Crumpler Company Embarrassment Review

[orisky]

My new/used Crumpler bag is in!!!! Woohooo...excited!

Here's my informal not well-written review. Take it for what it's worth.

Background: I used to own a Lowepro MicroTrekker for 2 years which I sold. I also have a Tamrac top loader which fits ONLY the 5D and the 24-105L (or smaller) without hood, for those very light trips. I also have a MiniTrekker which I ordered, but decided not to keep. I'll be comparing the Crumpler to these bags.

I won the CCE (Crumpler Company Embarrassment) from an eBay auction. It was advertised as like new...and it's pretty close. No stains or smells. The color is a bit dingy..but I think that's the normal olive/light blue color. I wanted a messenger style bag instead of a backpack so I can keep the bag on and pull the camera out, change lenses, etc. without taking off the bag. The CCE allows me to do this. It's made of Chickentex hyper Performance Accessory Fabric. The card actually says "Uncle Tom's chainsaw teeth would rot on em. Hard bags. But fair. And they're not weak wetlings, they dry up quick. They've got big zippies. And the straps and buckles are airline strength - we tested them on a space shuttle. With a few hundred Crumpler bags we dragged one of those bits of white trash all over Cape Canavrel. Then sang a Prince song to it.



The velcro used throughout the bag is industrial strength. This stuff really sticks. As mentioned in other posts, good and bad. Good cuz it keeps stuff in. Bad cuz it's LOUD. I've attached several pics (sorry if it's not allowed) so people get an idea of what it looks like in several angles. (it really bothers me when people put up reviews with one dinky picture). It fits my gear perfectly with room to grow. I put in the following things:

5D with 24-105L hood reversed
85 1.8
Sigma 15-30 (not a small lens)
420EX flash
70-200 F2.8 IS with hood reversed and tripod collar (in the secret compartment)

With all of these things loaded, it was about 15lbs. I have a 100mm macro and a 50 1.4 coming. I'll also be replacing the 7-2F2.8IS with the 7-2F4IS, so the weight should even out. One of those can fit next to the flash. The other can fit in the secret compartment next to the 7-2.



The secret compartment is awesome. That was the main reason i bought this bag. Wanted a top loader but also able to put in a large lens sideways.

The straps are a bit hard, but that was intentional since they wanted it "airline strength". There's a strap that goes from the bag to the main strap. Not really sure what it's for. Maybe someone can tell me?




The internal compartments are mostly adjustable like the Lowepro bags. The dividers are a bit more solid than the Lowepros.
It's a bit wider than the MiniTrekker, but shorter. Depth is about the same. Weight is about the same. Both bags are alot bigger than the Microtrekker which I outgrew.



There are a few more pics here: http://orisky.smugmug.com/gallery/2404829

This is a rare bag. I think it's no longer in production and it's hard to find much about it at all on the internet. Also, IMO, the Crumpler web site is terrible, and I couldn't find anything about it on there either. This looks like it's the same bag as the Geekstar, but that in itself is not an easy bag to find. Who knows, maybe one day I'll decide to go back to a backpack, but for now, this will be my gear bag.

Here are MY pros and cons:
Pros:
Messenger bag, looks cooler and doesn't say "rob me I'm a tourist" all over it...of course that's until you pull the camera out
Topload most of my gear and put a large lens sideways

Cons:
The weight of a fully loaded messenger style is not as easy on the shoulders as a backpack with more even distribution.
Velcro is loud
Isn't AW like the Lowepro

Maybe I'll keep both?

Hope this helps someone make a decision on a bag.

[SoundsGood]

Congrats!

P.S. -- you might wanna be wearing sunglasses when you open this bag!

[orisky]

Originally Posted by SoundsGood

Congrats!

P.S. -- you might wanna be wearing sunglasses when you open this bag!

Everybody's a comedian! It's actually not bright at all except I was using a P&S so the flash is bouncing off of it.

[gcogger]

The extra strap is to stabilise the bag when it's worn 'messenger bag style'. It's hard to explain, but I'll try

This is easiest to do the first time if you (temporarily) remove the padded bit from the main strap. Unclip the connector on the small strap then slide it round near the adjuster of the main strap (i.e. the opposite end of the main strap to how you've shown it in your pics).
Put the neck strap over your head (with the bag on your right hand side), then swing the bag round right behind you. Now slide the small strap up about as far as the middle of your chest. You should now be able to pull the connector down and to the left, round behind you to connect with the clip near the bottom of the bag.

I hope that makes sense

[orisky]

Originally Posted by gcogger

The extra strap is to stabilise the bag when it's worn 'messenger bag style'. It's hard to explain, but I'll try

This is easiest to do the first time if you (temporarily) remove the padded bit from the main strap. Unclip the connector on the small strap then slide it round near the adjuster of the main strap (i.e. the opposite end of the main strap to how you've shown it in your pics).
Put the neck strap over your head (with the bag on your right hand side), then swing the bag round right behind you. Now slide the small strap up about as far as the middle of your chest. You should now be able to pull the connector down and to the left, round behind you to connect with the clip near the bottom of the bag.

I hope that makes sense

Say what? I lost you at "this is easiest"

Let me try it out...otherwise I may need a picture/diagram/video

[gcogger]

The embarrassing thing is that my wife worked out how to do this, when I couldn't

[Jim G]

There's a strap like that on my Stealth Reporter 400 - I wrap it around my hip and it clips into the other side while the bag's on my shoulder.. it's not exactly padded but it sure does take some of the weight off the shoulders. Dunno if that's its intended purpose but it works well for me I'd hazard a guess that that's what yours is for..

[Jim G]

Originally Posted by gcogger

The extra strap is to stabilise the bag when it's worn 'messenger bag style'. It's hard to explain, but I'll try

This is easiest to do the first time if you (temporarily) remove the padded bit from the main strap. Unclip the connector on the small strap then slide it round near the adjuster of the main strap (i.e. the opposite end of the main strap to how you've shown it in your pics).
Put the neck strap over your head (with the bag on your right hand side), then swing the bag round right behind you. Now slide the small strap up about as far as the middle of your chest. You should now be able to pull the connector down and to the left, round behind you to connect with the clip near the bottom of the bag.

I hope that makes sense

Hmm, I might try this with mine and see how that feels.. maybe I've been doing mine wrong this whole time

[gcogger]

Originally Posted by Jim G

Hmm, I might try this with mine and see how that feels.. maybe I've been doing mine wrong this whole time

Or maybe I have...

[JWright]

Originally Posted by gcogger

The extra strap is to stabilise the bag when it's worn 'messenger bag style'. It's hard to explain, but I'll try

This is easiest to do the first time if you (temporarily) remove the padded bit from the main strap. Unclip the connector on the small strap then slide it round near the adjuster of the main strap (i.e. the opposite end of the main strap to how you've shown it in your pics).
Put the neck strap over your head (with the bag on your right hand side), then swing the bag round right behind you. Now slide the small strap up about as far as the middle of your chest. You should now be able to pull the connector down and to the left, round behind you to connect with the clip near the bottom of the bag.

I hope that makes sense

I bought a similar Crumpler at the swap meet about a year ago, and I couldn't figure out what that other strap was for. I just tried it out and it works perfectly for stabilizing the bag when the strap is over my left shoulder. Thanks for the information.

[calicokat]

I like the orange lining

[gcogger]

Originally Posted by JWright

I bought a similar Crumpler at the swap meet about a year ago, and I couldn't figure out what that other strap was for. I just tried it out and it works perfectly for stabilizing the bag when the strap is over my left shoulder. Thanks for the information.

You're welcome

Actually, I'm amazed you could follow my description

[orisky]

Originally Posted by calicokat

I like the orange lining

I do to though it's not quite as bright as the pics make it seem. The orange with a black exterior would've looked better. Too bad these things are so rare, I had to settle for the olive.

[whiskaz]

Nice. I have a Crumpler 6MDH (same exterior color) and absolutely love it. I'm surprised at the amount of gear I can pack into it (though I wouldn't really want to walk around with it at full capacity). The velcro is pretty friggin' loud, eh?

I like the 2 buckles too. Mine only has 1, in the middle so it tends to kind of open up on the sides, exposing my gear, especially if its overly packed. It's not all that bad, but with 2 buckles like yours, it probably wouldn't do that at all.

[orisky]

Originally Posted by whiskaz

Nice. I have a Crumpler 6MDH (same exterior color) and absolutely love it. I'm surprised at the amount of gear I can pack into it (though I wouldn't really want to walk around with it at full capacity). The velcro is pretty friggin' loud, eh?

I like the 2 buckles too. Mine only has 1, in the middle so it tends to kind of open up on the sides, exposing my gear, especially if its overly packed. It's not all that bad, but with 2 buckles like yours, it probably wouldn't do that at all.

I was worried about gear falling out with the 7MDH, but the owners said that wouldn't happen. The CE has a velcro'd flap which is inside the top cover that will also keep gear in. I guess none of my pics show it. I think it's pretty safe.

The 6 or 7MDH doesn't have the hidden pocket right? That was the reason I got the CE, otherwise i would've gone with the 7MDH.