Looking for shoulder bag for camera&laptop - please advise

[prosurfer]

I'm looking for a shoulder bag to take with on my work trips, and all advice is welcome!

I need to fit in it:
-small laptop and it's charger
-40D, 2 lenses (70-200 4L (non-IS), 20-35 2.8L) and 1.4x extender
-some papers, notebook, magazine or two, possibly a book
-all the normal small accessories
-some personal things (contact lenses, eyeglasses, sunglasses)

The bag shouldn't be too bulky (I'd be carrying it for all day, and need to take it into the plane cabin), I don't mind if it looks like a laptop bag but it shouldn't look too funny - I'll be wearing a suit most of the time so I guess any disguise would go in vain, and I need to take it with me to the customers.

Price is not an issue, but I don't want to invest a ridiculous amount - let's say there needs to be a reason for more than 200 EUR on the price tag.

ThinkTank Urban Disguise 50 could be an option, I'd be able to buy it locally so I could get my hands on it before making the decision. (The price is 168 EUR which is pretty much the same as everywhere I found - of course the US price is in $$$ but shipping cost + Finnish VAT will eat up the difference)

Crumpler has The Brazillion Dollar Home but it's more pricey and I didn't find it listed at European resellers - comments here?

Anywhere else I should be looking at? Thanks in advance!

[Andrushka]

man, a shoulder bag to hold all that stuff is going to be SO HEAVY! I fly quite a bit and for a while i had been carrying dual shoulder bags, one for camera gear, one for laptop - i picked up a Think Tank Airport Antidote backpack, and it is the greatest bag i have ever seen or used, and i carry a similar amount of gear as you listed.

However, if you are trying to avoid backpacks (though the Think Tank bags do have side carrying handles and a shoulder bag strap as well) for the sake of looks, with the gear you listed you might want a rolling type bag. Pelican makes a nice looking one, and so does Tamrac. Think Tank does make a large laptop/camera shoulder bag as well.

[CaptainK]

Sounds like a Lowepro Fastpack 250 would be ideal.

I've ordered the Fastpack 200 because I don't need the laptop compartment.

[_aravena]

Maybe the Crumpler Daily XXXL. I've seen some great reviews and it's Euro not American.

[JDubya]

Check out the Naneu Military Ops, they're pretty nice

http://www.naneupro.com/products/mo-t/

[prosurfer]

Thanks to all for the comments and recommendations.

Yes, I started to think maybe the weight would be a challenge, so I ordered 5 mins ago Crumpler Daily XL, and hope to receive it on Tuesday. I'm sure I'll find use to it even if it wouldn't be big enough for my original purpose, but I hope it will be. ;)

What I missed telling in my original post, was that I currently have Lowepro MiniTrekker and it holds my laptop as well with no problems even though it doesn't have a specific comparement for it - so another backpack is not what I was looking for.

[_aravena]

That's not that much weight. That's small.

[ben_r_]

Sounds like a Lowepro Fastpack 250 would be ideal.

I've ordered the Fastpack 200 because I don't need the laptop compartment.

Being that they have the 70-200 I would recommend the Fastback 350 instead...

[prosurfer]

That's not that much weight. That's small.

Well, it's always relative - I don't mind carrying all my gear around if I'm wearing comfy shoes and relaxed clothing...thanks for you great bag reviews btw, they were essential in my decision.

[prosurfer]

Being that they have the 70-200 I would recommend the Fastback 350 instead...

70-200 4L is tiny...and nevertheless Fastback series were backpacks when I last checked ;)

[_aravena]

I wish we could get the cool Crumpler's here. Also prices make more sense. They go up in a decent intervals.

[prosurfer]

Okiedokie, got my Crumpler Sixhundred Daily (XL), and man it's spacious! I have not tried to pack it to the full, but I'm pretty sure I can put all my lenses (see signature) in it without the lens hoods. Now I just threw in 40D with 20-35 attached, 70-200 (hoods attached on both) and 1.4x extender - and there's plenty of space left. My 12" laptop is just too tiny here - this back definitely yearns for the Airbook ;)

That said, the bag is pretty thick, and it doesn't have any fixed space for papers (letter/A4), so I'll need to get a small folder to put it in between the camera pouch and the laptop pouch - there is definitely room to do that, I took all the papers and notebook I usually carry around and stuffed them in with no problems.

Weight is not an issue - the bag is 990 grams by itself and I'm used to carry golf clubs around...

Build quality seems to be good (only time will tell of course), all the materials are very sturdy and it looks pretty cool. Pics will hopefully follow later today ;)

I'll be in Stockholm all Friday, so we'll see how it does in practice...not taking my laptop there though.