Using a Harrison Small Changing Bag Rather Than Tent

[Drew Bedo]

I have both a Harrison Tent and a no-name smallish changing bag.

The tent is great to use, but too big and heavy to pack for any trip involving air travel.

The bag packs like a sweat shirt and weighs the same. The bag is auncomfortable and awkward to use, but I have changed 8x10 holders (with difficulty) while riding in the passenger seat of a small car.

The tent is great, but I only use it at home. The bag is a P-I-T-A, but it van be used effectively about anywhere.

[Richard Johnson]

The Harrison Small Changing Bag (27x30", $89) just arrived from B&H. It is heavier and better built than the basic black cloth changing bags I remember from my youth. The top and bottom use ~1/4" thick padded panels that are a bit stiff, there is a separate silver reflective layer of material on the exterior. It also has wrist elastic similar to the tent so it should be nice and tight, with the usual caveat to have your arms clean from bug spray and suntan lotion lest the coated fabric breaks down and gets sticky. Yet considering it costs less than half of what a Pup Tent does then maybe this is a better sacrificial item if you're in the bush during bug season?

It weighs about 1.8 lbs on my postal scale. Comes in a slip case and folds (not rolls) into the size of a large hardbound novel, 10x12x2". It's not something I'd want to backpack with, I am sure you could find or make a far lighter version that wouldn't be as durable.

Frankly it looks intimidating to load 4x5 holders in and I would definitely want a flat table and to insert something inside to raise the heavy top layer off the floor of the bag. But for emergencies and infrequent use it is quite a bit more compact than the Pup Tent and it is clean and well made so I'm going to keep it for travel.

I've had the Photoflex/Calumet/Redwing changing gizmos and this is also a lot more compact, albeit at the same price point. However my experience with several of these over the years is unimpressive because they tend to turn themselves into spheres and the film and holders tend to slide together and get jumbled up, making loading an exercise in controlling sliding objects.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...Bag_Small.html

So far I've had three sizes of Harrison Tents and all their stuff is well made so I'm a fan. But I do think the materials break down with heat, age, and if you store them compressed so I think they are 5-10 year items, not lifetime purchases. I'm going to store this one in a closet in a larger open box hoping to prolong its lifespan.

[Ari]

Would it also be intimidating to load 8x10 in one of those?
Assuming you have a flat surface to work on, and you can get the top layer raised somehow.

Thanks for the review, it sounds promising for travel.

[Richard Johnson]

I had a hard time loading 8x10 in the medium standard Harrison Tent but then you read about guys on here loading 8x10 in those tiny Calumet Changing Globes so I wouldn't say it's impossible but I can't imagine it would be fun. They make a larger 36x36" changing bag that would probably be a safer bet.

[Ari]

Thank you, Richard.
The large bag is only about $10 more, and seems like a better fit for 8x10.
I keep a large Harrison tent at home, but it would not be very practical on the road.

[Richard Johnson]

I wonder how many bags I sold for them with this post? ;-p

[Drew Bedo]

When I first got my tent, I was impressed at the similarity to an actual camping tent in the construction details. Aside from the sleeves, it looks and erects just like the tents by our son's scout troop—down to the "tent peg loops" in the corners.

[Rayt]

For people with no darkroom but need to cut film say from 8x10 to 5x7 it would be possible to slide the rotary cutter into that huge Harrison changing bag when it would not fit into the largest changing tent. I ordered one and just to see if it is workable. If it doesn't work I could still use it for 8x10 holders.

[Alan Gales]

http://www.ebay.com/sch/Tinker-Toys-/19014/i.html

Get some old wooden Tinkertoys. Assemble some of them inside the changing bag to keep the top layer separated from the bottom. Disassemble when done.

[Ari]

http://www.ebay.com/sch/Tinker-Toys-/19014/i.html

Get some old wooden Tinkertoys. Assemble some of them inside the changing bag to keep the top layer separated from the bottom. Disassemble when done.

Clever, Alan.