Lowepro Vertex 100 AW Review: Part 1

[TRM]

I will post a follow up, Part 2, once I've returned from a week of roaming Europe in February. My previous bag is a Tamrac Adventure 7. A great bag IMO but I can't carry all of my lenses, flash and an extra body in the bag. I'm going to keep the Tamrac for the time being.

Everything fits in the Lowepro very nicely and I still have plenty of room for some of the smaller items in the zippered pockets on the outer flaps.

I really dig the tripod attachment. It's fully adjustable and for the first time I will have my hands free instead of lugging around my tripod, dropping it to shoot, etc... Fully configured with lenses, flash and Notebook the bag is heavy!

It does not sit as nicely with just using one shoulder strap like I got accustomed to with the Tamrac. Because the bag is quite deep a good bit of the weight extends beyond the plain of your back. The true test of this bag is how it feels (comfort) and it's usefulness after use during one of my road trips. I'll be visiting Vienna beginning of February and doing quite a bit of shooting on the weekend. Stay tuned for Part 2.

more pics at my Blog.

http://marsavius.net/fotografia/image/gear/lowepro_L1000806x1000.jpg

[Oliviero]

I'm looking forward to an update as I'm considering one of these myself. Could you bring it as carry on luggage on the planes even when it's fully loaded? What about the tripod holder, I'm a bit worried that someone could steal it very easily when it's on the pack.

[JelleVerherstraeten]

I'm using the 200AW and it's a very good bag!
It gives a good feel knowing that your gear is packed in such a bag!

[colmc]

Hi,

I've the same bag myself. In my case I managed to carry a 5D mkII, 1D mkIII, 17-40, 24-105, 100-400 and 50 1.2 as well as a 580 EX flash and misc. batteries, filters, chargers, cleaning gear etc.
In the laptop pocket I had my MacBook Air and I carried a Gitzo GT1540 tripod as well.
I carried the above (minus the laptop) on two 15 km hikes last weekend.

On the plus side the bag gives good protection for your gear and seems very rain tight. Even without the rain cover there is very good protection against weather.
It's made with the usual Lowepro quality and quite adjustable. The bag is also compact and the straps can "tuck-in" to make it look even smaller for air travel etc.

On the negative side I found the following issues:

The laptop compartment is very small. My MacBook Air is a tight squeeze when the camera compartment is full. It may take a normal thickness 13'' laptop but no bigger and even then could be a squeeze.
The side mesh pockets are far too shallow, it wasn't possible to even carry a small water bottle in them.
The tripod holder isn't great, even my GT1540 wasn't that secure and getting it on/off means opening two sets of ties.
The front pockets are a little pointless, the left one is laid out to hold filters but won't fit 77mm ones. The right pocket can't fit a laptop charger well, even the small Apple ones. It would be better if Lowepro had only one wider/deeper front pocket.
The bag is too short overall, this meant that even adjusted the waist belt was around 6'' inches too high, and I'm a short 5'8'' for anyone taller it would be worse. The bag is still reasonably comfortable but I can't see the waist belt being used in anyone over 5'5''.


In my case I think I'll be swapping the bag for either a Vertex 200 or a Nature Trekker or a Think Tank Airport backpack. Pity since I like the capacity and overall look but it misses the mark for me.

Does anyone have any comments on how the Vertex 200 compares? Especially in terms of length and the practicality of the outside pockets.

My quest for the ideal bag continues ;)

Cheers,
-- Colm.

[TRM]

Colm, i agree with your observations on this bag. i too might be swapping it for something else because of the lack of flexibility with the laptop area and smaller compartments. i carry an IBM X61, a very small laptop, and it was very tight fitting anyway.

a big negative for me is the ergonomics of the bag. i trekked for about 8 hours around the streets of Vienna with this bag and by the end of the day my lower back was sore. it appears to be because i'm not used to a bag with such depth. it feels like a lot of the weight of the bag hangs out away from your center of gravity...causing my back to arch backwards.

i do like the flexibility for storage in the main compartment.

but in all i am going to look for a different bag.

[Najo]

I cannot compare the 100 and 200 because I have only used the 200. I must point out that in order to get the full comfort of this pack you have to spend some time adjusting it. There are straps at the top of the pack that adjust how the pack sits on your shoulders, these are all the way out the way it ships. If you leave them like that the weight will make it uncomfortable, probably the reason for the sore lower back.

I do not find the pack too short and I am 5'10".

I have a Dell 1330 13" and it fits fine in the 200, keep in mind that your 100 is only rated for a 14" computer.

I carry the Gitzo 1541t and I think that the "cup" that comes with the pack is useless with that tripod because there is just too much slop. I removed it and I stick one leg in the slot where the "cup" did go, and then I only strap down the two legs that are flush against the pack. I have found that to be a snugger fit.

I only carry memory card's, extra batt's and cables in the front pouches, no there is not enough room for the laptop charger. I am thinking they did this on purpose, if they gave us the room we would pack them full and the pack would be even thicker and more off balance.

The mesh side pockets are usless, I have the Lowepro lens case 4 attached to the side and I carry a narrow mouth Nalgene bottle in it.

[colmc]

Hi,

Thanks for the additional information. I did spend sometime adjusting the Vertex 100, by default it was very far from my back. Also the waist band was even higher.
When I finished it was snugger against my back but still too short.

There are straps at the top of the pack that adjust how the pack sits on your shoulders, these are all the way out the way it ships. If you leave them like that the weight will make it uncomfortable, probably the reason for the sore lower back.



I do not find the pack too short and I am 5'10".


Ok, that's good to know that the 200 is a bit better length.


I have a Dell 1330 13" and it fits fine in the 200, keep in mind that your 100 is only rated for a 14" computer.


Except that even a MacBook Air 13.3 is a tight fit. I don't think any standard thickness 14'' laptop would fit in the Vertex 100.


I carry the Gitzo 1541t and I think that the "cup" that comes with the pack is useless with that tripod because there is just too much slop. I removed it and I stick one leg in the slot where the "cup" did go, and then I only strap down the two legs flush that are against the pack. I have found that to be a snugger fit.


Good idea, it'll still be fiddly to attach/detach the tripod though.


I only carry memory card's, extra batt's and cables in the front pouches, no there is not enough room for the laptop charger. I am thinking they did this on purpose, if they gave us the room we would pack them full and the pack would be even thicker and more off balance.

The mesh side pockets are usless, I have the Lowepro lens case 4 attached to the side and I carry a narrow mouth Nalgene bottle in it.

Agreed, I think that while there are many pockets on paper they're pretty impractical.

I think I'll have to try out the Vertex 200 and maybe a few other bags before I buy again.


Cheers,
-- Colm.

[Najo]

I am not sure that a 15.4 would fit great in a 200 and that is what it is rated for, but the 13.3 XPS fit's fine and your macbook is thinner than that.

I do not find removing the tripod "fiddly" I only use the one quick disconnect so just sqeeze the tabs and it is out. Putting it back on is tight but I am never in as much of a hurry to pack up..

[colmc]

Thanks again.

I was just saying that the Lowepro specs are a bit off. My MacBook Air fits ok in Vertex 100.

I'll try and get a look at a 200 here to compare the size/comfort.

Cheers,
-- Colm.

I am not sure that a 15.4 would fit great in a 200 and that is what it is rated for, but the 13.3 XPS fit's fine and your macbook is thinner than that.

I do not find removing the tripod "fiddly" I only use the one quick disconnect so just sqeeze the tabs and it is out. Putting it back on is tight but I am never in as much of a hurry to pack up..

[Dj R]

if the 13.3 air is tight, then my macbook pro 13.3 is going to be a bad fit? the dimensions see to be ideal for this.. ?