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Archive 2014 · Impressions about Gura Gear Uinta vs. F-stop bags

  
 
TMaG82
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Impressions about Gura Gear Uinta vs. F-stop bags


I'll try and post some pictures later on but for now I thought I would just post my initial thoughts on the Gura Gear Uinta bag. I had the f-stop gear Loka and Guru and after much consideration decided to sell those bags and get the Uinta for my 1 week trip to San Diego with my wife and daughter and my new D810 and lenses.

Gear Tested
-Gura Gear Uinta
- Medium Pro Module
- Small Pro Module
- THS attachment (tripod/hydration attachment)

The Good

At first glance the bag appears to be well made. Zippers are solid, the straps are very comfortable. It lacks a metal frame that the f-stop have which is a positive and a negative at the same time. I really like how the chest straps is adjustable higher and lower on the sternum as opposed to the f-stop bags which have limited range of motion. The ability to access gear from the front and the rear is one advantage to this bag as opposed to the rear access only of the f-stops. The front zippered pocket expands a lot, making it easy to store a lot of extra gear inside. For the first part of the trip getting on the airplane, I stored all of my gear in the medium pro module (D810 w/24-120 attached, 70-200 f/4 stored on the side, 50 1.8 in one of the dividers, and various cables, chargers, accessories along the side. I removed all of the dividers in the small pro module and carried additional carry on items for my daughter (diapers, books, toys, etc). Overall the bag isn't too large, but it's not a small pack when fully loaded. Fully loaded it ended up weighing roughly 19 lbs. Inserting either of the two modules will expand the bag to it's full depth, which my wife commented that it looked rather large.

The Bad

Overall build quality is a step down from the f-stop bags. Zippers seems more sturdy on the f-stop bags, and the straps on the sides on the Gura Gear are fixed, unlike the f-stops which buckle open and close. I noticed the material on the front became quickly dirty on the Uinta as well. Other reviews commented how the modules were difficult to insert and remove from the pack which I noticed, as well as how they don't keep their shape as well as the f-stop ICUs do, which I also noticed. The dividers are definitely a step down from the f-stop ICUs.

I tried to keep the lower small Pro module inserted since it kept my D810 with 24-120 in perfectly and used the pack to walk around San Diego with. What I tried to do was to place my camera inside the bag through the top opening instead of inserting it into the module each time. Over time the weight pressed down on the module so it misshaped the module down. I don't consider this a design flaw but I did want to point it out if you want to remove the medium pro module (since it can hold a body with lens attached and about 4-6 lenses which I would never walk around with) and try to use the pack quickly. The padded laptop sleeve is also a plus and a minus. You can fit up to a 17" laptop inside which is good, but it'll add extra weight to the pack and is only accessible from the front. I ended up keeping magazines and two iPad mini's in there.

The Ugly
The THS system is terrible in my opinion. I purchased a new water bladder specifically for this trip since the one that I normally use (a 3L) won't fit inside the optional $50 attachment. So I ended up buying a 2L bladder. The problem with this is that the hydration attachment is on the outside of the bag attached by 4 attachment points. When attached it disables quick access to the front zippered pocket and the weight of the bladder pulls weight down and causes the bag to quickly lose its shape. There are no attachment points as well to keep the tubing attached to the shoulder strap so the tubing will just flail around. This is where the f-stop bags have a big step up. Not only do they have a dedicated hydration area, but they have an exhaust opening from inside the bag and have a strap to secure the tubing to the shoulder strap. Using the THS system to carry my MeFoto GlobeTrotter tripod was a little better but as noted in many reviews the tripod tends to sway back and forth too much, so I ended up keeping the tripod on the bottom of my stroller.

After one week of using the back, the center hip buckle failed. It wouldn't clip securely. It wasn't until I noticed that one of the clips bent slightly that I had to bend it back to clip shut. Even now it's not as secure and sturdy as it was when I got it. I can understand a bag wearing down over years or months of use, but to wear down after 5 days is disappointing. The outside of the bag seems to show noticeable marks and abrasions that my f-stop didn't. They still looked new after much use, the Uinta after a week of use looks to be in 8 condition, at best.

Overall

I think that the pack has a lot going for it. Overall it fit me better than the f-stop bags did. I'm one of the few that the f-stop bags didn't fell 100% comfortable on, maybe it's my height, my torso length, etc, but they didn't feel 100% comfortable for me. I went in with very high expectations of the Uinta and perhaps it's because I wanted so much from it, it feels like a let down. It seems like the bag tries too much to be a all-in-one solution and ultimately fails for me. The oversight in the lack of buckles on the side straps is forgivable. The modules not holding their shape, especially when my camera rested on the roof of the small module is another since it wasn't advertised to be able to hold a FF camera up. Even the slightly cheap dividers can be as well. But when you're charging upwards of $400 for the bag with modules and THS attachment which frankly I wouldn't pay $5 for, let alone $50, the bag just leaves me feeling like I might have made a mistake selling my f-stop bags for the Uinta. I don't intend to go on any longer excursions for a while so the bag will go in my closet for a while, but I don't anticipate my feelings towards the bag improving. Which is disappointing since I was going to give the Chobe a go as a day shoulder pack, which I still might but I'll have to reconsider.



Sep 14, 2014 at 04:36 PM
Etherton
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Impressions about Gura Gear Uinta vs. F-stop bags


Thanks for posting! I was about to purchase this bag but will keep looking based on your comments.


Sep 25, 2014 at 01:16 PM
sjms
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Impressions about Gura Gear Uinta vs. F-stop bags


it should be interesting now that Gura Gear purchased Tamrac
http://www.direporter.com/article/gura-gear-s-buy-out-tamrac-is-approved-bankruptcy-court/1



Sep 25, 2014 at 02:14 PM
mak65
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Impressions about Gura Gear Uinta vs. F-stop bags


Thanks for the review. I wasn't looking for a new backpack as I have the f-stop Loka. Your review makes me appreciate my Loka more.


Sep 25, 2014 at 08:19 PM
BJNY
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Impressions about Gura Gear Uinta vs. F-stop bags


New module sizes are available for the Uinta:

http://www.guragear.com/photo-modules/



Oct 31, 2014 at 12:13 AM
Michael White
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Impressions about Gura Gear Uinta vs. F-stop bags


Iirc Ogden made is the same makers as the guru gear. I helped them out last winter with the jumpstart project foe Ogden made. I receive every bag in the group that was offered under the agreement.

When it came fulfillment time they went above what was offered I received a 17" bag and sleeve for my 17" hp instead of the several 15" options listed by asking.

Then the one complaint I had about the message R bag was it was missing a handle to carry like a brief case. I suggested it to be added or at least looked into for the next revision of the bag. I was told to send the bag back for them to add one to mine. I turned it gown as my bag is in use most days.

Great company to deal with. I saw these new bags but I'm trying to unload my backpacks now for sale here. A TT rotation 360 and a Lowepro road runner rolling backpack. I use the bags I got in conjunction with my pelican hard cases and TT modular, holster and lc3 messenger bags as needed. Or with my laptops and one pelican case.



Oct 31, 2014 at 02:14 AM
TMaG82
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Impressions about Gura Gear Uinta vs. F-stop bags


BJNY wrote:
New module sizes are available for the Uinta:

http://www.guragear.com/photo-modules/


Looks good, the compact modules are intriguing because maybe with those the bag won't look so large and buldged out and can have the modules in place with the bag not as expanded.

I was also interested in getting a messenger bag and ordered the Chobe only to have the wife veto it and have me looking into a TT Retrospective. She said the size of the Chobe looked comical and made me look like an insurance salesman carrying his briefcase around.



Oct 31, 2014 at 02:43 PM
Michael White
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Impressions about Gura Gear Uinta vs. F-stop bags


I havethettretropective lens changer 3(LC3). Nice well made bag. I have the messenger bag from Ogden made also that I use for carring my win 8 17" laptop


Oct 31, 2014 at 04:50 PM
Michael White
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Impressions about Gura Gear Uinta vs. F-stop bags


I havethettretropective lens changer 3(LC3). Nice well made bag. I have the messenger bag from Ogden made also that I use for carring my win 8 17" laptop


Oct 31, 2014 at 04:50 PM





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