Reviews
Backpack was Designed Well for Photographers
I have many smaller backpacks and I like them for various reasons, but I don’t have any medium to larger sized packs that even come close to this one. It is by far one the most comfortable packs for me and has so many features that I absolutely love. I should start by stating that I’m 5’8” tall and female. I would consider myself narrow framed, but muscular from years of farm work. Often, backpacks will ride on the balls of my shoulders and eventually cut in. I did not find that with this pack and the ability to adjust is excellent. Additionally, having the chest strap and waste strap allows me to alternate the weight as I hike by loosening and tightening these straps therefore reducing stress points. I can literally wear this for hours without fatigue and that’s a big deal for me. I often hike mountains for shots and hiking up and down trails makes you realize the importance of being able to easily adjust your pack strapping (and therefore the way you are carrying the weight) for various terrain. One other huge adjustment for me is the lumbar padding. I was able to move this upward to fit my back frame more comfortably.
Physically, the pack is made well. All the stitching is secure. The pack seems rugged and durable. I really like the look of the pack. I got the khaki color and it doesn’t show the dirt as much as a dark color would (nothing stays clean in the environments I go into). Everything works well (zippers, clips, cinching belts, etc.) and the strapping is very secure. The metal hardware is excellent quality and is used in all the locations where hardware typically fails. It is clear that this bag was manufactured by a team that knows the struggles of being a photographer in rough terrain.
In addition to the ability to adjust the pack, there are quite a few features I really like that are more specific to photographers. First, on both of the shoulder straps, there are zippered pouches. I found these good for extra cards, batteries and lens cleaning wipes. There are also all kinds of straps and buckles to place action cameras on your pack if you want to film your adventure. The waist pack has two zippered areas for more camera gear and I used one for snacks, too. The side has areas for tripods and I also used one of the side pockets to carry one of my water bottles, bear spray, and a flashlight. I was able to carabiner clip other small items to the front straps, too.
The top has a secured zipper section good for carrying a small monitor, audio gear, action camera stuff, or even a small light. When it gets colder, I’ll probably stuff extra socks, shirt, and gloves in there, too. There are two zippered areas there for more gear, as well. The main body is fully accessible from the back (behind the back padding) and can be completely removed if you want to pack it cube style in a suitcase or use it in another bag. The main compartment is well padded and has a separate zippered shell to go around it which I believe is water resistant. Although not needed to use with the backpack, I do wish there was a way to have a padded cover that could be added to this cube in case you wanted to use it in another way. For example, to use it in a suitcase. That way you wouldn’t have to worry about gear getting crushed from the top. However, this is probably a big ask and not really part of using it with the backpack shell. It is really cool that it is removable basically converting the backpack from photography use to more of a general pack use. This main pack is accessible by a side panel in the backpack. This I did find a little odd as you have two zippers to get to your gear (one on the pack and one on the removable cube). I don’t really use my backpacks this way, but I could see it being a little cumbersome for those that like the quick access. I was able to get two DSLR bodies, multiple lenses, filters, and action cameras and accessories into the cube body. It’s really a great size.
Inside the back section is also a space for a small laptop or tablet. There are also specific pockets for storing filters. The filter pockets are just thin fabric and will hold most filters, however, if you have a protective cover for your filters, they may not fit. Many of my filters are 77mm and my filter covers are too large to fit the pockets and I was not comfortable just placing the filter in them without protection. Alternatively, the pockets are great for cards or batteries. The back also has a “cargo net” where I keep a sweatshirt and extra shoes.
There are two handles on the backpack – one at the top and one center back. They are really rugged, but not padded sufficiently to carry the pack by them long distance. There is also a raincoat for the backpack. It fits like a glove. The only negative is if you have something like shoes in the “cargo net” area. It will not cover if you have too much stuffed in there. One other negative is during really warm days, the back soft frame can be warm, but I have not found a backpack that isn’t.
I absolutely love this backpack. I’ve been able to use it multiple times since receiving it and I expect it to be with me for a long time. I would definitely recommend it.
Physically, the pack is made well. All the stitching is secure. The pack seems rugged and durable. I really like the look of the pack. I got the khaki color and it doesn’t show the dirt as much as a dark color would (nothing stays clean in the environments I go into). Everything works well (zippers, clips, cinching belts, etc.) and the strapping is very secure. The metal hardware is excellent quality and is used in all the locations where hardware typically fails. It is clear that this bag was manufactured by a team that knows the struggles of being a photographer in rough terrain.
In addition to the ability to adjust the pack, there are quite a few features I really like that are more specific to photographers. First, on both of the shoulder straps, there are zippered pouches. I found these good for extra cards, batteries and lens cleaning wipes. There are also all kinds of straps and buckles to place action cameras on your pack if you want to film your adventure. The waist pack has two zippered areas for more camera gear and I used one for snacks, too. The side has areas for tripods and I also used one of the side pockets to carry one of my water bottles, bear spray, and a flashlight. I was able to carabiner clip other small items to the front straps, too.
The top has a secured zipper section good for carrying a small monitor, audio gear, action camera stuff, or even a small light. When it gets colder, I’ll probably stuff extra socks, shirt, and gloves in there, too. There are two zippered areas there for more gear, as well. The main body is fully accessible from the back (behind the back padding) and can be completely removed if you want to pack it cube style in a suitcase or use it in another bag. The main compartment is well padded and has a separate zippered shell to go around it which I believe is water resistant. Although not needed to use with the backpack, I do wish there was a way to have a padded cover that could be added to this cube in case you wanted to use it in another way. For example, to use it in a suitcase. That way you wouldn’t have to worry about gear getting crushed from the top. However, this is probably a big ask and not really part of using it with the backpack shell. It is really cool that it is removable basically converting the backpack from photography use to more of a general pack use. This main pack is accessible by a side panel in the backpack. This I did find a little odd as you have two zippers to get to your gear (one on the pack and one on the removable cube). I don’t really use my backpacks this way, but I could see it being a little cumbersome for those that like the quick access. I was able to get two DSLR bodies, multiple lenses, filters, and action cameras and accessories into the cube body. It’s really a great size.
Inside the back section is also a space for a small laptop or tablet. There are also specific pockets for storing filters. The filter pockets are just thin fabric and will hold most filters, however, if you have a protective cover for your filters, they may not fit. Many of my filters are 77mm and my filter covers are too large to fit the pockets and I was not comfortable just placing the filter in them without protection. Alternatively, the pockets are great for cards or batteries. The back also has a “cargo net” where I keep a sweatshirt and extra shoes.
There are two handles on the backpack – one at the top and one center back. They are really rugged, but not padded sufficiently to carry the pack by them long distance. There is also a raincoat for the backpack. It fits like a glove. The only negative is if you have something like shoes in the “cargo net” area. It will not cover if you have too much stuffed in there. One other negative is during really warm days, the back soft frame can be warm, but I have not found a backpack that isn’t.
I absolutely love this backpack. I’ve been able to use it multiple times since receiving it and I expect it to be with me for a long time. I would definitely recommend it.
09/11/2025