Need Backpack recommendations

[KurtStevens]

http://products.lowepro.com/product/CompuRover-AW,1923,16.htm

Bought this bag for shooting a wedding in Cancun, best decision I made.  Carried my 50mm, 85, 17-35 and 70-200 in it.  (70-200) in bag in top compartment.  Has plenty of space for cards and filters and whatnot.  Comfortable even with carrying a 7lb tripod on the straps on back.  Hip straps make it comfortable as well for longer journeys.

[cwild]

Check out the F-stop gear bags:

http://fstopgear.com/

I've used Kata and Thinktank bags prior to finding F-stop, and I would never go back. The Guru in particular may be just what you are looking for.

The key difference with these bags is that the padded camera section is interchangeable and is accessed by a zip on the back of the bag not the front, so there is no chance of anyone stealing your gear while you are wearing your pack.

[Eagle Eye]

I've tried a few, too, and my favorite is the Lowepro Flipside 400.  I've worn it in the Appalachians, Alps, and around various cities.  It is RIDICULOUSLY comfortable and will hold everything you're looking for.

[Canon Rumors]

Backpacks are so personal, I had a rough time due to being 6'4. All backpacks are designed for the 5'10 male in mind. There's a whole science to torso size across races and heights.

The most comfortable I have found to actually have on my back are from F-Stop and Crumpler. Though I find the Crumpler stuff to make very poor use of space.

I use the Gura Gear Kiboko when travelling, nothing fits more stuff and is better built.

Kata and Lowepro.... I haven't found anything that works for me from either company. I also think their products weigh too much.

My 0.02!

[Edwin Herdman]

I have a Lowepro S&F vest / belt setup.  It's pretty handy because I already had a couple little Lowepro bags and they slot right in.  The only downside, especially for heavier lenses, is that the bag can rock back and forth into you if you run along, but I didn't notice that happening when I carried it and all my lenses.  I haven't used it much (in fact I've only used it once so far), but when I did it seemed pretty comfortable.

I wanted to get away from the shoulder strap camera bags which are no good for causing strains, and as a bonus over backpacks you can get to the items without taking off the vest.  The obvious negative is that you can't change lenses inside a bag, as you could in a backpack, if you only have small lens pouches.  Overall, I'm pretty happy with it, though.  It also would reduce the chances of a security search gone bad if you obviously just have small bags for lenses, as opposed to a big bag in which you might pack something in the backpack and forget it's there.

The most comfortable I have found to actually have on my back are from F-Stop and Crumpler. Though I find the Crumpler stuff to make very poor use of space.

I use the Gura Gear Kiboko when travelling, nothing fits more stuff and is better built.

I will look into those because that's about my height, as well.  I can't realistically see myself using even a small Street & Field compatible camera bag on the vest or belt because it would just bounce into my leg continually.

[dr croubie]

I've just gone into town and picked up my Lowepro ProRunner 350.
the only difference in it, from the 300 is that it has a laptop slot at the back. Use it or not, but it provides another layer of padding between camera and back.

So far i've fit in it:
7D with 70-300L and hood in place, stealme strap with RC6.
Canon: 15-85, 50 f/1.8 ii, TC 80 N3, battery charger and cables.
lensbaby: control freak, 0.42x WA, 0.6x WA, 1.6x TC, extra optic, macro lenses in pouch
kenko: EF/EFS extension tubes
Other: gorillapod SLR Zoom and Cullman Ballhead, Skink pinhole, some sort of 52mm screw-in fisheye adapter, gitzo blower. Step-up/down rings and reversal adapters and extra cards in the front pocket.

All of that is 7kg, and man it's comfortable, i'm about to go for a walk to try it out, it's already better than my Toploader stuffed inside my other Black Wolf backpack i bought for uni work.

I did see those Kata (i think) bags with the hole in the side for easy-camera-access. it's agood idea, but i didn't like them
a) because of the security already mentioned
b) because it was on the side and horizontal, you limit the max length of lens
c) if it was on the top and vertical, weight is higher up which is better for my back

[neuroanatomist]

I have a Lowepro S&F vest / belt setup.  It's pretty handy because I already had a couple little Lowepro bags and they slot right in.  The only downside, especially for heavier lenses, is that the bag can rock back and forth into you if you run along, but I didn't notice that happening when I carried it and all my lenses.  I haven't used it much (in fact I've only used it once so far), but when I did it seemed pretty comfortable.

The obvious negative is that you can't change lenses inside a bag, as you could in a backpack, if you only have small lens pouches.  Overall, I'm pretty happy with it, though. 

I have the S&F Deluxe Technical Belt (no harness), and really like it.  I occsaionally hang a Toploader Pro 65 AW from it, with a lens case on the other side, but more often hang the camera over my shoulder on a BlackRapid strap, with one or two lenses and/or a flash on the belt.  I've also got the little pouch for my iPhone, since the belt+cases block easy access to my front pants/shorts pockets. 

For easier changing of lenses, check out the S&F Lens Exchange Case 200 AW - it opens up with a second 'temporary' pocket so it can hold two lenses during a switch.  The main case is a great fit for a 70-200mm f/2.8 or 100-400mm with hood reversed.

[1982chris911]

I use this bag and I love it - a 5d mkII with 70-200mm f/2.8 on plus 3-4 other lenses is no problem at all and it has a cool urban style look where no one thinks it is actually a camera bag ...     

http://www.thinktankphoto.com/products/retrospective-20-pinestone-shoulder-bag.aspx

[leGreve]

I always praise this bag when people ask

It currently holds:
- 5D with batterygrip
- 70-200 mounted on it.
- 100mm macro
- 24-70
- extension tubes screwed together
- 2 extra batteries
- flash
- random cables
- charger
- and the pockets in the top part are water tight and holds random papers, manuals, cd's.. whatever.

The inside is build up with soft deviders that you can customize yourself.

It has two front pockets, one large one small and it fits a 15" laptop in the back pocket, or a foldable lastolite.

In the bottom it has a zipper that opens up to the build in rain cover.

All in all a very nice and protective run and gun as well as a general back pack for your gear.


I present.... the Lowe Pro Runner 350AW:

[EYEONE]

I have a way-too-stuffed Lowerpro Pro Runner 200. It works pretty well but I look like a crazy man in a child's backpack.

Inside I have a:
-Canon 7D w/ 70-200mm f2.8 IS II mounted (Hood mounted backwards)
-Canon 24-70mm f2.8 L (Hood mounted backwards)
-Canon Speedlite 430EX II
-Gorillapod
-BlackRapid RS-7
-Other nic-nacks (body caps, rear caps, pouches, diffusers and such)

[Canihaspicture]

I've got the Lowepro flipside 400AW

With it's waist strap I can take off the shoulder straps swing it to my front side and change my lenses while standing up (it's like having a shelf).

In it I have 5 lenses including my 70-200mm a 5d mark II with attached battery grip, a spare crop body. including a teleconverter and a flash, plus all my battery chargers. In the front I carry spare batteries, CF cards, collapsible grey card, pocket wizards, sekonic light meter, misc cables.
It also has straps for a tripod which I've used and ...the best part... it has the built in rain cover like many lowepro products.

I love it!

[dstppy]

I've got the Lowepro flipside 400AW

With it's waist strap I can take off the shoulder straps swing it to my front side and change my lenses while standing up (it's like having a shelf).

In it I have 5 lenses including my 70-200mm a 5d mark II with attached battery grip, a spare crop body. including a teleconverter and a flash, plus all my battery chargers. In the front I carry spare batteries, CF cards, collapsible grey card, pocket wizards, sekonic light meter, misc cables.
It also has straps for a tripod which I've used and ...the best part... it has the built in rain cover like many lowepro products.

I love it!

The 300 and up you can wear it frontside, buckle the waist and chest strap behind you, and hold a golf umbrella hand-free with the tripod carrier while taking pictures too

People look at you weird, but hey, you're dry

[bycostello]

think tank shape shifter...

[Stu_bert]

I use Lowepro, PhotoTrekker, it takes 17KG+ of weight for me (admittedly only whilst travelling, I try not to walk with that much!), and I'm on the 2nd one (Lowepro replaced it FOC when the zips went on the other one). Oh and I'm 6ft 1". Takes laptop or ipad in the zipped top. I also hang the gps off it ;-)

A friend has the flipside and it's very nice. Have looked at Kata at shows but did not work for me. Horses for courses.

But, you need to try them out if you can, ideally with some weight, at either a dealer or a show. The weight is important as it's only when they're loaded does it count and you notice the nuances :-)

Once you have it, also get a friend to adjust it with you. Definitely not a 1 person job to start off.