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|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
backpack for college and carry-on
Dreier Carr, Student/Intern, Photographer
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Winston-Salem | NC | USA | Posted: 12:27 AM on 07.11.08 |
->> I'm looking for a backpack to transport gear around campus and assignments. I'd like to be able to carry a 40D with grip, 24-70, 70-200, 15" macbook pro, and extra gear like cards and readers, chargers and batteries, notepads, etc. It would also be nice to have room for a flash and/or a 16-35 from our equipment pool. I'm looking for something to keep up with me around campus and small enough for a carry-on. For a while I was sold on the Tamrac Adventure 9, but I just saw that Think Tank and LowePro both have good options as well. Does anyone have any opinions or advice on these three models or more? Any and all advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks a ton!
Tamrac Adventure 9 - http://tinyurl.com/67xeh6
ThinkTank Airport Antidote - http://tinyurl.com/587kgq
Lowepro Fastpack 350 - http://tinyurl.com/5kawuh
Thanks again for all the help,
Dreier |
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Chase Olivieri, Student/Intern, Photographer
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Raleigh/Durham-- San Juan | NC/PR | USA | Posted: 12:33 AM on 07.11.08 |
->> I highly recommend the Think Tank Airport Antidote. It's been great for college and travel around the world. So far, I've been packing it with 2- canon mark 2's, 300 2.8, 70-200, 16-35 and 2 580ex's. It also easily holds my mac book pro. It is well worth the investment.
Let me know if you need any more info.
-Chase |
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Chris Mackler, Student/Intern, Photographer
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Athens | OH | United States | Posted: 1:06 AM on 07.11.08 |
| ->> I'll speak for the Tamrac Adventure 9. I was looking for a good backpack carry-on for a trip to India to carry my gear and my macbook pro, and it fit the job perfectly. Security was one of my top priorities, and this bag is perfect because it looks like a typical backpack - not something that has thousands of Dollars of gear in it, and would be an easy target. This bag is not boxy like other camera backpacks can be. It's also very sturdy and houses gear with plenty of protection. |
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Daniel Berman, Student/Intern, Photographer
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Seattle | WA | US | Posted: 1:42 AM on 07.11.08 |
->> I have been really pleased with the LowePro CompuTrekker AW. It has room for all the stuff you need and more, has a built-in laptop slot that works great with the MBP 15" and also has very comfortable shoulder straps.
It also works great as a carry-on for traveling.
P.S., you can adjust the internal dividers to really accomodate whatever gear you have; when I went to SSA V last March I had the thing packed to the gills; 3 digital bodies, 80-200 2.8, 17-35, 14mm 2.8, 85 1.8, a flash, pocket wizards, cords, and of course a laptop.
Daniel |
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Justin Edmonds, Student/Intern, Photographer
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Denver | CO | USA | Posted: 1:46 AM on 07.11.08 |
->> I agree with Chase, Think Tank is the way to go. I have the larger Airport Acceleration that holds all that Chase has and more. The bag has really simple lines on the outside and doesn't scream PHOTO like other companies bags do. It's a backpack that will hold your gear and computer to/from assignments but best of all it still fit in the overhead bin and underneath my seat on 99% of the flights that I've been on. TT is definitely a little more expensive than others but you wont think twice about it when you get the bag in your hands.
-JCE |
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James Madelin, Photographer
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AKL | Auckland | New Zealand | Posted: 8:48 AM on 07.11.08 |
->> another idea would be to go for the lightware digital backpack. i recently reviewed the lowepro stealth aw ii on my blog; although the stealth has been discontinued it's very similar in size and capability to the lightware.
have a look at my blog for my thoughts and a link to a great review of the lightware backpack:
http://manbagaholic.blogspot.com |
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Andrew Villa, Student/Intern, Photographer
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San Jose | CA | United States | Posted: 11:20 PM on 07.11.08 |
->> I have the lightware bag, and its massive. I use it usually only for traveling. for around campus, I'm picking up an Urban disguise 50. It'll hold everything you have mentioned without a problem.
-Andrew |
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Patrick Smith, Student/Intern, Photographer
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Towson | Md. | USA | Posted: 1:02 PM on 07.12.08 |
| ->> I have a Lowepro Mini Trekker, but the CompuTrekker AW is the same thing with a laptop slot. I never carry it with me on assignment, it's just my general gear bag, but you can easily fit all you listed in the bag and it doesn't look enormous like other bags tend to. |
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Andrew Villa, Student/Intern, Photographer
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San Jose | CA | United States | Posted: 3:09 PM on 07.12.08 |
->> James, awesome write ups! I'll write up something on my Lightware bag and my UD 50 when i get it next week.
I like you am a bag-aholic and like you I have a very understanding girlfriend. |
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John Taggart, Photographer
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New York | NY | USA | Posted: 3:54 PM on 07.12.08 |
->> I am having such a problem finding a solid backpack. I am ready to just resort to a regular messenger bag. If anyone has a lowepro stealth bag let me know.
- JT |
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Andrew Villa, Student/Intern, Photographer
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San Jose | CA | United States | Posted: 11:51 PM on 07.15.08 |
->> John,
The Lightware bag is solid. But I also use a baileyworks messengerbag with a thinktank insert in it for shooting news and protests sometimes. It works perfect and doesn't look like a camera bag. I can post pictures if you'd like to see them... shoot me an email if you want and i can send them over your way.
I'll be picking up a thinktank UD50 this weekend and can post pics of that and how I like it as well if you'd like.
-Andrew |
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Dreier Carr, Student/Intern, Photographer
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Winston-Salem | NC | USA | Posted: 1:02 AM on 07.16.08 |
->> It was a really close call between the tamrac and the think tank, but I ended up with the tamrac. Although the think tank looks like an amazing bag, I don't have that much gear yet and although it would be nice to grow into, I think I will carry the tamrac around campus more as it will more easily blend in. I'm sure I will cave soon enough and start drinking the Think Tank cool aid, but for now I like to think I'm still a poor college student.
Thanks for the help and advice
Dreier |
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Adam Cairns, Photographer
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Columbus | OH | USA | Posted: 9:47 AM on 07.16.08 |
->> I really like my Lowepro Stealth backpack. It's very unobtrusive, but you can pack a ton of stuff in there. Check out James' write-up on the bag that he posted above. He's spot on with the description. I'm definitely going to borrow his idea of using the ThinkTank Cable Management in place of the laptop bag. My only complaints with the bag is that you can't put a camera in it with the lens attached, and it doesn't fit a 300 f2.8. Both of those are possible with the Lightware Digital Backpack, which is a lot larger.
On the plus side, it's very comfortable to carry. The weight stays close to your back, so it's not rough on the shoulders or lower back.
I had a hard time finding a place to buy the bag, but with a little patience on eBay, I got one brand new for less than $100. Just set up an alert to email you anytime "lowepro stealth backpack" gets listed. |
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Adam Cairns, Photographer
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Columbus | OH | USA | Posted: 1:30 PM on 07.17.08 |
->> http://tinyurl.com/6pjs7t
This Dakine Reload Pack doesn't look like a bad deal. Anyone had any experience with this backpack? |
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Michael Schwarz, Photographer
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Decatur | GA | USA | Posted: 1:32 PM on 07.17.08 |
->> Hello Dreier,
My name is Michael and I am a bagaholic. Pathetically, I own or have used most of the bags listed above. They are all good and an argument could be made for each one. However my favorite large combo backpack is the LowePro CompuRover.
It has a great design with three distinct sections. One will hold a moderate amount of camera gear. (2 pro bodies, 2-3 pro lenses. The second section is a large section that can hold more gear, or other stuff. The third section will hold a large laptop, magazines, etc. Also there is a tripod pouch and a couple of small pockets and pouches. Each section is independent of the other so you can keep stuff separate.
The bag will fit in overhead compartments but is too big for under the seat. It makes a great travel or hiking bag and the straps are nice and cushy.
http://products.lowepro.com/product/CompuRover-AW,1923,16.htm
Good luck |
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Maxwell Yedor, Student/Intern, Photographer
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Ventura | CA | USA | Posted: 2:50 PM on 07.17.08 |
| ->> Personally I'd buy the Think-Tank, their products are the best designed and best built that I've come across. They seem to be the only company that realizes that photographers now use digital bodies and AF lenses that are considerably larger than the film bodies and manual focus primes phtogs were using in the past and build their bags accordingly. I also use my Think-Tank speedbelt pouches without the belt in my Tibbuk2 messenger bag, and North Face backpack when I'm going more incognito and only need a laptop, a body, a lens or two and a spare battery. |
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Andrew Villa, Student/Intern, Photographer
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San Jose | CA | United States | Posted: 8:56 PM on 08.09.08 |
| ->> just got my UD50 today! Put all my stuff in it and it's awesome. |
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