Which bag?

I have been staring at bags for several days and I *think* I am down to these two bags. My gear is listed in my signature. My current standard canon backpack is coming apart at the seems after 6 years of use.

http://store.lowepro.c​om/slingshot-302-aw#
Lowerpro Slingshot 302


http://www.manfrotto.u​s/agile-vii-sling-bc-stile-c
AGILE VII SLING B.C. STILE c

Im open to other suggestions but I do not want to spend more than $150

Have you had the opportunity to handle these bags in person? I briefly owned the slingshot and wasn't impressed.

I have not. I just thought the convenience of being able to slip it around real quick was nice. Guess if others feel the same as you, its back to the drawing board. There is no where local for me to look at this stuff in person

ScPhotoMom wrote in post #17248479
I have not. I just thought the convenience of being able to slip it around real quick was nice. Guess if others feel the same as you, its back to the drawing board. There is no where local for me to look at this stuff in person

Its nicer in theory than in practice. At least it was for me. I went from the canon backpack to a lowepro backpack. After the brief time I went back to another more traditional backpack. If you want access to your gear while carrying a sling bag or shoulder bag might be a better option.

ha, well i was going on theory. Back to the drawing board

More information might help with suggestions. Also, how you work and what you're doing as well.

I tried one of those swing around deals and didn't find it usable at all. I also tried a Lowe that looks like it isn't being made anymore that had a flop out lower half. Unusable as well.

I have found that the F-Stop system where you lay the bag down with shoulder straps up and open the bag from there is the most convenient. The back of the bag gets dirty, not the side you're going to put back on your back.

Thanks for that info

I like Fstop bags but I think they are out of your price range. I was considering the lowepro flip side backpacks before I got my fstop guru. My brother has a lowepro hatchback and is happy with it.

I had a Kata 3n1 20 for a while - can be a sling bag or a backpack. I thought that the sling option would be great, but in practice it wasn't so useful for me; and it wasn't as good a backpack as a dedicated backpack.

I have moved to fstop for a backpack, but there are plenty of cheaper backpack options out there - Lowepro alone have about half a dozen options.

I also use a shoulder/messenger bag, which is quick to get in and out of. I use a ThinkTank Retospective 10. My only real problem is these types of bag is that they get heavy on the shoulder after a few hours carrying, if you load them up.

I tried a sling bag and it hurt my shoulder carrying over a period of time. I hated it so much I gave it away as I couldn't charge anyone for the discomfort it caused. I know this is over your price but the fstop bag is great for swinging around and taking out your camera equipment without putting on ground. Also as a safety point as people can't get in it and take your equipment while on your back.

I also liked the concept of the sling in theory. I had a Kata 3N1-30 briefly and found the reality wasn't as nice. Comfort aside, I had a tough time getting the zipper closed after I pulled out the camera. By the time I closed it, I found it was faster just to set the bag down.

I also ended up with an F-stop bag, and I love it. It is by far the most comfortable backpack I've used, even loaded with both gear and water. And the rear opening is great as others have said. I've put it down in snow, dirt, piles of leaves, etc and my own back won't get dirty. I've also used it in a stream. Pricey, but I'd do it again.

I have the Lowepro 302 sling bag, and I love it. All my gear is tucked away and on my back in a comfortable position, then I can swing it forward into shooting position, pop open the flap and pull out the camera. The bag then doubles as a little bit of a rest, helping to stabilize myself a bit. The bag itself is light, only as heavy as I load it. And it will take a lot of equipment if I need it to.

Unfortunately, I need to sell it because it doesn't accommodate my current kit. I snagged a 70-200 and it will fit in the bag while on the camera and off the camera, but not both without reconfiguring it- too inconvenient. It worked perfectly with my old 70-300VC.

If you're interested, I'd sell it to you, cheap. PM me if interested.

I bought a Lowepro Pro Messenger 180AW for use with my 70-200 f/2.8 attached to my 7d positioned upright. I think I was also able to place my 400mm f/5.6 next to it. It just was a bit heavy. It's the only bag I could find where I could keep the 70-200 attached upright. I highly recommend it. Lots of storage and made like a tank. I bought an F-stop to carry my 70-200 mounted on the 7D but it lays flat and really nothing else fits in the bag. Love that bag as well.

Think about the Mindshift 180 backpack, which you can access while wearing it. A better solution than a sling bag. Saw it at the Photo Expo and have its predecessor, the Rotation 360, which is my favorite backpack.

Why be locked into a specific bag? After outgrowing a couple of specifically designed as camera gear bags, I opted for a fully adjustable padded insert and put that into a very generic looking large 'gym bag' (or small travel bag) from Walmart. If I outgrow it again, buy another bag and a 2nd insert and put 2 inserts in one bag. I can even move the insert into my overhead luggage size bag with wheels and put clothing in the other half.

I tried a couple of inserts before settling on the Ciesta brand...
http://www.amazon.com …fRID=1RMDNVRX2E​PXW0K95MPR