I have been looking for some new bags for a while. I've got a bunch, but mostly use my Tenba Shootout messenger while flying and my LowePro S&F Reporter 300AW.

The Shootout Messenger is a great bag, but it's really not ideal for actual photography, I mostly use it to carry gear and a laptop with me while flying since it fits under the seats in small planes.

The Reporter 300AW I've had for a long time and has served me well but is too small most of the time. If I put the body and 4 lenses in it's hard to get anything in or out.

A while ago I had a Nature Trekker backpack and after trying a Tenba Shootout medium backpack I decided to go back to Lowepro and try their new Vertex series.

The Vertex 200 is a new design, built to accommodate digital shooters better than past bags did. As a result it incorporates pockets for card readers, memory cards and other digital accessories. It's got a nice tripod attachment system and the shoulder harness system feels pretty good to me (I liked my Nature Trekker when I had it).



I think it's pretty obvious this eats pretty much everything I have up with room for more. If I had a second, smaller body it would fit in the bottom; I don't usually carry both flashes but even then there are other places I could put the second one.

Even better, it has a laptop compartment which I won't use for a laptop most of the time, instead bigger things like reflectors or whatever I want to carry with me. The compartment will hold up to a large 15" widescreen laptop I think. The laptop compartment, unusually, is on the outside of the bag and not the inside. If a laptop is in there it might get tippy, I don't know yet (with as much crap as I shove in it I doubt it). I see this as a good thing: first you won't smoosh the laptop between you and everything else and secondly without a laptop (as how I will usually use it) the weight is closer to your back keeping the thing from feeling as "out there" or heavy on your back.

I think I still need to replace my Reporter 300AW with something only *slightly* bigger but now I don't need another BIG bag for everything else. I still have a Stealth Reporter 650AW wedged in the back of my closet if I need a big shoulder bag.

I just realized I labeled the two TS-Es backwards

How much?

$170ish for the bag from B&H

Just got back from wandering around the frozen shore of Lake Ontario today and the bag was great. Definitely happy with the purchase.

Megabump....

Are you still liking this bag? Is it comfortable to hike with?

I am looking at something larger than my SR300 that will carry a laptop if need be (outside pocket=sweet!) to take on flights with me. I'd also like it to be comfortable if I am out walking around with it all day. I haven't decided whether I like the size of the 100 or the 200 better, but either should fit my stuff including my laptop.

emorphin packed up his bag and left NSOP

Originally Posted by PhatheadWRX

emorphin packed up his bag and left NSOP

Oh, I guess I never noticed that. Thanks for the heads up.

Gah, emorphien was too slow to respond to me, the bum. Check your PM's Redliner

Originally Posted by emorphien

yes I do find the bag to be comfortable to hike with. It has enough of the right adjustments to make it fairly easy to fit to you comfortably and with good balance when loaded. I still like it better than other laptop+camera backpacks I've tried because when there's no laptop in it the weight is closer to me making it much easier to climb around and hike around with. With a laptop in it, depending on the size of the laptop, it can feel a bit less comfortable but generally I’ve found if you have the sternum and waist straps tight enough it’s still fairly comfortable. For the way I use it I wouldn’t be hiking around out in the woods or on ice with it with a laptop in it usually anyway, but when I do I have a small 12” laptop that helps keep weight down and doesn’t take as much space.

IIRC the 200 overall is bigger in terms of the area on your back it covers and I wouldn’t want a smaller bag as far as stability and comfort are concerned. There are times I would like a bigger bag, I’ve got the 200 at capacity (or beyond, I have hung extra stuff off it) if I am being an idiot and try to carry everything with me. If you can go for the 200 I think having a little extra space is always worth it in the long run, I don’t think you’ll have a problem with it even if you don’t have it full right now.

Ordered my vertex 200 last night

Have someone coming to check out my fastpack today.