drewmey Offline Upload & Sell: Off
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Frogfish wrote:
Some random comments on points made in the above :
3. The F-Stop bag access is nothing special at all. You have to deposit your pack on the ground, on it's back (or some will say front - depending on your viewpoint) and unzip it to access the ICU - and then open that. Many hiking backpacks give equivalent or superior access. If I was looking at a day bag that overcame those obstacles then the Mindshift Rotation that TM mentions above would seem to be the perfect bag for many, though I have never got my hands on one in person so can't really comment on that bag (and don't even know what they cost - not cheap I'd wager).
5. As for quality and getting what you paid for .... if you pick up one of the top of the line packs from companies such as Osprey, Gregory, Acrteryx, Lowe-Alpine, Deuter, Boreas etc. etc. then you'll know it's quality from the get-go. To say nothing of value for money since they are, pack for pack, substantially cheaper than F-stops. Boreas even offer a life-time guarantee against defects or failure, as do Osprey and probably the others too since it's such a competitive industry.
7. ICUs that grip the sides of the bag : unless you are carrying an empty bag, or plan to hang your bag upside down over a cliff, then any traditional hiking pack will provide just as much stability when packed. There is simply no space to flop around inside the bag. My $10 Chinese ICUs come in a variety of sizes, sport splash-proof covers and strong carrying handles so easy to remove from the bag, switch from bag to bag or just carry them around in the ICU. The ICUs in the F-stops are possibly a little better built, zips stronger, but are functionally identical.
Drab Green would be the one for me too ...Show more →
For me the access is special. Setting the bag on the front is exactly what you want. Keeps the dirt and water off my back when I put it back on. Also allows me to access only my gear vs only clothes etc at top opening. Plus you really only need to open one pocket. The ICU can be left permanently open. If this is available in other bags then I totally agree that it isn't revolutionary. I thought the mind shift looked very gimmicky. What happens when you need another lens? Your Lee Filter/Holder/Adapter? Your tripod? In my opinion if you are hiking...you are taking landscapes, nature macros, nature animals etc. General good photography practice would be to set you gear down, set up a tripod and really think about and compose your shot.
I think I agree on the ICU's a little. But not in that it's not going to move. I often don't fill my bag all the way. And when I do, sometimes I take a sweatshirt out to put it on etc. But I do agree that a cheap brand could work well. I could probably super glue on some velcro straps to achieve the same thing.
And that's exactly my point about drab green! It's the one I would get. I'm wondering if they purposefully chose that wording to attempt to make less people choose it because they have trouble stocking that color or something. Mind games
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