Camera bag for hiking

[snipe523]

I go hiking on a fairly regular basis during the regular months. I started thinking about bringing my dSLR with me when I go, but I want to make sure it is protected when I go. I decided against putting it in my usual day pack mainly due to the complete lack of protection. After doing some brief research I came across the Lowepro Photo Sport 200 AW. This looks like it may work for what I want. I especially like the fact that it has side access to the camera. I want to have room for the camera with one or two lenses, a tripod, and enough room to carry my usual hiking stuff. Does anyone have any hands on experience with this bag, or possibly some suggestions for other bags to look at?

 

[molested_cow]

Well there are many questions.
What gear do you plan to take with you?
How long are your hikes? Lot's of climbing?
What other things do you carry?
Are you going to have your camera held in your hands most of the time, or do you want to leave it in your bag and retrieve it when you need to?

There are those with side opening for side access. Kata also has designs that can interchange between a back pack and single-sling format, which I found only a little useful ( because of weight issue).
Protection wise, every camera bag is designed with that in mind, so there's no worry. The main problem is finding the one that suits your particular needs. To me, there's no perfect bag, just ones that answer specific needs.

 

[snipe523]

I will be taking my Canon t5i with two lenses. I would also like to be able to strap a tripod to the outside of the bag. My hikes are generally all day hikes ranging from about 2 miles to about 10-12 miles. Almost all of them involve climbs as I generally am hiking in the Adirondack mountains in NY. The camera will most likely spend most of the time in the bag which I think would make side access on the bag pretty key for those times when I want to get the camera out fairly quickly. As far as other things I carry, they usually include things like a rain jacket, first aid kit, some food, a water bladder, maybe a sports drink, and a head lamp/flashlight.

 

[Tailgunner]

I will be taking my Canon t5i with two lenses. I would also like to be able to strap a tripod to the outside of the bag. My hikes are generally all day hikes ranging from about 2 miles to about 10-12 miles. Almost all of them involve climbs as I generally am hiking in the Adirondack mountains in NY. The camera will most likely spend most of the time in the bag which I think would make side access on the bag pretty key for those times when I want to get the camera out fairly quickly. As far as other things I carry, they usually include things like a rain jacket, first aid kit, some food, a water bladder, maybe a sports drink, and a head lamp/flashlight.

Side access for your camera
pocket for a water bladder
Room for food and jacket

Photo Sport Series | Lowepro

 

[kundalini]

If you're hiking, you DO NOT want a sling bag. The weight distribution is all wrong and your right shoulder will become quite sore after a couple of hours. I would suggest a double strap backpack style or a top loader which rides on your chest. I hike and have all three styles of bags. The sling style bag is pretty good if you're traveling light around town.

 

[GlennT]

I have a Lowepro Flipside 400AW (All Weather) that I absolutely love. I've done a minimal amount of hiking with it, but I have done some. I'd say it is much too big for what you're looking to carry, but the 200 or 300 would be worth a look.

The harness is fantastic and highly adjustable. I can carry the weight on my shoulders or on my waist. I've carried it a full day at Cub Scout camp twice now, on very hot days. It carries exceptionally well. At that point, I had a Canon Rebel XT, Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8, Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L, Canon 50mm f/1.8 and a Canon 430EX II flash to make up the bulk of the weight. I carried the same setup for a more substantial hike along the Tahquamenon River in the Michigan UP, from the lower to upper falls. I want to say it was a 4 hour hike with the family, with a fair amount of elevation changes and uneven ground.

I also love the flipside access. When it is on your back, it cannot be opened or accidentally come open since that panel is against your back. You can swing it around your waist to retrieve gear and change lenses, and I often do so while continuing to walk. Also, because the part that opens is what touches your back, it doesn't get dirty when you set it on the ground. The 400AW has a weather cover that I often flip over the outside to keep that part clean and is particularly great if you set it in sand or snow. I've also used the grey cover to keep it cooler in sunny weather.

It does have a tripod carrier, and so do the smaller versions.

FWIW, mine has great bottle holders too, although they can be tough to reach while on your back. I believe the smaller ones have just one holder.

I've handled a smaller version that I ordered for our CEO and it was very comparable to mine, minus the capacity and the all-weather cover.

 

[tirediron]

I use the previous generation of this bag and it's outstanding. It will meet every one of your criteria except for the side access and is VERY comfortable. I've worn mine all day in Asia and the Middle East and never had a problem with the a sore back/shoulders.

 

[robbins.photo]

For hiking I've got a belt with a couple of lens pouches, I prefer the belt to a over the shoulder bag or backpack - reason being I generally like to have my camera out so I sling that over my shoulder, the extras I need all fit on the belt. I find it very comfortable for long excursions in particular. But if you plan on keeping the camera stored a backpack system would probably do the trick nicely.

 

[Flyextreme]

I just finish shopping for a back pack. I quickly out grew my smaller one, which my daughter inherited. I looked around at the camrea store but, didn't want to spend $300 dollars on one, so I ended up with this one WB1633B Photo HD Camera Backpack Back Pack Bag | eBay

It's made a lot better than I expected for the price and I'm in no way disappointed with it. So far I have in it....

Canon SX30
Nikon 3200
2 lenses
Canon pocket camera
Olympus water proof pocket camera
Speedlite with flash ring
LED flash ring
Extention tube set
Various add on lens/filters
Flash bracket
Soft box diffuser
Focusing rail
Ring mounts
Light weight tripod
Batteries and chargers for all
Misc. SD cards/manuals/cords/cleaning kits/etc.
Still enough room for....
Light jacket, towel or small light weight blanket
Water/snacks
And a small folding camera bag for when I want to leave most of it in the car.

There's even a compartment for a laptop and sufficient outside pockets for quick access to whatever.

There's also plenty of padding all round. I just like having it all in one place and never need to say "Dang! I should have brought the so and so with me", because I'll have it in the bag.

I didn't expect much for the price but, IMHO, it's well worth twice that. I think it's worth a look.

Bill