfortable even loaded up (gripped 7D, two white zooms and several black lenses). For your amount of gear, the Flipside 300 would be a good choice.


The thing I like about the Flipside series is that they open from the 'front' (the side that rests against your back). That means you can access your gear by twisting the pack to the front of your body (slipping off the shoulder straps and leaving it attached with the hip belt), and that way you can get to your gear, change lenses, etc., without setting the pack on the ground. I like that feature a lot when hiking.


I disagree with Brendan's use of the word "disguised" for the Crumpler bag, or any camera bag for that matter - anyone planning to steal camera gear is going to be on the lookout for the Crumpler logo, the LowePro logo, theThink Tank logo, etc. The only way to have a disguised camera bag is to deface it yourself (cut off the logos), or put your gear in small cases (i.e. individual lens cases) and put them in an old Jansport backpack or canvas duffel.


But, theft deterrence is another reason I like the LowePro Flipside series -that 'front' opening (against your back) means a would-be thief who recognizes the logo cannot simply yank an exposed zipper-pull and grab some gear.


Have a great trip!


--John

[Brendan7]

I disagree with Brendan's use of the word "disguised" for the Crumpler bag, or any camera bag for that matter - anyone planning to steal camera gear is going to be on the lookout for the Crumpler logo, the LowePro logo, theThink Tank logo, etc. The only way to have a disguised camera bag is to deface it yourself (cut off the logos), or put your gear in small cases (i.e. individual lens cases) and put them in an old Jansport backpack or canvas duffel.

I'll exlplain. The crumpler backpack (that I have, at least) doesn't have the word, "Crumpler" written anywhere on the outside of the pack and I seriously doubt thieves can recognize its logo. On the flipside series and many other lowepros the word "lowepro" is written in orange. Lowepro is SO well known and they don't try to disguise their bags."Lowepro" means "Camera gear inside" in some african language.Well, almost [:P]


One simple fact that makes Crumpler packs better is that they are not black. If there are "thieves" who hunt for camera bags, a black pack that has "lowepro" written in orange is a pretty easy identification. Not only this, but Crumpler backpacks open from the spine rather than the front and are better built IMO.


As I said, it isn't a theft-proof system, but I'd rather leave my camera gear unguarded with a Crumpler more than anything else. That is debatable, though.


brendan

[Brendan7]

check out this thread:


http://community.the-digital-picture.com/forums/p/1063/7336.aspx#7336

[ddt0725]

I find my LowePro Flipside 400AW to be very comfortable even loaded up (gripped 7D, two white zooms and several black lenses). For your amount of gear, the Flipside 300 would be a good choice.

I second John's opinion on the LowePro Flipside 400AW. I am a somewhat petite woman & even when I have this bag packed to the tilt with my tripod on top, I've never felt any aches or numbness during or after a hike. With all I pack in it, you'd think I would have busted a zipper or tore a seam by now but the durability is as amazing as the comfort level it provides. I have John to thank for recommending it to me a few months ago! It's an awesome bag!

Denise

[Jorundr-Jorgensen]

I find my LowePro Flipside 400AW to be very comfortable even loaded up (gripped 7D, two white zooms and several black lenses). For your amount of gear, the Flipside 300 would be a good choice.

I'm going to triple this, I use the flipside 400AW while I'm on my mtb and I don't notice it, not even if it's fully packed nor when I'm putting lots of fuel in biking. So while hiking it should even be better. It's a little miracle bag!

[neuroanatomist]

Sorry, Brendan, but we're not going to agree on this one. Watch thieves can tell a fake rolex form a real one at 5 paces. Any thief who routinely steals camera gear is going to recognize a Crumpler logo on a bag, as easily as LowePro. Think about it - for that sort of individual, it's how they earn their 'living', they are going to know what they're doing. Photography is a hobby for me, but I certainly have no problem recognizing a Crumpler logo from a distance (and wondering what sort of camera the wearer has...).


But there's a whole other breed of thief, a much more common type - the casual/opportunistic thief. That sort doesn't care what logo is on the bag, they'll walk behind you on a street and zip it open to reach in and grab whatever happens to be inside, hoping to get lucky. About the only logo that might deter that sort of theft is one like Gerber (someone in the other thread you linked mentioned using a diaper bag) - a thief who recognized that logo might not want to risk grabbing a dirty diaper. (When I carried it, I used to be a little reluctant to reach into my ownBabyBjorn backpack! [])


But really, I don't think a logo or lack thereof matters that much for an opportunistic thief. Color of bag doesn't matter either (and in fact, my LowePro bag is a nice pine green). That's where the physical design of the bag matters - the lack of an exposed zipper for the main compartment is a deterrent to casual theft, much more so than logo or color. The LowePro Flipside has that, as does the CrumplerWhickey & Cox that you recommended, but not the Crumpler Keystone (nor do other LowePro models). Erno, note that theWhickey & Coxalso holds a 15" laptop, and if you're not taking that on the hike (or you have a 17" laptop as I do), that's just wasted space.


But in this case, I just realized, this whole discussion is mostly irrelevant. Erno indicated that he'll be carrying a tripod - regardless of what brand/type the backpack is, having a tripod attached to the outside of it means the whole world will know there's a camera in there... [:P]


I still really recommend the LowePro Flipside 400AW as a very useful and comfortable bag to carry a substantial amount of gear on a long hike. The design to berotated around the body and opened without removing it is really nice feature. Although I haven't needed it yet, the All-Weather cover on the Flipside 400AW (but not on the Flipside 300) is reassuring - especially on trips where rain can come up suddenly (as it can in certain seasons in the desert).

[Brendan7]

But in this case, I just realized, this whole discussion is mostly irrelevant. Erno indicated that he'll be carrying a tripod - regardless of what brand/type the backpack is, having a tripod attached to the outside of it means the whole world will know there's a camera in there... [img]/emoticons/emotion-4.gif[/img]

Very true, John. I stand corrected.

[HiFiGuy1]

I will just say that I have been very happy with my LowePro Flipside 300, but due in part to my fondness for my current bag and in part to John's enthusiastic support of the Flipside 400AW, that will be my next bag, when the 300 is no longer big enough.