National Geographic Bag Review

athos

I just picked up this backpack and while it is a bit overpriced, i have to say it is an excellent bag.

Lots of compartments, very well made, excellent to organize within and not just bring photo gear around, but other stuff.

Also, it doesnt look like a camera bag which I personally love. I dont like a bag that screams i have close to 4000 dollars worth of camera gear in it.

Aesthetically it is also very pleasing. Lots of little touches like fold out water bottle holders, places to strap things too, and little compartments on the waist belt really make this a thoughtfully designed bag.

I chose this over the crumpler because of its hiking pedigree. The large crumplers are very sleek, but i didnt notice ways to carry water bottles outside the bag, as well as being able to strap things onto the bags, which can really come in handy IMO. someone can correct me if i am wrong.

DavidTO

You have a link to the bag? Or some images? Or the name of the particular model?

athos

http://www.amazon.com/National-Geographic-NG-Explorer-Backpack/dp/B000FJ4ICW








there is also a medium one that is obviously smaller.

about 150 for medium, 250 for the large.

DavidTO

Awesome. I wonder how comfortable it is, full of gear?

athos

DavidTO wrote:

Awesome. I wonder how comfortable it is, full of gear?

well with all the stuff in my sig, plus some smaller things like an mp3 player and some speakers plus some small knick nacks, it is very comfy.

the camera equipment is at the bottom of the bag, placing the weight where it should be.

it doesnt quite have the more sophisticated suspension type straps like my ems backpack does, but it is still very comfy.

after i go on a hike with it ill post more info.

athos

the only thing i didnt like about the bag was the national geographic logo on it.

it just seems goofy to me so i bought a patch to put over it. but that is a personal preference.

wxwax

athos wrote:

the only thing i didnt like about the bag was the national geographic logo on it.

it just seems goofy to me so i bought a patch to put over it. but that is a personal preference.

Roger that. I saw some at a show last weekend. As soon as I saw the logo, I moved on. Didn't take the bag seriously, I'm afraid.

athos

wxwax wrote:

Roger that. I saw some at a show last weekend. As soon as I saw the logo, I moved on. Didn't take the bag seriously, I'm afraid.

it is actually made by Bogen for national geographic.

its a serious bag, but a patch is in order

Mike02

wxwax wrote:

Roger that. I saw some at a show last weekend. As soon as I saw the logo, I moved on. Didn't take the bag seriously, I'm afraid.

Agreed. If it didnt have the logo, I might have picked it up over the 20 times cheaper bag that was just as good, and didnt have that unsightly 'ng' logo on it.
Plus.... It just makes you look like a tourist, and if you are carrying a camera, and have a 'national geographic' bag, Im sure the bad guys will put two and two together. :P.

athos

Mike02 wrote:

Agreed. If it didnt have the logo, I might have picked it up over the 20 times cheaper bag that was just as good, and didnt have that unsightly 'ng' logo on it.
Plus.... It just makes you look like a tourist, and if you are carrying a camera, and have a 'national geographic' bag, Im sure the bad guys will put two and two together. :P.

what bag did you get?

to me, with the logo covered up, the national geographic bag doesnt look like a camera bag that screams expensive gear - it just looks like a pretty cool casual backpack. but i do hate that logo. i got an old skool atari patch to put on it so im fine. i have a small kelty daypack and i put a cool patch over the kelty logo, even though it doesnt look cheesy - i just hate logos on clothes and things i wear. the backpack with the patch on it looks good, covering up the logo is minimal effort and costs a few bucks.

not to mention, i can go on a dayhike with all my gear plus food and stuff, and carry some stuff for my gf and not worry bout a thing. i can put in speakers for my mp3 player, flashlights, beverages, sandwiches, abtteries, a windbreaker, tripod, and much more and i like that. plus i can keep the camera in there with a pretty big lens attached (whenever i get the money for a nice long lens that is)

but im still curious as to what bag you got, cause i havent seen many camera bags that dont look like camera bags that can hold this much stuff, and saving money is a good thing. nothing really seems to have the capabilities of the NG bag, that is if youw ant them.

lowepro and tamrac make some rugged bags that are big, but they are about the same price for ones that large, and you still have to cover the lowepro or tamrac logo, since those brand names scream 'expensive camera/electronic gear'. also, i dont think they have as much room outside the camera compartment for the other gear i mentioned, but they are nice. kata makes one pretty big one, but those things look like they come from outer space, dont like the aesthetics.

the crumplers seem great but they are more urban bags, not built for hiking as well. no water bottle holders on the outside, etc. the ng's have the proper straps to attach things to the outside as well. heck, if my friend carried my north face roadrunner tent and his sleeping bag, i could still bring my camera and strap the sleeping bag to the bottom of this northface and we could even pop out a one nighter campin trip and i could have all my gear to shoot with.

ideally id like to have three camera bags. the ng, something like the slingpro or that size for when you dont want a big bag, and like a big crumpler for when you want that urban look instead of hiking look.

but thtat would mean a budget of about 500+ just for camera bags lol cant do it yet.

Mike02

athos wrote:

what bag did you get?

to me, with the logo covered up, the national geographic bag doesnt look like a camera bag that screams expensive gear - it just looks like a pretty cool casual backpack. but i do hate that logo. i got an old skool atari patch to put on it so im fine. i have a small kelty daypack and i put a cool patch over the kelty logo, even though it doesnt look cheesy - i just hate logos on clothes and things i wear. the backpack with the patch on it looks good, covering up the logo is minimal effort and costs a few bucks.

not to mention, i can go on a dayhike with all my gear plus food and stuff, and carry some stuff for my gf and not worry bout a thing. i can put in speakers for my mp3 player, flashlights, beverages, sandwiches, abtteries, a windbreaker, tripod, and much more and i like that. plus i can keep the camera in there with a pretty big lens attached (whenever i get the money for a nice long lens that is)

but im still curious as to what bag you got, cause i havent seen many camera bags that dont look like camera bags that can hold this much stuff, and saving money is a good thing. nothing really seems to have the capabilities of the NG bag, that is if youw ant them.

lowepro and tamrac make some rugged bags that are big, but they are about the same price for ones that large, and you still have to cover the lowepro or tamrac logo, since those brand names scream 'expensive camera/electronic gear'. also, i dont think they have as much room outside the camera compartment for the other gear i mentioned, but they are nice. kata makes one pretty big one, but those things look like they come from outer space, dont like the aesthetics.

the crumplers seem great but they are more urban bags, not built for hiking as well. no water bottle holders on the outside, etc. the ng's have the proper straps to attach things to the outside as well. heck, if my friend carried my north face roadrunner tent and his sleeping bag, i could still bring my camera and strap the sleeping bag to the bottom of this northface and we could even pop out a one nighter campin trip and i could have all my gear to shoot with.

ideally id like to have three camera bags. the ng, something like the slingpro or that size for when you dont want a big bag, and like a big crumpler for when you want that urban look instead of hiking look.

but thtat would mean a budget of about 500+ just for camera bags lol cant do it yet.

Haha, its cool, respect for the old school (Atari FTW!!!!). But yeah, the bag I got was a cheapie, and is alot smaller, about 1/3 the size of the national geog one, but its got a nice olive color, can hold about all my prime lenses, and my zoom, plus it's very unassuming. I forgot what it's called, but its basically a smaller version of the nat geog bag, and I got it for only $15 including shipping on amazon.com :P. Plus it has no icons, and plenty of space for custom patches or logos :P.

I'll send you the link if I can find it again :P