Thoughts on Kata Bags

Today I went to a bag shop and for photography bags they had a very very large selection of Kata Bags ranged in price from below $100 to over $400. There were a couple in the $150-$200 range that I liked, but am wondering if anyone has personal experience with this brand.

I don't want to order a bag online as I'd rather bring my gear & laptop with me to test it out with the bag before purchasing so if this brand is good, I"ll probably get one. If not, I'll go look at some other stores until I find an acceptable brand.

I have three requirements - I must be able to put my 12" laptop in the bag, bring it as carry-on when flying, and it must NOT look like a camera bag.

Your thoughts are appreciated.

The Kata range are great bags, the small bumblebee 210-DL is a standout. I feel the other older styles are too technical and advertise that you are carrying camera equipment.

http://www.kata-bags.com …?Version=photo&​p_Id=19777

Built and quality wise, you can't beat Kata brand. Kata specializes in body armor for the Israeli special forces, and its influence can be seen in many of their photography bags. I own 6 Kata bags for different uses, from light to heavy, for event shooting to hiking to whatnot.

Since you have many models to choose from in person at the store, just go ahead with the one that'd suit your needs the best. FYI, I use the R-103 backpack for air travel with my gear and a laptop. It's an older model, so I don't know whether it'd suit your "non-photography bag" look or not.... Their later models tend to blend in better with regular looking bags.

kata bags are great. i currently own the dt-213 and the dr-467i. feature-packed, durable, comfortable, AND good looking as well.

the only other brand i own is think tank. cannot go wrong with these two manufacturers.

Thanks for the answers everyone. Will definitely be heading back there shortly after Christmas.

A DR-466 should be enough for your laptop. Are you planning on bringing all the gear listed in your signature?

generator_g1 wrote in post #11443829
A DR-466 should be enough for your laptop. Are you planning on bringing all the gear listed in your signature?

Yes - especially when travelling overseas.

Createsean wrote in post #11445770
Yes - especially when travelling overseas.

i have the lower compartment of the dr467i filled with the 7d, 18-50 and 50-200 sigmas, the fisheye, the nifty50, the tak 135, a flash the size between the 430 and 580 and the raincover that comes with the bag. before the 7d it was the 550d with grip and the same accessoires. fits nicely, and there is lots of space in the top compartment. the bag proved well on a recent skitrip, has a laptop compartment and is comfortable to wear

I own a kata r103... and it is a TANK. super sturdy and you wont think twice about literally tossing it into the trunk of your car or backseat.

the r103 is a backpack style that can carry a camera body +3/4 lenses and some minor extras. It's a great day-bag but lacks versatility in carrying other necessities like food or other non-camera accessories. I use it like a mobile armory for all of my gear if i know i won't be moving around too much.

Daedalus34r wrote in post #11451184
I own a kata r103... and it is a TANK. super sturdy and you wont think twice about literally tossing it into the trunk of your car or backseat.

the r103 is a backpack style that can carry a camera body +3/4 lenses and some minor extras. It's a great day-bag but lacks versatility in carrying other necessities like food or other non-camera accessories. I use it like a mobile armory for all of my gear if i know i won't be moving around too much.

I have the same bag and wish that it offered just a little more non camera space. I'd love a small side mesh pocket for a water bottle or a little room for a small jacket.

Daedalus34r wrote in post #11451184
I own a kata r103... and it is a TANK. super sturdy and you wont think twice about literally tossing it into the trunk of your car or backseat.

the r103 is a backpack style that can carry a camera body +3/4 lenses and some minor extras. It's a great day-bag but lacks versatility in carrying other necessities like food or other non-camera accessories. I use it like a mobile armory for all of my gear if i know i won't be moving around too much.

+1 for the r103. I caught my young nephew, who weighted about 30+lbs. at the time, standing on my bag on several occasions. Mind you, I had 5000+ dollars of equipment inside at the time. Damn near gave me a heart attack, but he barely put a dent in the thing. Tough as nails, worth every penny.

ender78 wrote in post #11453021
I have the same bag and wish that it offered just a little more non camera space. I'd love a small side mesh pocket for a water bottle or a little room for a small jacket.

One of the great things about Kata -- apart from built quality -- is that their main featured bags are "modular," i.e., they're designed to work together in combo, what they call "EPH (ergonomic photo) system." Their R-103 Backpack, for instance, works together with Torso Pack T-212 and Waist Pack W-94 (I have all three). For your need, you could use the waist pack but, of course, that'd mean more money out of your bank account....

another nice thing about the r103 is that it came with a free camera strap that has hooks to mount on the bags shoulder straps, to get the weight off of your neck. Pretty neat if you want to have the camera out of the bag but not have to hold onto it for an extended period of time. Plus the neck strap is REALLY comfortable compared to the stock canon red straps

SYS wrote in post #11455888
One of the great things about Kata -- apart from built quality -- is that their main featured bags are "modular," i.e., they're designed to work together in combo, what they call "EPH (ergonomic photo) system." Their R-103 Backpack, for instance, works together with Torso Pack T-212 and Waist Pack W-94 (I have all three). For your need, you could use the waist pack but, of course, that'd mean more money out of your bank account....

+1

I'm sold as soon as I get a chance to go back to that store, I'll be picking up a bag.