Landscape backpack suggestions

freaking102 wrote in post #10726100
go to REI and buy whatever daypack you like. you can wrap your gear in clothes or pads to protect it, and hike with any backpack. most daypacks have external straps for attaching things (e.g. tripods).

hiking is not very jarring, so you don't need much padding of camera equip -- most photo backpacks are over-padded. photography packs are bulky, and most space is consumed by foam. the photo back packs are pretty crappy for hiking as they are poorly designed for hiking use, and have little space for food, water, clothes, rain gear, etc.

also, if you are tall, you will find that long-torso daypacks are rare, and you won't find any long-torso photo day packs.

of course, some people are obsessive about their photo gear having little compartments for every widget -- those people should buy photo bags

I suppose everyone has their own version of hiking. Groomed trails is not hiking, it's walking in the park. Fall onto your keester while climbing over a log or rock outcropping and you'll be thankful you have appropriate padding for your expensive camera gear.

Yes, I said keester.

You might consider the Think Tank Glass Taxi. You can configure it inside, any way you want. It's deep enough for a pro camera or a gripped non-pro camera. But that is not what makes this bag stand out.

If you need more room, it has an outside rail that you can attach another Think Tank pouch. The bonus about this pack is that it comes with both a monopod holder and a tripod holder on each side. I often put a tripod on one side and then my Walkstool on the other. It is a narrow pack, so even with both sides full with a Walkstool & tripod, it not too bulky.

P.S. If you don't know what a Walkstool is, it is the BEST portable stool I've ever seen. Worth every penny. Especially nice when you are doing landscape photography and just waiting around for the light to change. http://www.walkstool.c​om/

cigarviper wrote in post #10726334
I suppose everyone has their own version of hiking. Groomed trails is not hiking, it's walking in the park. Fall onto your keester while climbing over a log or rock outcropping and you'll be thankful you have appropriate padding for your expensive camera gear.

Yes, I said keester.

While that may be true to some extent, the fact of the matter is that the majority of packs out there that are built for outdoor photography have horrible suspension systems. They are boxes with straps. For the type of photography that shoot, I need my packs to be efficient, effective and carry well. My next job is down in Patagonia next month, I can promise you that I won't be taking just any pack.

colbyb25 wrote in post #10726392
While that may be true to some extent, the fact of the matter is that the majority of packs out there that are built for outdoor photography have horrible suspension systems. They are boxes with straps. For the type of photography that shoot, I need my packs to be efficient, effective and carry well. My next job is down in Patagonia next month, I can promise you that I won't be taking just any pack.

Thanks but I was replying to another post regarding hiking not being very jarring to your equipment (edited). The F-Stop does look like a great bag. Pricey, but all the good stuff is.

cigarviper wrote in post #10726464
Thanks but I was replying to another post regarding hiking not being very jarring to your equipment (edited). The F-Stop does look like a great bag. Pricey, but all the good stuff is.

Oh I know. I was just trying to say that there is always a trade off.

Boxy/bulky = Ton of Protection (Usually)
Light = Not as protected (Usually)

I personally feel that the majority of outdoor photo packs out there go all in on the "protection" aspect, but forget about being lightweight, streamlined, efficient and comfortable. For me, F-Stop fits the bill. Not directing this at you by any means, but I always find it amusing that someone will spend $2000-$3000 on a camera and $700 - $3000 on a lens and then turn around and buy a cheap lens filter or try to find the cheapest bag to put their expensive gear in. I fully accept that a high price tag does not always equal high quality in this industry, but more times then not it is worth saving a little extra and getting a solid filter on front of your $1500 lens or a solid pack to hold all your gear. Just my 2 cents....

Ok, thanks everyone. I'll check out all your suggestions. No doubt one of these is going to work for me.

colbyb25 wrote in post #10726626
Oh I know. I was just trying to say that there is always a trade off.

Boxy/bulky = Ton of Protection (Usually)
Light = Not as protected (Usually)

I personally feel that the majority of outdoor photo packs out there go all in on the "protection" aspect, but forget about being lightweight, streamlined, efficient and comfortable. For me, F-Stop fits the bill. Not directing this at you by any means, but I always find it amusing that someone will spend $2000-$3000 on a camera and $700 - $3000 on a lens and then turn around and buy a cheap lens filter or try to find the cheapest bag to put their expensive gear in. I fully accept that a high price tag does not always equal high quality in this industry, but more times then not it is worth saving a little extra and getting a solid filter on front of your $1500 lens or a solid pack to hold all your gear. Just my 2 cents....

Wholeheartedly agree, Colbyb25.

Why is no one suggesting Kata 3N1-33? Is it not comfortable for long usage? I am planning to get one myself.

I've posted before that in my opinion, bags range between shooter bags and steamer trunks.

So--how much protection do you need? It's about risk management and comfort.

I've just purchased a ThinkTank Streetwalker. Extremely comfortable. Works best for me if my camera is hanging from its strap, and rest of my stuff is put away.
I had a LowePro backpack that's heavy all by itself. Need a helper to wear the backpack and carry my gear! I have a like-new sling pack that I don't use.

But my choices are different from others; bags and packs are such a personal thing.

DaveL

Colbyb25 I 've seen the same comments about baby pack! Swear I'm going to go looking for a Baby Sherpa and see how that would work with an insert!

(You commented how bad a pack most photo packs are. The suspensions are terrible, and they don't carry weight very well.) Based on my experience with bags/packs you're exactly right!

Best

colbyb25 wrote in post #10726302
Another option is F-Stop Gear's new Loka pack. The ability to switch out different ICU sizes gives you a ton of customizable options when heading out into the woods. Plus all F-Stop packs have full suspension systems.

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http://fstopgear.com/e​n/loka

As it has been stated it all depends on what you consider 'hiking'. I personally have not found a backpack that is suitable for anything more then a couple hour jaunt away from a car. The Thinktank rotation looks neat function wise, but goes back to the crumby suspension system, not any good 'outdoor fabric' etc.. my opinion.

Best bag would be if you took something like a deuter or north face bag, crossed it with a photo bag and out would pop out a new awesome photo hiking bag... That would be awesome

I haven't seem much about the F-stop that colby posted but it looks nice, side compression straps seem a bit short but hard to tell. Even has a compression strap across the back which is good since there is a zipper, if the zipper fails then there is still a compression strap to help hold it a little so all the contents do not fall out, even though it seems a bit high. The loka is 37 L which is ok for a day trip unless your taking lots of camera gear which would make you rather tight on space for the outdoor gear. Wonder if they make any larger packs or how they actually stand up to good abuse....

rameshiyer wrote in post #10730840
Why is no one suggesting Kata 3N1-33? Is it not comfortable for long usage? I am planning to get one myself.

Straps on mine are not comfortable, they quite stretchy so with a heavy load the back pack bounces a lot, I'd go for the new Bumblebee model,seem better as it's a dedicated back pack design and shape.

Vladimer wrote in post #10731665
Best bag would be if you took something like a deuter or north face bag, crossed it with a photo bag and out would pop out a new awesome photo hiking bag... That would be awesome

I haven't seem much about the F-stop that colby posted but it looks nice, side compression straps seem a bit short but hard to tell. Even has a compression strap across the back which is good since there is a zipper, if the zipper fails then there is still a compression strap to help hold it a little so all the contents do not fall out, even though it seems a bit high. The loka is 37 L which is ok for a day trip unless your taking lots of camera gear which would make you rather tight on space for the outdoor gear. Wonder if they make any larger packs or how they actually stand up to good abuse....

In my opinion the F-Stop bags are about as close to true hiking/travel backpacks as you can get. To answer your question, they do have two other adventure photography backpacks, a Tilopa at 50L and a Satori at 58L. As I mentioned before, with the ability to exchange different ICUs of various sizes into all of their packs, they really do seem to offer the most customizable outdoor photography packs I have been able to find.

Over the years I accumulated a ton of bags that all typically did one or two things decently, but never anything that was that utopian bag that worked for almost all of my work. F-Stop is as close as I have found, however bags are subjective. Try them out and get a feel for yourself. Maybe you will be pleasantly surprised, I know I was when I first came across them a few years back.

There are a lot better options out there then just Lowepro or Thinktank. Don't settle for a pack just cause it has a lower price or is from one of "THE" brands. It is amazing to read through threads here on POTN about photography bags where most people are incredibly disappointed with their packs, and yet they continue to purchase different models from the same manufacturer. As everyone here can probably agree, packs are subjective. I would love to see more people branch out away from the "norm", especially when the "norm" isn't typically positive.

colbyb25 wrote in post #10744060
In my opinion the F-Stop bags are about as close to true hiking/travel backpacks as you can get. To answer your question, they do have two other adventure photography backpacks, a Tilopa at 50L and a Satori at 58L. As I mentioned before, with the ability to exchange different ICUs of various sizes into all of their packs, they really do seem to offer the most customizable outdoor photography packs I have been able to find.

Over the years I accumulated a ton of bags that all typically did one or two things decently, but never anything that was that utopian bag that worked for almost all of my work. F-Stop is as close as I have found, however bags are subjective. Try them out and get a feel for yourself. Maybe you will be pleasantly surprised, I know I was when I first came across them a few years back.

There are a lot better options out there then just Lowepro or Thinktank. Don't settle for a pack just cause it has a lower price or is from one of "THE" brands. It is amazing to read through threads here on POTN about photography bags where most people are incredibly disappointed with their packs, and yet they continue to purchase different models from the same manufacturer. As everyone here can probably agree, packs are subjective. I would love to see more people branch out away from the "norm", especially when the "norm" isn't typically positive.

That might be your opinion, but considering that the OP only needs to carry a body and two lenses, and maybe his tripod, the F-Stop bags seem to be overkill for his needs. There are some "camera" backpacks with decent suspension systems out there that are more geared towards the OP's minimalist needs that will function just fine. That being said, every pack has its design compromises, even the F-Stop bags...

argyle wrote in post #10744206
That might be your opinion, but considering that the OP only needs to carry a body and two lenses, and maybe his tripod, the F-Stop bags seem to be overkill for his needs. There are some "camera" backpacks with decent suspension systems out there that are more geared towards the OP's minimalist needs that will function just fine. That being said, every pack has its design compromises, even the F-Stop bags...

I agree. Not every piece of equipment suits everyones needs, but like I said a few posts before, I personally don't understand people spending thousands of dollars of photography lenses and camera and then going the cheaper route with accessories and packs. It just doesn't make sense to me. Given that I am a full time working pro, I understand that I have the disposable income to afford the higher end things when I need them, but my point was that I think it is better to save up a litte more and get something that actually works for your needs, rather then just what you can afford at this specific moment in time.

The irony is that over the years when I was first getting into the business, I didn't spend the extra cash to get the upper level equipment cause I felt I could get by with less. But what happened is that I ended up buying 4 different "more affordable packs" that cost a lot more then just one higher end one that may of suited my needs at the time.

Same principle goes for Cameras. I could use another 5D Mark II right now, but what I need is a 1Ds Mark IV when it comes out. Why not save some extra money for what will actually work for me?

I am not trying to push any specific type of camera, lens of photography gear on anyone...however I just want to pass along my experience over the years. I see too many people with buyers remorse in this industry because they went with something that worked for today, but not next week.

"How do you carry your photography gear" is probably the 2nd most asked question I get asked at any of the workshops or expeditions I lead. People ask because they want to know what works and what doesn't. I am 6'2, 210lbs and athletic which automatically rules out just about every lowepro, thinktank and tamrac bag. Toasters with straps aren't my idea of a good outdoor pack.