Need help selecting gear for Montana trip

[jhcolli]

I'm going to Montana in November to accompany a hunting expedition into either the Gallatin Mtns or the Missouri Breaks of Montana. I have a Nikon D100 with 28-85mm and 80-400mm lenses. I need help selecting the following items and please keep in mind the gear needs to withstand extreme cold conditions:

1. Camera carry system (I'm thinking about the LowePro Topload 75 AW) because I need to carry a backpack for personal items.
2. Tripod- I figure carbon fiber is the best bet here for weight and cold weather operations. I need something I can strap to a backpack. Any suggestions on a particular ball head to get for outdoor activities?
3. Batteries? Where can I get more or can anyone suggest a better power supply system for cold weather?


Any other ideas or tips are appreciated.

[mjs1973]

Welcome to the forum. About the only thing I can suggest for you is the bag. I have a Lowepro TLZ AW that I used for a packbacking trip and it worked great. Held my Rebel body, 2 lenses, small tripod, cleaning kit, extra batteries and film without any troubles. The chest harness allowed worked great for hiking and backpacking and the build qhuality of Lowepro is great. The built in rain cover comes in handy as well.

[DownByFive]

I have a Lowepro backpack, and I think that you can't go wrong with any of their bags. I know a lot of people only recommend OEM batteries, but I picked up a no name battery on ebay for like $8, and it's working great, and it's power rating is actually better than the EN-EL3 OEM (1500mAh vs. 1400mAh). Heck, you can get four of them for the same price as one Nikon battery that probably came out of the same factory...

[another view]

And I'll go with the tripod. I have a Gitzo 1228 with an Arca Swiss B1 head. Carbon fiber tripods have a weight advantage but also the fact that they don't get cold like aluminum tripods. They also seem much sturdier than aluminum tripods of the same size (and slightly more weight). The B1 head does very well in the cold too, and once you get used to it you won't want to use anything else. You'll need quick release plates for the camera body and lens if it has a tripod mount too (again, something you won't want to live without!) which add to the cost. I use both Kirk and Really Right Stuff plates, and they're custom made for the camera.

It's not a cheap setup but it's darn near perfect. Tripods also have the advantage of not becoming obselete every year...! This tripod gets strapped to the back of a Photo Trekker, stuffed into a sea kayak, used for weddings - you name it.

Lithium batteries are about the only thing that work for a long time in cold weather. I'm not sure about what's in the D100 but bring more batteries than you think you'll need and keep them warm (inside your coat).