slingshot question

[bowlesbe]

So the slingshot seems like the ideal bag, with one exception.

It hurts your shoulder, so its use as a serious backpack is limited.

What about adding on an extra shoulder strap somehow to distribute the weight over both shoulders? It would best be detachable, so one could remove it when not doing walking for long periods of time. But for periods of sustained wear, I can see that strap being awesome.

Now, how to make it....

[Mike K]

Don't load it up and it won't hurt your shoulder. Too many here seemed proud on cramming as much possible gear into it, like that represents a victory of capacity over usability. In my opinion you are going the wrong direction with this consideration.

The advantage of the slingshot design is its accessability. lots of gear in the bag defeats that purpose, and if its heavy, your shoulder hurts. I never fill mine up (1DmkII, 24-70f2.8 and one other small-med size lens) and don't have a problem with the weight, and there are few camera/ non tele-lens combinations as heavy as that. The extra strap on the SS200 is to stabilize the load while travelling, not to take weight.

You will notice that the Slingshot 300 has a waist belt to take much of the weight onto your hips.
Mike K

[bowlesbe]

Yeah, great advice.

Right now when I go shooting I try and have 4 lenses with me,

the tamron 17-50
canon 10-22
70-300
60mm macro

these are all pretty small lenses and I like to have them all with me if possible.

When I'm shooting I would only have teh weight of 3 lenses on my shoulder, which is probably fine, but with my 30d and hte other lens I wonder whether it would be too much for my shoulder for a day long of hiking, for example.

Right now I use a slinger over my shoulder bag from adorama, and it works ok, but it wouldnt be good for long walks.

Or, do you think that amount of weight would be ok while walking for long periods as a backsack?