Updated with (somewhat full) review and pics:

Tilopa Backpack @ F-StopGear.com

My initial impression is this is a great piece of hardware. It was a bit more than i wanted to spend @ $250 shipped, but this bag is a million times better than the lowepro packs i checked out in the same price range, and I know i'll get a lot of use out of it.

Overall happy with my purchase. I don't have any complaints really because i haven't fully tested it, just short hikes to the rally stages so far. My initial impression is that this is an extremely well made bag. the zippers are all solid. the nylon material is heavy duty. lots of pockets and straps. I originally was going to get the black bag, but i have too much black gear so i thought i'd mix it up a bit and get the red/cranberry one. The pictures on the website of the 3rd "foliage" color were a bit misleading, as they looked more grey, but Ian's quick reply made it sound more green than grey.

On with the pics!




Crappy pics - hopefully this gives you a bit of an idea of scale. i'm about 5'10. The pack is mostly comfortable fully loaded. i didn't hike too far with it so i didn't bother really distributing the weight in the pack, but i can see it being very workable for extended treks, especially if you have a lightweight tripod (i don't )





The back view: A great feature of this bag is that the photo gear compartment opens toward your back, so you can plop it down wherever, and the part of the bag that faces your back always stays dry while you have access to your stuff. The shoulder straps are adjustable at the top and bottom, and the chest-strap works well and has a bit of elasticity to it. The contour of the straps fits me well. There is a heavy-duty carry-handle centered above the straps that is a great addition for grabbing and moving the pack with one hand.

Still not quite sure about the hip belt. I need to screw with it a bit more to find the right setup.



Side View: two straps and a pocket for your lightstands / tripod / what-have-you. same on both sides.





Front pockets: two pockets zip open on the front. The larger one is shown, the smaller occupies the space of the flap here. I used these pockets for additional layers. There is also a small pocket on top of the main compartment. A large zipper that gives access to the main compartment where the padded internal camera bag lives.



finally the camera stuff. zip open and there ya go. shown is my 40d with a 17-55 w/ hood, the 70-200f2.8is with hood, the nifty-fifty, charger + batteries, and 530exii flash. The flap for this main compartment has two flat zippered compartments for your cf cards and other similarly flat items.



top view looking down into the main compartment. the ICU takes up most of the space here, though you could cram something on top without too much trouble. I put my macbook pro in there, as there's a sleeve for it, but it's an extremely tight fit. A newer thinner mac would probably fit a little better.

part 2 coming...

Pics would be nice, but it looks cool. $250 is pretty steep though!

$250 isn't too far from what I paid for my Lowepro DryZone Rover. I'd been waiting to hear about F-Stop gear, thanks for the preview!

Also, pics or it didn't happen.


-A

+1 to the pics. I'm curious to see how you like it.

I wish my Rover had a full frame. Then again, I wish the F-Stop's ICU thing was fully waterproof like the Rover's.

Pleh!


-A

I wish I had the skills to make the bags I have in my head.

Originally Posted by freq

Well I picked up a new bag because my old naneu pro shoulder bag was a bit tired from daily abuse as my main computer and camera bag. Didn't help that my wife constantly referred to it as "the diaper bag" It was kinda ugly... I had started carrying a smaller bag to work after I got the G11 for daily work use instead of lugging the SLR around so the Naneu was out of regular rotation. I decided i needed a bigger bag for carrying everything.

I was looking for something bigger, but something that wouldn't kill my back if i decided i wanted to hike a couple miles with a tripod.

Enter the Tilopa.
Tilopa

Initial impression: I REALLY dig this bag. it's a real honest to god backpack with a frame, but very lightweight. It really reminds me of my old dana designs backpack, but it's a camera bag too! The camera gear compartment is accessible from the back, so you can pretty much flip it around and yank you camera out in a few seconds.

It was a bit more than i wanted to spend @ $250 shipped, but this bag is a million times better than the lowepro packs i checked out in the same price range, and I know i'll get a lot of use out of it.

I got to test it out a bit at Sno*Drift. Enough room to carry all my crap. good hip straps, excellent protection for the gear, plenty of room for other crap. My only complaint is the dedicated insert they call the ICU could use some modification in the partitions. I don't always leave the big lens attached, and it's pretty much setup for that purpose. It also has these nice elastic side-pockets with straps for supporting the bottom of tripods/lightstands. sturdy handle on the top for hanging from branches, good padded straps, lots of adjustment. and seems mostly waterproof. Haven't really tested that theory yet.

It was redesigned in late 2009, so I can't really compare to the old ver, but they supposedly made some improvements. I bought the red one cause i have too damn much black gear. It really looks more like a backpacking backpack than a camera gear backpack, so i'm not too worried about drawing unwanted attention to myself.

Yeah, pics pics, i'll get some pics.

We want a full review on this thing!!!! Been wanting to see someone's impressions on this thing. Biggest thing I want to know, can I put a modest SLR kit in there, and still have room for a 2-3 day hike, to include 1 man tent and mummy bag in a stuff sack, with food. By modest I mean, UWA zoom, body, and zoom tele (80-200 f/4 or so) and a small tripod (which I would think can strap on the outside.)

Tilopa sounds like a delicious dessert.

Originally Posted by Donkeypunch

We want a full review on this thing!!!! Been wanting to see someone's impressions on this thing. Biggest thing I want to know, can I put a modest SLR kit in there, and still have room for a 2-3 day hike, to include 1 man tent and mummy bag in a stuff sack, with food. By modest I mean, UWA zoom, body, and zoom tele (80-200 f/4 or so) and a small tripod (which I would think can strap on the outside.)

I've been backpacking for years, and just recently have I come into this awkward situation where I have too much camera and camping gear that I need to really trim down on what I bring camera wise. I would love to know this as well.

The tent is the biggest thing for me, as I could strap a mummy bag to the outside.

Originally Posted by freq

arrgh i still need to write a full review, sorry

i don't think it has enough space for a 2-3 day hike, but i suppose it depends on the weather and what you pack. mummy bag would cram in the top. tent could strap to the side tripod pockets opposite your tripod) you could fit the big zoom + a couple lenses + body in there easily. Depending on your food haul and what-not, i think you might be better off up-sizing to the satori bag i think its called (big brother of tilopa)

and it DOES sound like a desert.

I will stuff my mummy bag and tent and tripod on there and let you know how much space is left over for other stuff, if any for my review

Yeah I forgot that this is the intermeadiate bag, and the Satori is the big one. But your review should give me the impression I need of both. If you can't fit all that stuff, at least on the outside, I guess I will be buying the Satori. Thanks, can't wait for your review.

Originally Posted by jacobsen1

I wish I had the skills to make the bags I have in my head.

Hi, feel free to email me what's on your mind for bag design, our bags are a collective effort by the community, our staff pros and designers... we are open to ideas.

ian@fstopgear.com

As for 2-3 days trek. I would say it is going to be tight fit. But it really depends on how much gear you carry and where you put your priorities for gear. Example: some people take a minimalist approach on supplies (stoves, pots, food, layer etc...) this of course allows more room. But not every one is $tocked for this type of minimal travel. Some people feel a need for more camera gear over layers or vise versa.

I have done a few over night mtb bike trips with the old Satori (smaller in size) and had no issues. But when I do go with other people we pool the food, tent and cooking materials.

This image was a night out with a Satori. 4 man tent, sleeping bag and food supplies all split between friends.

http://modestbike.com/handsome/files/gimgs/5_mg4941.jpg

Nice!

Originally Posted by F-Stop Gear

Hi, feel free to email me what's on your mind for bag design, our bags are a collective effort by the community, our staff pros and designers... we are open to ideas.

ian@fstopgear.com

emailed.

123

Originally Posted by F-Stop Gear

This image was a night out with a Satori. 4 man tent, sleeping bag and food supplies all split between friends.

http://modestbike.com/handsome/files/gimgs/5_mg4941.jpg

Awesome, thats just what I wanted to know! I will be ordering one soon!

Love seeing companies that are involved with their customer base.

This is turning in to a pretty good thread. Be nice if we could start getting vendors maybe from other companies, maybe not so much for sales, but for suggestion and development. Be pretty cool to say you had a hand in developing such and such gear.

Originally Posted by Donkeypunch

Be pretty cool to say you had a hand in developing such and such gear.

I've been trying this for years with emails.

editing first post with review and pics.

10 image limit. here's part2. feel free to move up-thread or merge.



here is a shot down inside the bag with the ICU removed. You can see the frame here which is basically an inverted "U" fixed to a padded plastic panel. It lives inside the velcro pocket in the bottom of the frame. the two arms of the "U" are captured in small pockets down either side of the back zip-out.






Here are a couple shots of the internal bag. I have it setup kinda goofy and inefficiently because i use my wide lens a bit more than the big zoom, and this bag was designed for keeping a big-ass-zoom mounted on the camera. My only complaint on this compartment is the way the partitions are designed you are somewhat limited in how you can configure it. A few partition pieces were removed.

The flap of the internal unit can be zipped up, but i usually left it open and tucked the flap into the bottom of the pack, using only the main zip-out on the backpack.

Is that all the dividers you get in the thing? Or did you set it up that way?

mine arrived while I was gone (thanks Ian!). This thing is awesome. It's a great pack on it's own, it's got a very nice camera block, and combine the 2 and you've got a very nice camera backpack. It's a bit larger than what I need but it's not a big as I was thinking it'd be. I can see how it'd be awesome for BC skiing with a camera. Personally I'm not 100% sure it'd sway me from using a chest bag for balance and access reasons, but I'd honestly take this as my backpack either way, the bag itself is that nice. The frame works really well but you can remove it if you want. Lots of nice details. I can't wait to use it for a bit and give it a full review with video.

Originally Posted by jacobsen1

mine arrived while I was gone (thanks Ian!). This thing is awesome. It's a great pack on it's own, it's got a very nice camera block, and combine the 2 and you've got a very nice camera backpack. It's a bit larger than what I need but it's not a big as I was thinking it'd be. I can see how it'd be awesome for BC skiing with a camera. Personally I'm not 100% sure it'd sway me from using a chest bag for balance and access reasons, but I'd honestly take this as my backpack either way, the bag itself is that nice. The frame works really well but you can remove it if you want. Lots of nice details. I can't wait to use it for a bit and give it a full review with video.

[Obi-Wan] You will bring this pack during the next meet :handwave: [/Obi-Wan]

I will dude, don't you worry. I'm excited to see how well back access works for me, especially using the waist belt slide around trick someone on PotN mentioned.

f-stop finally has ICU pics up on their site. You have to dig for them (large and XL are on the ICU page, S and M are on the new loka page) but the new smaller blocks look awesome. I'm contemplating getting a loca, if I do it'll be with either the medium or small, they look perfect and give you room in the pack for other gear which can be whatever you want, or camera gear in say TT pouches.

small: http://cdn2.fstopgear.com/images/sto...oka/ICU-07.jpg
medium: http://cdn2.fstopgear.com/images/sto...oka/ICU-05.jpg
large: http://cdn1.fstopgear.com/images/sto...t/largeicu.jpg
XL: http://cdn1.fstopgear.com/images/sto...ct/xlicu_2.jpg
loka page (with some nice drawings of how much space the ICUs take): http://fstopgear.com/en/loka

I'm not sure if I want to keep the tilopa and just get a smaller block, or sell it for the loca with a smaller block... The tilopa with a medium would be rad as it'd have a TON of extra room in it, but do I NEED that much room? If I hike with it it'd be nice, but I don't really have any crazy plans coming up unfortunately. If I got the loka, it's be a great photo only or daytrip backpack....

if it's big enough (check the specs) it'd be perfect. They're great bags.