Just wondering if anyone has had experiencing with CLIK backpack products. I'm looking for a backpack that will carry most of my gear/tripod that has a good hip belt and is not going to kill my back and shoulders. I have a Cyberpack 8 by Tamrac right now and carry about 30 lbs of gear minus the tripod and it really has no good waist/hip support (it still seems to be mostly on my shoulders). I can't hike for any longer than a mile before it really starts to hurt. I weigh about 135lbs. I'm looking for something that would be good for a long day hike. I want to be able to put in on a plane too if I need to. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks ahead of time.
After years of struggling with the deficiencies of many photo backpacks, I finally found one that suits me to a 'T',
The fstop Guru daypack is the finest photo daypack that I've ever owned. The waistbelt easily holds half the weight of the loaded pack on my waist as a good backpacking backpack does. A search for reviews will get you plenty of them, all very positive. I use the medium ICU (internal camera unit) which holds a body w/lens attached and two extra lenses. There is still enough room at the top of the pack for a light jacket, first aid kit and snacks. A small ICU (body w/lens & one extra lens) gives one even more room up top for extra gear. Tripod attaches to the rear of the pack, not the side.
Fstop also produces the larger Loka pack that may suit you better. Again, positive reviews abound on the Web.
I cannot recommend fstop packs highly enough. No more trial and error pack shopping for me!
I agree with you about the Cyberpack Debbie, but my wife loves hers. In fact it's her pick for daily use in our photo business as well as on long walks. But it kills my back. For large loads I use Tamarac's 787 Extreme Super Photo. It has a substantial waist belt along with wide, padded shoulder straps. For a week straight I've carried as much as 55# of gear on daily 6-mile round trips while photographing bears with no wear and tear on my shoulders and back. Yet with the accessory side pockets removed it's still airline compatible.
For smaller loads plus a laptop I carry their #5549 Adventure 9 daypack. It's my daily use pack, and for that the top compartment for personal gear is welcome. It easily fits in airline baggage compartments with room to spare.
But here's the deal: Those were selected by actually putting them on and trying them out. I dunno where you are located, but the best solution is to get to a large camera store and try on lots of brands and models for fit. There's also the possibility of attending the trade shows at large photo conferences. The last time I was at a WPPI conference (Wedding and Portrait Photographers International) in Las Vegas, every major bag manufacturer and every New York photo store was there with very large displays of gear. PPA (Professional Photographers of America) has a similar show, as does NANPA (Nature Photographers of North America) on a smaller scale I believe. Check their websites for schedules and locations of their annual gatherings and see if one is near you. Your back will be very happy if you can make it, and your mind will be pretty satisfied with the conferences, too.
How much gear to you want/need to carry? I really like my LowePro Fastpack 350 http://bit.ly/Mf2BiO for day hikes. Room for camera gear, 10 essentials, snacks, shell jacket. Very good shoulder straps, hip belt, adjustable sternum strap, water bottle pocket, well-padded back for comfort, computer slot works great for carrying a pop-up diffuser/reflector. The side entry is great for muddy and wet locations because you don't have to take the bag off to get to most things in it. Fits in the overhead bin, even on the smaller regional airlines. I use some Velcro straps and a carabiner to attach my tripod. I like the red and blue color options because (1) they don't advertise that you're carrying a lot of expensive gear when traveling, and (2) they can pass for regular daypacks if you shoot stock photos and want to have a hiker in the scene.
Hi, Debbie. Good question! Probably nearly every photographer has spent/wasted enough $$$$ on packs, sacks, and carrying devices to purchase a whole new camera setup!
Anyway, I'll respond from my POV as a woman of about your size, with narrow shoulders and an older, aching back, who carries about the same weight in camera gear +/-. I've had a Think Tank Street Walker Pro for about 2 years, now, and have not found the need to search further.
It fits my frame very well, has well padded hip belt and shoulder straps, tripod attachments at the center of the back of the pack. I can carry ALL of my gear, including a 300/2.8. The interior has moveable dividers so you can customize it for a given combination of gear. I also use it with a separate holster bag when I want to have my camera handy while I'm walking/hiking. For me- PERFECT! Well balanced, well fitting with everything adjustable, and has enabled me to walk farther than I ordinarily would/could.
I'd urge you to try it. Like Hank says, it's great if you can go to a camera store with all your gear, load it into packs you're interested in trying, and walk around the store, or around the block with it. Good luck. Hope you find *just the right backpack* this time and have an end to the dilemma.
P.S. meets Airline requirements for carry-on, too!
I confess to not being familiar with many of the brands mentioned but I urge you to shop hard and buy American if you can. Little by little we can make a difference. Every bag I've purchased in the last 5 years has been Tamrac because even though they mfgr in China too, they do offer a line of made in USA.
JR
I've tried almost all of the various packs and I'd also give a big thumbs up to the F-Stop Tilopa. It stopped my backpack gear lust, period. Very comfortable, adaptable and not an over padded heavy bag. It lives up to its online review reputation IMHO.
The Loka is similar and smaller.
Posted by Debbie Yarra on June 8, 2012 at 11:01 AM
Thanks all of you for your great info. I wish I could try on all of these packs they all sound great. Keep the info coming I'm still thinking about it all. @ Greg, I usually carry 2 bodies, 80-400, 24-80 and about 3 other lenses,tripod, multiple filters, flash, and then small accessories plus first aid, safety things, snacks, water and jacket. I also have a 500mm that I have carried in the Tamarac minus the flash and one lens. So I want the versatility of re-arranging the dividers to accommodate different needs. I hate leaving any equipment behind !
That Tamrac 787 will certainly carry your entire kit, Debbie, including a 500 f/4 with a body attached and the lens hood reversed. With the accessory full-length side pouches it carries all the personal gear you mention to.
But with that model and all the other brands/models recommended, it boils down to how well it fits your body. My wife (5'6" and 130#) absolutely loves mine for the wide shoulder straps and wide, well-padded waist belt. But she doesn't carry a 500 f/4 and has for years searched for something better suited to her field kit. Her solution is the Cyberpack, even if my back despises it.
She's safe from me borrowing her pack, but if she ever gets around to buying a 500 f/4, I'll quickly buy her a 787 rather than chance her "borrowing" mine and never returning it.
Posted by Kent Staubus on June 14, 2012 at 9:51 PM
I've been doing something a little different. I got away from photo backpacks and went to regular "common" looking backpacks. They don't seem to attract attention. I put my camera in one of those neoprene wraps (mine from Zing), and put small lenses into small zippered lens pouches, and wrap the bigger lenses (usually my Nikon 80-400mm VR) in a double thickness of polar fleece material secured by a large thick rubber band. The items are loose inside the backpack. This has been working well for me as I traipse around Europe for the past ~3 weeks.
Discussion
10 repliesThe fstop Guru daypack is the finest photo daypack that I've ever owned. The waistbelt easily holds half the weight of the loaded pack on my waist as a good backpacking backpack does. A search for reviews will get you plenty of them, all very positive. I use the medium ICU (internal camera unit) which holds a body w/lens attached and two extra lenses. There is still enough room at the top of the pack for a light jacket, first aid kit and snacks. A small ICU (body w/lens & one extra lens) gives one even more room up top for extra gear. Tripod attaches to the rear of the pack, not the side.
Fstop also produces the larger Loka pack that may suit you better. Again, positive reviews abound on the Web.
I cannot recommend fstop packs highly enough. No more trial and error pack shopping for me!
For smaller loads plus a laptop I carry their #5549 Adventure 9 daypack. It's my daily use pack, and for that the top compartment for personal gear is welcome. It easily fits in airline baggage compartments with room to spare.
But here's the deal: Those were selected by actually putting them on and trying them out. I dunno where you are located, but the best solution is to get to a large camera store and try on lots of brands and models for fit. There's also the possibility of attending the trade shows at large photo conferences. The last time I was at a WPPI conference (Wedding and Portrait Photographers International) in Las Vegas, every major bag manufacturer and every New York photo store was there with very large displays of gear. PPA (Professional Photographers of America) has a similar show, as does NANPA (Nature Photographers of North America) on a smaller scale I believe. Check their websites for schedules and locations of their annual gatherings and see if one is near you. Your back will be very happy if you can make it, and your mind will be pretty satisfied with the conferences, too.
Anyway, I'll respond from my POV as a woman of about your size, with narrow shoulders and an older, aching back, who carries about the same weight in camera gear +/-. I've had a Think Tank Street Walker Pro for about 2 years, now, and have not found the need to search further.
It fits my frame very well, has well padded hip belt and shoulder straps, tripod attachments at the center of the back of the pack. I can carry ALL of my gear, including a 300/2.8. The interior has moveable dividers so you can customize it for a given combination of gear. I also use it with a separate holster bag when I want to have my camera handy while I'm walking/hiking. For me- PERFECT! Well balanced, well fitting with everything adjustable, and has enabled me to walk farther than I ordinarily would/could.
I'd urge you to try it. Like Hank says, it's great if you can go to a camera store with all your gear, load it into packs you're interested in trying, and walk around the store, or around the block with it. Good luck. Hope you find *just the right backpack* this time and have an end to the dilemma.
P.S. meets Airline requirements for carry-on, too!
JR
The Loka is similar and smaller.
But with that model and all the other brands/models recommended, it boils down to how well it fits your body. My wife (5'6" and 130#) absolutely loves mine for the wide shoulder straps and wide, well-padded waist belt. But she doesn't carry a 500 f/4 and has for years searched for something better suited to her field kit. Her solution is the Cyberpack, even if my back despises it.
She's safe from me borrowing her pack, but if she ever gets around to buying a 500 f/4, I'll quickly buy her a 787 rather than chance her "borrowing" mine and never returning it.
Kent in SD