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Archive 2010 · F-stop Tilopa?

Chris Noyes
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p.2 #1 · F-stop Tilopa?

Wow, so you would actually give F-Stop the benefit of the doubt on their BS about the email?

F-Stop's customer service comes only after I initiate communication about where their product is. On three occasions since early May when I placed my order, I've been given 3 different estimated delivery dates for their medium ICU. I've received emails both in response to my emails and their advertisements, so it's hard for me to cut them any slack over the lone email supposedly sent out to customers with "pre-orders". At the time I placed my order, they made no statement to me regarding the fact that medium ICU's were a pre-order item anyway.

In any event, you're right, the F-Stop bag is NOT the bag for lugging around 50 lbs of camera gear . . . simply because the XL-ICU could not fit that much gear anyway. Given that the F-Stop suspension system is no better than Kiboko bag (and my Lowe Pro camera backpack) I would not want to carry 50 lbs in their bag and is exactly why I use my Gregory Baltoro to take that kind of load, which it does quite well. Further, the Gregory bag provides easy access to the ICU, which is why I kept the XL and L-ICUs.

I'm not sure why you don't think the Kiboko couldn't handle taking on water, some food and extra clothing layers, if that's all you need to bring along, because it's done just that many times.

Jul 31, 2010 at 09:24 PM

sjms
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p.2 #2 · F-stop Tilopa?

i've gotten email from them about their new gear and i don't even own any of their gear yet.

i can't comment on the f-stop suspension system but i can say that i wouldn't do 50 in either. the kiboko at 38+lbs is not a distance product.

both are capable of limited use for extra supplies but i'll have to say that the f-stop is more capable in that it can strap on accessories where my Kiboko has no real usable accessory strap on area. a water bottle can be stuffed in in a few areas w/o entering the the camera gear compartment. if you are going for some space its the satori that will deliver.

as to delivery dates and such. they're just taxiing down the runway here so they are hoping to get things off the ground with some momentum. they are ultra small and some what limited. like RRS delivery dates get shifted (some of them 7 months) on new product and they've been around for 20 years.

Jul 31, 2010 at 10:39 PM

Chris Noyes
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p.2 #3 · F-stop Tilopa?

The Satori just barely fit the XL-ICU, with very little room left over in the main inside compartment. I simply wasn't impressed enough with it to keep it. My Gregory pack was far better suited to the need that F-Stop is trying to fill with the Satori.

BTW, it's been about 6-weeks since I returned the Satori, and I'm still waiting for them to refund my credit card.

Jul 31, 2010 at 11:26 PM

chez
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p.2 #4 · F-stop Tilopa?

Chris Noyes wrote:
The Satori just barely fit the XL-ICU, with very little room left over in the main inside compartment. I simply wasn't impressed enough with it to keep it. My Gregory pack was far better suited to the need that F-Stop is trying to fill with the Satori.

BTW, it's been about 6-weeks since I returned the Satori, and I'm still waiting for them to refund my credit card.

Chris, how do you find accessing your gear from within the Gregory pack?

Aug 01, 2010 at 12:00 AM

sjms
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p.2 #5 · F-stop Tilopa?

which version of the satori did you get? the older or newer one. at 3500cu/in the newer one should have space left over even with the XL ICU installed

XLarge ICU – (7.5” Deep x 11” Wide x 19” Tall).

New Satori Internal Compartment Dimensions: 12” x 24” x 10”

This image is copyrighted by the owner

This image is copyrighted by the owner

Old Satori Internal Compartment Dimensions: 11” x 22" x 8.5"

This image is copyrighted by the owner

This image is copyrighted by the owner

Aug 01, 2010 at 12:06 AM

Chris Noyes
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p.2 #6 · F-stop Tilopa?

I had the version that's currently shown on their website. I ordered it in May. With the XL-ICU inside, the remaining space was maybe 3-inches deep. As far as I can tell the space advantage over the Tilopa comes mostly from the outside zippered pocket, but I haven't seen a Tilopa other than the photos on the website.

Actually, I just looked at the F-Stop site and see that the Satori is only 2-inches deeper internally than the Tilopa.

Aug 01, 2010 at 12:20 AM

sjms
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p.2 #7 · F-stop Tilopa?

being that its 3100cu/in yes dimensionally the differences are somewhat minor

Dimensions: 12” x 24" x 10"
Internal Compartment Dimensions: 12” x 22” x 10”

which gives up 240 cu/in and then possible pocket interior dimensions differentials making up the other 160 cu/in

Aug 01, 2010 at 01:30 AM

chez
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p.2 #8 · F-stop Tilopa?

How much space is left over in the bag after you put in the following equipment in:

1ds2
17-40 with hood
24-105 with hood
70-200 f4 with hood
Lee 4x6 filter holder and 3 filters
4 77mm filters
other doodads like remote switch, card holder, lens cleaning solution and cloth, rocket blower, lens pen etc...

Aug 01, 2010 at 01:44 AM

CBphotography
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p.2 #9 · F-stop Tilopa?

Thanks everyone for the kind words. As a professional photographer on the sponsored F-Stop Faction Team as well as the Community and Events Manager I get to not only see the day to day stuff but also the big picture when it comes to all things F-Stop. We pride ourselves on the customer relationships we develop and we are always looking for new an innovative ways to offer the best products we can on the market.

@Chris Noyes. I am sorry that you feel that our Customer Service is BS, but we did send out those emails and we have received a huge amount of responses from them with regards to the pre-orders of both our new ICU's and The Loka backpack. The reality of the situation is that we don't want you or any of our other customers to have to wait an hour longer then you have to in order to get your hands on our latest products, but sometimes aspects involving manufacturing are out of our hands and we have to push back an estimated release date. We create very high end products with materials the are above and beyond just about everything else that is available out there in the market. We are a mix of professional photographers and product designers that are meticulous when it comes to the design and practicality of our products being used out there in the field. Every one of our customers and sponsored photographers play a role in helping us create better products with each design cycle. While we are a small company, we are incredibly dedicated and we are working as hard as we can to catch up with the explosive growth of our business.

If you have any complaints, comments, suggestions or if you would like to cancel your pre-order, we are always more then happy to help in any and every way we can.

Aug 01, 2010 at 03:58 AM

CBphotography
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p.2 #10 · F-stop Tilopa?

sjms wrote:
which version of the satori did you get? the older or newer one. at 3500cu/in the newer one should have space left over even with the XL ICU installed

You are correct, with the new Satori and an XL ICU you still have a pretty solid amount of space to utilize in top of the pack. Typically I will have a rain jacket, 2 sets of filters, 2 Camera Straps, a set of extra batteries, a hyperdrive backup device and a sandwich or snack in the room that is available.

When compared to the Tilopa, yes there is a 2 Inch difference, but that is a pretty significant amount when you look at the differences between the extra space of a Tilopa with a XL ICU and a Satori with a XL ICU. They may look similar, but there are differences for sure.

I personally lean more towards my Tilopa these days as I don't need a huge amount of extra room in the top area. I recently took it with me on a trip to Haiti to shoot a photo documentary. I had it on my back for 6-8 hours a day for 7 straight days.

Edited on Aug 01, 2010 at 04:09 AM · View previous versions

Aug 01, 2010 at 04:08 AM

JohnJ80
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p.2 #11 · F-stop Tilopa?

chez wrote:
How much space is left over in the bag after you put in the following equipment in:

1ds2
17-40 with hood
24-105 with hood
70-200 f4 with hood
Lee 4x6 filter holder and 3 filters
4 77mm filters
other doodads like remote switch, card holder, lens cleaning solution and cloth, rocket blower, lens pen etc...

I carry that exact kit and more in my Tilopa using the large ICU than comes standard with the Tilopa. If I'm careful, I can also squeeze in a 5D body with no lens attached. To that, i can also carry a 300 f/4L IS in a TT lens changer in the space above the ICU plus an additional shell, set of gloves, and hat. In the front pocket, I carry a Cotton carrier chest and belt carrier plus some additional little stuff. In the top pocket I have a CF card holster from TTP, allen wrench set, 2 1dmk3 batteries, Arctic Butterfly sensor cleaning brush,remote shutter release, lenspen, extra bp511 batteries, maybe a canon charger too, two sets of 4 AA batteries for the flash, and a bunch more junk I should not carry but am too lazy to take out. I can also squeeze in a 580 flash in there too on occasion. Tripod or monopod strapped on the outside plus waterbottle in side pocket.

All in all, in the Tilopa, I wind up carrying more weight that I would like. I've also pre-orded a Loka sight unseen with a medium and small ICU. On occasion, I'll put the medium ICU in the Tilopa and add a fleece jacket and some more winter gear. The Loka should be a good pack for in area or day skiing with camera gear.

J.

Aug 01, 2010 at 04:09 AM

Chris Noyes
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p.2 #12 · F-stop Tilopa?

chez wrote:
Chris, how do you find accessing your gear from within the Gregory pack?

Sorry, I just saw this.

Instead of accessing the gear from the side pressed against your back (between the shoulder harness), the Gregory Baltoro opens on what I refer to as the back of the pack. It has a U-shaped zippered access panel that almost exactly matches the size of the panel on the Satori. You would not need to open the top of the Baltoro to access the ICU . . . it really looks they were made for each other.

Edited on Aug 01, 2010 at 04:28 AM · View previous versions

Aug 01, 2010 at 04:09 AM

CBphotography
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p.2 #13 · F-stop Tilopa?

JohnJ80 wrote:
chez wrote:
How much space is left over in the bag after you put in the following equipment in:

1ds2
17-40 with hood
24-105 with hood
70-200 f4 with hood
Lee 4x6 filter holder and 3 filters
4 77mm filters
other doodads like remote switch, card holder, lens cleaning solution and cloth, rocket blower, lens pen etc...

I carry that exact kit and more in my Tilopa using the large ICU than comes standard with the Tilopa. If I'm careful, I can also squeeze in a 5D body with no lens attached. To that, i can also carry a 300 f/4L IS in a TT lens changer in the space above the ICU plus an additional shell, set of gloves, and hat. In the front pocket, I carry a Cotton carrier chest and belt carrier plus some additional little stuff. In the top pocket I have a CF card holster from TTP, allen wrench set, 2 1dmk3 batteries, Arctic Butterfly sensor cleaning brush,remote shutter release, lenspen, extra bp511 batteries, maybe a canon charger too, two sets of 4 AA batteries for the flash, and a bunch more junk I should not carry but am too lazy to take out. I can also squeeze in a 580 flash in there too on occasion. Tripod or monopod strapped on the outside plus waterbottle in side pocket.

All in all, in the Tilopa, I wind up carrying more weight that I would like. I've also pre-orded a Loka sight unseen with a medium and small ICU. On occasion, I'll put the medium ICU in the Tilopa and add a fleece jacket and some more winter gear. The Loka should be a good pack for in area or day skiing with camera gear.

J.

I take it you have seen the photos of the Loka that F-Stop has now released.

http://fstopgear.com/en/loka

Aug 01, 2010 at 04:11 AM

Chris Noyes
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p.2 #14 · F-stop Tilopa?

CBphotography wrote:
@Chris Noyes. I am sorry that you feel that our Customer Service is BS, but we did send out those emails and we have received a huge amount of responses from them with regards to the pre-orders of both our new ICU's and The Loka backpack. The reality of the situation is that we don't want you or any of our other customers to have to wait an hour longer then you have to in order to get your hands on our latest products, but sometimes aspects involving manufacturing are out of our hands and we have to push back an estimated release date. We create very high end products with materials the are above and beyond just about everything else that is available out there in the market. We are a mix of professional photographers and product designers that are meticulous when it comes to the design and practicality of our products being used out there in the field. Every one of our customers and sponsored photographers play a role in helping us create better products with each design cycle. While we are a small company, we are incredibly dedicated and we are working as hard as we can to catch up with the explosive growth of our business.

If you have any complaints, comments, suggestions or if you would like to cancel your pre-order, we are always more then happy to help in any and every way we can.

I don't doubt that you sent out the e-mail to customers, it just wasn't to *this* customer. What I found to be BS was the reply I got to my inquiry when Colby suggested it was lost in my junk folder.

Also, I'm a patient enough customer to accept a delay in shipping a backordered product, but to offer a product for sale when you had no idea when it would be available is misleading. It was only after my order was placed that I was informed that it was backordered. I was still OK with it when I was given an estimated ship date of 1 month later. After two missed dates since then, I'm beginning to wonder if I'll ever see it. However, since I would still like to get the medium ICU, I will continue to wait (another month -- I'm now told late August).

Also, I'd feel a little bit better if my credit card were credited for the returned bag.

Edited on Aug 01, 2010 at 04:30 AM · View previous versions

Aug 01, 2010 at 04:27 AM

JohnJ80
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p.2 #15 · F-stop Tilopa?

I think maybe you guys would be better taking this off line to solve your customer service/communication issue.

J.

Aug 01, 2010 at 04:30 AM

CBphotography
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p.2 #16 · F-stop Tilopa?

JohnJ80 wrote:

I think maybe you guys would be better taking this off line to solve your customer service/communication issue.

J.

Agreed. My apologies. Just attempting to give the other side to the other informed photographers in the thread.

Aug 01, 2010 at 04:35 AM

JohnJ80
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p.2 #17 · F-stop Tilopa?

no worries. just thought it would be more effective in getting to resolution. you guys have been great in communicating and getting stuff to me so probably an easy fix.

j.

Aug 01, 2010 at 04:40 AM

CBphotography
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p.2 #18 · F-stop Tilopa?

JohnJ80 wrote:
no worries. just thought it would be more effective in getting to resolution. you guys have been great in communicating and getting stuff to me so probably an easy fix.

j.

Always happy to hear that. You are going to love the Loka. It shows the advances in product design of the F-Stop Gear products that will transfer over to the updates for our other current products lines in the future.

Aug 01, 2010 at 04:41 AM

JohnJ80
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p.2 #19 · F-stop Tilopa?

I'm pretty excited about getting it. My only regrets are that you don't make it in cranberry red like my Tilopa. Went for the gray instead, thought it would keep the gear cooler in the sun.

j.

Aug 01, 2010 at 04:46 AM

CBphotography
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p.2 #20 · F-stop Tilopa?

Haha. Good idea. I hear you about the cranberry color. It was my personal favorite as well. However it was the least popular color when it came to product orders, so we decided to try something new. The Grey Mist color is pretty sweet though.

Aug 01, 2010 at 04:55 AM

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