M-Series Hiking Bagpack

Nov 3, 2012
512
212
:mad:
andrei1989 said:
a sling for hiking is a no go!
all that weight on one shoulder (imagine adding 1-2L of water, some snacks and a jacket and you have a 4-5kg pack)
[/quote

As my post noted, I use a backpack for hiking stuff (size dependent on the length of the hike) and an M3 with two lenses in a shoulder bag. "All that weight" can not be a criticism of the M3!
Works for me but of course YMMV.]
 
Upvote 0

bf

Jul 30, 2014
298
69
bf said:
I had a chance to look and try on both LowPro Sport 200 AWII and MindShift 16L. Although Mindshift rotation system works, I prefer the Lowepro for better ergonomics. It has lighter and more flexible padding and straps, which is a plus for fast hikes, running, and cycling.

I used LowePro Sport 200 AWII in a 45 miles cycling day. I did not like a few important aspects of its design. The hydration pocket is too small for 2L reservoir. Active zone padding is very hard on back; specifically when you put your hydration pack.
A minor note is the camera access door is on left whereas my default is on the right side.

Overall, to me it seems camera bags are not where good outdoor sport bags are. I'm considering to go to a running or cycling backpack and put my photography gears in it. I'd cover them with pouches or my dashpoint 30.
 
Upvote 0

dcm

Enjoy the gear you have!
CR Pro
Apr 18, 2013
1,088
846
Colorado, USA
bf said:
I'm looking for a light bag-pack to put these on for short day hiking:
One M series body
2 lenses + filters + batteries
1LB Tripod
Water (would consider a hydration pack)
Fruit, trail mix etc
Cellphone+Wallet etc
A light jacket etc

What's your suggestion?

Define short (hours, distance, elevation gain). What weather might you might experience throughout the year? Are the trails well traveled or seldom used. Are you beyond cell range? Is water available along the trail? Are you hiking solo or in a group?

There can be quite a bit of variance in these answers. I often hike solo so I'm carrying some extra gear, just in case. My day hikes range from 6 to 16 hours. Sometimes I'll be the only person on the trail that day and often without cell coverage. And I might just be snowshoeing above 10k feet in the dead of winter here in Colorado. Or above tree line where water is seldom available so I must carry it all in. One pack is not sufficient in my case.

I prefer inserts with a pack designed for hiking over any camera bag. A single insert allows me to extract all the camera gear at once to make a change or to set aside when getting lunch or setting up camp. Slings are a no go with any amount of weight on a trail. Might as well drop the pack and rest for a minute while changing lenses - less likelihood of something going wrong. This approach gives a lot of flexibility to balance the amount of camera gear you wish to carry versus other gear needed for the conditions. And I get to reuse the bags I've already got - both camera and hiking. Visit your local outdoor store and get fitted for a pack to see the difference, especially with a load in it.

For my M camera kit I typically use a 7 liter Gura Gear insert. I have the 11 liter insert also if I want to carry a larger lens. I sometimes use my Think Tank Mirrorless Mover 10 (2.5 liter) or 20 (4 liter) as inserts (sans straps) when I want something smaller. The 7 liter might be a bit large for your needs.

The insert goes in an 18, 30 (normal), or 45 liter day pack or overnight pack for a day hike depending on the season and weather. The Peak Design Capture Pro allows me to carry the M on my strap if I want it available on the go.

On a short stroll with my wife I carry the 18 liter with a TT MM and the PD Capture Pro on the strap. She won't be carrying much other than a water bottle.

Here's a look at the 7 liter insert in my 45 liter pack (below) on a day hike up to tree line for some photos of the fresh snow from the day before on the forest and peaks. I carried the M3, 4 lenses and some accessories. The weather was cold and iffy so I was carrying some extra gear in the larger pack.

On a 4 day group trip with a 65 liter pack in late September I needed to minimize my camera load so I could squeeze in a bear canister and group equipment. I carried the M3 and 2 lenses in the TT MM 20 with the PD Capture Pro on the strap. On a solo overnight trip I carry the 65 liter with the 7 liter insert so I have more camera/lens options.

Have fun.
 

Attachments

  • GGPackInsert.jpg
    GGPackInsert.jpg
    585.3 KB · Views: 230
Upvote 0

bf

Jul 30, 2014
298
69
dcm said:
bf said:
I'm looking for a light bag-pack to put these on for short day hiking:
One M series body
2 lenses + filters + batteries
1LB Tripod
Water (would consider a hydration pack)
Fruit, trail mix etc
Cellphone+Wallet etc
A light jacket etc

What's your suggestion?

Define short (hours, distance, elevation gain). What weather might you might experience throughout the year? Are the trails well traveled or seldom used. Are you beyond cell range? Is water available along the trail? Are you hiking solo or in a group?

There can be quite a bit of variance in these answers. I often hike solo so I'm carrying some extra gear, just in case. My day hikes range from 6 to 16 hours. Sometimes I'll be the only person on the trail that day and often without cell coverage. And I might just be snowshoeing above 10k feet in the dead of winter here in Colorado. Or above tree line where water is seldom available so I must carry it all in. One pack is not sufficient in my case.

I prefer inserts with a pack designed for hiking over any camera bag. A single insert allows me to extract all the camera gear at once to make a change or to set aside when getting lunch or setting up camp. Slings are a no go with any amount of weight on a trail. Might as well drop the pack and rest for a minute while changing lenses - less likelihood of something going wrong. This approach gives a lot of flexibility to balance the amount of camera gear you wish to carry versus other gear needed for the conditions. And I get to reuse the bags I've already got - both camera and hiking. Visit your local outdoor store and get fitted for a pack to see the difference, especially with a load in it.

For my M camera kit I typically use a 7 liter Gura Gear insert. I have the 11 liter insert also if I want to carry a larger lens. I sometimes use my Think Tank Mirrorless Mover 10 (2.5 liter) or 20 (4 liter) as inserts (sans straps) when I want something smaller. The 7 liter might be a bit large for your needs.

The insert goes in an 18, 30 (normal), or 45 liter day pack or overnight pack for a day hike depending on the season and weather. The Peak Design Capture Pro allows me to carry the M on my strap if I want it available on the go.

On a short stroll with my wife I carry the 18 liter with a TT MM and the PD Capture Pro on the strap. She won't be carrying much other than a water bottle.

Here's a look at the 7 liter insert in my 45 liter pack (below) on a day hike up to tree line for some photos of the fresh snow from the day before on the forest and peaks. I carried the M3, 4 lenses and some accessories. The weather was cold and iffy so I was carrying some extra gear in the larger pack.

On a 4 day group trip with a 65 liter pack in late September I needed to minimize my camera load so I could squeeze in a bear canister and group equipment. I carried the M3 and 2 lenses in the TT MM 20 with the PD Capture Pro on the strap. On a solo overnight trip I carry the 65 liter with the 7 liter insert so I have more camera/lens options.

Have fun.

Thanks dcm for your insightful response. I'd look for inserts.
Defining short: I usually do day trips lasting 4-12 hours. Elements are limited to rain based on my current location. I try to go ultra light. I often tend to explore further and ending up solo in a rarely used trail or section. :)
 
Upvote 0
Nov 4, 2011
3,165
0
For hiking, biking and city trips l use a Deuter Futura backpack 22 http://www.deuter.com/DE/en/hiking/futura-22-34204-red-blue.html and carry
* EOS M with 18-55 in a Lowepro Dashpoint 30 http://store.lowepro.com/dashpoint-30 attached to left backpack strap. Camera is secured to backpack with carabiner and 1 foot of paracord line.
* plus sometimes EF-M 11-22 or 55-200 in a Lowepro Dashpoint 20 http://store.lowepro.com/dashpoint-20 attached to other backpack strap (right side).
* spare batteries + micro tripod go into mesh side pocket of hiking backpack
* when i go "ultralite" i just take EOS M with 22/2 in Dashpoint 20
Dashpoint zippers usually left open for quick access ...

This setup gives me
* immediate access to camera + extra lens
* support for quick lens change
* (some) protection against bumps, scratches and light rain
* excellent hiking backpack with vented back and better carrying system than typical photo backpacks
* water supply in backpack cannot accidentally flood camera
* good weight distribution, minimal interference with movement (exception: technical climbing)
* little bulk, very lightweight
* low cost

Unfortunately Lowepro does not offer a Dashpoint pouch large enough for EOS M6 or M5 w/attached 18-150. Still hoping for a slightly bigger "Dashpoint 50" model ... have already asked Lowepro about it, but they don't seem to have it on their product planning schedule yet ... and did not yet find alternative brand pouches as minimal and functional as Dashpoint series with multi-attachment option: vertical for backpack straps and horizontal for belt.
 
Upvote 0
AvTvM said:
unfortunately Lowepro does not offer a slightly larger Dashpoint pouch to fit EOS M6 or M5 w/attached 18-150. Still hoping for a Dashpoint 50 ... have already asked Lowepro about it, but they dont seem to have it on their product planning schedule yet ... and did not yet find alternative brand pouches as functional as Dashpoint series ... with vertical attachment option (needed for backpack straps) and horizontal (belt, etc.).

I miss having a Dashpoint that fits the M5 also. I've been using a Lowepro Adventura SH 100 II pouch/mini bag for my M5+22 and 18-150 and it works pretty well. I picked this up at Best Buy for around $10, I think the Adventura line is probably lower end than the Dashpoints. Its pretty well made, but not quite Dashpoint quality. I can fit the M5 and two lenses and have room in the side pouches for a spare battery and Peak Design leash strap. Its a tight fit, but it works. I tried to find a way to fit the M5 with the 18-150 installed and the 22, but I can't make it fit. These two lenses with the M5 can cover pretty much anything. I keep the little Adventura pack with this load in the backpack I take to work every day just in case any photo opportunities present themselves.
 

Attachments

  • 2F5A7742.JPG
    2F5A7742.JPG
    2.5 MB · Views: 207
  • 2F5A7744.JPG
    2F5A7744.JPG
    775.3 KB · Views: 210
  • 2F5A7747.JPG
    2F5A7747.JPG
    1.9 MB · Views: 221
Upvote 0

dave61

Englishman abroad
Jun 29, 2014
31
2
The Netherlands
I have Pacsafe V25 Camsafe backpack. The top section is a normal backpack whilst the lower half is fitted with camera and lens friendly dividers, that are fully removable to make a pure backpack. Includes a laptop sleeve at the back and side access to the camera section. The bottom half is (just) big enough for a body with 70-200 mounted so no problem with an M series.
 
Upvote 0
Most camera bags are great for carrying your gear to the airport or to a shoot somewhere. Frankly everyone that I have tried is crap for hiking, especially for an all day hike.

I would recommend:
- A hiking pack from an outdoor store - I have a berghaus one its fantastic.
- An insert like the one recommended above - I think there are heaps of options.
- A capture pro to carry the camera on the shoulder strap so you don't need to dig it out of the back everytime.

Cheers
 
Upvote 0
Jul 21, 2010
31,091
12,855
AvTvM said:
unfortunately Lowepro does not offer a slightly larger Dashpoint pouch to fit EOS M6 or M5 w/attached 18-150. Still hoping for a Dashpoint 50 ...

+1

Just got my M6 + M18-150 kit. The M6 + M11-22 fits (snugly!) in the Dashpoint 30, but the 18-150 is just a bit too long.

I just ordered the Lowepro Format TLZ-10 for the M6+18-150 combo.
 
Upvote 0

bf

Jul 30, 2014
298
69
Among the Camera bags for outdoor I still say Lowepro 200 or 300 AWII is the closest. I had my feedback where it falls short for me in an earlier post. I also read about F-stop, which is pricy and yet a hiking pack with seperately sold inserts.

My practical approach for my M set has been this: I purchased a Fast-Pack Ultimate Direction from my favorate running store. I drop my dashpoint-30 in it and fix a lens in the side pocket. It has a strap in it and easily covers the largest M lens that I have (55-200).
http://www.runningwarehouse.com/catpage-ULTDIRACC.html

I like the idea of attaching dashpoint to a hook outside of the pack as @AvTvM suggested.
I had looked at Osprey packs for hiking and cycling. Those have several pockets that can be utilized for several gears. Most of them have a padded top pocket that I imagine is a good place for a mirrorless body.
 
Upvote 0
Jun 20, 2013
2,505
147
bf said:
I'm looking for a light bag-pack to put these on for short day hiking:
One M series body
2 lenses + filters + batteries
1LB Tripod
Water (would consider a hydration pack)
Fruit, trail mix etc
Cellphone+Wallet etc
A light jacket etc

What's your suggestion?

I have a couple of cheap amazon bags that I use for my M's depending on the kit I'm carrying.

both of them are really cheap and I'm pleasantly surprised with the quality.

this is my bigger bag, and I think i'd carry all you are wanting to. I have an M5, DP1 merril, 11-22, 18-55, 18-150, full filter sets, batteries,etc in this bag no problems.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01GH42456/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s04?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and this is my smaller bag when i'm just out with a couple of lenses and camera.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073XC4K7B/ref=twister_B073XC4QPK?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

I pack things in it like medication and stuff when I'm packing my suitcase so it ends up not taking up much room as a spare bag when travelling.

when I had two M's with two sets of lenses and a couple of sigma's.. this was my bag. again, great quality for the price. no complaints.

https://www.amazon.com/BESTEK-Waterproof-Canvas-Shoulder-Shockproof/dp/B00GYL9KK0

I'm finding at least with amazon you don't have to go brand name, and big price to get some pretty amazing bags.
 
Upvote 0