jjasc
25th of October 2007 (Thu), 14:18
I have the small NG packpack and figured I would write a review of it for people trying to decide between the small, medium, and large NG backpacks. I've seen a review of the medium backpack here, but no one seems to say anything about the small...until now :)
I've had this packpack for about 4 months now. I recently used it on a three week tour of China. I took it on 7 planes, several trains,and countless taxies. Everytime I stepped out of my hotel, I wore it. I wore it hiking up grueling mountains, hiking down mountains, during storms, lighting, rain and sweltering 100 degree temperatures with 100% humidity.
On my trip I carried a 3lbs CF tripod & Ballhead setup (Feisol 3441 tripod + Acratech Ultimate Ballhead), a Sigma 17-70mm, Canon 10-22mm, Canon 50 mm 1.8, a Lee Wideangle Filter Hood + 3 filters in a filter pouch, a rocket blower and full cleaning kit. I also had a filter wallter for my polarizer, uv filters and step up adapters. Also had other accesseries (memory, cable release, batteries, etc).
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff45/jjasc/IMG_4461-1.jpg
The Review
This is a fairly small backpack. About a foot wide and a foot and a half tall (maybe a little bit more). It's very travelish sized.
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff45/jjasc/IMG_4463-2.jpg
Very compact. Not very tall. The bag is quite "deep" (thick) though.
Spacewise, you can pack quite a lot into this bag. In the lens/body compartment, I squeezed in the three lenses (one lens was on the body, which left enough room two store the other two lenses).
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff45/jjasc/IMG_4475-10.jpg
The lens & body compartment
If you want to bring a telephoto like the 70-200mm though, you may have some space issues. No way will that fit on the camera in the pouch. You could store it, but you could only fit the camera body and the 70-200 (which would not be attached to the body). So for wide angles, primes, and medium telephotos like the 24-105, you will have no problem, but anything bigger than a 24-105 might cause problems.
The tripod strappings can be placed either vertically below the tripod or horizontally along the side. I prefere the horizontal method, as you don't bang the tripod into people or things -- this was especially an issue I found in crowded China. You do have to watch how you turn though. I turned suddenly when in China and clocked this poor girl in the face with my ballhead. The vertical method distributes the load better however -- I would switch the tripod to vertical position when hiking up mountains.
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff45/jjasc/IMG_4480-14.jpg
Horizontal Position for the tripod. My favorite position. Well balance, but watch when you turn!!
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff45/jjasc/IMG_4483-15.jpg
Verticle Tripod position. The most comfortable for mountain hikes, but watch you don't hit things with the tripod!
I have to say this backpack looks and feels high quality. The material is firm and very tightly stiched, and the hemp is very very strong. I abused the hell out of my backpack during my travels and the backpack help up just fine.
The top compartment is sealed off from the bottom, which gives you enough room to store a light jacket and a few other small things. I used it to store my massive Lee Wide Angle filter hood and Lee filter wallet (see picture). I also crammed a few other accessories in there. Can you fit a laptop in there? If it's a 13 inch or less laptop, yes. I took a picture with a package of paper fitted into the slot. If you laptop is the same dimensions as that package of paper, you should be able to carry the laptop.
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff45/jjasc/IMG_4471-7.jpg
I put a whole pack of regular lined school paper here (the kind you buy to put in folders. So if you want to know if your computer will fit, compare the dimensions (especially width) to a pack of paper.
The backpack also features more pockets than you can shake a stick at. I found these very useful. In some pockets I kept my cleaning supplies, in other pockets, my filter wallets, and still others, my battery and memory.
You also get a little rain hood (which comes in a pouch). You can pull the rain hood over the backpack in a pinch.
The backpack is pretty comfortable. You can adjust various straps the keep it more tight around your body. This model doesn't come with a belt feature though. It does have a strap to tighten around the chest area however. I found the backpack a bit tiring after carrying it around ALL day, especially since it was fully loaded and had a tripod strapped on the side. I got used to it after a while though. When I did take out some of my gear (and remove the tripod), the pack got noticibly comfortable. So I have to say it's quite comfortable if you don't stuff it to the brim with stuff. If you are only bringing your camera and a couple lenses, a few accessories, and maybe a light coat, it should hold up good. Add a tripod and it's still ok. But stuff it full and you may find it uncomforable.
It is a bit of a pain accessing the camera once you have it stowed inside (camera + lens + 2 other lenses = tight fit), but this is a problem all backpacks share. I have been thinking about getting a ThinkTank 360, as it might get around this problem.
The hemp material is very strong and keeps your stuff dry. If it get's wet though, it can take a while to fully dry (even though the stuff inside will still be dry). I used mine in very humid temperatures and I found the backpack would feel a bit moist on the surface. I have to note that I was also sweating profusely, which also contributed to this. Didn't effect the inside though.
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff45/jjasc/IMG_4488-18.jpg
Very comfortable, when not too full. I have all my gear in here, minus my camera and 24-105 lens which the picture was taken with.
Summary
If you don't plan on carrying a backup body and more than two (besides the lens on the camera) lenses, this bag will suite you fine. If you do want a telephoto lens, well you can easily store it in the top section of the bag, though you will need to have it stored in a pouch.
If you want a backpack much more portable than the medium explorer, but built with the same outstanding quality, then get the small backpack. It's a fantastic travel/hiking backpack.
Would I get this over the Medium backpack? Yes, because this backpack is much smaller and far more travel and hiking worthy. The cost you pay is in storage, however.
Hope this helps.
I've had this packpack for about 4 months now. I recently used it on a three week tour of China. I took it on 7 planes, several trains,and countless taxies. Everytime I stepped out of my hotel, I wore it. I wore it hiking up grueling mountains, hiking down mountains, during storms, lighting, rain and sweltering 100 degree temperatures with 100% humidity.
On my trip I carried a 3lbs CF tripod & Ballhead setup (Feisol 3441 tripod + Acratech Ultimate Ballhead), a Sigma 17-70mm, Canon 10-22mm, Canon 50 mm 1.8, a Lee Wideangle Filter Hood + 3 filters in a filter pouch, a rocket blower and full cleaning kit. I also had a filter wallter for my polarizer, uv filters and step up adapters. Also had other accesseries (memory, cable release, batteries, etc).
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff45/jjasc/IMG_4461-1.jpg
The Review
This is a fairly small backpack. About a foot wide and a foot and a half tall (maybe a little bit more). It's very travelish sized.
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff45/jjasc/IMG_4463-2.jpg
Very compact. Not very tall. The bag is quite "deep" (thick) though.
Spacewise, you can pack quite a lot into this bag. In the lens/body compartment, I squeezed in the three lenses (one lens was on the body, which left enough room two store the other two lenses).
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff45/jjasc/IMG_4475-10.jpg
The lens & body compartment
If you want to bring a telephoto like the 70-200mm though, you may have some space issues. No way will that fit on the camera in the pouch. You could store it, but you could only fit the camera body and the 70-200 (which would not be attached to the body). So for wide angles, primes, and medium telephotos like the 24-105, you will have no problem, but anything bigger than a 24-105 might cause problems.
The tripod strappings can be placed either vertically below the tripod or horizontally along the side. I prefere the horizontal method, as you don't bang the tripod into people or things -- this was especially an issue I found in crowded China. You do have to watch how you turn though. I turned suddenly when in China and clocked this poor girl in the face with my ballhead. The vertical method distributes the load better however -- I would switch the tripod to vertical position when hiking up mountains.
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff45/jjasc/IMG_4480-14.jpg
Horizontal Position for the tripod. My favorite position. Well balance, but watch when you turn!!
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff45/jjasc/IMG_4483-15.jpg
Verticle Tripod position. The most comfortable for mountain hikes, but watch you don't hit things with the tripod!
I have to say this backpack looks and feels high quality. The material is firm and very tightly stiched, and the hemp is very very strong. I abused the hell out of my backpack during my travels and the backpack help up just fine.
The top compartment is sealed off from the bottom, which gives you enough room to store a light jacket and a few other small things. I used it to store my massive Lee Wide Angle filter hood and Lee filter wallet (see picture). I also crammed a few other accessories in there. Can you fit a laptop in there? If it's a 13 inch or less laptop, yes. I took a picture with a package of paper fitted into the slot. If you laptop is the same dimensions as that package of paper, you should be able to carry the laptop.
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff45/jjasc/IMG_4471-7.jpg
I put a whole pack of regular lined school paper here (the kind you buy to put in folders. So if you want to know if your computer will fit, compare the dimensions (especially width) to a pack of paper.
The backpack also features more pockets than you can shake a stick at. I found these very useful. In some pockets I kept my cleaning supplies, in other pockets, my filter wallets, and still others, my battery and memory.
You also get a little rain hood (which comes in a pouch). You can pull the rain hood over the backpack in a pinch.
The backpack is pretty comfortable. You can adjust various straps the keep it more tight around your body. This model doesn't come with a belt feature though. It does have a strap to tighten around the chest area however. I found the backpack a bit tiring after carrying it around ALL day, especially since it was fully loaded and had a tripod strapped on the side. I got used to it after a while though. When I did take out some of my gear (and remove the tripod), the pack got noticibly comfortable. So I have to say it's quite comfortable if you don't stuff it to the brim with stuff. If you are only bringing your camera and a couple lenses, a few accessories, and maybe a light coat, it should hold up good. Add a tripod and it's still ok. But stuff it full and you may find it uncomforable.
It is a bit of a pain accessing the camera once you have it stowed inside (camera + lens + 2 other lenses = tight fit), but this is a problem all backpacks share. I have been thinking about getting a ThinkTank 360, as it might get around this problem.
The hemp material is very strong and keeps your stuff dry. If it get's wet though, it can take a while to fully dry (even though the stuff inside will still be dry). I used mine in very humid temperatures and I found the backpack would feel a bit moist on the surface. I have to note that I was also sweating profusely, which also contributed to this. Didn't effect the inside though.
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff45/jjasc/IMG_4488-18.jpg
Very comfortable, when not too full. I have all my gear in here, minus my camera and 24-105 lens which the picture was taken with.
Summary
If you don't plan on carrying a backup body and more than two (besides the lens on the camera) lenses, this bag will suite you fine. If you do want a telephoto lens, well you can easily store it in the top section of the bag, though you will need to have it stored in a pouch.
If you want a backpack much more portable than the medium explorer, but built with the same outstanding quality, then get the small backpack. It's a fantastic travel/hiking backpack.
Would I get this over the Medium backpack? Yes, because this backpack is much smaller and far more travel and hiking worthy. The cost you pay is in storage, however.
Hope this helps.