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- Verified Buyer
I did some research on backpacks for camera gear as the bag that came with my Canon Rebel is terrible. I wanted something that I could bring into the city or on a hike and maybe toss some other stuff in ... a drink or two, sweatshirt, change of shoes, etc. Most of the bags that were pretty sleek would never fit that stuff in ... so I decided to look away from the standard black bags and for something a little more rugged. This bag looked interesting ... and I have to admit, it looks even better in person. If you told me that this came from one of those expensive NYC outdoor outfitters popular with hipsters these days and cost $450, I'd believe you.One very disappointing thing is that I think they sent me a customer return that was used for a bit and then passed off as new. There were scratches on the bag which, although it is designed to look aged, seemed to be caused more by wear. The straps were a little worn in that the holes for the adjuster peg seemed to have been stretched a bit. Overall, I decided not to return it because I needed it and it had sort of a worn look ... but those scratches are right on the pocket area and bother me when I look at them.One thing you should know is that this bag does not have two pockets ... it is all open and there is a small divider which you Velcro into the bag to create the top and bottom divider. This was a bit disappointing as eventually if the Velcro or the thin felt layer on the inside of the bag give way, this divider may be unusable. I may check with my tailor to see if he can sew it into the lining, so it is permanent. I do like that there is some degree of a divider between the top section and bottom section in terms of access. You can zip open the camera and take it out, or unflap the top of the bag and take out a sweatshirt, drink, laptop, etc. without digging through the bag.From a padding standpoint ... not very padded. The divider between top and bottom sections is not padded at all. The bottom and sides have little padding as well, so don't think about dropping it. Your camera stuff will stay somewhat protected but I would not put equipment worth a couple thousand dollars in here. My needs are for a few hundred dollars ... a Canon Rebel DSLR and a few lenses. The dividers also Velcro in place, which is nice to have different configurations. But know that means the bottom areas will be open for chords, etc. to slide under the dividers and around to different compartments.The last real 'gripe' I have before addressing the good stuff ... the inside of the bag has a thin (very thin!) felt layer which is where the Velcro dividers are affixed. There is no doubt in my mind that this thin layer of cloth will rip after only a dozen or so times of re configuring the Velcro dividers as it is 'floating' and not attached to the inside of the bag. Why they did not at least fuse it to the shell with glue is beyond me because this makes it hard to stick the Velcro to and also is a danger for ripping. Okay ... one more negative ... the straps do not stay adjusted and easily slide down to the last position. Doesn't bother me because I am 6'4 but someone shorter will have a tough time as the straps slide down to the longest length and this thing hangs off your back like a weight.Now for the good stuff ... the bag looks awesome. No, you won't be able to wear this with a suit. It has a vintage, broken in look as the canvas is faded in spots and the leather will lose its patina. I was pretty surprised by the quality of the leather for this price ... I was actually expecting faux leather, so imagine my surprise when it had some pretty soft and plush feeling leather! One of the straps is thick and stiff and the other is thin and floppy but that really isn't a deal breaker. As others have mentioned, it would have been nice if the company used a non-magnetic button closure. Over time, these just end up not closing and are easily opened. There is a drawstring as well but if this came open and inverted, everything would fall out of the top section.I think the size of this bag is good. Any smaller and you wouldn't be able to fit as much in the top section for a day trip ... any bigger and it might be clunky and awkward for a smaller person. It looks pretty good on one's back ... honestly when you hang it on your wall, it looks kind of cool too, as if it belongs in a safari tent. I agree that it does look a bit darker than in the picture, which in my opinion is a good thing. The side pockets are also kind of helpful ... a passport/map pocket in the front would be nice but is missing. I doubt I'd attempt to put a tripod in the side pocket as it would not work very well unless it was a mini-one. I also like that there is a laptop sleeve in the top pocket which extends all the way down through the back. It adds an extra layer of protection for the camera equipment on the back and, although it won't accommodate larger laptops, a smaller laptop, tablet or book will fit nicely.Overall, I really do like this pack. It has a few flaws which I can overlook for the price. The seller made me a bit angry by trying to pass off a scratched return bag as a new one ... but thankfully the bag is designed to look worn and I am not picky. I have to admit, I hate buying items that were likely made outside of the US but you really can't beat the price on this bag. In a designer store, you'd be 4 - 10 times the price for only a little bit more quality. It doesn't look or feel cheap at all (except for the inner lining.) If you can deal with the style of the bag, buy this with no hesitation. One thing I will mention that I am fearful of is that canvas has a tendency to attract mildew ... so I am a bit worried about the waterproofing on this given the camera equipment. Maybe I will test it out with the hose and update this. The canvas does seem like a wax spray has been added to keep the water out but I'd hate to store my camera in a musty bag and don't intend to swap it out in between uses.I purchased this backpack to enable me to carry-on a DSLR camera, couple of lenses and necessary accessories, as well as my laptop when traveling. My HP Elitebook 850 G6 laptop does fit into it's place, but one any larger might not fit.In the camera compartment I have the following: Canon DSLR body, 50mm, 18-55mm and 28-210mm lenses, two battery chargers, extra batteries, 6 55mm filters, T-ring, 1-1/4" telescope adapter, external flash, small zoom lens for cell phone, plus a few other accessories. In the fold down area lens cleaning tissues, etc.In the top compartment I have eight AAA batteries, Jabra headset, 8x42 binoculars, 2 eyeglass cases, iPhone chargers and cables, USB mouse, 12 USB sticks, manicure set.In the external side compartments I have the laptop power supply and cord, cell phone to telescope eyepiece adapter, cell phone zoom lens adapter and 4 AA batteries.Admittedly it is heavy with all the computer and camera equipment, but the construction of the backpack seems very sturdy. Except while traveling, I would not have both the camera and computer equipment loaded.All in all, I am very pleased as this backpack will allow me to safely transport my camera and laptop equipment to our vacation destinations. The backpack appears constructed of quality material and I expect it will be very durable for my needs, non-professional, vacation use!I love the way the bag looks. I was able to get all of my camera gear in there, but I won't be carrying all of that when I go out. My laptop will fit comfortably in the sleeve for it. As for the durability of this backpack, I can't comment on that, as I just got it, but it looks pretty sturdy and like it will hold up, but if any of that changes, I will come back and update my review. I also think it's a good deal for the money, but again, if that changes I'll update my review.I really like this backpack, but there are a few "but".First - it's big, but you can't put a lot of stuff inside it. I barely fit 2 body cameras (canon 6d and canon 650d), one lens 18-200mm and two lenses 35mm, and 50mm. Another lens I have to put on the top with the bottle of water. And there was no space left.The anatomy of the backpack is not perfect, I felt the whole weight on my neck and shoulders.Also, it's not waterproof. It can stand with a small rain for a few minutes, but it's not enough for calling it "waterproof". And it takes forever to dry it out.I really like design. But I can't recommend this backpack for professional photographers.This bag is even better in person than the pictures. The quality is great and it has so much room. It holds all of my camera supplies and then some. It’s also been very comfortable carrying on the trips I’ve taken it on.A nice looking and well built bag. The removable/movable sectional pads make it a versatile bag for my cameras or a general-use backpack. I think he price is very reasonable. A few minor shortcomings: The side pouches are a bit small for me. I have big hands and find it a little difficult to reach smaller items in the bottom of the pouch. Also, the magnetic latches don't line-up perfectly so it takes a bit of work to get them to connect. I suspect this issue will improve with use as the new product stiffness loosens.Looks great. Sturdy. The only beef I have is that the side pocket for a tripod should be bigger. Will only hold one leg of Benro tripod. It works, but would be 5 stars with a better tripod setup.Love itI love the style of this backpack, it looks great. I generally only carry my camera, a few filters and four or five lenses. It easily accommodates that and I can also fit my laptop in there and several other items in the top section.Although I have loaded a fair bite of weight into it, it's still comfortable to carry.This was a gift for my husband,he was over the moon,all his camera equipment fits in perfectly and he knows its secure,so yes 5 starsAll as describedHad so many great compliments on this bag since purchased. It really does look the business and love it. Highly recommendedUn bello zaino funzionale e personalizzabile, buon materiale e vestibilità. Spazioso e progettato con criterio.
