Question for all you Sling Bag owners

[EllenC]

Do they put less pressure on your shoulder than a normal shoulder bag or is the weight distribution pretty much the same?

I generally can't walk around all day with a heavy shoulder bag without consideral pain.

I recently purchased the 70-200 f/4 and the 24-105 f/4L . I'm having some serious fit troubles with my current bags. I currently have the Tamrac Advenure 6, the National Geographic Explorer - Medium, Domke 5-5XB(very small shoulder bag) and a Delsey Gopix 85 Medium backpack.

I love the Tamrac because I am very small and it fits me pretty well. I use this when I'm out walking around the city with my wide angle lens and some small extras. The NG fits so much gear and I love it but it's HUGE on me. The Domke is only used when I need something to fit in my scooter compartment as its so very small. The Delsey fits everything I need but is an awkward fit due to it's width.

I'm looking for a pack that can fit my 70-200 attached to the body and a 580EX flash and the various extras ie: wallet, batteries, glasses etc. I'd also love room for an extra lens on the wide end. Most backpacks are just too wide for my small frame. I like the long narrow packs and it looks like the slings are pretty narrow. I may also consider getting a larger Tamrac Adventure but the 7 probably is too small to fit the above gear and the 9 looks pretty giant.

Any thoughts?

[CorruptedPhotographer]

not on mine because my shoulder strap is padded (thanks Crumpler). What about a plain ol backpack? less strain on any one side of your body?
Just read you want a smaller backpack, check with crumpler,lowepro, surely they have something that fits your needs.

[Bakewell]

The Lowepro SlingShot 100 fits everything in my signature...very snugly...but fits. Not sure if it would work for you. Widest point is just under 8 inches which works for my XT w/17-85 attached.

[Souwalker]

I bought the Slingshot 100 specifically for my Europe trip June/July this year. Served me well. I had my 350D with sigma 18-200 attached, 430EX flash, 40gig hard drive, batterries, CF cards, remote switch and my wallet.
Pat

[odvdveer]

I love my slingshot 100. It is a snug fit for a 350d with battery grip and sigma 28-70mm attached, tamron 90, tamron17-35 and sigma 70-300. I have to detach the strap but that will fit in the upper compartment (easy to do with the optech strap). I can walk around all day without getting a sore shoulder.

Olga

[Knightshade]

I just recently purchased a lowepro slingshot 200 and while I don't have alot of gear, I know it will fit it all quite comfortably. I can have the 30D w/battery grip & 28-135 attached, the sigman 100-300 off to the side (which just barely fits, man that sucker is long), the 50 1.8 hardly takes up any space. 580 EX fits on the same side as the 50 and I can throw my rocket blower in the upper compartment. I wore it around the house for a couple of hours like a dork, just trying to make sure I actually liked the bag.

I had previously tried a Kata H-14, T-214 and a Crumpler small bag. The H-14, I had to stretch the innards to fit the camera w/grip, the T-214 just wasn't very comfortable or user friendly, the small Crumpler was too small, the medium was too bulky.

[EllenC]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts. I think I'll give the 100 a try. It sounds like it will fit my camera with long lens attached (probably not the 70-200 though) and an additional wide lens, plus a flash and extras.

Time to go shopping.

[Amorous]

Another vote for Lowepro Slingshot 200 AW. It LOOKS smaller than a regular backpack, but it can fit a lot of stuff. Here's what I carry in mine;

20D + 24-105L with hood (not reversed)
Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 with hood reversed (this one makes closing the zip tight, but still manageable)
580EX flash
85mm f/1.8 with hood reversed
Sigma 10-20 mm with hood reversed
Sigma 30 mm f/1.4 with hood reversed or Sigma 2x TC
2 extra CF card
Rocket blower
Camera battery charger
Lens cleaning kit
4 AA batteriesLike I said above, carrying 70-200 f/2.8 makes the closing the zip challenging, but still doable.

[Lester Wareham]

Do they put less pressure on your shoulder than a normal shoulder bag or is the weight distribution pretty much the same?

I generally can't walk around all day with a heavy shoulder bag without consideral pain.

I recently purchased the 70-200 f/4 and the 24-105 f/4L . I'm having some serious fit troubles with my current bags. I currently have the Tamrac Advenure 6, the National Geographic Explorer - Medium, Domke 5-5XB(very small shoulder bag) and a Delsey Gopix 85 Medium backpack.

I love the Tamrac because I am very small and it fits me pretty well. I use this when I'm out walking around the city with my wide angle lens and some small extras. The NG fits so much gear and I love it but it's HUGE on me. The Domke is only used when I need something to fit in my scooter compartment as its so very small. The Delsey fits everything I need but is an awkward fit due to it's width.

I'm looking for a pack that can fit my 70-200 attached to the body and a 580EX flash and the various extras ie: wallet, batteries, glasses etc. I'd also love room for an extra lens on the wide end. Most backpacks are just too wide for my small frame. I like the long narrow packs and it looks like the slings are pretty narrow. I may also consider getting a larger Tamrac Adventure but the 7 probably is too small to fit the above gear and the 9 looks pretty giant.

Any thoughts?

My sligshot 200 is stuffed very full (see pics (http://www.zen20934.zen.co.uk/photography/mybags.htm#Update)) and is fine for several hours, although all the wieght is on one sholder the weight of the bag is central so you don't have the sholder bag issue of being lopsided.

I often also add the 300 f4 IS in an sliplock bag - this can get a bit heavy after a couple of hours.

Note the sholder and hip area of the strap is well padded.

[yenoram]

Do they put less pressure on your shoulder than a normal shoulder bag or is the weight distribution pretty much the same?
Any thoughts?

I recently purchased a Lowepro Slingshot 200AW for my trip to Hawaii. I loaded up my 20D with grip and mounted 24-105 with hood (not reversed), Tokina 12-24, Canon 50 1.4, 580EX with, 2 battery chargers (Canon and AA), Lightsphere PJ, filters, CF cards and various other odds and ends. I carried the bag with me all day slipping it off occasionally to give my should a rest. The bag was comfortable to wear and I found the weight was distributed between my right shoulder and my tailbone (which actually felt good given it's my lower back the typically gets sore). Although the bag isn't as easy on the back as a backpack, there is no way I could have carried a shoulder bag with this weight for as long as I did. In fact, my shoulder bag now sits in the closet and the Slingshot has taken over the day-to-day duty.