Recommend a good internal frame backpack

[stompyq]

First up, this is not for camping but as a general gear carrying bag. I've tried almost everything including almost every iteration of the lowepro packs and most of the tamracs, TT, Kata etc etc. Unfortunatly only USPS has benefitted from all this not me:( . Currently my favoured pack is the domke iguana 20. It's good but not perfect. Here's the gear that i want to carry

LF stuff
Wista woody 4x5
5 holders
90mm SA f/8
150mm DO germinar
fuji 240A
darkcloth/loupe etc

Digi stuff

Nikon D200
AFS 300mm f/4
12-24mm
another lens (depends)
sb800 and sb600 flashes
assorted support gear (filters/remote/ etc)

All this the domke fits but it's a pain to repack as it's a tight squeeze. My idea is to get a good hiking pack and seperate the 2 types by using different containers. I've seen photobackpacker but would like to make this a DIY experiajnce for now.

I have no experiance with these bags and cen only see recommendations for the kelty redwing 3100. Any others? what is it that i should be looking for when i'am shopping?

[Brian Ellis]

If you've had this much trouble finding a pack (and I understand, I've gone through much the same thing myself) is it not possible for you to get from Rochester to NYC and go to a place like B&H where you can bring your stuff along and try out different photo packs plus maybe hit a big camping store too? I realize you'd spend some money to get there and probably an entire day, maybe even overnight, but seems like it might be worth it given the difficulties you've had. With packs there really is no substitute for trying them on with the gear you'll be carrying before buying if it's at all possible.

FWIW I use the large 8x10 f64 pack for 4x5 and like it a lot. It will take my camera, five lenses, 10-20 holders, filters,meter etc. plus a bottle of water and a snack and still leave some room to spare. But I doubt that even it would carry all your digital gear plus your 4x5 equipment. That's a lot of stuff for one bag.

[Ron Marshall]

I went to REI and tried a bunch of packs. I brought all of my equipment with me. The salesman thought I was nuts. The pack which fit my frame well and supported the load comfortably was the Kelty Coyote, big brother of the 3100. If I remember correctly, the Coyote is 4700 cubic inches, of thereabouts. Ample room for what you want to carry. It is about five pounds, but it is well build with good support; because of that it feels lighter than many other packs when fully loaded.

[stompyq]

Brian i've all but given up on the photo packs. There good for protection and short hikes but not much else, certainly not for the kind of gear that i'am trying to carry. Taking the gear to a store and trying out different bags is a great idea. But i still need some starting point instead of going randomly at it. Thanks for the coyote idea ron. I'll be looking at that one.

[Colin Graham]

I'm really close to getting a Osprey or Gregory, can't quite decide. A good reference is this moosejaw (https://www.moosejaw.info/customers/MJCompare.aspx?pfid=10018876&s_id=0) chart, which list many bags by size, top or front loading, etc. It may help with narrowing the field before you go to try some on. Hit the Show me more button for a huge list.

[mrladewig]

I'm not totally clear. Are you carrying both kits together or separate?

An Osprey Stratos 24 would hold what you need to carry if it is one kit or the other. I bought one of these for my wife. Its a very comfortable daypack. Well balanced, well ventilated, and well made.

I personally use a Deuter Futura Zero 40 as my day pack. In it I can carry my Tachihara, 4 or more film holders, 3 lenses, Rebel XT with 2 lenses, full set of GND filters, plus rings and mounts, gore-tex shell, first aid kit, waterproof pack cover, 1 liter of water and a my CF tripod. I often use a mountainsmith accessory pouch to carry film holders. More often I carry it day hiking in the summer with first aid kit, a jacket, some fly fishing gear, slr with 2-3 lenses, filters, 2 liters of water, pack cover, lunch.

http://www.ladewigs.com/Gallery/d/247-2/Mohawk+Hiking.jpg

[stompyq]

I'm not totally clear. Are you carrying both kits together or separate?

An Osprey Stratos 24 would hold what you need to carry if it is one kit or the other. I bought one of these for my wife. Its a very comfortable daypack. Well balanced, well ventilated, and well made.

I personally use a Deuter Futura Zero 40 as my day pack. In it I can carry my Tachihara, 4 or more film holders, 3 lenses, Rebel XT with 2 lenses, full set of GND filters, plus rings and mounts, gore-tex shell, first aid kit, waterproof pack cover, 1 liter of water and a my CF tripod. I often use a mountainsmith accessory pouch to carry film holders. More often I carry it day hiking in the summer with first aid kit, a jacket, some fly fishing gear, slr with 2-3 lenses, filters, 2 liters of water, pack cover, lunch.

http://www.ladewigs.com/Gallery/d/247-2/Mohawk+Hiking.jpg

Trying to carry everything. Can you post a pic of your setup?

[PBrooks]

www.photobackpacker.com
PBrooks

[mrladewig]

This is the back panel of my pack. The mesh trampoline style backpacks are really comfortable. Deuter, Gregory and Osprey make this style.

http://www.ladewigs.com/Gallery/d/602-1/IMG_1130.jpg

This is the front side of the pack. I think I put a camera bag or coat inside to hold it up. Its a typical top load rucksack.

http://www.ladewigs.com/Gallery/d/604-1/deuter_pack_1.jpg


I layer it with the tachihara in a photobackpacker case on the bottom. Usually I put 3-4 filmholders next to the camera on the bottom unless I use the accessory pouch. LF lenses go in next. I have a photobackpacker lens case and some lens wraps. Dark Cloth goes on top of the lenses Next go the filter bits. I've got the Cokin softside P series filter case and I use a small pouch for the rings and P series holders. I keep my SLR in a Lowepro off-trail 2 and I can put one more lens in a OR insulated water bottle holder. My jacket goes on the top or in the front stash pocket. I keep my big pack rain cover in the top pouch and use it to lay gear on as I pull it out of the pack. I put a liter of water in one lower side pouch and my velbon 630 in the other. A little food could still go in the top I suppose.

At this point, the pack is probably pretty close to the max comfortable carry weight. I have carried too much (40+ pounds) in this pack and it lets you know it.

Also, if you're looking and have time, look at Deuter's website. They have a couple Futura models with a main compartment that you can divide, with a bottom front zip entry. Futura Pro 42, and Futura Vario 50+10 for example.

This is how the pack rides. I'm 6'2", roughly 20" torso. To go to a pack with stays above my shoulder I think I'd have to find a 60 liter pack. Here the top of the stay is just about even with my shoulders and the waist belt is at the correct position but is not buckled. The two little silver things on the shoulder straps are think tank camera support straps. They allow you to clip the slr camera onto the shoulder harness and are my favorite camera accessory. Makes it very comfortable to have the camera out for snapshots along the trail. Kinesis makes a similar item. Both work well with the Domke gripper straps.

http://www.ladewigs.com/Gallery/d/600-1/Mel_dunes.jpg

[mrladewig]

Reading the list you've got going there, you very well may want to go up to a 50L or even 60L size pack. The Osprey Atmos is a very comfy pack in this size range.

Mel-

[Stephen Best]

Brian i've all but given up on the photo packs.

I gave up. I use a LowePro Omni Pro stuffed into a lightweight climbing pack (MacPro Ascent) with the tripod strapped to the side. This carries better than any dedicated photo pack I tried. For shorter distances the Omni Pro alone can be carried over the shoulder.

The Omni Pro wouldn't fit all your stuff so you'd have to use something separate for the Nikon.

[fsalisbury]

There is a company that is making internal frame packs that are modular for snipers and special ops types which you might want to take a look at; they are Eberlestock packs.
Here is their link: http://www.eberlestock.com/index.html

One of their packs is actually designed to use a module designed for camera gear. This equipment is supposed to be built to haul heavy loads comfortably.

Good Luck

Frank S.

[Rakesh Malik]

They're pretty pricey, but I'd highly recommend http://www.mchalepacks.com/. He will send you a demo for a deposit, so you can try it out; I'm taking advantage of being local to try more than one, and I've found one that I quite like and plan to order. I've been carrying 40-50 pounds in it on some pretty long trips, and it carries very well, and has room left over.

I've carried my Chamonix 4x5 with 3 lenses in a Gnass pounch, two Quickload holders and around 20 sheets of film in a Gnass pouch (you probably know the ones I'm talking about), and my filter kit in the provided Lee pouches. The camera for now goes in the compartment that I got from Kinesis, which works fine but it's a bit larger than I need it to be, even with my loupe, light meter, lens shade clip, and darkcloth in there. All of that fits in there with a fair amount of empty space around it.

All of that goes in the top compartment (you can remove the shelf that separates the compartments also). In the bottom compartment, I've been carrying things like rain gear, gaiters, extra gloves and layers, lunch, and my 200-500 mm Tamron lens.

I use the top compartment (on the lid) for things like snacks, compass, headlamp, and that sort of thing.

The tripod I attach to the daisychain on the back, and my dSLR goes around my neck and shoulder.

Add two liters of water and it leads to a pretty heavy pack, but it works quite well, and with all that still has room to spare.

[venchka]

I own packs from Dana Designs and Osprey. Both are easy to carry, hold more than I want to carry, and adjust to my body. Alas, Dana Designs was bought and sold & probably doesn't really exist anymore. Osprey is still around. I'm not sure if production is still based in Colorado.

[Claude Sapp]

Dana Design is still around, just under a different name:
http://www.mysteryranch.com/site/index.php

I have a couple old Dana packs and they are, for me at least, simply the best packs around. By old I mean the ones made in Bozeman, I think the quality slipped a bit as they went from K2 to Marmot, and manufacture left Bozeman and went overseas.

I don't use them for photo backpacking though, or rarely use them at least. I bought a Kelty Redwing 3100, and really appreciate the front loading panel on that pack, a design element Dana would never use. No, the Kelty does not load or carry like my old Danas, but they are fine for dayhikes with 30# of photo stuff, and access is far easier than toploading packs.

[Photobackpacker]

Please forgive me if this is stepping over the line and feel free to delete this message.

If you haven't visited Photobackpacker in the past few days, there is an announcement of the new RPT/Kelty Redwing P1 backpack that is being built as I write this message.

I am taking advanced orders (received by March 1st) which I will fill via airfreight. These orders will ship to you by the end of March.

The surface shipment for this pack will be available by the end of April. The P2 pack with premium suspension will be available by the end of April.

You may want to consider this in your search for a backpack.

Bruce

[Peter Lewin]

I went through a similar search last summer. My one recommendation is to bring all the equipment you plan on carrying to the camping store, so you can see how it fits in the various packs. I was really hoping to use an Osprey or Deuter, because I found their "trampoline backs" and suspension very comfortable. But I discovered that due to the curved design of the packs, I just couldn't fit my equipment in comfortably. (Everything fit, but access, even with the back panel open, just wasn't good for me.) Others in this thread obviously had different results, so the real point is to try packing your equipment in whatever internal protection you plan on using, and see if you like the way they work. In the end I bought the photobackpacker-modified Kelty and cases, the suspension isn't as sophisticated as the Ospreys, etc., but it works much better for me as a camera system (Canham DLC45, 3 lenses, and the other various stuff we all carry); I've used it for day hikes, flown with it to Europe, and recommend it.