Bags recommendation for 2-3 days backpacking

I plan to go on solo backpacking next august at Olympic, Mt.

Rainier, N. Cascades. Most of them are 2-3 days and occasionaly 4

days. What I have right now is Lowerpro Rover Plus AW which is

perfectly fine for a day backpacking. It has the bottom compartment

big enough to accomodate my 2 SLR, 17-35, 80-200, and 28-105. And

the top compartment is for food, supply, and all those stuff. Now, I

need bigger backpack. I went to REI yesterday, and ALL those bags

don't provide enough padding (or no padding at all). I browsed

Lowerpro, Tamrac, and other product lines but seem to me, none of

them offer backpack big enough for 2-3 days backpacking. If you know

one product that is suitable for my need please let me know. Any

recommendation would be appreciated. Thanks.

I would recommend using a normal backpacking rucksack with your camera gear in some kind of waist belt based system placed inside it. Then when you stop to take photos you can take the waist belt system out of the rucksack, pick up your tripod and go take photos - without having to lug around all the rest of your gear. Finally I wouldn't take two camera bodies and would keep lenses simple and light or your load will suddenly become very heavy.

 

Jason

www.jasonelsworth.co.nz

I really don't care much for Lowepro packs. Use a regular backpacking pack and your shoulders will thankyou. I use an outdoor research padded cell (blue) which I stuff into a marmot hip bag. THe padded cell holds lenses, meter, and filters. I stuff everything into the marmot bag, grab the tripod, and wander off from camp. It works quite well. When I want to go really light I ditch the marmot bag and go with the or padded cell.

You have to find the best backpack for backpacking, and don't even think about the

camera yet. I chose the REI North Star years ago, and it serves well even today. Then pack

your load as usual and place one of those smaller handle bags in the collar that extends

up. You want to consider packs that load from the front and the top, as they're much

MUCH easier to deal with.

 

If you ever get some big lenses get the Lowepro lens tube for it, as I think this makes life

easier.

I'm with the other folks, in that for real backpacking, I'd recommend using a regular pack instead of a camera pack. You'll get something with far greater and more flexible capacity, less weight, and it'll be more comfortable to boot. Though I usually don't carry as much gear as you if I do go backpacking, I still think that you'll be able to find a way to get it into a regular pack better than getting your camping gear into a photo pack. Good luck. Enjoy.

Another recommendation for a "regular" backpack for serious weight and distance. I have had several of the Lowepro photo backpacks and the shoulder harnesses are ok but the waistbelts are a joke. The crucial point of a backpack is that the weight has to be distributed to your hips, not your shoulders. I have a 2lb, 3500 cu in Kelty Rucksack that I got for $50 a few years ago, it has a wide (like 6")waistbelt that is padded and stiffened all the way around from the pack to well in front of my hips, and there is a lumbar pad in back. The pack is the proper length with respect to my torso so that the waistbelt sits snugly on my hips with the lumbar pad in the small of my back. The shoulder straps merely keep the pack close to my body, and there is a small chest strap that keeps the shoulder straps from spreading out and rubbing against my upper arms. The only Lowerpro photo backpack I ever saw with such an expedition-quality waistbelt was the 11 lb Super Trekker.

Ditto getting a "backpacker" pack, most camera backpacks are vastly overpriced for what they are, I have two, but both bought used for 1/3 the retail price.

 

 

Go to a good backpacking shop, and don't overlook external frame packs. A pack with sleeping bag compartment can be easily made into a camera compartment with a little closed cell foam

Edward,

 

It sounds like you are getting some good advice but if you want to buy a used Lowepro Super Trekker AW in excellent shape cheap let me know.

Edward,

 

Here's another recommendation for a regular backpack for backpacking, with padded cases for your gear. I use packs from Dana Designs and Osprey. For my camera gear, which is usually - 1 SLR, 17-40/f4, 70-200/f4, 50/f1.8 - I use a holster bag to hold the SLR with 17-40 attached, a 1 liter insulated water bottle holder which fits my 70-200 perfectly, and a OR padded cube to hold the 50/f1.8 and sundry accessories.

When you go to buy a backpack, don't get caught up in buying one certain model as each fits differently. Try it on in the store & load it up with the same weight you plan on carrying. If they don't let you, go to another store. Most good shops that sell hiking backpacks will have sandbags & stuff for you to put into the bag before trying it on. Fit is very important with internal frame packs & its a lot like buying shoes.

I figured that I would add that my Lowepro Super Trekker is really used only as a car carrying case. If I'm going more than a 1/4 mile it goes into a regular dana bomb pack. If I'm actually backpacking then I use a custom built McHale.

I'll fourth or fifth the recommendation of a backpacking pack for backpacking.

 

anyone have advice on hip packs for an N80 plus one or two lenses? something with a little padding, but not huge and bulky.

Check out expedition-style packs from North Face. I purchased a NF Patrol pack and never regretted it. This pack has an adjustable carbon frame, it's designed to hold a 2-liter camelback water bladder internally and two full-size nalgene water bottles on the outside(very important!) and all of my camera gear, cold-weather gear and food with room to spare. It's expandable, has a full-length zipper on the side for easy access and is very comfortable for all day use. I use the built-in loops and straps designed to carry ice axes and crampons on the outside of the pack to sling my tripod and other gear. My stuff didn't get wet in a full-on snowstorm, either.

 

BTW, I'm hauling a 4X5 field camera plus a bag of lenses and other incidentals wrapped in the focussing cloth. A bit bulky, but very manageable.

 

I cost some $$, but I know it won't let me down.