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akronzip
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Registered: Feb 26, 2006
Location: United States
Posts: 12
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Review Date: Apr 20, 2006
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $129.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Lots of room. Quality construction.
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Cons:
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Not idiot proof.
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My better half hated my 'over the shoulder' bag, and I had to guess what I needed for trip. She likes the look of the backpack, and I can carry two bodies, 4 lenses, two chargers w/extra batteries, 2 camera manuals, a flash with diffuser and a paperback to read on the plane.
After a long search, I bought the bag at Calumet in San Francisco before leaving for Africa in December. I was able to carry my camera gear even when I didn't want to stand out. Only problem was with the child who pulled out of the trunk when it was unzipped...
The bag is very configurable with lots of little velcro dividers. I now have a whole collection spread around the house as I needed far less that provided.
There is a large pouch on the front of the bag which I've used to carry books and other stuff that doesn't need padded protection. I now carry camera manuals so I can figure out what I should have done to get the shot I just mixed.
Great bag. I'd buy it again in an instant.
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 Apr 20, 2006
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Xenedis
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Registered: Feb 11, 2006
Location: Australia
Posts: 6
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Review Date: Apr 13, 2006
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Good quality (it's a Lowepro, after all); good size; allows me to conveniently, comfortably and safely store and carry all of my gear; flexible internal configuration.
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Cons:
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Expensive, but I got a good price.
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I recently bought a Lowerpro Mini Trekker AW. It's my third Lowepro product (I also have the Topload Zoom 1 and Lens Case 3). I have a decent amount of gear, and didn't have an optimal method of carrying it if I wanted much more than my walkaround rig (20D and 24-105/4L IS), which fits nicely into my Topload Zoom 1.
The Mini Trekker AW allows me to carry all of my gear and keep my arms and sides free. it also has an enormous amount of room for accessories, such as flash cards, power and data cables, battery charger, filters, Giottos Rocket-Air blower (a must, in my opinion and experience), and plenty of other doo-dads. I keep pretty much everything in it.
Here is a picture of my bag and my gear arranged inside it:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/xenedis/115712712/
If I add any other lenses or a flashgun, internal space will be a problem, but thankfully Lowepro's modular approach will allow me to attach my Lens Case 3 (which I bought specifically for my 70-200/4L) to the side, which frees up a decent amount of room inside for extra gear. There's still room to attach another lens case in the future.
In the Australian market this bag is not cheap, and the prices can vary. The most expensive price I've seen is $AUD 265, but I landed mine for $AUD 190.
I didn't initially realise that it had the ability to mount a tripod. Since learning about that, I've attached my Manfrotto 190D/141RC, but I haven't carried these on a shoot. So far, I've only taken the entire bag on one shoot, and it's nice to have everything available to me.
I'd recommend this bag to someone who has the amount of gear I have (or marginally less, but with room to grow), and wants to store and carry it all at once.
J.
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Apr 13, 2006
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Planespotter
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Registered: May 5, 2005
Location: United States
Posts: 271
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Review Date: Mar 29, 2006
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $99.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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plenty of room for body and 2 lens, flash, battery charger and other accessories
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Cons:
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Tri-pod straps, caught on door and snapped.
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I'm always afraid that I'll leave something out that I'll need. This bag makes it easier to bring it all. Hand strap on top is great.
comfortable to walk around with as backpack
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Mar 29, 2006
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Perdu
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Registered: Aug 1, 2005
Location: United States
Posts: 1694
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Review Date: Mar 5, 2006
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $125.00
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Penty of space. Not heavy. Good protection. Plenty of compartments without being bitsy. Allows me to keep a 300 f4 IS or a 100-400L on my 10D. Rain cover.
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Cons:
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Tripod holder a pain. Would be better on the side of the bag. Waist straps should be removable - I cut mine off.
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Mar 5, 2006
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dSchamp
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Registered: Jul 5, 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 107
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Review Date: Mar 1, 2006
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $116.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Well built and holds a ton of stuff. Perfect size for under plane seats or in storage bins.
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Cons:
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Not the most comfortable on long treks with a full load.
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Very well built bag that is the right size for a pretty complete dslr system. In mine:
20d w/24-70 2.8 L attached
10d body
70-200 4.0 L
17-40 4.0 L
15mm fisheye
420 EX w/Omni Bounce attached
CG-580 battery charger
RS-80N3 remote switch
misc. memory cards, lens cleaning supplies, caps, etc.
Total loaded weight is 17 pounds and that's all in the main compartment!
The interior padding is good and provides excellent protection. Mine has been on multiple flights to BC and Alaska with no problems. Fits well under plane seats or in storage compartments. Plenty of flexibility to meet full range of needs.
Inside flap pockets hold filters and tri-pod mounts. Zippers have protective flaps so they won't scratch the expensive stuff.
Outside pocket is very roomy and can hold another lens or two if you don't mind the lack of padding. I've had a couple of ham sandwiches, bag of chips, and package of cookies in mine.
The tri-pod attachment works O.K. Not my favorite, but I don't know what I'd recommend as far as improvements.
I have the AW and the covering has worked well. The light gray color of the cover also helps keep the heat down when the sun is bright. I bought the green model to make it less noticeable as a camera bag.
Overall I am very pleased and would highly recommend the bag provided you aren't looking for something for long hikes with a heavy load.
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Mar 1, 2006
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ontime
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Registered: Oct 27, 2005
Location: United States
Posts: 2361
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Review Date: Feb 6, 2006
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $110.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Holds quite a bit, AW cover, side mounts, strap buckles for added security, good padding
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Cons:
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Positioning of buckles, tripod straps
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First of all, I like the price of this product. I would only call myself a serious amateur (and a beginning one), so cheap is good. For around 100 bucks, this thing holds:
Digital Rebel XT with BG-E3 attached
Canon 70-200mm f/4L in the soft case, lens hood inverted
Canon 100mm f/2.8 macro, lens hood inverted
17-55mm kit lens
Lens cleaning kit
Filter boxes
Super blower
AV and USB cables
Battery charger
I still have quite a bit of room left. I feel like I could probably fit one more body and with some rearrangement another lens in the main compartment.
The build is solid. The inside pockets have covers on the zippers so when they're closed, there's no danger of scratching anything.
The only gripe I have is not a really well-founded one, as this is a MINI trekker, but I'll mention it anyways. I'm about 6'2-6'3 and I find that the strap buckles look kind of silly and seem to be in the wrong place for bigger people. They still do the job well, but I think it would do its job best on a smaller person. That's about it. Overall: great buy!
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Feb 6, 2006
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shazz501
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Registered: Nov 15, 2004
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 53
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Review Date: Jan 5, 2006
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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comfortable to wear,securely holds my gear,well padded,weatherproof cover,plenty of room
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Cons:
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none
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a comfortable,roomy backpack that holds my 350D securely with my 100-400 is attatched,removable velcro deviders (one of which i put over the top of the 100-400 for extra hold) zipped pockets for batteries and cf cards etc. i get a lot of stuff in mine,350d,100-400mm lens,my smaller tamron 18-200mm lens,converters,extension tubes,camcorder,batteries,cf cards,3 fieldguides (in front compartment) and my tripod attatched to the front.i also like the clicklocks on the sides so that if anything should happen to the zip (or i forget to do it up  ) then the gear stays put.a good value for money,comfortable sturdy backpack in my opinion
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Jan 5, 2006
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msack
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Registered: Dec 22, 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 1694
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Review Date: Dec 30, 2005
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $89.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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There really isn't much you can't put in this bag. I've had 3 other "normal" camera bags that just can't hold this much gear, safely. This one can hold everything I own (other than the 300mm, which it could hold if I needed took some other lenses out).
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Cons:
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I wish the outer pocket had a little more padding on it, but there's plenty of stuff you can put in there that doesn't need protection.
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There really isn't much you can say about this backpack case that hasn't already been said. I just need to buy more lenses to fill up the empty space.
You can easily rearrange this case to fit all you needs. I've been down the road of regular camera bags and they just never seem to have enough room to fit a pro level camera and more than 2 lenses...other than the monster "pro" level bags that are a lot more money than this gem.
Highly recommend.
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Dec 30, 2005
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Michael-M
Offline
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Registered: Apr 21, 2002
Location: United States
Posts: 2698
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Review Date: Nov 23, 2005
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $110.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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perfect fit for my use........best layout i've seen, very comfortable, and more compartments than one can use.
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Cons:
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none
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i have several LowePro bags, the Magnum AW for my main bag, the ProMag AW for occasional use, but neither are as versatile as this backpack. it's super light, can fit any lens combo i want for the day, has more pockets and space than what appears from the first glance........very well thought out design.
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Nov 23, 2005
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ShadowWalker
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Registered: Jun 20, 2005
Location: United States
Posts: 2059
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Review Date: Sep 13, 2005
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $90.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Price, quality, capacity, comfort. The perfect size backpack.
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Cons:
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Tripod mounting is a bit awkward at first, but fine once you are used to it.
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I have both the AW and classic bags. I did a lot of research on bags and bought and sold several till I found the right bags. These both are fantastic. Very well built, comfortable, holds just the right amount of gear for a day hike. The slip-lock attachments on the sides let you add on another lens case or any other accessory you might want such as a water bottle.
The AW has a tripod mount on the front of the bag, making it hard to get to the stuff you have stowed in the front compartments w/o removing the tripod. Not a problem for me as I haven't yet needed to get into those compartments w/ the tripod in place. Where else would you put the tripod anyway? On the side would make it unbalanced and underneath would make it too wide. I'm fine w/ the mount the way it is. And I can still get to the main compartment very easily if I need to grab my camera w/o unmounting the tripod. I love the inner compartment, it holds just the right amount of gear and accessories such as an extra battery, memory cards etc.
The Classic is the same size, just lacks the AW cover. It has the same main interior compartment, but 2 nice deep outside pockets. And the tripod straps are at the bottom. I tend to use the AW when I am carrying my tripod on a hike and the Classic when I am not or when I am using my monopod (smaller). The classic also looks a bit more like a regular backpack versus a camera bag so I frequently carry that if I don't want the bag to show everyone it has camera gear in it. I usually carry the Classic to work w/ my work stuff in the outer compartments and my camera inside ... just in case I see something of interest while walking to/from my office.
Both styles of the LowePro Mini Trekker are great and I highly recommend them.
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Sep 13, 2005
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lenroyles
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Registered: May 15, 2005
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 56
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Review Date: Aug 31, 2005
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Will hold more than I want to carry. Well made with ample pockets and velcro partitions. Zips and straps really good quality.
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Cons:
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Found the tripod attachment really a pain. When it's down the centre back it impedes access to the insides. So I just carry it seperately.
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Easily swallows my 350D, 70-200 f4, 17-40, 10-22, 60-macro, convertor, extenders, 580EX, dozen filters, ball-head, panorama adapters etc.
Sewed on a couple of bungee cords for my monopod, down the side, so I can still access the interior. Modified some of the partitions too. So I guess it can still be improved.
Holds all that I need for a days lightweight walk. It would be another story in the winter though.
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Aug 31, 2005
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danhortonszar
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Registered: Aug 23, 2005
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 40
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Review Date: Aug 30, 2005
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 8
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Pros:
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Holds more than you think it will, fairly comfortable to hike with, tough, good all-round workhorse of a bag
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Cons:
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Little to complain about at the price I paid. It won't hold everything - but why would you want to lug every piece of camera gear you own on a hike anyway?
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Bought this secoond hand but have no complaints after a year of use. Good practical rucksack; it holds my 1Ds Mk II with a 70-200 attached, as well as a 24-70, 100 macro, 50mm, 16-35, lens hoods for the above, Sekonic lightmeter, several filters, memory cards and reader, plus useful space in the top pocket for a magazine or two etc for travelling.
When I bought it I was told it was far too small for a 1Ds Mk II but it fits perfectly. Much better to carry than the PhotoTrekker AWII I bought and sold before this - this rucksack can be comfortably worn for several hours of walking.
Highly recommended.
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Aug 30, 2005
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Kagetsu
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Registered: Mar 16, 2005
Location: Australia
Posts: 355
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Review Date: Aug 21, 2005
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $160.00
| Rating: 8
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Pros:
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Easy for hiking, all weather cover, secure and generally well made.
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Cons:
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Unconformable/unnadjustability, could be a fraction wider. Not so great as a general storage solution, but it's not designed for that anyway. Can be very uncomfortable on longer trips with heavy equipment if you don't have the chance to put it down.
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This was my first camera bag, I bought the AWII, so there may be differences here and there, but I assume they're still fairly similar.
Overall, the bag is good, plenty of pockets, plenty of room to put most stuff that you could ever need and a little more to get you by. If the bag itself isn't loaded up, it's quite comfortable to wear, though can be a little tense on longer hikes and journeys, if loaded up, it can be very uncomfortable after a even short trips. This could probably be resolved with a rethink on how the shoulder straps are sewn to the case, nad if they're made a little thicker, and softer it might resolve the intensity of what I see as a major issue.
I would have liked to see more adaptability to the bag, as there's really only one way to setup the inside. When attempting to move parts around, you realise there's not enough soft velcro surface to attach the partitions. With a little more, this bag could compensate for two larger telescopic zooms (70-200 f/2.8 size) with one attached, and a few primes as well. Without the added contact area's lenses may be forced to 'float' around inside when held upright or worn.
Over all though, it's a good simple getup for those who won't be lugging around a zelous number of lenses.
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Aug 21, 2005
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bret
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Registered: Nov 11, 2003
Location: United States
Posts: 72
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Review Date: Aug 12, 2005
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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It looks good. Zippers are smooth. It fits a 400mm f/5.6 on my 300D.
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Cons:
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None yet.
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I think it will work well for hiking.
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Aug 12, 2005
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Reviews
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Views
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Date of last review
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30
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75505
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Jul 18, 2011
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Recommended By
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Average Price
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90% of reviewers
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$105.56
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Build Quality Rating
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Price Rating
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Overall Rating
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9.17
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8.73
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9.0
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