Posted by Ken Henke on February 9, 2014 at 2:45 PM
In my quest to find the illusive perfect pack to carry my photo gear, I ran upon a pack sold by Renaissance Photo Tech, out of Minnesota. Throwing caution to the wind, I went ahead and purchased the P3 photo backpack last fall. Although I don't have exhaustive experience with it, the times I have used it have been fantastic.
There are several key features I insist on to make a pack comfortable and useful. First off is the suspension system. Clearly, the suspension system, being derived from Granite Gear, is one designed to carry weight comfortably with many options for being custom fit to the individual. Like any quality backpack, the P3’s suspension system has a multitude of adjustment straps and tie-on loops. It seems other manufacturers start their pack design solely based on the internal camera holding abilities. But a true functional camera pack must consider both; carrying a load comfortably and being able to carry all the necessary camera gear. On the subject of camera gear, the internal camera module is completely customizable to whatever gear one has. And it holds a LOT of gear! Additionally, a tripod can be mounted on either side of the pack with straps and pockets. Side pockets can also be added as accessory items to hold additional items, including water. Another nice addition that is typically an extra cost on other packs, is a rain cover which is stored in a bottom zippered pocket. Although I haven’t try it over the pack, it also makes a great ground cloth, particularly in the snow. Again the bottom line for any pack I wear is its comfort on the trail. So far, my experience on the trail with my P3, is that it carries my equipment with more comfort than I thought possible. To top it off, the customer service provided by Bruce is exceptional. No doubt I also enjoy supporting a small US business that is dedicated to customer satisfaction!
And before anyone asks, yes, I have used an F-Stop pack several years ago. It too is a great pack for sure. I just would give the suspension system of the P3 the edge. Currently, the P3 doesn't have a dedicated hydration system, but I understand RPT is working on that. However, one can put a bladder in the external pocket or carry water in the optional external pockets as I do. Be aware the camera/gear modular case takes up all the room in the pack, unlike F-Stop where one can purchase different sizes. So, that would limit putting additional gear inside the bag along with the camera gear. However, one could just use a F-Stop modular case or similar, if they had the need to carry more hiking gear besides camera gear.
Anywho, just wanted to pass along this info. Bret Edge also provided some great info on packs last August. http://www.photobackpacker.com
Ken, thank you for your post here with regard to this particular photo backpack. Lots to choose from out there on the market, but it does help folks that are in the market for such an item or on the fence about a certain brand and or the features shared by other brands.
It was not too long ago I'd upgraded my unit and cannot believe how useful that decision was over my previous much older pack. Like much of the outdoor clothing required for various weather conditions, the convenience of having the right support gear to accommodate our chosen camera and tripod combination is just as important.
Posted by Bruce King on February 13, 2014 at 11:43 AM
Nice review Ken. I'm half-heartedly looking for a smaller pack than the Tamrac Expedition 8 I use now. My concern with the p3 is that the tripod mounts on the side. My tripod weighs around 4 lbs and it seems the load might be unbalanced. I suppose you could distribute stuff on the inside to balance it but I think it makes more sense to center the tripod. JMO.
Good point Bruce on the tripod mounting location. I noticed that also as I have been using a Tamrac Expedition 8 for a couple years now. After reviewing many packs and talking to others on line who also use Large Format cameras like I do the Tamrac design has worked perfectly for my needs.
Posted by Ken Henke on February 15, 2014 at 11:22 AM
In regards to the tripod mounting, I believe on many packs it on the side because that allows more items to be inserted into the large front pockets. Not sure it would work well if that front pocket was stuffed and having a tripod attached to the front. That said, so far I haven't noticed a weight distribution problem; probably because the suspension system is able to accommodate the weight distribution well. Of course, I haven't used the pack for several hours of hiking either, just yet. But the main advantage of the P3 is the suspension system is a designed for backpacks and not just photopacks like many other choices.
I have a Photo Backpacker pack for my LF kit. It's based upon the Kelty/Redwing P1 purchased a year ago. It's the best system I've found. The Photo Backpacker packs are certainly worth the investment, and the customer service provided by Bruce and his staff is excellent.
Discussion
5 repliesThere are several key features I insist on to make a pack comfortable and useful. First off is the suspension system. Clearly, the suspension system, being derived from Granite Gear, is one designed to carry weight comfortably with many options for being custom fit to the individual. Like any quality backpack, the P3’s suspension system has a multitude of adjustment straps and tie-on loops. It seems other manufacturers start their pack design solely based on the internal camera holding abilities. But a true functional camera pack must consider both; carrying a load comfortably and being able to carry all the necessary camera gear. On the subject of camera gear, the internal camera module is completely customizable to whatever gear one has. And it holds a LOT of gear! Additionally, a tripod can be mounted on either side of the pack with straps and pockets. Side pockets can also be added as accessory items to hold additional items, including water. Another nice addition that is typically an extra cost on other packs, is a rain cover which is stored in a bottom zippered pocket. Although I haven’t try it over the pack, it also makes a great ground cloth, particularly in the snow. Again the bottom line for any pack I wear is its comfort on the trail. So far, my experience on the trail with my P3, is that it carries my equipment with more comfort than I thought possible. To top it off, the customer service provided by Bruce is exceptional. No doubt I also enjoy supporting a small US business that is dedicated to customer satisfaction!
And before anyone asks, yes, I have used an F-Stop pack several years ago. It too is a great pack for sure. I just would give the suspension system of the P3 the edge. Currently, the P3 doesn't have a dedicated hydration system, but I understand RPT is working on that. However, one can put a bladder in the external pocket or carry water in the optional external pockets as I do. Be aware the camera/gear modular case takes up all the room in the pack, unlike F-Stop where one can purchase different sizes. So, that would limit putting additional gear inside the bag along with the camera gear. However, one could just use a F-Stop modular case or similar, if they had the need to carry more hiking gear besides camera gear.
Anywho, just wanted to pass along this info. Bret Edge also provided some great info on packs last August.
http://www.photobackpacker.com
Bret's Review
http://www.naturephotographers.net/imagecritique/bbs.cgi?a=vm&mr=75446&CGISESSID=6b3ee23c320811028f1c9016b48dba14&u=20412
It was not too long ago I'd upgraded my unit and cannot believe how useful that decision was over my previous much older pack. Like much of the outdoor clothing required for various weather conditions, the convenience of having the right support gear to accommodate our chosen camera and tripod combination is just as important.
--P