My Best Travel Buddy: My Camera Bag!
Over the years as a photographer and more specifically, a landscape photographer, I think it’s fair to say that I have tried at least 30 different camera bags from different company models. It’s difficult to figure out what we are really looking for in a camera bag. At first, my main feature was price and this was a big mistake. Just like anything you can buy these days, price will tell a lot about the quality of the product you are buying. I bought countless cheap camera bags which ended up being uncomfortable, not practical, cheaply designed…or all of these together. The frustrating part is once you have tried the bag for a couple days and realize that it’s simply not the one for you, you simply can’t return it anymore.
So I ended up selling many camera bags, loosing a lot of money of course! I later learned that some of the most popular brands of camera bags on the market weren’t actually making the best bags! Almost ten years ago, I discovered a camera backpack company that finally had everything I was looking for in a camera bag. I was finally able to check every little box! I think it’s important to specify that I am not being paid to write this article…I am an f-stop Gear ambassador and I am truly proud to be part of their team! I love their products, I use them how they were meant to be used and they perform so well!
THEY LOOK GREAT!
Would you buy an ugly pair of shoes? I bet the answer to that question is no! The same goes for camera bags. And since most camera bags I have tried in the past look pretty average, looking great was an amazing quality for f-stop bags to have! It’s funny because f-stop Gear’s main focus was never on the appearance of their bags. They favor how they perform over how they look…but they still managed to create a timeless design…something that looks clean and elegant.
What should a good camera backpack look like? In my opinion, it shouldn’t scream camera bag! And that’s one feature I truly love about f-stop gear camera backpacks. There isn’t any big brand logos on the bag, everything is very discreet. They simply look like hiking backpacks. The Mountain Series of backpack has changed a lot since it’s initial introduction many years ago but when you compare the different generations of bags, you will realize that the general appearance of the bag hasn’t changed all that much…they have added features, pockets, changed the fabric and hardware for a better performance.
Their choice of colours is also great! Wether you wish to have a very stealth looking black backpack or maybe you prefer a flashy colour, they have something for you! My favorite colour is the Magma Red! I think it is a great colour for a camera bag. And if you wish to create striking selfie images with your backpack on your back, Magma Red will have a great impact in your images.
OPTIMAL BUILT QUALITY
One thing you will be very happy to know is that every f-stop bag is built with premium quality materials and hardware. The fabric they use is almost waterproof! They opted to use beefier heavy duty zippers where stress might be an issue, like for the main camera compartment for example… Most apparent zippers are high quality weather resistant zippers which will greatly help to keep water out if it’s raining… Speaking of rain, if it’s raining just a little bit outside, I don't even bother to put the rain sleeve on. The Dura-Diamond fabric and the weather resistant zippers will keep my camera equipment dry. But of course, if the rain becomes serious, then I will definitely put the rain sleeve on. Everything has its limits! The bags aren’t water proof but they offer a very good protection from the weather and elements as is, even without using a rain sleeve.
My favorite feature of f-stop gear’s Mountain Series of backpacks is their harness and suspension system. They are built just like a proper hiking backpack. They all have a built-in aluminum frame which will distribute approximately 80% of the weight onto the hips instead of the shoulders. Of course, the suspension system will work effectively only if the bag’s suspension system is properly adjusted and if you wear the waist strap correctly too. The bags are so comfortable that they don’t feel heavy on my back even though I carry a lot of camera equipment.
Many other cool features of the bag include multiple inside and outside pockets, a laptop sleeve, water bladder hose peek a boo hole, mesh pockets for small trash, emergency whistle…name it! The guys at f-stop thought about everything!
MODULAR SYSTEM
One of the main features of the Mountain Series which is deserving of its own paragraph is the fact that the system is modular. When buying an f-stop Gear camera bag, you get to choose the size of the bag and the Internal Camera Unit (ICU). Every bag model will differ in size and the same goes for the ICU. They make bags from 30 liters all the way up to 80 liters. If you only need to carry a camera body and two lenses, you can buy an ICU that matches your needs. If for some hikes you like to carry a lot of equipment, you can simply swap the ICU to a bigger one while keeping the same camera bag. How cool is that? Right?
AVOID PROBLEMS WHEN TRAVELING
As a landscape photographer, traveling with my camera equipment is by far the most stressful thing. What if you travel with your camera bag and once you have arrived at the airport, the airline company clerk decides that your bag must be checked in because it is too big…that would be a catastrophe, right? Airline companies are never kind with our luggage so there is no way I would send expensive camera equipment in the luggage compartment. The good news is that you won’t have that issue with an f-stop gear backpack. The fact that the ICU can be taken out of the bag could potentially save you a lot of stress! If you really have to check-in the camera bag and send it into the luggage compartment, you can simply remove the ICU, keeping it as your carry-on and send the bag into the luggage compartment.
HOW TO PACK EFFECTIVELY
This is how I like to avoid having any issues with airline companies… since I always travel with a lot of camera equipment. I never travel with my ICU inside my bag. My ICU, which contains my camera bodies, my lenses, memory cards, filters, batteries will be used as a personal item…and my backpack, which will be filled with some clothes, my tripod, snacks, water bottle, head lamp and many other small accessories will be used as my carry-on. The backpack will be in the over head bin and the ICU will be stowed under the seat in front of me. This not only allows me to travel within weight regulations for carry-ons and personal items but also allows me to keep my expensive camera equipment right next to me at me feet.
F-STOP GEAR’S MISSION
In a world filled with companies that don’t care about the impact they have on the environment, it is truly amazing to know that f-stop’s mission has been to be as green and eco friendly as possible. Their goal is to leave very little to no carbon foot print. Little details that matter like using plant based bags and algae based foams…all those small details truly matter to me! As a landscape photographer, I love nature and knowing that f-stop Gear is seriously involved in environmentally responsible products is a big deal. In 2024, we are becoming more and more aware of the human impact on the beautiful planet we live on and what we should do to protect it for generations to come.
…IN CONCLUSION
In conclusion, it took me a while to jump into f-stop gear’s modular camera backpack system because I simply didn’t know about the company and then because quality comes with a price…in the beginning, I simply couldn’t justify spending that much on a camera bag! How can one camera bag be that expensive you may ask? But when you think about it for a minute or two, how much do you spend on camera equipment? A camera body worth $4000, a couple lenses worth $2000 each, few hundred dollars worth of memory cards, optical filters worth $500, a good sturdy tripod that can be worth up to a thousand dollars…what’s an extra $500 on a good camera backpack? It’s not just a camera bag…it’s a camera bag that can carry a lot of camera equipment and personal stuff comfortably, securely and it will last many years! It’s an investment that you will never regret!
Oh…did you know that every Mountain Series f-stop Gear bag comes with a 20 Year Warranty against defects? That’s how good they are…and how sure f-stop Gear are about their products!
Now that you've seen the bag I use, if you would like to learn more about the equipment I use to create my Artwork, consider reading WHAT'S IN MY CAMERA BAG article!
