Glacier National Park trip, need suggestions on equipment.

[RyanLilly]

Adorama is very reputable. B&H and Adorama seem to usually be similar in new gear, but Adorama often has better deals on refurbs or scratch and dent items.

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[Antithesis]

I just got back from glacier and it was really nice up there. I had just a hand strap on my camera so I'd have to pull it out of my bag or hold on to it whenever I wanted to take some snaps. So, I second the camera strap and also a good tripod. I managed to forget my quick-release plate and regreted it on more than one occasion.

 

[sambrody44]

Am I going to have to worry about increased camera shake with the 75-300mm?

 

[eravedesigns]

Best thing to do and this is what I did when I hiked Mt.Washington is to get or use a regular hiking backpack and then buy one of those camera cases that hold your camera with one lens on it inside you backpack and you can also buy lens cases. I did it this way because hiking backpacks handle weight way better and are much more comfortable (plus i think camera backpack are ugly as hell)

 

[laurentharari]

Hi Sam I wrote an entire post on outdoor landscape equipment on my blog. Check it out hope it helps.
Best Laurent
Go to the last post Take Landscape picture
http://laurentharari.blogspot.com/

 

[W-7]

You'll definately enjoy the trip to Glacier. I was there a few weeks ago and it was spectacular!

One important consideration, I think, would be exactly what you expect to do during your trip. Will you be mostly in the "frontcountry", or will your hikes take you further into the backcountry? How much terrain do you plan to cover (remember to consider not just the mileage, but also the elevation changes). Will you be doing any overnight backpacking? The answers will help you decide what equipment you can carry, and how you might chose to carry it.

"Camera" backpacks, as Big Mike pointed out, seem to be very good at carrying camera equipment, but leave little room for anything else. In my experience, this includes the larger versions that are advertised as combination "hiking" and "camera" packs.

Here's what I did for my trip...I mounted a soft case that would hold my camera body and a frequently-used lens to the belt strap of my backpack. I carried a second lens in another case attached to the other side of the belt strap. Any other photo equipment went into the pack, padded carefully with something soft (like spare clothes). One idea that seems to work is to protect a lens inside your pack by putting it inside a sock (perferably one of those soft hiking socks...also preferably a clean one!).

Remember that the longer your hike, the more non-photo gear you'll probably want to carry. Rain gear is almost always a must in Glacier, and I'd bring some extra warm clothes. At one point in our trip, we experienced 40 MPH wind gusts, temps in the 40's, and a mix of rain and snow...and this was the first week of August!

Overall, the system seemed to work. I probably looked some some kind of special-forces reject with all those things attached to my pack (camera case, lens case, water bottle, and a can of bear spray), but no matter.

I did learn some lessons, and wish I had done a few things differently. As RyanLilly pointed out, your choice of camera strap might be important. I had only the Nikon strap that came with my camera, which isn't padded. I spent a lot of time hiking with the camera around my neck, and after a while it started to hurt. Next time, I am going to try to rig something to attach the camera to the shoulder straps of my pack with some kind of quick release.

Also, I chose not to bring my tripod due to the weight, since getting a carbon fiber tripod wasn't in my budget. A monopod, as others have suggested, might be a good compromise. You could also use it as a walking stick in a pinch. In addition, there are a few small, inexpensive tripods on the market that look interesting.

I ended up carrying a camera body, 3 lenses (12-24, 28-80, 80-300), a circular polarizer, and a split ND filter.

Enjoy the trip!