Backpack for travelling

[Levitron]

I am looking for a daypack that I can carry around with me when I'm on my trip. Will be walking around a lot, so I need it to be comfortable as well.

It needs to hold at least my 70-200 f4, 20D body, 17-40 f4, 28-75 Tamron, and a small/medium sized tripod. In addition to the camera gear, it would be nice if it can hold a jacket, water bottle and a travel book or two.

Any recommendations?

[mithril]

I had the Orion Trekker II, about $100 @ FutureShop, which served me quite well however I found that the top portion of the bag was a little to small if you want more than just a light shell and a bottle of water. Also mounting a tripod is difficult. However it did store all my gear (minus tripod) and still have more than enough room up top to act as a usable carry-on bag for my trip to NZ last month. I just sold my Orion to a mate who shoots Canon and has the 70-200 F4L. The 70-200 F4L does fit, but apparently he'll be carrying it in the top portion of the bag most of the time so you might find that the larger bag suits your needs better.

For X-Mas I was given the Primus AW but exchanged it Dryzone Rover. I would have also gone for the Rover AW II (same size as the Dryzone) or the Rover Plus AW (bigger again) but they were out of stock in both at Lens & Shutter when I returned the Primus for exchange. Basically all the Rover's are bigger versions of the Orion and the bottom half for the gear is tall enough that I image you might even be able to vertically store your 20D w/ the 70-200 mounted. The plus sides to the Dryzone Rover is that it comes with an integrated hydration system, the gear compartment is completely waterproof/dustproof and it will float instead of sinking if it ever goes overboard. The downside is that the rubberized zipper which makes it waterproof (similar to what you find on a drysuit) also makes it a bit of a pain to open and close as the zipper is very stiff. The bag is still quite new though so that may break in a little over time.

Pricing at Lens & Shutter is: $159.99 for the Rover AW II and $199.99 for each the Primus AW, Dryzone Rover and Rover Plus AW. I remember seeing one of the AW Rover's at Broadway Camera for something like $250 but I don't remember which model it was, probably the Plus at that price.

Carried in the bottom of each bag:

• D200 w/ grip
• Nikon 18-200 VR (hood reversed)
• Tokina AT-X Pro 28-70 f2.6-2.8 (hood reversed)
• several spare CF cards
• SB-600 speedlight
• EL-EN3 charger/cable x 2
• The Puffer popup diffuser
• couple spare filters
• body cap and spare lens caps (72mm and 77mm)
• extra set of AA's for speedlight and portable charger

Obviously the body would have either one of the lens mounted at all times.

[feiron]

I had the Lowepro computrekker AW, and wanting a bigger bag. My next on the list is the rolling computrekker plus AW. A convenience of a backpack with the ease of a set of wheels.

[davidhtam]

I bought a Dakine bag for my camera gear. It's the mission-photo bag.

http://www.dakine.com/snowboard/pack...mission-photo/

i can fit my:
350D w/ battery grip
18-55 f3.5-5.6
75-300 f4-5.6
17-85 f4-5.6
50mm f1.8
420ez flash
and my Leica 90mm f2.0
Oh, and 2 battery chargers

I ordered it online for... 90something dollars and shipping was an extra $20.

The tripod straps onto the back or you can strap your snowboard onto it

[bikerx]

i have a dakine sequence
1dmark2
70-200 2.8
85mm 1.8
28-75 2.8
10-20mm
430ex
550ex
50mm 1.8
radio slaves
lightstand
tripod
beer
radio slaves
stofens
gallion batteries
extra battery for 1d

got it for 90$ on craigslist off a local. saw it at commor or pacfic boarder for 150$

[Levitron]

Originally posted by bikerx
i have a dakine sequence
1dmark2
70-200 2.8
85mm 1.8
28-75 2.8
10-20mm
430ex
550ex
50mm 1.8
radio slaves
lightstand
tripod
beer
radio slaves
stofens
gallion batteries
extra battery for 1d

got it for 90$ on craigslist off a local. saw it at commor or pacfic boarder for 150$

Dude were you stealing internet!? Hahaha.....cuz I swear I met up with you around that time you posted your message

[K-Dub]

Originally posted by Levitron
Dude were you stealing internet!? Hahaha.....cuz I swear I met up with you around that time you posted your message

open networks is not considered stealing! =p haha

[Levitron]

Originally posted by kwazy
open networks is not considered stealing! =p haha

True that.

LOL

Now that I've got a chance to check out the Dakine Sequence (thanks bikerx), I want to check out the Dakine Mission Photo. Anyone got an idea where I can look at it in person?

[bikerx]

Originally posted by Levitron
Dude were you stealing internet!? Hahaha.....cuz I swear I met up with you around that time you posted your message

rofls don't worry about it haha.

you can prob find the dakine and burton bags at Commor and pacific boarder on West 4th. its the only places i've seen the camera specific bags.

ps the lens rocks

[Levitron]

Glad you like it. I certainly did!

Looks like I'll have to head down there to check them out.

So far I've narrowed it down to three packs after extensive searching online (in no particular order):

1) Burton Zoom Pack

http://www.cambags.com/canon/300d_10...ack_frames.htm

2) Dakine Sequence

http://www.cambags.com/canon/300d_10...nce_frames.htm

3) Amvona AB-1617

http://www.cambags.com/canon/300d_10...17a_frames.htm

and maybe the Dakine Mission Photo.

The Amvona is very cheap. Potentially it could be had for less than $80....which is good because I'm trying to save money.

[davidhtam]

Originally posted by Levitron
True that.

LOL

Now that I've got a chance to check out the Dakine Sequence (thanks bikerx), I want to check out the Dakine Mission Photo. Anyone got an idea where I can look at it in person?

I think the sequence has more packing capacity than the mission photo judging by all the stuff that bikerx listed.

If i'd known of these places that carried Dakine stuff, i would've gotten it locally. After shipping, taxes and duties, everything came up to about $140. The bag alone was only $90 or something.. i don't remember.

[[HuCk DuCk]]

ok while we're on the topic of backpacks


LowePro CompuTrekker.... are there any equals or greaters to this bag? i'm trying to get a laptop bag

[endless402]

i have a computrekker. great bag since it's only $40-50

cant hold any medium sized lenses in it tho. I had to put my 70-300 vr into the top compartment, which has no padding.

and my d70s+17-50mm tamron was a tight fit at the bottom.

[[HuCk DuCk]]

my biggest lens is the sigma 70-300 dg macro so its not all that big, fits into my sling shot nicely

[Levitron]

So I headed down to West 4th yesterday to check out the bags.

The material for the Burton seems to be less durable than the Dakine, and it also seems to be bulkier too (it is more rectangular).

The Dakine also has a larger/more flexible area for the storage of other items as well.

Burton Zoom Pack (28L): $170
Dakine Sequence: $160

Still too expensive for me as they can be bought for a lot less online.

[davidhtam]

Levitron:

After shipping, taxes, duties, and a trip down to DHL (twice) in burnaby, i paid $140.

The bag only took 2 days to ship (from washington), but i had to pick it up from DHL because i wasn't home. I had to go down there twice because the first time i went, they couldn't find the package.

If i were to do it again, i would've just gone down to west 4th and bought one locally. Mind you, i live in South Surrey and work at UBC so the trip to burnaby is quite inconvenient for me.

[Levitron]

OK, it's a done deal! $100usd

2007 Dakine Sequence sitting in my room right now.

Man the more I check it out, the more straps I find! There are so many straps you can hang almost ANYTHING off of this thing. There are even straps in hidden compartments. WOW. LOL...

So I filled it with my gear, and tried strapping a lightweight tripod on. Sits quite well on my back. Only thing that bugs me is the way the water bottle holder. It's not exactly a mesh pocket that sits on the outside of the pack, but it's hidden within a zip pocket that folds out to reveal the water bottle holder. I'll have to decide whether to use that or the straps to hold my tripod. It seems to be a bit more stable sitting in the waterbottle holder.

bikerx, how do you strap on your tripod if you decide to carry one around?

[bikerx]

i either use the snowboard strap that comes with the bag ( the loose strap) or i use the left side of the bag where the button ir or w.e and a loop comes out at the bottem then i use the strap at the top left . it fits pretty snug depending on the length of your tripod but i haven't had problems.

if your running around alot i would put it flat on the center of the bag. it'll be more balanced.
hope that helped

[Levitron]

Can you post a picture of how you strap it down?

I am wondering if the different years have any difference in the amount of straps offered.

[MikesJo]

When you back Dan?

I'm using the compuday pack from Lowepro, it's good for lugging around a 15" laptop, large DSLR w/o grip, and 2 medium lenses. Won't fit my 70-200 though.

[bikerx]

i had a brain fart. i only use the pull out thingy when i use a light stand.







here are some of my configurations but it always depends what else im carrying cause i want it even the pull out thing on the bottom right is for when i have a light weight light stand . I prefer the 1st and last configurations the 2nd one sorta swings around but yeah..

depends on size of tripod too. i can carry my friend's tripod much better then my dinky little one

Edit: mind you my bag is empty right now so it looks flimsy and limp( it doesn't have the camera case inside)

[MikesJo]

bikerx, you put your camera in the camera case as well as putting it in the bag? I thought that the backpack already has compartments for that? Just added protection?

[bikerx]

the camera has a removable camera bag section so its pretty much two bags in one. but you can take it out and put other crap in ..(i use it as a daily school bag :P) holds a lot of crap

[Levitron]

This bag is HUGE if you take out the camera case. I'm sure you can use it as a weekender for some trip if you decide not to bring most of your gear.

bikerx, thanks for posting up those photos....it's a great help! I was wondering how to secure the tripod safely without it dropping. I think I'll probably end up doing what you did in the first photo. I initially thought it would be loose that way, but it's actually quite stable.

[davidhtam]

Kind of late for you levitron, but if anyone else is thinking of getting a dakine bag, here are some pics of the "Mission" that i have:





tons of storage room!