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|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
Mini Trekker bombed....any good suggestions?
Daniel Brayack, Photographer
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Charleston | WV | USA | Posted: 7:28 AM on 04.11.09 |
->> I've had a Lowepro mini-trekker Classic for about 8 months now - good bag - good size - but both zippers blew on me - I emailed support at Lowe Pro and they basically said I just need to get a new bag - which is disappointing.
Does anyone have a good alternative bag? I do a lot of outdoors shooting - so the bag needs to be durable and protect everything.
Like 1-2 bodies - a handful of lenses with the 80-200 being the biggest.
Thanks =)
-Dan
www.brayackmedia.com |
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Chuck Steenburgh, Photographer
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Lexington | VA | USA | Posted: 8:01 AM on 04.11.09 |
->> LowePro = Think Tank wannabe.
http://www.thinktankphoto.com/
Great products and even better service. |
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Daniel Brayack, Photographer
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Charleston | WV | USA | Posted: 8:11 AM on 04.11.09 |
| ->> You da man |
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Andrew Knapik, Photographer, Assistant
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Lincoln Park | MI | USA | Posted: 8:51 AM on 04.11.09 |
| ->> I can second the value of Think Tank. The have the best bags, and the BEST customer service. Do a seach of this board and you can see for yourself. |
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Steve Ueckert, Photographer
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Houston | TX | | Posted: 11:40 AM on 04.11.09 |
| ->> I replaced my Mini-Trekker Classic with the LowePro CompuTrekker AW. It is about the same size but a better built, more up to date design. It has much better straps than the MiniTrekker. The pull-out AW cover is nice for sudden rain or packing in a wet environment. |
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Steven E. Frischling, Photographer
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Live HVN : Work SFO-NYC | | | Posted: 11:47 AM on 04.11.09 |
->> I like the Mountainsmith Parallax. I find the bag to be well built, durable, and the 'rear-access' hatch for accessing the gear makes it more secure when walking in crowded places as your gear can be removed from the bag while its on your back.
I like the overall design of the bag, and it also comes with a rain-coat to protect the bag in a down pour.
I have written about the bag a few times, the most recent was this past fall, with a series of detailed photos here:
http://boardingarea.com/blogs/flyingwithfish/2008/10/22/the-mountainsmith-p.../ |
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Patrick Fallon, Student/Intern, Photographer
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Columbia | MO | USA | Posted: 12:15 PM on 04.11.09 |
| ->> I thought lowe pro had a lifetime warranty... what gives? |
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Karsten Moran, Photographer, Photo Editor
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New York | NY | United States of America | Posted: 12:19 PM on 04.11.09 |
->> Interesting, your experience is completely opposite to mine. Perhaps they support their different lines/grades with different guarantees... did you register the product when you bought it? Are you the original owner?
I just had the most amazing customer support experience, myself. I have a photo trekker mkII, which I bought new in 2003, on which the zippers just blew out. I called support who said to send it in. I didn't hear back for a week and was beginning to wonder whether they'd received it when, lo and behold, it reappeared, completely re-zippered at no charge. They didn't even charge me for return shipping.
That said, I was the original owner and I had registered in immediately. Maybe try them again.
Good luck. |
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Harrison Shull, Photographer
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Fayetteville, WV | Asheville, NC | | Posted: 1:31 PM on 04.11.09 |
->> For me - same with Karsten...
I bought an Orion AW back in like 1994 or 1995. I beat the daylights out of it on the rocks, rivers, and trails. It was a flawless performer. Eventually a few years later some zippers blew and I sent it back to Lowepro. They replaced it with a new one for FREE since it had a lifetime warranty. Since then I have had two more replaced as the old ones wore out - all for free and all with no questions asked.
Great designs for outdoor adventure shooters, bombproof construction (within reason considering what I do to the bags), and top notch warranty and customer service are all reasons that all my bags are Lowepro.
You might want to contact them again and see what is up. I sure hope things have not changed there. |
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Shane Psaltis, Photographer
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Aquebogue | NY | USA | Posted: 9:55 PM on 04.11.09 |
->> I have many Bags, rollers, and backpacks, I have a problem like women have a problem with coach bags I have a problem with to many camera bags. Anyway , I Love Think Tank they have become my premiere roller and laptop bag, but for backpacks I like the Tamrac 5585 the Expedition 5x, the bag is great and is like the mini trekker.
Good luck |
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Mike Doran, Photographer
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Petaluma | CA | U.S.A. | Posted: 9:59 PM on 04.11.09 |
| ->> Think Tank Antidote should take the place of that bombed out Mini Trekker. I have been a Think Tank user since I saw the writeup in PDN. Great stuff and a great crew over there. |
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Nick Morris, Photographer
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San Marcos | CA | United States | Posted: 1:19 AM on 04.12.09 |
| ->> Friggin Lowepro is so Lowebudget. I have a sideline shooter and the same thing happened. It wasn't 4 months old and they told me the zippers aren't covered and I should be more careful when using their product... F that! I don't have the luxury of time when I'm shooting and I'll be damned if I'm going to be "Careful" when I use my "Professional" equipment. It's not made to be danced through the raindrops. |
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Michael Clark, Photographer
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Santa Fe | NM | USA | Posted: 1:47 AM on 04.12.09 |
->> Daniel -
As someone who has tortured a significant number of Lowepro products and had several of them replaced after hard use under their warranty I would try again. It has been my experience that they replace or repair all their bags or it if it appears to have been really worked over the coals they at least offer you a new bag at a significantly discounted price. After 8 months of use that isn't what I would classify as hard use so they should replace your bag for you.
Here is a link to the warranty page on their website - give them a call and ask for an RA # and then they will advise you on how you can send it in:
http://www.lowepro.com/support/warranty
I have worked with them for a while now testing bags and advising them on how to build better bags and so far no one that I know of makes bags that work for me better than Lowepro and that includes Think Tank. In terms of their warranty the entire bag is covered including any and all zippers. Talk with them directly and forget about going to a dealer.
In terms of replacements, there are a bunch of good alternatives. I just got the Flipside 400 AW and that looks pretty nice for a small backpack - I also love the Specialist 85 AW, Vertex 300 AW and the street and field series - I have been working their bags hard for the last 15 years or so and they have done quite well for me. They aren't built like Arc'teryx climbing packs but nothing out there is.
I am sure the Think Tank products are good as well but they seem to be targeted at the sideline shooter or photojournalist instead of outdoor photographers - which is where Lowepro seems to excel. Hope this helps. |
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Daniel Brayack, Photographer
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Charleston | WV | USA | Posted: 8:20 AM on 04.15.09 |
->> Michael and Crew,
Thanks for the responses - I think that I will, in-fact, send it back to Lowepro and see how things go.
Thanks for the info - much appreciated.
I break things a lot =(
-Dan |
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Michael Granse, Photographer
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Urbana | IL | USA | Posted: 9:20 AM on 04.15.09 |
| ->> Mr Morris, if your insurance agent is reading this thread your premium is going to go up a bit next year :) |
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Daniel Brayack, Photographer
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Charleston | WV | USA | Posted: 7:36 AM on 05.06.09 |
->> Michael (Clark),
I really appreciate your advice - I just got an email from Lowepro; they are replacing my product and sending me a new one ASAP =). I'm glad that I sent it back. They seem really awesome after all =).
Michael (Granse) - oh no!
-Dan |
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