Sounds strange but I prefer a fanny pack. I hate to think about falling on a rig strapped to my back. Plus you have to take it on and off with lifts plus you can't get to it quickly when you might want to shoot. My pack will carry a large gripless body and I will occasionally take a 24-70. Still a smaller prime is the way to go. Lately have been taking D700 and 60 AFS macro.
Thanks. IMO, that's the highest compliment you can give to an old school skier.
You can barely see in the first picture, but there is a third carabiner that hooks the bottom of the bag to the waist belt of the back pack. It keeps it from bouncing (and from falling into your face when you are doing up the bindings). That's all that I have needed.
Probably not for everyone. But a great system for me.
Steezus wrote:
Bifurcator, what was your job at the resorts? I use to operate snowcats at Deer Valley for a while and one year doing the same thing at Alta. Best job I ever had.
I did a number of jobs: Lift operator, Parking lot guy , Snow blower, Certified ski/binding repair and adjustment, and Ski Patrol. Blowing and patrol were the most prestigious I guess. I drove the snow cat sometimes for the snow management stuff. It was kinda fun.
Deer Valley is a hoot! How long did you work there?
LDR99 wrote:
Thanks. IMO, that's the highest compliment you can give to an old school skier.
You can barely see in the first picture, but there is a third carabiner that hooks the bottom of the bag to the waist belt of the back pack. It keeps it from bouncing (and from falling into your face when you are doing up the bindings). That's all that I have needed.
Probably not for everyone. But a great system for me.
Lorin
Very cool, I am sold on this.. I just placed an order for the 65 toploader. I think it will fit 5D + 24-105 comfortablly. Hopefully i will be able to snag a 70-200 too!
The 5D with a 70-200 is just barely too big to fit into the TopLoader 65. Oh so close, but you can't quite close the top all the way. The 65 will fit the 5D with a 200 F2.8L and I'm confident it will hold your 24-105. You'll need the Top loader 70 for the 70-200.
By the way, the all weather covers on these bags are very handy when it is snowing. Easy to remove for a quick shot.
Bifurcator wrote:
Deer Valley is a hoot! How long did you work there?
Four years. I really regret not being into photography at the time. You see some of the most amazing sunsets and sunrises grooming the slopes when the mountain is closed. I probably would have killed myself with my own camera since when I do ski lately, I like to have my D700 hanging at my side down the mountain. That just wouldn't end well for my cranium during a fall.
The f-stop bags get good reviews from skiers. They are explicitly designed for skiing with camera equipment, but are probably a bit more geared towards backcountry/sidecountry.
The f-stop bags get good reviews from skiers. They are explicitly designed for skiing with camera equipment, but are probably a bit more geared towards backcountry/sidecountry.
Bifurcator wrote:
Not meant as a put-down but if someone is so lame that they still fall (even occasionally) then they should either go up and down on the lift/gondola or leave the camera down the hill
Nice response. Stupidity and machismo balance each other perfectly.
gfiksel,
Yeah, I hope on one took that wrong. I meant for example, that like, a complete beginner or even an advanced intermediate skier really, shouldn't be bringing expensive equipment up the hill and skiing with it. If you still fall at all and can't enjoy yourself skiing slowly then the chances of breaking your gear is high no matter the kind pack you have it in.
In Japan I only go skiing/boarding about 6 or 8 times a year. At my age I guess that's a lot, but it's been at least 10 years (more I think) since I last fell down on skis. And even at that, if I'm going to ski hard or intend to be catching a lot of air I don't bring a good/big camera with me - at all - I go put it in the car or leave it with a friend who's hanging at the lodge.
Bifurcator wrote:
Deer Valley is a hoot! How long did you work there?
Steezus wrote:
Four years. I really regret not being into photography at the time. You see some of the most amazing sunsets and sunrises grooming the slopes when the mountain is closed.
Oh man! Yeah, missed opportunity! Still, you have those experiences in your own private photo-album - so to speak.
I probably would have killed myself with my own camera since when I do ski lately, I like to have my D700 hanging at my side down the mountain. That just wouldn't end well for my cranium during a fall.
Solution 1: Don't fall.
Solution 2: Don't bring the camera.
Un-Solution: Thinking the kind or placement of a pack will save you.
HPRC, or F-Stop bags and cross country skiing is a different story. I was assuming this thread was about downhill.
I was assuming downhill as well, but just mentioned that these packs might be geared towards activities like: carrying skis while hiking or snowshoeing, space for shovel/probe etc.
Although falling isn't ideal while carrying gear, a semi-controlled fall wearing a well packed backpack is probably going to be safer than falling with your camera under your jacket. My opinion may be influenced by the fact that I can't help but crash sometimes...
As an aside, for usage of a dslr for while skiing/boarding you should look up some of Ian Provo's handheld 5DII POV videos on Vimeo (if I remember, Powder Mountain Perspective is impressive). It may influence you about the wisdom of taking gear with you, but probably not in the smart direction.
If you don't fall and eat shit from time to time, then you are skiing so extremely conservative that it would be boring for those that are actually good skiers. I know that the places that I want to take a camera to are definitely not places that would exempt anyone from falling. My 2 cents after 13 years of 100+ day seasons in the heart of the Wasatch. I can definitely see the need for safety in securing your heavy equipment into a padded bag that isn't going to whip up in your face because you refuse to ski like a 10-year-old girl all day
OK, you go ski like a maniac with $5k of breakables strapped to your ass. I'll ski like a school-girl while taking pictures and then go put the camera away when I want to actually ski.
No, no, no... You missed the point! You can ski with $5k of gear AND ski like you mean it if you use the proper gear to secure your equipment. At any rate, I will be doing both next week in Hokkaido and cannot wait!
Steezus wrote:
No, no, no... You missed the point! You can ski with $5k of gear AND ski like you mean it if you use the proper gear to secure your equipment. At any rate, I will be doing both next week in Hokkaido and cannot wait!
Big thumbs up on this. Ski hard. Ski fast. Ski big mountain terrain. In bounds. Out of bounds. Take pictures. You can do it all. But only if you are comfortable with your skiing abilities.
However, it is all risk/reward based. Is the risk involved worth the reward? For some, there is very little risk involved in skiing hard and fast on challenging terrain with camera gear. For others there is. Know your capabilities and comfort level. If you are not comfortable carrying your gear and skiing hard, don't try it. No shame in that. Go slow and enjoy the day. But if you are comfortable and confident with your skiing, find a good bag system that works for you and go for it!
gfiksel wrote:
I don't care about the camera or the lens. It's what they could do with your ribs if you fall hard enough....
sunpole wrote:
Not meant as a put-down but if someone is so lame that they still fall (even occasionally) then they should either go up and down on the lift/gondola or leave the camera down the hill - but shouldn't be skiing with their equipment. Even a great skier will have the good sense to take it really easy if they've got a camera with them.
--
Anyway, sunpole, sure, try bags and stuff if you can work out a nice system and feel secure with it.
Just remember that nothing is 100% and you cant ever be positive that you wont fall. Personally i would much rather have the camera in bag rather than around my neck if I fell (or lets say get caught in an avalanche). Thing happen to even the best of skiers and you really should prepare for it rather than just plan not to fall.
, Snow blower, Certified ski/binding repair and adjustment, and Ski Patrol. Blowing and patrol were the most prestigious I guess. I drove the snow cat sometimes for the snow management stuff. It was kinda fun. 
