Thoughts on Think Tank Speed Racer

<p>Hi all,</p>

<p>I've been juggling bags for a while and after a lot of searching came across the Think Tank Speed Racer. Seems like it's a good balance for what I want - a waist bag, doubles as shoulder bag, holds a D2 or D3 series camera along with 80-200, and various odds and ends - while also being very accessible in the field. I use a backpack to haul stuff to location but this seems like it would be a good fit.</p>

<p>A little bit about me is that I usually work with two bodies but don't always want both out, use mainly a 17-55 and 80-200, and one body usually has a flash. I'm a photojournalist so the bag would be used on the fly and need to be readily accessible.</p>

<p>So, what I'm looking for please would be first-hand experiences with the bag, how practical it is to use, and also any other reccomendations.</p>

<p>Thank you in advance,</p>

<p>Gabe.</p>

<p>I used a Speed Demon for work on a daily basis (I'm the staff photog at a newspaper) and it's an unbeatable tool.</p>

<p>Granted my camera is always around my neck, the bag is perfect for smaller lenses and other stuff.</p>

<p>ThinkTank is great, because you can build a bag only to the size you need by adding on the side pouches and bags.</p>

<p>Great products designed by real, full-time professional shooters.</p>

<p>Just because things will fit in a waist bag doesn't mean you'd want to carry it far that way. A D2, 17-55 and 80-200 weighs over 10 pounds. Add a second body and a flash, it's about 15 pounds - about the max for extended carry in a shoulder bag. Sheesh!</p>

<p>Nic - Thanks for the input. Very helpful.</p>

<p>And Edward - let me take a load off - literally. I would never carry all my gear in the pack at once. I always have at least one body (sometimes two) and a lens out in use so the bag won't be ripping at the seams and I don't think that pack would even hold that much to begin with.</p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

<p>You know what? I load that bag pretty heavily, and it's been great. I'm still fiddling with the best way to use it. When I'm not using a pack-style bag (to include a laptop, etc), I really like the Speed Racer. Ready for some pictures? I just spread it out on some seamless paper to take some quick shots for you. Hope you don't mind a few, because here are eleven of them...</p>

 

<p>Here's how I usually carry it - in shoulder bag mode. The shoulder strap is well padded, and long enough to sling across your torso if you want.</p><div></div>

<p>A reverse view in shoulder bag mode, with the substantial waist belt tucked into the stretchy external rear mesh panel.</p><div></div>

<p>One of my configurations. That's a D300 with grip, lens mounted, nose down. You can see the lens cap on a 70-200/2.8 next to it.</p><div></div>

<p>With the camera body out, you can see other lenses and goodies tucked in lower areas. This is completely user-riggable, and I'm still evolving my own preferred way to do things.</p><div></div>

<p>where's the other 9 pics, matt? i want to see this speed racer in action!</p>

<p>edit: never mind...looks good so far.. i'm trying to decide if the adorama deal on the lowepro offtrail2 would be better than the think tank for me...</p>

<p>Here are the big pieces that were riding around in there. Body with grip and mid-zoom, large prime, SB-800 speedlight, TC, ultrawide, and 70-200.</p><div></div>

<p>The front external pouch can hold a LOT more than I have in there at the moment. Usually batteries, memory card wallet/case, cleaning stuff, etc.</p><div></div>

<p>Each end of the bag has a stretch mesh pouch, perfect for things like my flask-shaped aluminum SIGG water bottle (not included!)</p><div></div>

<p>I'll sometimes tuck a monopod into the rear panel area.</p><div></div>

<p>Here are the waist belt halves pulled out. The hardware is light but very strong. The belts are set up to use Think Tank's many cool modular accessories.</p><div></div>

<p>For example, I'll sometimes hang a lens changing bag off of one side...</p><div></div>

<p>... and a Speed Changer on the other (say, for a spare body, another speedlight, etc).</p><div></div>

<p>ok now i want to see a pic of you weighted down with all this gear, matt...</p>

<p>When this thing is rigged as a waist belt, it's amazing how much gear you can carry without feeling the pain. The fit and finish on Think Tank stuff is top notch, and there are dozens of thoughtful little details hidden into the way seams and zippers are built, pockets are oriented, etc. The materials are rugged and light, and their stuff has a handsome, serious look to it. I use a good mix of their bags and accessories, and heartily recommend it.</p>

<p>Well, Eric, I'm 6'-2", and have a strikingly good-looking Neanderthal frame. I've been known to change tires without using a jack, just for fun.<br /><br />Nah, I'm a guy in his forties who spends too much time at a desk. But really - I carry exactly what you see above as my regular go-bag. NOT the two belt-mounted accessories, though - those are just some for-instance examples. <br /><br />If I have to go miles and miles, as I do when out doing my field dog stuff? I've usually got the camera with the 70-200 mounted in my hands - so the bag is quite a bit lighter when I'm covering ground.</p>

<p>LOL, matt.</p>

<p>thanks for sharing the pics. really shows how much gear one can cram into one of these things. what's cool about the TT setup is that its configurable. that's where it has an advantage, it seems, over other manufacturer's bags. i'm still on the fence about the lowepro offtrail2, which is on sale for 1/3rd of the price of the speed racer, that one does almost the same thing but not nearly as well from the looks of it. i like the quick-change lens bag thingy too.</p>

<p>Matt,</p>

<p>Thank You! Thank You! and Thank You! That looks awesome...at first I was a little worried of it being too big but I don't think I'm concerned now. I really appreciate you taking the time to do that.</p>

<p>I also like how I can add a few extra components onto the bag to make it how I want it...it really is an appealing system. My other thought was to get the Speed Demon and add one of the lens changers to the belt for my 80-200 but this looks perfect so that I can still wear it as a shoulder bag when I want.</p>

<p>So thank you again and Think Tank will be getting an order from me pretty soon!</p>

<p> </p>

<p>No problem, Gabe. I'm sure you'll find it to be a great piece of gear. Just takes a little while to "move in" to a new bag - you know how that goes.</p>

<p>

 

<p>I've also found, at least with my Speed Demon, you can run around A LOT with it packed full.</p>

<p>Like Domke bags, the bags look small but can hold a lot of stuff.</p>

<p>I used mine only as a waist bag and carry (with additional pouches): D700 with a 28-70 f/2.8 on my neck.</p>

<p>In the Bag: (2) SB-800's, 20-35 f/2.8, 50 f/1.4 AF-D, 60 2.8 AF-s, TC 1.4, (2) EN-EL4 batteries, (2) SC-28 cords, a handful of CF cards, (2) Reporter's Notebooks for photo captions, (2) pens, a few 77mm filters.</p>

<p>It's much, much more comfortable than a shoulder bag for all day work and totally modular for my day's workflow.</p>

<p>Here's a photo in action:</p>

 

</p><div></div>

That ThinkTank "Speed Racer" looks like a shorter & narrower version of Lowepro "Street & Field Specialist 85 AW". Quite a lot can be packed in there (Speed Racer).

 

Matt, does the "Speed Racer" accommodate your camera with 70-200mm f/2.8 lens, with tripod collar, mounted? (I have Sony A700 & Minolta 80-200mm f/2.8. At some point I will add vertical grip.)