Kata 3n1 review PLUS comparison with Slingshot 300 with pics

One beef....
Its yellow and black.
Why is the one strap red.... but not YELLOW?
ugh
Match people!!!

I'm very close to buying the Kata 3N1-30, or maybe the 3N1-33 which also has a laptop pocket. One thing which is holding me back is the carry-on ability of this bag. Has anyone got experience flying with this bag as carry-on.

Also I need to carry a 70-200, 100-400, 24-70, 35, along with a 40D will it carry the zooms with ease?

Thanks

Bryn

That's going to be a tight squeeze (with hoods) in the lower compartment. If you use the upper compartment for one of the lenses you'll be fine.

bjoynes wrote in post #9378199
I'm very close to buying the Kata 3N1-30, or maybe the 3N1-33 which also has a laptop pocket. One thing which is holding me back is the carry-on ability of this bag. Has anyone got experience flying with this bag as carry-on.

Also I need to carry a 70-200, 100-400, 24-70, 35, along with a 40D will it carry the zooms with ease?

Thanks

Bryn

I flew to europe for a 2 week contiki tour. The 3in1-30 was my main carry on bag. Bottom compartment was just camera gear, top was for various other things. Even managed to stuff a light jacket in there when it got too hot, it was tight but I made it fit

I only brought along the 40D, 24-105, 50mm, 10-20mm, gorillapod, chargers and batteries

Packed my Kata 3N1-33 with a 15inch laptop, 70-200, 100-400, 24-70, 35. and 40D without grip. Not much space left in the main compartment. The top compartment is carrying a small set of field binoculars, as well as a 85mm f/1.8 and 50mm f/1.4.

Bryn

I find my 3n1-30 with tripod attached to be pretty heavy on the traps with only the 70-200 2.8IS, 17-40L, flash and a gripped 50D. I think i may need to make some strap adjustments but right now with all that gear i am not as pleased with the balancing as i was. I've been looking around latley for a well priced backpack.

Yeah you might have to make some adjustments by the sounds of it. Shouldn't be too heavy on the shoulders... then again, its the only bag Ive used.
I have the tripod pouch attached but I find it doesn't balance as well as I had thought, I have to put the strap up at the top handle to keep it tight and balanced so there is no wobble.

Nevilleblack wrote in post #9606600
I have the tripod pouch attached but I find it doesn't balance as well as I had thought, I have to put the strap up at the top handle to keep it tight and balanced so there is no wobble.

That's what I do as well.

tigerotor77w wrote in post #9612915
That's what I do as well.

I don't really have a trial on this Kata 3n1..but i have try out lowepro MiniTrekker .

but looking at the picture , it look like Minitrekker can put more gear then this 3n1 ??

Any comment ?

2 different style of packs. I would say it just depends on what youre bringing with you and how you pack it. Fairly similar in terms of what it can carry but different on how the packs carry it.

riyazi wrote in post #7204059
Even though I was happy with the 300AW, I felt the strain on one shoulder a bit too much when using it for some time … the key selling point of the Kata is the ability to use it as a slingshot or as a backpack. This is a great function because if the strain is too much on the 1 shoulder, changing it to backmode mode eases the load and makes it easier for long hikes/walks … The fact that it has openings on both sides means that you have quick access to 2 sections of the bag … One major problem with the Kata - you dont have FULL EASY access to the main compartment …

riyazi wrote in post #7311082
…I did take the bag around last week (not a hike but a long walk) - the strap started to get a bit uncomfortable after about 30 - 45 mts time but hey - just flipped it in to back pack style and it was real comfy after that…

riyazi wrote in post #7546630
… the advantage with the Kata is that you just switch on to backpack mode and it is really really comfortable. I now use it mostly on back pack…

bohdank wrote in post #7547012
Thanks for the review. It reafirms my decision to have bought the Fastpac... which is really a Slingshot with a top compartment and 2 shoulder straps. Having complete access to the camera/lens compartment is a must and the raison d'etre of this still of bag. If you can't access every lens and don't need to then there are better bags out there, imo.

bjoynes wrote in post #9378199
One thing which is holding me back is the carry-on ability of this bag…

adblink wrote in post #9378288
I flew to europe ... The 3in1-30 was my main carryon bag...

Hi2all

First off, I realize it’s an old thread but, it’s still the only thread on the 3N1-30, not to mention it is a very well-written review (kudos to riyazi)!

I’ve been working with a Slingshot 200AW for the past four years which has (and still does) serve me well. However both my requirements and lens collection has matured since *g* and I needed a second bag that could satisfy my new requirements:

A carryon-sized sling-type bag with the following “Slots”:

1x50D + 70-200 2.8 / 4L
1x 70-200 2.8 / 4l *or* a “HQ” standard-zoom weighing in at 650-950g
2x “HQ” standard-zooms weighing in at 650-950g
1x Flash
4~6x filters
1x separate non-camera gear compartment (not just a “pouch”)
1x misc external pouch
1x 11.6” ~ 13” Net/Notebook incl. thin sleeve

It’s not a simple list, by any means, but let’s face it, a good number of members will be interested in a similar setup. I would also like to point out that I want to be able to use the “main” camera slot with any lens that may be mounted on it, so worst case, with my 70-200 4L IS USM. This means the bag must be at least 25.5cm wide (hence, the slingshot 200AW is no longer an option and the 3N1-22 is already off my short-list). If I happen to have my EF-S 60mm Macro USM mounted to my camera and returned “as is” to the main slot, I will need an extra slot to store the 70-200. Optimally I need three “long” slots and two short slots for my body, lenses & flash.

Clearly, there are not that many candidates on the market footing this bill and two of the main candidates are already listed in this thread by riyazi. I saw the 300AW and was immediately turned off as it looked like it was designed to be worn by a stocky dwarf, being almost wider than long… I just couldn’t imagine using this bag in “sling” mode and tbh, I didn’t even give it a try. Instead, I went straight for the 3N1!

At first, I was really aiming for the 3N1-22, as I have an Acer 1810TZ which is a 11.6” Notebook and looks more like a large Netbook. The 1810TZ is 21cm wide and as I insist on a (thin) sleeve regardless of the backpack, I need room for 21.5cm. Well the 3N1-22’s Notebook compartment is specified at 20cm. I’m fairly sure I could “shoe-horn” my Notebook in there (without sleeve), but I don’t want to fight with the bag (not to mention risk losing one of the Notebook’s a rubber “feet” from the tight fit, etc). Even if I was prepared to live with that, the next problem is getting the 70-200 fitted on my 50D body in the main slot. In order to do that I’ll need 25.5cm and again, at 20cm, it’s not going to happen with the 3N1-22…

So, despite the awkward size, I ended up buying the 3N1-33 instead. Now room is no longer an issue, neither for the Notebook (even my Dell XPS M1330 now fits) nor for my 50D+70-200 combo! But that’s the end of the “great” news, more or less… . Besides the cons that have been listed by riyazi (such as the fact that you cannot fully open the bag...) I have come to the unfortunate conclusion that that at its largest size, the Kata 3N1 is no longer 3N1, but a 1N1… (read: standard, two-strap backpack). The reason I say this is that it is very uncomfortable to use this sized bag in a sling mode. Not impossible, but impractical. I say this being average in size, 182cm tall, 85Kg, standard shoulder width (I wear a size 52 regular, preferably Italian cut ).

The weight of the bag, fully-packed, will be no less than 9~10Kg. That may not sound like a whole lot, but when you have that much weight on one shoulder blade for even a short amount of time (>30mins), it starts to hurt. Now go ahead and swing the 10Kg around to the front of you; it’s easier said than done! I basically un-tucked my shirt in the process, meaning I have to carefully choose what I wear when I go out with this bag… So now that it’s in front of you, you’re overwhelmed by its 46x24cm surface which is at chest-level, making it difficult to get stuff in & out smoothly.

But the reason it’s called “3N1” is due to the third and last carrying option of crossing the straps, allowing you to carry it as a backpack but being one “click” away from sling mode. On paper, it sounds like the perfect solution and maybe for some “anatomical configurations” it will be. Alas, I have the constant feeling that the straps are out to strangle me, lol… Humor aside, the straps come very close to the neck and will be for some (such as myself) problematic… .

I have a harder time rating it as a classic backpack as I have never done any cross-Country trekking or similar (read: I’m not a backpack expert). My expertise lies in city bags which is why I was attracted to the Slingshot 200AW four years back. What I can state is that the 3N1’s straps tend to creep towards my outer-shoulder blades and I find myself pulling the straps back in, regularly. A friend of mine who owns the 3N1-30 said he bought an extra strap that latches across to connect both straps at chest-level, keeping the straps from creeping. So I will need to buy said strap to turn my 3N1 into a useable 1N1… sigh.

Last but certainly not least, I also want to use this bag a my carryon. It should be clear to anyone that has done a bit of recent travelling (or at least watched / read the News) that the airlines are cracking down on pricing and restrictions. Thus that huge carryon that you managed to sneak on to the plane 10yrs ago with just your big smile at the ticket counter will no longer be accepted, period. So looking at my 3N1-33 last night, I thought I’d review current-day limits. I checked out Delta’s limit (seeing as they are now one bigbadass carrier...) which is 56x36x23cm (22"x14"x9"). This means that at 46x32x24, the 3IN1-33 just makes it. But barely – which means you can look forward to the occasional discussion at the ticket counter and having to go stuff the bag in their “SizeCheck” cage-thingy. Keep in mind that this is for a standard-sized plane (100 seats+); if you're taking a "hopper" (<80 seats) they will most likely force you to turn it over just before boarding the plane...

---------------

Please do not take this as criticism towards Kata or the 3N1 line; I am fairly certain that these problems do not exist (or are much less disturbing) with the smaller sized versions. It is just my personal conclusion / opinion that it is not feasible to produce a truly functional “sling-type” bag in this size / weight class. As such, I will have to agree with bohdank that I would be better off looking for the best “classic” backpack and resorting to sling-types for smaller loads and city-tours instead.

Here's a few shots comparing the 3N1-33 (m.) to the Slingshot 200AW (r.)
and my "large" 15" Notebook-toting city rucksack (l.)
- which is what I usually take on a trip as carryon
(click for larger images, apologies for the quick & dirty shots...).

IMAGE LINK: http://farm4.static.fl​ickr.com …79394949_ed85e9​a5e3_o.jpg

IMAGE LINK: http://farm5.static.fl​ickr.com …79395027_a65211​f56f_o.jpg

IMAGE LINK: http://farm5.static.fl​ickr.com …82068163_cd9acf​0ab5_o.jpg

IMAGE LINK: http://farm5.static.fl​ickr.com …82697640_6436f0​a15c_o.jpg

Travelller,

This last post you made comparing the 3N1-3x to the SS 200 AW is very informative indeed. There's no retailer around my area that carries any of the Kata bags, but just from your picture comparing it to the SS, it looks like a tank.

I'm so mixed at this point whether to get an SS 202 AW, 3N1-20, Fastpack 200/250... there's just so many tradeoffs and compromises between the bunch.

For your SS 200, how have the zippers been treating you? I keep reading LowePro uses cheap zippers that break over time, especially around the corners of the SS.

Also, I was wondering, did you have a 70-200mm/2.8L or 4L? I notice the internal height of the 3N1-2x and 3N1-3x is exactly the same at 30cm(11.8"). Is it possible to re-arrange the camera and lens in such a way that the body is flush with the side and the lens facing up(or down)? 30cm is about enough for a body+70-200/2.8 .... I think. If it's possible to make an arrangement that way, then the 3N1-2x will suffice

My current kit is currently a simple 7D, 17-55/2.8, 50/1.4 , but in the near future I plan to expand to have the 70-200/2.8, and possibly the 100mm/2.8 macro lens.

This is still the best thread I've seen on the net about the 3N1-3x!!


Thanks

sylipotn wrote in post #10178821
...comparing the 3N1-3x to the SS 200 AW ... it looks like a tank ... whether to get an SS 202 AW, 3N1-20, Fastpack 200/250... For your SS 200, how have the zippers been treating you? ... did you have a 70-200mm/2.8L or 4L? Is it possible to re-arrange the camera and lens in such a way that the body is flush with the side and the lens facing up ... currently a simple 7D, 17-55/2.8, 50/1.4 , but in the near future I plan to expand to have the 70-200/2.8, and possibly the 100mm/2.8 macro lens...

Hey
I saw the 3N1-22 - it was actually the bag I was after but it's simply too thin, width-wise... Too thin for my Notebook or for a body attached to a 70-200 (regardless of which - 2L or 4L - as they are both about the same length...).

== The following assumes the bag is standing upright and we talk in terms of Height, Width & Depth ==

Unfortunately both the Lowepro and Kata's internal arrangement options are limited. Due to the thin velcro strips that span the depth of the bags, you are forced to create three rows and then you can use the short dividers to split each row in two (or more) slots. It's been a while since I studied permutations and combinations, but common sense will tell us that you can only do so much with the dividers...

So no, unfortunately you cannot place the camera + lens "vertically". I calculated that I would need 25.5cm to comfortably fit my 50D+70-200 4L in the middle row, the row most easily accessible from the side opening. Both the 3N1-2x and 202AW are not wide enough to manage this. If you don't mind always having to remove the 70-200 prior to storing your gear then you can manage to fit your current & planned gear in either the 202AW / 2X.

As for Notebook / Netbook space... it will have to be 20cm or less in width. My Acer 1810TZ is 21cm and maybe I could "jam" it in there, but I don't want to have to jam anything into a gear bag...

Finally, I've had the 200AW for about 4yrs and I've never had any major trouble with the zippers. One thing's certain though, you need both hands to open the side panel. Those curves you were hinting at - you can't easily un/zip around them with one hand.

It's really a shame; if either Lowepro ir Kata had made their smaller offerings just a tad wider, it would have solved the biggest problems I had with them...

sylipotn wrote in post #10178821
comparing the 3N1-3x to the SS 200 AW...

Btw, speaking of comparisons, this site has some really good comparison shots of various bags, incl. the 20 vs. 30:

http://www.taschenfrea​k.de/indexlisteart.htm (sorted by "type")
http://www.taschenfrea​k.de/indexliste.htm (sorted by manufacturer)

Yes, unfortunately it's in German, but if you go down to the end of the main page and pick a link from the "Vergleichsfotos" section you can at least appreciate the images, which actually speak volumes The individual reviews also show you what he managed to pack in each individual bag... a great job, I have to say, even if it's not a professional review site

Travelller,

Thanks for that info. That german site has a lot of bag picture comparisons that are more detailed than most of the reviews I read on the bags. It's still difficult to guage the dimensions, but having that many pictures with gear is very very helpful. Thanks!!!!

So after reading your review of the 3N1 I decided to go with a backpack and just skip the whole 3N1 becoming a 1N1. I wanted some pack for hiking, and I'd agree that holding that much weight on one shoulder for more than awhile (the consensus appears to be ~30min) will have you hurtin' later.

I ended up with a Fastpack 250 (side opening + laptop bag). And, after reading tons of reviews on that, having seeing it in person is like "wow, that's big". None of these bags are anything I'd carry to a social visit with one lens. Do you have any recommendations on a bag for just one lens and maybe a prime? (common walkaround like 24-70/2.8 or 17-55/2.8) - sling, shoulder, any single strap deal would do..


Anyway, as for the Slingshot 200/202 AW configuration w/ 70-200/2.8 that I was hoping to be able to get outa the KATA are things like this:
SS200 with 70-200/2.8 -- https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=331235
SS200 with 100-400 (close to size of 70-200/2.8) -- https://photography-on-the.net …hp?p=4511118&po​stcount=23