DOMKE BAGS: CANVAS OR BALLISTIC NYLON?

<p>I want buy a Domke F1-X Little Big Bigger, the bigger shoulder bag that i can carry on the Ryanair

planes as hand baggage (that accept the hand baggage until 55 x 40 x 20 cm). I can't decide for canvas or

ballistic nylon: what are the <strong>pros</strong> and <strong>cons</strong> of the

<strong>canvas</strong> and <strong>ballistic nylon</strong>?<br>

Thanks to all in advance.<br>

Ciao</p>����

<p>The Canvas bag will eventually wear, I have one with some holes in it, but it took over 15 years to get to that point. Still usable though and looks less obvious. I don't think you would get any wear to speak of with the ballistic nylon, I have lightware cases made of that, with extreme use that are holding up very well.</p>

<p>I like the balastic because it seems to shed water better.</p>

<p>Canvas may be more "yuppie" stylish, but I agree that for utility it's hard to beat the nylon.</p>

<p>As a result of a misspent second childhood, I have vainly searched for the perfect camera bag. I'm look at eight or nine sitting here: two are canvas, two are leather, and the rest are nylon. Headline: five out of nine prefer nylon! By the way, black canvas is the worst lint trap on the planet after a dark blue suit.</p>

<p>Aside from weight, and the fact that it only works for Nikon mount, the best I've found is my Nikon FB-8 case in leather.</p><div></div>

<p>I switched from canvas to nylon, only because I preferred the way the J-series bags, available only in nylon, carried my lenses. I still own both.</p>

<p>The two materials, as used in Domke bags, deal with dust and smoke particles in different ways. The canvas bags attract dust, but can be thrown in a washing machine after removing the inserts. The nylon bags resist shed much better, but (at least in the case of the J-series bags I have) must be cleaned with a damp cloth.</p>

<p>I've got a couple of canvas Domkes and they do get holes and can get dirty more easily. I did spray my F2 bag with Scotchgard and it helped it repel water better. Yes you can wash them but what a hassle. That said, my canvas reporter satchel (I think that was the name) does form fit to my hip pretty nicely. The nylon bags are a bit stiffer. When I first got them the stiff metal latches were fine but as I have aged my fingers find fiddling with them more difficult. I prefer Tamrac nylon bags now.</p>

<p>I prefer the way the canvas bags hang. They seem to flop around more, but conform to my hip better. I think this is a minor point, but it is one of the reasons I liked the F2 in the first place.</p>

<p>Canvas breathes, and you can spray them with a water repellant like Nikwax TX.Direct. Get the olive green one. Lovely bag. :)</p>

<p>I have the F2 and F1X in ballistic and love it. Although marginally less flexible than canvas, the ballistic is still pliable and does conform to you and the bag's contents. It's also far more resistant to moisture and abrasion.The Domke labels are also less obvious. Whichever you choose, budget a few extra $ for the Domke strap pad-- a must-have accessory for bigger, heavier bags like the F2 and F1X.</p>

<p>Whichever one you get, +1 vote here for the letter carrier strap pad - loaded up, an F1X gets heavy on the shoulder quickly. Mine is canvas, fits in CRJ and Avro wing area overhead bins just fine, and breathes well in humid environments. No holing after extensive travel for 4 years.</p>

<p>Here is another vote for canvas. I also sprayed my F2 bag with Nikwax.</p>

<p>The ballistic repels water. The canvas (a cotton product) actually absorbs water and swells the cotton fibers to create a barrier. (it's how canvas tents work....but if touched, yes it will leak thru).......just how wet are you going to get a bag though.</p>

<p>The ballistic stays stiff and sticks out from your hip and tends to smack into more things, and creates one point where most of the pressure bounces against your hip. The canvas eventually conforms to your hip, wraps around it, and spreads the pressure evenly around the surface of your hip.....and stays closer to your body thus smacking into less things.</p>

<p>Yes, the canvas wears out....like others said....after many, many years. But, in my opinion, thats a very comfortable amount of years, compared to years of this rigid box of nylon bouncing on my hip.</p>

<p>Now, having said all that, if you are going to wear the bag constanly while shooting....I'd get the canvas. If the bag is more of getting it from point A to point B, and then it gets put down.....balistic nylon would work also.</p>

<p>However, those reasons for getting a ballistic bag that I just mentioned, are actually done much better with a Pelican hard case.</p>

<p>I use a canvas F1-X and find it ridiculously useful. I travel a lot and it carries a ton of gear in a neat little package. Never had a problem with carry-on. For me Domke is all about canvas.</p>

<p>... For me too. The main issue is that water absorbing capability. You can <em>at best</em> make water drops to pearl with products like Nikwax, but if you don`t care about it canvas is like a sponge. Anyway, I prefer canvas.</p>

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<p>.....just how wet are you going to get a bag though</p>

 

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<p>You never know. Last year I got caught in a sudden torrential downpour on the Sugarloaf in the Dublin Mts. with my canvas Domke F-2 sprayed with Nikwax. The inside of the bag + contents were completely dry. I couldn't believe it.</p>

<p>I have an olive drab canvas F2 and I just carry a new black refuse sack to tie it in case of torrential rain.</p>