Need a backpack reccomendation

Sidetrack

OK, here's the deal. I'm on an extended sailing trip, possibly a circumnavigation. I make a lot of trips to shore in the dinghy and my camera has to come with me. I've got a nice Pelican hard case and a LowePro Dryzone bag and they're both great. When I'm headed out specifically to shoot pictures I bring one of the two along with my gear.

The trouble I run into is that there are a lot of great shots to be had day to day when I'm out doing other things and can't really haul around a lot of bulk. The big dryzone will overbalance me on my bike, prevent me from picking up what I need at the market and just plain get in the way when I'm just out and being social. It's a real show stopper. Conversely, a small camera bag is a little less secure, doesn't ride too well on the bike and I often have to carry a backpack anyway to tote other things.

I've had great luck with a little camelbak style backpack by High Sierra (water bladder removed). It protects from splashes and spray on the dinghy ride. Nice and compact on my back, which puts it out of the way socially and on the bike. It'll hold my 30D and a couple of lenses, even if one of them is my 70-200. Plus, there is enough separate expansion on the pack to accommodate veggies from the market, etc... One of the only problems with it is the metal zipper bodies. In the salt environment they invariably corrode to the fabric of the pack and eventually freeze up entirely. (It'd be nicer if it could hold a machete occasionally as well)

Is there an actual camera backpack that will meet my needs: compact, splash resistant, holds a dSLR and and extra lens, has some expansion room to carry non-photo gear for a short haul? Something to let me keep the camera close yet protected, even when I'm not out shooting.

Note: waterproof isn't necessary, the whole shebang can be dropped in a drybag for a wet dinghy ride. The drybag can get rolled up and stowed in the pack.

S/V Sidetrack
Currently lying in Neiafu, Tonga

Sidetrack

Hey Seymour, those are both pretty clever compact bags. The slingshot looks to have one shoulder strap, does it cinch down so that it'd ride well on a bike?

I don't suppose they have plastic or stainless zipper pulls (edit I meant sliders)?

Has anyone ever used a FlipAnZip zipper slider? Looks a little clunky and spendy, but if it works well it could be what I need.

Jwar

I've got this one

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001L5U13O/ref=oss_product

it's got a water resistant zipper, can carry my D90 with 17-105 lens(with room to spare), 50mm, Sb600, and my battery charger all on the lower portion. The upper portion has some additional storage area for lunch or beverages. I usually carry my Joby tripod and a few magazines.

Art Scott

Sidetrack wrote:

Hey Seymour, those are both pretty clever compact bags. The slingshot looks to have one shoulder strap, does it cinch down so that it'd ride well on a bike?

I don't suppose they have plastic or stainless zipper pulls?

Has anyone ever used a FlipAnZip zipper pull? Looks a little clunky and spendy, but if it works well it could be what I need.

I have used the Slingshots for MC riding and they have had a waist belt to "lock" the bag on your back.....they are comfy and easy to get into.....the pulls are normally a braided rope style of pull with a plastic end on it. I prefer this type over a standard back pack any day.......but I prefer my 2 - 75AW's on a military pistol belt and suspenders....puts 2 cams in easy reach and I can carry a large backpack for a long outing if I wish with no comprimises .......you can buy belts and suspenders from LowePro and other bag manufacturers but my belt was less than $15 at a Army Navy store and the suspenders were less than $10.......I carry the followin a LowePro 75AW ....D300 /w battery grip attached + 70-200f2.8 or Sigma BigMa (50-500) or Nikon 18-200......stored next to set up camera is my SB900 flash that is the main compartment.....I use 2 75 aw's as I carry 2 cams set up and ready to shoot at all times......this balances very well for MC riding.....if I have a backpack of any kind on that is where i strap my tripod or it gets strapped to back of MC......I know you were talking bicycle when you said bike but I use MC as my reference point as I do not take upto several days treks on my bicycle.....but this is the same set up I use on a day trip around town on bicycle..........

Slingbags aremuch more safe than backpacks and i feel my 75AW's are just as safe as slingbags with my set up............

Sidetrack

Seymore wrote:

I don't see how these would work with a bag or photography.

One of the big problems with a bag is exposure to the salt air. I'm living aboard a sailboat and metal zipper sliders don't last long. As soon as they have a bit wear on them they begin to corrode. A zipper slider that gets neglected for a couple of weeks will stick itself to the fabric alongside the teeth. it can usually be pulled free, but the problem gets worse until something permanently sticks or breaks. I figure I get an 18 month life out of a zipper that goes out of doors.

I've got plastic zipper sliders on a lot of the boat canvas that do well, but I've yet to find a bag with them.

topcat374

Not sure about the material on the zippers but I have the slingshot 200 (which has an 'All Weather' pull out protector btw) and love it. Very comfortable and secure (only walking with it though - not sure about on a bike) and very easy to access your camera and a spare lens via the side pouch. Ii've also managed to strap a monopod to it easily (fastening the monopod strap around the bag's top handle and the fastening the bag's clips around the other end. I'll happily post a pic if you'd like to see what I mean! I fit in a D50, 18-55mm, 55-200mm, SB800 speedlight, pouch of spare batteries etc and still have space left both in the main part of the bag and in the small compartment on the top. Seems ideal if it matches your zip requirements!

Art Scott

All of my Lowe Pro bags have a composite zipper.....they haven't been metal for a long time........if they get sticky....a little bar soap on the teeth and it slides great again..........................

Sidetrack

topcat374 wrote:

Seems ideal if it matches your zip requirements!

It does look pretty good, I'm seriously considering it Thanks guys.

With $70 worth of bag, $120 worth of zipper sliders, $100 in shipping and a 3 day sail to Samoa to pick it up I'm going to make myself pretty sure though. Still might have to go with a traditional two strap backpack.

Sidetrack

Art Scott wrote:

All of my Lowe Pro bags have a composite zipper.....they haven't been metal for a long time........if they get sticky....a little bar soap on the teeth and it slides great again..........................

If you're happy with a slinghot style sling bag staying put on the MC, that says a lot. Good to know, because it definitely looks pretty handy.

My thousand words are failing me, I guess I should illustrate a bit:

One of my Lowepro zipper sliders. Coated metal, scratch it and it's shiny.



Zipper on my Lowepro Dryzone bag, plated metal, the pull already has a little rime on it.


The salt air corrosion can get a bit beyond waxing the teeth. Not a Lowepro product.

bgarland

I have been researching the same thing except for the lack of salt air here in Arizona. :-)

I need somethng that will carry my equipment and some extra personal gear, food and water when hiking.

Right now the best I have found are these two:

http://www.clikelite.com/shop/large-hiker/

Or this one if you want to stay a little more compact:

http://www.clikelite.com/shop/probody-sport/

I have not had these in my hands but online they look great. Does anyone have experience with Clik Elite products?