wordfool wrote:
I just picked up a Lowepro Pro Messenger 200AW
That's a find! I rarely had 70-200 2.8 on my camera so 180 AW was enough for me as 24-70 was on the camera most of the time.
It easily holds 24-70 on camera w a hood attached in a vertical position (aka always ready to shoot), holds some other small gear and serves as a daily driver on long distance travel for me. Durable and discrete - was never concerned in a crowd.
P.S. Made a mistake earlier. I meant 180 AW instead of 160 AW. This bag has been with me for 10 years - already forgot its name.
lensfan wrote:
That's a find! I rarely had 70-200 2.8 on my camera so 160 AW was enough for me as 24-70 was on the camera most of the time.
It easily holds 24-70 on camera w a hood attached in a vertical position (aka always ready to shoot), holds some other small gear and serves as a daily driver on long distance travel for me. Durable and discrete - was never concerned in a crowd.
Yeah, I lucked out on eBay and was the only bidder on a like new 200AW. Won it for little over $30!
“Diaper bag” looks was how I once saw the Pro Messengers described, but that also indeed means discrete. I might keep my eye out for a 160 now.
Another vote for f-stop here, I have been using them exclusively for more than 8 years. I love how modular they are, so I can select the bag and the icu to fill my needs for that day or trip or whatever. I almost always use the Ajna (which is 38l) and a medium slope ICU. This holds my A7rIV, 14, 16-35gm, 50, 70-200, filters, batteries, remote. Then above that fits their large drone case, which holds my mavic 3 classic, remote and accessories. Tripod and water bottle outside, and room to spare on the top pocket for snacks and whatever. It’s also the ideal carry-on size, I’ll load it up to the gills with my camera gear, 16” Mbp, chargers, cables, toiletries, etc. no problems. Their Loka UL is the same size, but lighter. Less padding and fluff outside, not as comfortable if you’re loading it to the gills for carry-on.
The best bag... I was on the quest to find the most comfortable pack. It boils down to these three main features, IMO: the ability to consistently transfer most of the load to the hips while moving, great ventilation (IMO, has equal importance at all loads), and a balanced load (front-back, side-to-side, especially for a heavy haul). Only Aarn packs focus on all three but they are quite awkward to wear from what people are saying. Their packs have very short torso lengths, however, so I haven't tried one.
Among the ones I bought and tried, the Mammut Trion Spine is by far the most comfortable at moderate load (20-30 lbs or so). Adding two additional hip bags on the hip belts I can comfortably up the load to 40lbs with quick gear access. I also have a Mystery Ranch with the Futura yoke, and while it can also comfortably haul up to 40 lbs, its ventilation is much poorer.
For 20lbs or less, I find the Vaude Brenta has more ventilation than the Mammut while being similar at transferring the load. Vaude has a brilliant torso length adjustment system, much quicker and more precise the the Velcro method from Osprey and Gregory. And it's the only system to be available below 30L (down to 10L).
With that, I think if Osprey releases a smaller 30-40L UNLTD pack with the same features on the larger model, that might just be the perfect bag.
And yes, I've gone through many well known camera bags to realize they're not worth it to pay for the built-in ICU.
hiepphotog wrote:
With that, I think if Osprey releases a smaller 30-40L UNLTD pack with the same features on the larger model, that might just be the perfect bag.
And yes, I've gone through many well known camera bags to realize they're not worth it to pay for the built-in ICU.
I should receive mine next week. Before there was only 2 photos, but I decided to order one ( It looks a little too big for 32 liters, they added more photos so I can have idea of the size. I hope I can make it work as my carry on bag )
Last year I got Osprey UNLTD 68 l for my backpacking trips so I know this system. I feel like beta tester for 32l but I hope it will work well
I should receive mine next week. Before there was only 2 photos, but I decided to order one ( It looks a little too big for 32 liters, they added more photos so I can have idea of the size. I hope I can make it work as my carry on bag )
Last year I got Osprey UNLTD 68 l for my backpacking trips so I know this system. I feel like beta tester for 32l but I hope it will work well
Thank you so much, just placed my order! I was not expecting Osprey dropping another UNLTD so soon, an AG no less. This was such a low key release.
May I kindly ask you to share your thoughts once the UNLTD 32 arrives? I'm currently debating on getting either this one or the Manta 32 as hiking and camera pack. So far here in Germany no store I know of has received one yet to try out.
heisenbug wrote:
May I kindly ask you to share your thoughts once the UNLTD 32 arrives? I'm currently debating on getting either this one or the Manta 32 as hiking and camera pack. So far here in Germany no store I know of has received one yet to try out.
Bag fitting is a very personal thing, definitely you need to try it out. Features wise, the UNLTD has so much more to offer, though disappointingly without many great features from its bigger sibling.
I have long been looking for a perfect bag. I must have gone through at least a dozen till I found this gem.
Incase DSLR Sling Pack With Woolenex sling bag.
It is a sling bag with just about perfect interior dimensions to accommodate my Sony A9 with 70-200GM attached to it, plus plenty of room for another 2 or 3 lenses (24-105, or primes).
Plenty of small compartments for batteries, filters, etc.
I did some strenuous hiking with it and it continued to stay comfortable throughout the trip.
Highly recommended.
Pictures for your reference below
hiepphotog wrote:
Bag fitting is a very personal thing, definitely you need to try it out. Features wise, the UNLTD has so much more to offer, though disappointingly without many great features from its bigger sibling.
chiron wrote:
Why am I reading this thread? I need another bag like I need a hole in my head.
right? I don’t even really need a backpack, but I keep reading “just in case”.
Actually, I think I’d like these smaller backpacks with side entry or back entry without having to take the bag off. The tricky thing would be convincing my partner. Being Peruvian, she has experience with thieves cutting into backpacks to steal whatever they can out of it. In urban areas, they can be pretty aggressive. She never likes it when I carry a bag behind me for that reason.
wordfool wrote:
Thing is, though, there's never a "perfect" bag so the quest will always -- no, must always -- go on
And even if you convince yourself you found the perfect bag, one day you'll buy/sell gear and it'll no longer be perfect for your new reality.
I dunno. I have bags I've never taken the tags off of. I don't think this is a rational thing. It's more like an act of imagination that is evoked and attached to the bag--I see myself with the bag going out and taking pictures in a particular setting and with a particular feeling and state of mind. Sort of The Romance of the Camera Bag.
chiron wrote:
I dunno. I have bags I've never taken the tags off of. I don't think this is a rational thing. It's more like an act of imagination that is evoked and attached to the bag--I see myself with the bag going out and taking pictures in a particular setting and with a particular feeling and state of mind. Sort of The Romance of the Camera Bag.
Yeah, the "idea" of a bag and everything it evokes is often better than the actual bag in hand. I have about four bags that I bought and have never used beyond my imagination
REG $189
