Bag Advice - Kata R-103 or Lowepro CompuTrekker

[csabot]

I am trying to decide between the Kata R-103 GDC and the Lowepro CompuTrekker Plus AW. I have read very positive reviews of both, and it seems like I can' go wrong, but I would love to hear personal experiences/recommendations.

I will be traveling to photograph at the Olympics with a photo cred. I will be exclusively outside at Nordic and Biathlon races, moving around quite a bit. I need to be able to bring my laptop as this will also be my carry-on while traveling.

Thank you!

[SYS]

I don't have any experience with the Lowepro CompuTrekker Plus AW, so I can't comment on it. But I can highly recommend the Kata R-103. It's not only airline carry-on compliant, but it should protect your equipment really well under cold temperature. It also comes with a rain/snow covering.

[4x4rock]

How many lenses are you taking with you? The Computrekker can hold a bit more then the R-103 and it's bigger. Both harness system is really comfortable. I carried the R-103 on airline without problem but not sure about the trekker.

[Nick5]

I took my Computrekker loaded this summer to Vancouver. No problem on a plane.
Yes the Lowepro can hold more than the Kata due to the Camera body being stored on the top of the bag with lens downward. Unfortunately with the Kata, the body is stored with the body on the bottom leaving a large amount of curved space on top which is not as efficient.

[SYS]

Yes the Lowepro can hold more than the Kata due to the Camera body being stored on the top of the bag with lens downward. Unfortunately with the Kata, the body is stored with the body on the bottom leaving a large amount of curved space on top which is not as efficient.

If you have actually owned and used the Kata R-103, then you'd know that the positioning of your camera body can be arranged in either "body-up/lens-down" or "body-down/lens-up" direction with a simple rearrangement of the inner dividers. I use mine with the "body-down/lens-up" position, yet I make great use of "a large amount of curved space on top" with smaller lenses and/or my 580EX's pretty much like the picture seen below. So I don't get your misleading statement.

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost.php?p=2672092&postcount=7

[Tom H. Photography]

I take my CompuTrekker onto the plane almost every day. Never let me down so far. It holds more than enough stuff. Carrying more would be too heavy anyway to keep on my back for longer periods.