Backpack for Hiking

[bitm2007]

Hi

Can anyboby recommended a good two compartment rucksack for Hiking to photographic locations ?.

It's needed as a replacement for my Lowepro Orion Trekker, that has separate sections for my camera gear and waterproof/lunch. The Manfrotto Active backack 1 and 2, both look suitable.

http://www.manfrotto.co.uk/advanced-active-backpack-i

http://www.manfrotto.co.uk/advanced-active-backpack-ii

Both version have the same size camera compartment, I plan to carry a Canon 5D Mk III body with 24-105 f4 L lens attached, as well as a telezoom (Canon 70-300 L) and wide angle lens (Canon 16-35mm f4 L). Can anybody confirm thay my kit will fit in the bottom section of these, or recommend a suitable alternative ?.

 

[stefang]

I bought this cheap backpack from Ebay: http://www.ebay.nl/itm/Waterproof-DSLR-SLR-Camera-Backpack-Bag-Shoulder-Bag-Waist-Bag-17-Laptop-Bag-/301279767626?var=&hash=item4625ac6c4a
It easily holds a 1Ds II with 70-200 4.0 attached, 24-70 4.0, 17-40 4.0 and 550EX. The there's room for another lens and some spare batteries.
In the bottom compartment there's ample space for lunch etc. And then there are side pockets for a bottle and a tripod and some small pockets for a phone, cards etc.
I like the fact that this is a kind of upside-down arrangement: when something goes wrong with my lunch, it will not drip down on my photo gear. I changed the interior to make it a top-loading bag: when I set it down, I open the top and have access to all my gear. It's not quite up to the quality of my LowePro bags, but it comes close and it's very easy to carry: excellent support.

Edit: I just realize my backpack is a bit different: it has heigth-adjustable shoulder straps. Orherwise, it's identical.

 

[NancyP]

More info needed. How far do you intend to hike? How much weight do you intend to carry? Height and weight? Have you been fitted for a conventional backpack (measuring your torso length), and do you know how a good one should fit? Do you need to accommodate more than a jacket and a few snacks and water bottles/ reservoir and bite-tube in the non-camera portions of the backpack?

Many photo backpacks do not have enough (or any) adjustment built in to work for non-average-size people. I have a short torso length, 14.5", nearly child-size, and even a "women's" pack with minimum 16" torso length is hard to adjust to perfection. If you are slinging on a backpack to transport gear 100 yards, fit doesn't matter, but if you are carrying 30# of gear for 5 or 10 miles, fit matters a great deal.

 

[Don Haines]

As far as I have seen, nobody makes a camera backpack that is anywhere near a good to carry as a backpacking pack.... your answer might be a real pack, some Beta shells, and a camera case. Carry all the lenses, bodies, plus accessories, food, water, tripod, clothing, etc in something that has the space to fit it and a suspension system to save your body.

Seriously, check out a good backpacking pack.... they are so much more comfortable! You can carry twice the weight with less effort.....

 

[Larsskv]

I take my DSLRs for hiking every week. I have been looking for a good backpack for three years, and I finally found it in the Mindshift gear rotation packs. I have the pro and the 180 packs. The best thing about them is that you can access your camera very quickly without taking the backpack of your back. Further, they are very comfortable to carry. You should definitely consider them for hiking!

 

[TK]

try www.fstopgear.com

 

[NancyP]

TRY ON the loaded pack before committing. Weight should be borne by the hips, very little by the shoulders. You should be able to turn, bend, step over, and make a variety of movements without having the pack shift much. Weight should carry close to your spine - close to your center of gravity.

 

[that1guyy]

Search these bags on Google and research them if they fit your needs.

1. Gura Gear Uinta
Mountansmith Borealis
Mountainsmith Spectrum (note: the old version of this bag is different and has more space)
Lowepro BP 250 AW II
Pacsafe Camsafe venture 25 v25 (they also have a smaller version I think)
Clickelite probody sport

These are bags that are on my list for when I decide to buy, along with the manfrotto you mentioned.

 

[candc]

Fstop mountain series are real backcountry packs that use interchangeable gear modules.

 

[siegsAR]

Lowepro Roverpro AW bags. There's a 35L and a 45L one.

 

[bitm2007]

Thanks for the replies guy's

It will be generally used for hikes to photo locations, that I can get to or return from, in less than an hour. My primary consideration is enough space to fit a Canon 5D style camera with 24-105mm lens attached, along with my 16-35mm f4 and 70-300mm L lenses, although obviously easy of use and comfort etc comes into it as well.

Occasionally it would be used for day hikes, although on these occasions I normally just carry a body, lens and filters etc. It's for these reasons that the top loaded design of the Manfrotto Active packs appealed, as I image that the size loaded design would be unbalanced on these occasions.

I'm going to check out some of the designs mentioned at a store early next week, I'm sure I will find something suitable before setting off on a three week photography tour of the Scottish Highlands later this month.

 

[RustyTheGeek]

There are some great and concise replies here. Please also do a forum search and find the multitude of previous threads where (we that hike) have all discussed this heavily. You'll see a repeating theme of how important having a decent quality hiking backpack is (first priority) and then adding some camera gear to that. NOT the other way around! Unless of course you are on a day hike, then it really doesn't matter because you aren't really hiking and camping, you are just walking a short distance with camera gear on your back along with some snacks and water.