Actually this post should be named “What is my bag?”, because recently I got a new backpack which is Lowepro’s CompuTrekker AW. It fits all the stuff I currently have, which isn’t that much actually, plus it has enough room for the things to come in the next weeks and months.
The AW moniker stands for “all weather”. As such there’s a rain cover at the bottom that is meant to go over the bag. I don’t know if I really need this, but it’s good to know in case I find myself wandering around in a rainstorm. The shoulder straps are quite thick and are accompanied by the usual two additional straps that help securing the pack to your back.
The only thing I’m not so sure about is how the tripod mount will work out. There’s a small pouch at the front of the backpack that flaps down and takes the tripod. There are also two strips that are used to secure the middle and upper end of the tripod to the pack. They need some time to get used to but I think you can get used to them. The main problem of this way to strap the tripod on the backpack is you can’t put it down easily because the first thing to touch the floor will be the tripod because it ends below the actual bag. I wish the tripod/monopod could be mounted on the sides. Additionally it should end at the bottom of the backpack and not 15 centimeters below.
The inside is big enough for various lenses plus up to two SLRs. The marketing material states that a 70-200mm should fit in nicely. I’ll see if that’s true in about a week. Another thing I’m not sure about is how well a SLR with an attached battery pack will fit. My 40D fits exactly, but with a BG I could imagine it could be too high, but looking at the images over at CamBags.com it seems like that isn’t an issue. Guess I have to try it myself as soon as Photokina is here and I know what Canon and Nikon are releasing in the next few months.
Here are some images of the Lowepro CompuTrekker AW filled with my random stuff: