Outdoor/ Adventure Photo Gear and Transport

[zerodog]

We have talked about this in a few other threads. So here it is.

Taking your expensive camera equipment into the outdoors to photograph many sports requires a special setup that almost no pack manufacturers recognize. F-Stop and Click Elite are the only two that have made serious attempts. Dakine and Burton have some packs that are close, but are much better suited to city work than backcountry work. You need to carry some camera stuff, but you need to carry a lot of other gear. The last thing I want is the main compartment of my pack full of empty pockets for lenses that I do not need while I am out doing whatever adventure I am on. #1 thing is your pack needs to be a good pack, not camera pack. It has to comfortably carry a load and feel stable. The camera stuff for me is secondary.

Here is one of my setups for ski touring. This is my Dakine Poacher pack (this is not a camera pack). Here are the highlights of this pack. Large volume that can compress very small, aluminum frame, snowboard and ski carry, separate avalanche tool pocket, back of pack unzips for easy camera access.


The back panel has some nice organizer pockets. I have some snacks, eyedrops for contacts, chap stick and some other little crap in these.


Here is the magic item that makes this work. This is a shot of the F-stop small ICU, "Internal camera unit" This fits very nicely into this pack to accommodate my 300s with a 17-55 2.8 or 24-70 2.8 with hood extended, or my 80-200 with the hood reversed. It also has 2 compartments for a flash and a rag or prime lens. I can even jam my D3s in there if I really wanted too.


This is what makes this pack better in some respects than my F-Stop Loka.
The separate avalanche tool pocket. In here I also have a first aid kit. Also room to stuff climbing skins for the way down.


Access from the top is the standard internal frame back pack opening. You can also get to the bottom stuff through the back panel too. In the pack for this tour I have (starting from bottom to top) : spare light weight waterproof shell, fleece, snow gloves, softshell jacket, hat. Then in the lid/ top compartment, 2 sets of goggles, extra fleece gloves, head band to cover ears. There is room in the Poacher for a whole lot more if I let the compression straps out. It is easy to overpack.
With this pack I carry water in a side pouch in a 1 liter Nalgene. But for the way down I stash the water in the pack and stuff the ski poles in the pocket and strap them to the side of the pack.


I hope this helps! I will post photos of the F-stop Loka when I get it back from my buddy that has claimed it as his own snowboard backpack.

Here is a shot from the tour I used this setup on. Getting dark, WB totally wrong, and on JPEG. :mad2: Black and white can save a really bad shot. This is why photo journalists like it so much!

[Photo-John]

Sweet photo! And thanks for getting this thread started. I have a few different setups. I'll have to get something together and share some of my bc packs.

[Danbaileyphoto]

I've long been a fan of the chest pouch system and one or two lens cases on the belt. And if I need, a larger lens case stuffed into the top of my pack. This has worked well for backcountry skiing for years. Unfortunately, my Photoflex Galen Rowell chestpouch is dying and will probably need to be either replaced or resewn. In the meantime, I've picked up a Lowepro Inverse 100AW, which shows promise. Also, Click Elite has a chest pouch, as does LowePro and Tamrac.

[NoKnees]

Thanks for kicking this off! I'll have to get back with my rag-tag setup as well. Unfortunately, what I know this thread is going to do is confirm that I really do need to at least get a new pack. My current setup is barely doable for my backcountry snowboarding, not to mention any real photography...

My old setup, camera bag and pack both 10-15 years old... Lowepro Offtrail holding Sony a700 & 18-250mm lens... Ride no-name no-room backcountry pack holding a Sony 11-18mm in it's own padded case, then the rest of my backcountry gear. I'll do a follow up post with more details later...

The only image I have that shows the gear at all... Yah, needed some glob stopper for the approach this day:


I do like the F-Stop small ICU. This would definitely add some extra security and flexibility to just about any non-photo specific pack setup.

Check back in soon...

-G

[Photo-John]

Just wanted you to know that a small ICU just showed up here and I'm going to see how it works in my standard ski packs - a big CamelBack made for skiing and a Black Diamond Avalung Covert. Usually I use an old Tamrac waist pack to protect my camera. But if the ICU fits, along with all my other crap, it may replace that Tamrac. I'll let you know.

[zerodog]

I looked at the Convert last year. I think that should be a nice setup.

[Photo-John]

I looked at the Convert last year. I think that should be a nice setup.

The Covert is good for one camera and lens and bc gear, I think. But for serious bc shooting I have to go with either the Clik Elite Contrejour or one of the F-Stop packs. Last year I skied with the Tilopa and it was actually a bit big. It worked fine but the lower profile of the Contrejour skied better. I just got a Loka for review and I am expecting it to be better than the Tilopa for actual touring. I think the Tilopa is more of a take-everything pack.

[zerodog]

You will like the Loka. It is my favorite backpack right now and it happens to carry camera stuff too! Maybe it just fits my frame right.