The problem with most (not all) camera backpacks is that they are no more than a padded box that you strap onto your back. Most will carry a lot of gear, but there usually isn't room for any of the necessities such as tool kit, food/snacks, clothing layer, first aid kit, etc. With few exceptions, the harness systems are usually below par, the packs themselves are pretty heavy, and there isn't a second compartment to separate your camera gear from the aforementioned necessities. I've been using a Lowepro Rover AW II and the Dryzone Rover for several years and have been very pleased with them both...two separate compartments for gear and necessities, protection from the elements, excellent tripod carrier, etc. What I felt was missing from each was an internal frame...this would have made the Rover an ideal bag. Still, I'd choose it over many other packs in its price range.
Thought I'd try something different by converting a "real" backpack to a "camera" backpack. The trick was finding a pack that had multiple entry points. The vast majority of hiking packs are top-entry only. This isn't conducive to hiking/photography since most people would load their camera gear towards the bottom, with other things on top. This means rummaging through the pack to get to your gear, and vice versa if the camera gear was towards the top. Since I was only interested in pack for day hikes, I shopped around for a pack in the 30L to 35L range that had two separate entry points, preferably top and bottom. I came across a Deuter 32L Trail Pack at the local REI that had the multiple entry points I needed and decided to give it a try. Deuter makes excellent packs, and the Trail Pack has the typical features that you'd expect: padded/breathable rear, internal frame, excellent harness system, water bladder capable, external pockets, integral rain cover, and light weight. The next step was figuring out how to stow camera gear. Luckily, F-Stop just came out with their new camera inserts (small and medium). Looking at the Deuter pack specs (about 11.5" wide by almost 24" tall, I selected the F-Stop medium insert, which is basically 11" wide, 11" tall, and about 7" deep. This fits perfectly in the pack, and leaves about 11 or 12 inches of space above the insert for stowing necessities.
The F-Stop insert is large enough for quite a selection of bodies/lenses. Fully customizable, and the insert also has velcro straps that can secure the foam pieces tightly against the camera body or lenses to prevent shifting. The lid/cover of the insert is also padded, which will act as an additional layer of protection. The largest lens that I can stow vertically is the 24-70L; the 24-105L and 17-40L fit vertically with room to spare. The insert is also tapered, being wider at the bottom than at the top. Longer lenses, such as the 70-200's, will need to be stored lengthwise. Still, there's plenty of room.
Getting the insert into the pack wasn't difficult...squeeze it, fit it in, that's about it. I could probably add some velcro between the sides of the insert and the sides of the pack, but its tight enough where anything stored above won't be able to fall down along the sides of the insert.
The last thing to figure out was the tripod mounting method. There's a long zippered pocket down one side of the pack, the opposite side has a mesh pocket. Either could have been used to hold the tripod feet, but I prefer the tripod down the center for better balance. I had a local seamstress sew a canon L lens pouch onto the flap that forms the bottom entry point to the pack. This allows me to flip the pouch out when I need to carry the tripod and acts to hold the tripod legs; the pouch can be tightened using the drawstrings. When I don't need it, I simply flip it back into the pack and close the zipper. The bungees on the front of the pack act to hold the tripod in place, and a separate lashing strap that I thread through the drinking tube loop on the back of the pack secures the tripod head to the pack for more stability (not shown).
Fit-wise, the pack is excellent. Good balance, can easily carry what I need for extended day hikes, and the two entry points makes life a lot easier on the trails. My only gripe about the pack is the zippered pocket...I'd have preferred a second mesh pocket for an additional water bottle since I'm not a fan of water bladders. Either way, its a small compromise. Looking forward to taking it on my first outing beyond the back yard.
