I've got a Mountainsmith waistback as a camera bag right now (the normal version, not the one made for cameras--mine is the Day: http://mountainsmith.com/products.asp?productId=22&categoryId=4&subCategoryId=3&subCategory2Id=0)

It's quite good, but a little tight. I always have a 5D, 16-35, and 70-200 4IS. But I'd like to also have room for it to be: 1D body, 16-35, 50D, 70-200 2.8IS (So the size increase is for going from 5D to 1D, adding the 50D, and changing 4IS to 2.8IS), a flash, a 50 1.4, and a teleconverter. If I could fit a small water bottle, great. If I could fit a 15 inch laptop in a pinch, great (in which case, it probably wouldn't be all the lenses/bodies. (I realize fitting a laptop is a gamechanger, so feel free to give suggestions that can or can't.)

I like the Mountainsmith because it doesn't look like a camera bag, it's low-profile (i.e. flat to my body), the belt folds away, it's light, it has stretch "dump" pockets on the outsides for flash/hoods/shirt/water.

What I would change: slightly larger, to fit the two bodies with lenses on (standing up), a waterproof cover, fit a laptop the one day a month I want to do that, thicker shoulder strap.

I see the 8MDH, but really want a waistbelt, as when running at an event, it helps a lot (and takes strain from shoulder). I see the Stealth Reporters, but they seem so fat, sticking out from the body. I see the ThinkTank Speed Racer, but not big enough for a laptop (maybe not big enough for the other stuff, I don't know). I do like the thought of being able to add a pouch on a belt for additional stuff when I need the space, like TTSR, but a full modular belt system is just too dorky for daily (or frequent) use.

Thoughts on these and suggestions of others?

Thanks.

Adam

A big thumbs up to your Mountainsmith. I think the Mountainsmith Day lumbar pack is the best non-camera bag camera bag going. I slide a Domke 3 pocket insert into it (to which I have taped a piece of dense foam pad to the bottom). The Domke fits like it was made for the Mountainsmith Day. I carry my 1D series camera in it with a 24-105 L attached (lens fitting into the center pocket). A 70-200 F4 in the other Domke pocket, and maybe a flash and a Zuiko 18 in the third pocket. Works like a charm.

I don't have much hands on experience with other similar bags to carry your full load, but I think I am going to try a Crumpler (6 MDH or 7 MDH. I don't need the room of the 8MDH). They have that non-camera bag look like the Mountainsmith but more room. I like the looks of the Crumplers.

Maybe an F Stop Maverick?

Good luck.

Lorin

Thanks, Lorin. I'd not heard of F Stop before.

Anybody else got some ideas?

The Maverick is a good option as long as you are OK with the size. It's big. I don't think you're going to find a particularly small bag that can hold two bodies with lenses mounted, one of them being a 70-200. For that much gear, considering you'll be moving around a lot, you might also consider a backpack. That opens up the field a lot.

That's also a heck of a lot of weight to have on one shoulder. I really think you should be looking at backpacks.

A couple months ago I spent several weeks backpacking/couchsurfing my way across Europe and the Middle East. I carried a very plain shoulder bag (to remain inconspicuous) which held my 5D, 35L, two tiny Olympus lenses with EOS converters (24 2.8 and 100 2.8) and my old 12" Powerbook. I also had a guidebook, fleece, and bottle of water, but that was about it.

By 1 or 2 PM each day, my shoulder ached, and it got to the point that I would hide my laptop in my main bag that was stashed wherever I had slept the night before (mostly on random stranger's couches) instead of carrying it around. I was walking 6-10 miles every day doing walking tours of each city. And I was carrying far less gear than you're proposing. Also, as a point of reference, I'm 185 lbs, 6'2", and volunteer doing backcountry search and rescue where I regularly have 50-60 lbs on my back.

My point: I'm no stranger to carrying heavy loads... you just don't want heavy loads on a single shoulder.

All true, Jonathan, but that's why I want a good waistbelt, so weight is on my hips if it's heavy and/or I'm going long/far. Some (maybe the maverick) have belts, but are really thin and no padding. That's not going to cut it...

I pretty worked long days covering an event with my 5D, 40D, 17-40, 70-200 4IS, 50 1.4, flash, and water in my mountainsmith. It was a bit heavy, but such loads and such days are not the norm. I just want to be able to do the same with a change to a 1D body, 2.8IS, a 1.4 t-con. Maybe the laptop in a pinch, though in that case, I'd typically only need one body.

Hmm, thinking about it, the mountainsmith has another advantage--it's soft, so collapsible when I'm not carrying full-kit, which I really like.

Anybody got any other large hiking waistpacks to recommend?

Or backpacks like Greg mentioned above?

Thanks all.

Adam