p.2 #1 · Hiking Daypack that can handle photo gear
JohnJ80 wrote:
You don't have to take off the F-stop bags to get your stuff out. Rotate it around your waist with the waist belt on, pick up one knee and rest the bag on it (not always necessary), open the back and take your gear out.
I do as you do but use a Cotton Carrier instead in conjunction with the backpack.
The F-stop bags are as good as it gets for backpacks that can also carry camera gear.
J.
The method as outlined above works incredibly well, while the backpanel access to your camera gear keeps it safe. I just spent four months going around the world with the Guru and Tilopa BC with 3 ICUs, and it was an incredible combination allowing me great flexibility. The Guru with a small ICU fits enough for most day trips, while leaving room for rain gear and snacks, etc. Couldn't be much happier with their bags, and I've sold all the rest of my plethora of bags accumulated over the years.
Their constant supply issues leaves something to be desired, though.
p.2 #2 · Hiking Daypack that can handle photo gear
SidewinderX wrote:
sjms: See, the f-stop bag is exactly what I don't want -- I already have a camera backpack, and I find it almost useless for carrying anything other than camera gear. I'm going to only have one body and maybe 2 lenses with me, so I'm not looking to commit that much of my bag to camera stuff
edit: Well, looking at the photo again -- is that just one compartment, or is that the whole bag? Is the room for other stuff there?
I'll look into the domke wraps -- anyone have experience with those?
If I go regular daypack like the Osprey, any particular recommendations on chest or side/acessory bag? ...Show more →
I have the F-Stop Loka and love it. Took it with the small insert to Costa Rica, along with the Airport Acceleration for larger lenses, and thought it worked great in the field. With the small camera insert, there is plenty of room in the Loka for jackets and other gear. I used it all the time on my hikes.
p.2 #3 · Hiking Daypack that can handle photo gear
I use an osprey stratos 24 and it works pretty slick. I will use something like a thinktank lens pouch or maybe just wrap the gear in a fleece hat or shirt. It might be a bit clunky to get the gear in/out of the pack but if you are hiking around the comfort of a daypack it well worth it.
p.2 #4 · Hiking Daypack that can handle photo gear
I bought this Pacsafe camera insert from Amazon, about $35. It's decently padded, but I wouldn't trust it to a fall. It is decently sized where it should fit in most backpacks. I tested this with a few regular backpacks and fits nicely.
p.2 #5 · Hiking Daypack that can handle photo gear
The (significant) positives of F-stop: carries weight very well; carries a tripod even better; flexibility provided by ICUs for carrying little gear with lots of "other stuff" or vice versa
The (significant) negatives: makes TT gear look downright affordable; never in stock; and since the stuff is never in stock the prices keep getting higher.
Overall I am a fan, but you have to be price-insensitive to be one.
p.2 #6 · Hiking Daypack that can handle photo gear
The Lowepro Dryzone Rover may let you kill two birds with one stone. Pack has two compartments: the upper compartment is roomy enough to carry all of your necessities, including a fleece layer, windbreaker, etc. The lower compartment is for the camera gear and is completely waterproof. Will easily carry what you've listed, and then some. Gear compartment is also tall enough to stow a 70-200/2.8 or a 100-400L vertically. Also has an excellent tripod carrier. The only downside is that it doesn't have any external elasticized pockets to carry a water bottle or two (as does the Lowepro Rover AW II version), nor does it have an internal frame. However, it does have an internal bladder/drinking hose arrangement. But if you want waterproof without having to shell out for a dry bag, this pack works great. But as in most things, there are always compromises: internal frame or not, waterproof or not, etc. FWIW, I use both Rovers, as well as a modified Deuter 32L daypack that I've outfitted with an F-Stop medium ICU...this lets me carry sufficient gear, and also has about 12 inches of available space above the ICU for food, clothing, necessities.
p.2 #7 · Hiking Daypack that can handle photo gear
I use the small Osprey stratos 24 with the Mountainsmith insert. The pack itself is slim & fits well to the body. The super breathable mesh suspension back is great for anyone who hates the sweaty back that accompanies most other backpacks. Perfect as a daypack for any occasion. The insert perfectly fits on the bottom leaving a small amount of space for a compressed jacket, extra shirt & gloves. The side pockets are perfect for a water bottle and a small tripod can be squeezed in as well (side straps hold the tripod in place). If you need more extra space the other Stratos sizes have more room, but I'm not sure how the insert would fit. I like a tight fit so there's no movement. The built-in rain over is very good, but you'll definitely want a waterproof bag for kayaking. I like this solution because you forego the extra weight of a waterproof backpack and just leave the waterproof bag in the kayak while your hiking. The Ospreys are very light and feel much better than the waterproof packs like the Lowepro.
p.2 #8 · Hiking Daypack that can handle photo gear
I'm a huge fan of Kata bags and my HB-205 bags is a true hiking backpack that'll hold ALOT of gear or altenatively, some gear and some additional items (such as a change of clothes, etc). I think the HB series is discontinued now but probably replaced with a very similar type backpack. Can't go wrong with Kata quality!
p.2 #9 · Hiking Daypack that can handle photo gear
GroovyGeek wrote:
The (significant) positives of F-stop: carries weight very well; carries a tripod even better; flexibility provided by ICUs for carrying little gear with lots of "other stuff" or vice versa
The (significant) negatives: makes TT gear look downright affordable; never in stock; and since the stuff is never in stock the prices keep getting higher.
Overall I am a fan, but you have to be price-insensitive to be one.
Groovy nails the significant aspects of the F-Stop bags. The Tilopa BC, which I have, has a waterproof bottom (but it doesn't come up the sides). Versatility, good construction, and good degin are its hall marks. A great bag.
Lowepro makes three waterproof bags. The DryZone Rover, which I have, has two compartments. The bottom, which is maybe 8 or 9 inches tall is totally waterproof. The top is a coventional backback compartment. Getting to your camera gear is a slow process given the two zippers you have to open (one of which is waterproof -- although I wouldn't submerge it). For very wet environments, it's a great choice.
p.2 #11 · Hiking Daypack that can handle photo gear
I don't recommend photo packs of any kind. Very limited and almost useless for anything other than a camera. Incredible space wasters. Look at Kelty Redwings or something similar. Lenses can be stored in socks or pouches without a problem and still have lots of room for more important things such as food and water(I found this out the hard many moons ago). As for dry sacks, forget it. No such thing. Bring garbage bags and some kind of ziplock bags to keep things dry.
p.2 #12 · Hiking Daypack that can handle photo gear
Jeff wrote:
Their constant supply issues leaves something to be desired, though.
This seems to be the under-statement of the year I have had one "on back-order" for what feels like a decade..... It better be damn good when it arrives.... I have a trip organised for a few months and at some point I will just kill the order if it's not here soon enough to try out and setup as I want before that trip.
I understand at the beginning starting a company and all that but it's a poor excuse lasting this long with continual back-orders. Build some more already.....
p.2 #13 · Hiking Daypack that can handle photo gear
If I want to take basically 'ALL' my camera junk with me in the field i drop the pelican dividers from their 1510 case into a kelty redwing 3100 pack. It fits perfectly but won't leave you any room for extra clothes etc... Most of the time i just stick to a few pieces of gear wrapped up in the osprey stratos pack.
p.2 #14 · Hiking Daypack that can handle photo gear
Well, the GF went ahead and got me the Osprey Kestrel 32 for hannukah -- I've been playing around with it a bit and it seems great! Tons of room, easy access, comfortable, even has a pouch for a camelback bladder!
So I guess I'd consider getting something like the mountiansmith kit cube -- I took a look at it but I'm not sure if it's got enough room for what I'd like to carry... I might be trying to take as much as my 70-200/2.8, 1.4x TC, 50D, 17-70, and maybe even the 12-24 (although I'd consider leaving that out if needed). Doesn't look like that cube could handle that load... am I better off just getting Domke wraps (or using clothes) and wrapping it all that way?
p.2 #15 · Hiking Daypack that can handle photo gear
robstein wrote:
This seems to be the under-statement of the year I have had one "on back-order" for what feels like a decade..... It better be damn good when it arrives.... I have a trip organised for a few months and at some point I will just kill the order if it's not here soon enough to try out and setup as I want before that trip.
I understand at the beginning starting a company and all that but it's a poor excuse lasting this long with continual back-orders. Build some more already.....
You know what the issue is going in. If that isn't acceptable to you then buy something else. They publish their inventory levels when you order. It's not like you don't know what the situation is.
They aren't trying to be a Lowepro or other big bag company. They're a small indie bag company for photographers who take pictures in back country (etc) settings. I'm sure they can't afford to go overboard on inventory, so they don't. I'd much rather have that situation and have stuff like this (that I need and isn't readily available elsewhere) than have them go out of business or turn corporate.
Owning a business, I can appreciate, and agree with, why they are doing things this way. As well, try getting decent inventory funding for a small relatively new business in today's lending climate. Good luck with that one, especially if you are buying your inventory offshore where the opportunity to get screwed by your supplier is much higher (and legal recourse is out of reach) and it is much more difficult to secure your risk. Banks, now, are not lending much for things like that or at very high rates.
p.2 #16 · Hiking Daypack that can handle photo gear
Congrats on the Kestrel, I bet it will work out fine. I've been a hiker a lot longer than I've been a photographer and I love Osprey packs. For day trips I carry my gear in a Stratos and it's very functional. I haven't found the perfect way to pack everything yet, but I usually keep my camera body up high and lenses in individual softbags scattered throughout the pack. I try not to pack any gear near the bottom, and I've learned to set my pack down softly. I use a water bladder all the time and I worry about it leaking on my gear, which is the other reason (besides quick access) that I keep my camera high in the back. So far it hasn't leaked but it still scares me. I definitley like the bladders with an on/off valve at the bite valve. I shut off the water supply for transport. My wife doesn't use her shutoff valve and four or five times a year she sets her pack on top of the hose, and the valve gets squished open and soaks her stuff. I'm just saying.
You will definitely need drybags for the kayak portions of your trip. I have a half dozen and use them all. One large enough to easily stow your pack inside is great, and smaller ones for short trips, or just a camera, is also helpful. Quick tip: getting most of the air out of the inside when you seal them up is key. Learn how to close them properly. My personal preference is to take an underwater p&s for day trips and leave the DSLR on dry land. For multi-day trips pack it well, water is not your friend. And humidity isn't either. It's ok for a short trip, I've never had trouble with two weeks or so, but if you're going for a month I'd take some dessicant packs to help with the moisture. The biggest problem with them is there's so much humidity they get used up quickly. If you can, keep them sealed really well and use them one at a time.
The setup I just described has been to Belize twice and it's going back again in March. I can't wait. You'll love it too.
p.2 #17 · Hiking Daypack that can handle photo gear
K.R. Allison wrote:
I don't recommend photo packs of any kind. Very limited and almost useless for anything other than a camera. Incredible space wasters. Look at Kelty Redwings or something similar. Lenses can be stored in socks or pouches without a problem and still have lots of room for more important things such as food and water(I found this out the hard many moons ago). As for dry sacks, forget it. No such thing. Bring garbage bags and some kind of ziplock bags to keep things dry.
This shows that you have never used an F-stop pack. The pack itself is essentially a high-quality shell with an internal frame and zippered access from the back (in addition to the top). You then put custom-designed lightly padded containers that vary from 25% to 100% of the pack, depending on how much gear you need to carry. If you pack light and strap a UL tent and a mat to the outside you can easily go on a 2 day hike with it in moderate weather and be completely comfortable.
Clik and others make somewhat similar units with the significant downside that the storage compartments are fixed. The weight-to-volume ratio on some is rather atrocious. The F-stop stuff, while not in the same league as an Osprey, is much better than any other photo-oriented pack I have tried. The significant downside of an Osprey is that it does not carry a tripod well unless you stuff it inside the pack. The F-stop has a surprisingly simple solution.
p.2 #18 · Hiking Daypack that can handle photo gear
GroovyGeek wrote:
The significant downside of an Osprey is that it does not carry a tripod well unless you stuff it inside the pack.
Actually, the Ospreys are great for carrying a tripod. Put two legs in the side mesh pocket and tighten the diagonal side strap across the top. Easy and secure, but not recommended for a large tripod, but I wouldn't recommend a large tripod for hiking anyway. Most hiking packs work well with a tripod because their built to store trekking poles or an axe or other such equipment.
p.2 #19 · Hiking Daypack that can handle photo gear
GroovyGeek wrote:
This shows that you have never used an F-stop pack. The pack itself is essentially a high-quality shell with an internal frame and zippered access from the back (in addition to the top). You then put custom-designed lightly padded containers that vary from 25% to 100% of the pack, depending on how much gear you need to carry. If you pack light and strap a UL tent and a mat to the outside you can easily go on a 2 day hike with it in moderate weather and be completely comfortable.
Clik and others make somewhat similar units with the significant downside that the storage compartments are fixed. The weight-to-volume ratio on some is rather atrocious. The F-stop stuff, while not in the same league as an Osprey, is much better than any other photo-oriented pack I have tried. The significant downside of an Osprey is that it does not carry a tripod well unless you stuff it inside the pack. The F-stop has a surprisingly simple solution....Show more →
To be honest, I have yet to see an image of an F-stop pack with a tripod attached. Would like to see one of anyone has one to share. Can the tripod be mounted down the center, or is it strictly a left or right carry?
I have had one "on back-order" for what feels like a decade..... It better be damn good when it arrives.... I have a trip organised for a few months and at some point I will just kill the order if it's not here soon enough to try out and setup as I want before that trip.