Back Pack Bags

I'll back up Olegis on the Mini Trekker, awesome backpack. I also got a Top Load Mini from Lowepro, for those times I don't want to carry the whole shootin match.

I also have the Mini Trekker. It allows me to carry my 10D w/ 24-70 f/2.8L mounted, the 70-200 f/4L, 16-35L, and the 1.4 & 2X TCs. I have a very large Tamrac backpack that carries most everything else.

I recently picked up the Micro Trekker 100. It's just the right size for a body and a medium-sized lens, and I bought it mainly so I could carry one of my cameras easily when bicycling.

My "Carry Everything" bag is the Tamrac Expedition 8 (http://www.tamrac.com/​5278.htm). It replaced a Lowepro shoulder bag (Stealth Reporter 650AW) that I both outgrew and eventually disliked because of the shoulder pain inflicted after carrying it with all my gear for, oh, 5 minutes or so. The Ex-8 fits nicely in the airplane overhead, and holds my 10D, 100-400L, 100mm macro, 16-35L, 28-200, 50mm, 1.4x converter, 550/420EX, Macro ringlight, Sekonic meter, Canon charger, and has a spot open for the 28-300L IS (if Canon ever releases it.. LOL). Plus I have pens, paperwork, etc. in it.


The "Day" bag, for walking around, street photography, or "tourist"/family stuff is the Tamrac Velocity 9 (http://www.tamrac.com/​5749.htm), which holds the 10D WITH Big Ed, the 100-400, 100mm macro, 16-35L, and either the 420 or 550EX, plus the Sekonic.


Note: I did love my Lowepro bag for a long time - held a laptop and everything quite well - just that the shoulder carry method got old real fast as I started packing it with more stuff over time. I recommend it to anyone who doesn't have THAT much to carry. It's got pockets galore and is very well made; in fact, I may keep it for when I outgrow the Velocity 9 as a day bag...

You may be onto something - Both of my Tamrac shoulder bags have a 'sleeve' in the back that enables you to slide it over the handle of a luggage cart. Since my kit now exceeds the capacity of my big bag, if I want to take it all I need to carry two (I also have a holster bag if I only want to carry the camera and one or two extra lenses). I am on the lookout for a luggage cart to wheel them around. My biggest criteria for the cart is to find one that keeps the bag off the ground, because I go to a lot of events on grass or dirt fields, and even on a good day the dew can wreak havoc in the early morning.

Now, if you are committed to wheels, Tamrac makes several wheeled camera cases - I'm sure others do as well.

Good luck, and keep us posted.

Wish I'd found that Op-Tech site earlier... Could've used one of those little pouches with the locking belt clip, might've saved me the loss of my cell phone this past weekend.

You're right about that too! I take the Pro-12 in the car when I'm going out to shoot. I store things in it. I take it with me to Florida or wherever I travel.

But if I'm on foot, or shooting a birthday party or travelling on foot, I'll travel considerably lighter - usually, I will take the Tamrac Explorer 2 (which used to be my "big" bag). It will hold the 10D, 24-70, and flash, or the 10D, 17-40, and 50 plus flash. Plus, it has a built-in hip belt which is quite useful for those day hikes and such.

I bought a Tamrac backpack when I first bought my Digital Rebel.
Now I have a conventional shoulder bag.
The backpack was uncomfortable, awkward to carry and clumsy to access.

Like everything else here there are some excellent experiences posted above.

I purchased a smaller shoulder bag, and within a few months outgrew the bag. I recently purchased the LowePro OmniTrekker backpack as my travel/Hiking bag. (Great for travel because it holds my laptop as well as my camera gear with room to spare & has a good system for carrying the tripod). I just spent a week in Sedona and the Grand Canyon and the backpack was great. Very comfortable for carrying a lot of gear.

I have used hip packs in the past and have already started to accumulate parts of the modular belt system (mix of lowepro and Tamrac). If I am going on a specific shoot I typically don't need to carry everything. I take it all in the backpack and then off load the specific items into the modular belt system.

Personally for myself I found that there was no "one" bag that would do it all, and do it well. The combo of modular belt system and backpack has been working great.

Good Luck
Michael

I use Lowepro mini trekker, but it is not at all that mini.... and I like it, it's roomy, practical and well padded. Next one I'm gonna buy is probably gonna be the micro trekker..

I have a Tamrac thats been through hell and back. Its held up to moutain biking, serious treks though moutain trails, the beach, skiing down mountains, chasing bears in VA., ATVing, plus a couple of kids. I carry it almost daily. Theres no way in hell my new 50-500 Sigma is going in there though (comes with its own case fortunately). I has protected many a camera though. Usually had a digital, 35mm SLR, and Video camera on vacations. Nothing broken.

I have these two bags, love them both:

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …ails&Q=&sku=315​091&is=REG


http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …ails&Q=&sku=292​331&is=REG

NiL,

Has anyone used the LowePro Nature Trekker or Photo Trekker?
I would like to see a picture of your gear in either one, as well as how convenient they are for all around use.

-paul

The LowePro bags look exactly like the catalog photo.

I studied the catalog first, then went to my local retail photo shop to run my hands over them, then selected one for purchase.

---Bob Gross---

The B&H site only shows an exterior photo.
-paul

oops,

lowepro site shows interior!

-paul