"Will All My Gear Fit In That Bag?"

Tips on purchasing a Camera Backpack, and a User Review of 3 Backpacks:

• The Tamrac Expedition 5

• LowePro Orion Trekker

• LowePro Micro Trekker 200

If you are considering a backpack style camera bag, you've likely looked at the many different options available for storage and transport of your gear. Due to its comfortable design, portablility, high degree of protection and organization, and the ease of access to your gear, you've decided the camera backpack is the appropriate storage medium for you. I recently went through the time consuming mental calasthenics of assessing several camera backpacks online for my own gear collection as it had outgrown my old Lowepro Orion Trekker bag. It was truly a "mental" exercise because the entire time, I was trying to imagine all my gear fitting into each model that I viewed on the internet. Pass the Motrin!  I counted velcro dividers, evaluated dimensions and weight, and noted design strengths and features ad nauseum.  Pictures and descriptions can be misleading (not neccesarily intentionally) and I wanted to make the correct purchase on the first attempt due to the shipping costs and online return policies. What I finally realized is that no single camera bag will meet all your needs all the time.

Before purchasing online, I visited my local retailers. Unfortunately, the selection was quite limited, but this exercise was not a waste of time at all as I was able to examine a few smaller backpacks of different make, model and layout. This helped me to determine that I was not interested in a larger version of the Orion Trekker pack that I already own. (These models incorporate a "smallish" regular backpack on top for storage of anything from groceries, extra clothing or more gear, while the bottom section unzips horizontally and stores a body, a few lenses and accessories in the base of the pack.) Furthermore, by examining these smaller packs, this field trip helped me determine the dimensions of packs that were definitely too small for my needs and helped me narrow my focus. I'd highly recommend you search locally prior to ordering online if only for this purpose. Hey, you might even find what you need at a reasonable price.

If you are in the market for a new gear bag/backpack, chances are it is because you have outgrown your present bag. As a result, your primary thought process right now is likely "bigger is good, and bigger still, is better!" If you plan on storing all your gear at home in the backpack, or simply use it to travel by air from point A to point B, then bigger is probably better...to a point. In fact, for air travel, get one of those backpacks that has wheels in the base and a pull up handle - just make sure that it is small and light enough to ride with you. Airline carry-on restrictions vary by carrier and seem to be getting more restrictive, so what is acceptable on one trip may not be on the next! You DON'T want to check baggage with your precious camera gear in it. (Make sure you have a long, tearful goodbye with the bag if you do check it as the odds are high enough that you might not ever see it again, at least chock full of lenses and bodies. I'm not saying that your local airport is infested with thieves, but there is enough theft reported to be acknowledged as a concern.)

Getting back to "smaller is actually better", try to realize that photography, like life itself, is sometimes a compromise. Also realize that these newer backpacks have very efficient layouts and can hold a lot of gear for their size. On daytrips where you would like to cover a lot of ground, you will prefer a camera backpack that is lightweight, easy to access and carries your camera and 2 - 4 lenses only. My Orion Trekker is great for walkabouts in that regard, or if you have a basic camera set up that includes a body, 2-3 lenses and accessories. Try to anticipate your shooting needs and pack accordingly. Finally, and most importantly, remember, size equals weight - not only the gear; I'm also referring to the actual heft of the bag. Some weigh in at 6-8 lbs empty!

Imagine you're on a trip: It's 30 degrees Celcius (that's 86 degrees Farenheit in the U.S., but it feels about the same : ). You and your new backpack, fully loaded (the pack, not you!) are wandering about checking out the sights. Would you like to carry 10 lbs. on your back all day, or 30 lbs.?  You'd be amazed how heavy 30 lbs. is at the end of the day.

There is an excellent user review of a large camera backpack that drives this point home (and several other reviews as well) at camerahobby.com. Click on "Photography", then "Photographic Accessories", then "Lowepro Pro Trekker Backpack".

Tamrac Expedition 5 Backpack

I decided to order a Tamrac Expedition 5 Backpack. When it arrived, my first impression (besides the excellent quality, durable build, layout and materials) was the size. It was so small. Had I made a mistake? I  am shooting with a Minolta 7D equipped with a VC-7D vertical grip, and ideally would like to carry my Sigma 14mm f2.8 EX, 20mm f1.8 EX DG, Maxxum 24mm f2.8, 28mm f2.8, 50mm f1.4, 135mm f2.8, 28-135mm f4-4.5, 100-300mm APO f4.5-5.6, Tamron SP 90mm f2.8 Macro and MC-7 Teleconverter, as well as a Minolta 3600(D) Flash and monopod. Surprisingly, it all fits. There's still room in the inside window pouches and external pockets for filters, batteries, memory cards etc., and a front compartment in the lid for a light jacket. The pack is comfortable to carry as far as padding and ergonomics go, but I can see the potential for fatigue if I carried it with all this gear inside, all day long. I certainly wouldn't want a bigger pack, and I can see some redundancy in my lens collection that could result in a weight reduction. Admittedly, I would have to rethink my lens arsenal if I were at some point to purchase a second body, one of the bigger telephoto zooms or lenses, or additional accessories. But I don't think it would be too great a compromise and I certainly wouldn't get a bigger bag as the solution.

Before the pack arrived, I ordered a couple of the M.A.S. accessory pouchs online that attach to the outside of the pack. I should be able to carry/store my battery charger, an image tank and more without difficulty using this pack. External lens cases (if necessary) are another option down the road. Once at my travel destination, the bag can be lightened of non-essential items and I have the option of using the Orion Trekker if I want to pack really light for daytrips. 

LowePro Orion Trekker

As I mentioned earlier, the Orion will carry a camera body and lenses/accessories in the base. By utilizing the top compartment, I am able to carry a couple of extra lenses or flash and accessories with a small camera bag inside this compartment. The Orion also has both an internal and external zippered pouch that will carry a few filters or spare batteries. The Lowepro Orion is smaller and the build, padding and design is durable but not as high end as the Tamrac Expedition. This results in considerable weight reduction as the pack only weighs in at a couple pounds when empty compared to 5 lbs for the Expedition. It is still a very well made pack and had served me well until I bought too much gear.

Lowepro Micro Trekker 200

My latest purchase is the Micro Trekker 200. So much for getting it right "on the first attempt"!

On a recent vacation to the Mayan Riviera flying a charter airline, I was significantly overweight with my carry on bag (The Expedition 5). This airline only allowed 20 kg (44 lbs.) of luggage per person, plus 5 kg (11 lbs.) of carry on. My Expedition 5 was too heavy to accompany me on board, so I ended up prioritizing my carry on with lenses and camera, while the bag, a couple lenses and accessories were checked and stowed. Stress!!!!

The Micro Trekker 200 is a mini backpack that appears to offer a nice compromise to the storage capabilites of the Expedition 5. It is much smaller and lighter and will carry my camera, telephoto, 2-3 more lenses and several accessories. If I am limited to 11 lbs, I should be able to carry enough gear to get by with in this bag, plus as a backpack it offers easy gear access and comfortable daytrip use. It is well built, with moderate padding, a great layout, and is easy to carry. I would highly recommend this bag if you have a more extended gear collection! The more I travel around hot and humid tropical destinations, the more I find myself economizing my camera load and this bag seems to accomodate this goal, but with lots of versatility and flexibility to my shooting needs.

Finally, as far as manufacturer choices go, there are several that make quality backpacks besides Tamrac and Lowepro. Like the size and style of the pack, your choice of manufacturer would depend on your personal needs and inclinations, and of course, pricing. When you consider the cost of equipment, I'd recommend buying a good quality, name brand backpack. Their products offer selection, excellent design, materials, comfort, utility and protective qualities for your gear. They are a little more expensive than the cheaper generic versions, but worth it in the long run in my opinion. I'm really pleased with all three of mine. 

User Update: Feb 7, 2007

The Expedition 5 is freaking heavy with all my gear in it, and I'm a big guy in really good physical condition. I picked up a Minolta 300mm f/4 telephoto recently, and it will fit in the center section of the backpack or the Micro Trekker 200, but something's gotta give. I'll likely be changing my lens line up before my next trip. I've travelled by air several times with the Expedition 5 loaded, and while manageable, I'll grab a cart at the airport and get it off my back at my earliest convenience. A recent experience as I mentioned earlier found me overweight for carry-on while using it.

Those roller wheeled bags are pretty appealing right about now but may not be carry-on compatible, at least with an 11 lb carry-on limit. When allowed on board, the Expedition 5 backpack will fit nicely under the seat in front of me, and sometimes I can get it into the overhead compartment. I've come to the conclusion that on a "big" trip, if I can get it on board, I'll use it to carry all my gear to my destination, but it will either sit in the hotel or car trunk (if it's not too hot outside) while I use my Micro Trekker 200 for daytrips. The Orion Trekker is feeling redundant at this point due to my latest acquisitions. And if I could emphasize one lesson well learned regarding air travel, make sure you are aware of the baggage size and weight restrictions of the airline you are flying with as each has its own (sometimes very restrictive) set of rules for carry on luggage.

To summarize, if you are buying a camera backpack, you need to consider several issues, including how much gear you own, how much you need on location, how much you reasonably should transport with you, how much you will be allowed to transport and how much you can physically carry....

My conclusion is that you will likely need at least a couple of backpacks/camera bags to cover all your camera needs. Determine your priorities and start with a backpack that appears to meet them. After you've had some experience with it, you'll determine it's shortcomings and with that knowledge you can find a second (or third!) bag to cover those additional needs. 

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