What's in your hiking kit?

[gene_aker2]

<h1> In Praise of my Domke Bag</h1>

<p >First off, everything goes into the Domke bag (J2, Ballistic ) which takes a backpacking harness. The bag stays remains in its upright orientation. The Tachihara 4x5 rides inside, set up and ready for action—with the 150mm 5.6 Nikkor mounted. No unfolding! In the right side pocket: a 90mm Nikkor inside its zipper bag. In the left side pocket: the Caltar s 215mm 4.8. (It converts to a 375!) That leaves two front pockets for Meter, various filters, magnifier. There’s room inside for 5 holders and a large focus cloth. </p>

<p >With the Domke, you can set it down upright, without putting the harness in the sand, dirt, mud or water. It’s also convenient to move without stuff falling out. The Ballistic nylon is slightly water resistant, but not for a downpour. Here in the southwest, it makes sense.</p>

 

[gene_aker2]

<p>OOPS. Actually,my bag is the J1, not the J2.</p>

[keith selmes]

<p>I had a Domke Armadillo, but never used it. It looked a good bag, in fact it was, but when sorting out my kit, I decided it was too complicated and heavy for my needs.<br>

I have occasionally used a normal 65 litre pack.<br>

My LF kit in it's sturdy old camera bag stows in the bottom compartment. My usual daysac kit can go in the top. Then there's room outside for tripod, camping mat or whatever else won't fit inside.</p>

<p>There's also the possibility of adding a small pouch or two on the harness for convenience.</p>

<p>I notice the J2 doesn't seem to have anything but camera gear in it ?<br>

I would want to have at least sufficient for a comfortable night outdoors, suitable for time of year etc., just in case.</p>

[JamesFarabaugh]

<p>I've got a click elite compact sport. In the main compartment I carry my 60D with 17-55mm f/2.8 attached with CP filter. Pocketed in the main compartment are my 10-22mm, spare battery, and 580exII flash. In the upper compartment is my 100mm macro, lens cleaning supplies, ND filters, and white balance cards. In the top zipper are my SD cards. In the front zipper is my 60D user manual. Strapped to the side is my tripod. Next weekend I'll be taking my HAM license exam, so soon I'll be adding a 2m radio clipped on to the pack with a speaker-mic running up the shoulder strap. Next year I plan on going full frame and adding a telephoto, so I'll likely have to get a bigger pack then.</p>

[nathancraver]

In my Tamrac Pro 12 (not 100% sure about the model, but I think that's it) shoulder bag, I have a Canham DLC45, Nikkor

SW 75mm f/4.5, Nikkor SW 90mm f/4, Schneider Symmar 135mm f/5.6, Rodenstock APO Sironar 210mm F5.6, a

Sekonic L758DR meter, a Toyo 6x loupe, 2 cable releases, orange and red filters of each size for the lenses I

have (I keep yellow filters on all my LF lenses), and a separate pouch with 7 4x5 film holders, and a few business cards. Oh yeah, a lens pen and a blower bulb as well. I'm about to get a Sinar F2, so my setup may change a little bit, but not much. I would like to get a 300mm lens, but I am still debating whether to get a big f/5.6 or a smaller f/9.

[DB_Gallery]

<p>"Hiking" with a Domke shoulder bag…?….interesting…</p>

<p>I hike, climb peaks, snowboard double blacks, etc. with my 4x5 as follows:</p>

<p>Heavy load, 21-22 pounds total is done with a Lowe Pro Flipside Sport 15L AW carrying my Chamonix 45N2, Nikkor SW 90mm F8, Rodenstock 135mm 5.6 Apo Sironar S, and depending on what options I need at the longer end, either a Nikkor M 200mm F8 and Schneider 350mm F11 Apo Tele Xenar or the Nikkor or Schneider paired with a Fujinon A 240mm F9. A Manfrotto CF 190 tripod with Acratech GP head, 6 cut film holders and a Horseman 6x12 back rounds out the kit. This includes food and water.</p>

<p>A super light kit will either go wrapped up in socks, beanies, fleeces in a high volume 3 pound over night pack or a Lowe Pro Photo Sport 200 AW and consist of the 45N2, 90 F8, 135 Apo Sironar and either the 200 Nikkor or Fuji 240, 6 holders and the 6x12 Horseman back, tripod. The latter kit knocks a few pounds of photo gear out and replaces it with more food and water, some winter kit items.</p>

<p>Out of my 8 LF lenses, 6 are mounted on carbon fiber lens boards. Most of the time I have all the usual goodies like cables, brush, a small Peak 10X loupe, one or two grads, a few 67mm or 77mm filters and all needed step up rings, tiny Gossen incident and Pentax spot meter with the kit, the spot lives in a holster type pouch. I have a Domke F2 that I use once and awhile for 35mm and 120 work where it is not on my shoulder much, I would never use it for extended periods of time where a proper backpack would be a much better ergonomic fit.</p>

[drew bedo]

<p>My 8x10 Kodak 2D lives in a LowePro Super Trekker AW back pack. My 4x5 Zone VI kit is packed into a LowePro Magnum 35 shoulder bag. I did not do extensive research and analyses to choose them. Both bags were bought used (years apart) because of their high quality and low cost. Each was a deal I couldn’t pass up . . .Like they do in a sports draft: "The best athlete available at the time."<br>

I am now transitioning my 4x5 gear into PhotoBackpacker protective boxes . . .which is working out.</p>

<p>When I have to walk any distance away from the car, all of it goes with me on a heavy duty luggage dolly that folds. I am in the process of converting a golf bag cart to carry the camera bag and a tripod together. This may or may not be a terrific idea!<br>

When we were ounger (1995) my wife and I went to the Grand Canyon. I had a Speed Graphic (and six film holders, dark cloth, meter and all that) in a converted Jan-Sport book bag type back pack. The Tilt-All tripod got tied to the back of that.</p>

<p>Worked for day hikes.</p>

[darin_cozine]

<p>I have a Lowepro Trekker AW with my Shen-Hao, 90mm f8 SA, and 210mm Caltar, 5 holders, Gossen Luna Pro, filters, dark cloth. <br>

Either a Manfrotto 190x or a Slick tripod attached to the outside, depending on how light i want.<br>

The Trekker does not have a proper padded waist harness. Nor does it have good storage for water. It's good for short walks from the car but I wouldnt want to lug it all day.</p>

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