Backpack recommendation for 4x5 kit

[Drew Wiley]

... Oh, yeah, and I did do a few winter backpacks with Sinar gear, even the 8x10 once, and everything fit, though I'm more comfortable moving around on snowshoes than skis, esp when it comes to trying to compose on rocks or whatever up close. Skis are kinda hard to maneuver with using a big camera. I'm not
much of a skier anyway, and did these trips with my nephew, who is expert. At that time he was working for North Face, who was also sponsoring some of his
climbing expeditions, and he bought one of those first internal-frame teardrop packs. North Face still makes one of the best and most expensive of these. Of course, with these you kinda gotta dig things out, top to bottom, while my traditional Kelty pack allows go to access things easier. So we decided to do a full south to north off-trail "high route" up the Kern, scrambling ridges over 13000 ft etc. Pretty strenuous, but lots of solitude, then we could gun out way back out on the Muir Trail on the return trip. I carried my Sinar F system back then. But he arranged his stuff so that, other than jacket etc, he'd dig down into the pack
sequentially, during the first week. So maybe six days out we finally we camping in the upper reaches of the Kern, slightly below Mt Tyndale, and he encounters
a Duraflame log in the bottom of the pack - a nice extra ten pounds of load! Obviously he was having a fit and knew who did it. I simply replied that we might
need to campfire somewhere. He didn't say anything more. So the next day I hauled that Sinar clear up some peak, arrived back in camp exhausted and started
to crawl in my sleeping bag.... which was full of sticky, pitchy whitebark pine cones.

[Kodachrome25]

Which backpack would you recommend for a 4x5 kit: Shen-Hao PTB45, 3 lenses on lens boards (90, 150, & 300T), spotmeter, compendium, up to 6 film holders, darkcloth, tripod, and a few smaller accessories. I don't see myself expanding beyond this kit any time soon.

I do a lot of day hiking/biking/ snowshoeing all year round. I have an older Lowepro Trekker AW, but it is too big; comfortable, but overkill. I also have an older Lowepro SlingShot 300. It's a bit too small and the sling back style isn't conducive to all day hiking/biking. I considered the Photobackpack P3, but I think it is too big, also.

Going back to this, I used a Lowepro 15L flipside sport for about two years, really great pack for exactly what you are talking about above and it is fairly inexpensive. It's deeper than most so you can put the camera in longest direction. It also has a section for a camelbak bladder. But it is not big on fit or support, I'd cap it at a kit no larger than you describe above.

What you cite above is the smallest kit I can get away with in LF because it is always bound to a tripod and that makes composing really great shots more challenging to me. My average kit is 5 lenses, at least 6 holders and a 6x12 back, I don't want any excuses for not getting the shot, I can't afford it.

The recurring theme I keep reading here in regards to packs like the P3 wasting space on a smaller kit is that there is no mention of using that extra room for what really matters, spare layers of clothing, food and water. The lack of dedicated space for that in other packs has been a major detriment to hang time in the field. The P3 and associated cases keeps the gear from swimming among spare socks, beanies, gloves, micro puff layers, etc.

And above all, it is far more comfortable to haul for lots of miles. The FStop stuff comes in second, the Tilopa BC is probably the best of all worlds, fit, capacity and room for things that are more important than camera gear.

To each his own but when I am out, I want to produce mind blowing work and that requires time in the field, long hours across long miles to places people simply do not bother to explore. The gear I listed makes that happen for me.

I think at this point you have lots of insights, none of them are best, worst right or wrong, just get the system going that meets your needs and make the images that you want.

Tons of snow on the slopes right now, I am headed out the door with a Lowe Pro Flipside 10L loaded with a Mamiya 6, 50, 75 and 150mm lenses, Tmax 400, Nikon D750 with a 24-120. See ya' next year!

[Drew Wiley]

Well I did that long-mileage, move fast thing back in my youth. Lucky I didn't freeze to death somewhere. Now I prefer to be a self-enclosed motorhome or my
own pack mule or whatever. Got all my gear and photo supplies with me wherever, ready for just about any kind of weather. Yeah, as I get older I am more conscious of weight, so do own things like carbon-fiber tripods and roll-film backs for when they are necessary, and a lightwt tent as well as a true expedition
quality one, for ordinary summer use. But the fact is, I'll never be a 45-year old teenager again, hauling 90 lb packs twenty miles a day, and will be pretty happy if I can still backpack with a 4x5 thru my 70's. We'll see. But for the moment, I just like everything there in the pack. Don't want to fuss around repacking things for every outing. I could go hypothermic during a dayhike here on the coast just as easily as in the mtns, or twist an ankle just as easily. And there are a few people still alive probably because I did have a big pack and happened to be carrying an extra jacket when they did were naively out for a day hike unprepared for a sudden change in the weather. It takes some strategy to die old and stubborn. But for an afternoon with MF gear, I just carry a little shoulder
bag, the smaller Ries over my shoulder like a rifle, my raincoat in a little belt pack, and a thermos of hot coffee on my belt. Same with Nikon. But who on earth
goes around with a classic 60's Norma without a classic 60's pack?

[John Kasaian]

I sure miss my pack mule! We've got one old mare left in the pasture as it is, but she can't go high up any more due to her age. My pack saddles were all mule "Tehama" trees except for one Decker which I sold off long ago, but I do have an old horse "Humane" tree that needs rigging. Leon at Carmel Saddlery made all my gear. The Parker Ranch in Hawaii used to send a shipment of saddles to Carmel every year for repairs.
Nothing smells better than real saddle shop! It was a sad when it closed it's doors after something like 100 years. Lots of lost History.

[Kirk Gittings]

As I narrowed in on subject matter that truly interests me over the years (rather than what people expect you to use a LF camera for) both the gear I carry and the places I hike to have become more targeted. After years in my thirties of carrying around LF gear like Drew's in an external pack frame remote locations AND making preciously few meaningful images I realized I neither cared much for "natural" landscape (photographically) and was rarely able to get there for what I considered the right (expressive) light. So the silverback male approach to heroic excursions deep into the wild with tons of equipment went to the wayside in favor of a kit that was light, easy on my back and shoulders and with everything quickly accessible. Its not unusual for me to scout a site and POV then revisit it dozens of times over decades till I get the light I want.

So I am on my second generation of PBP gear and they have served me far better than what I used previously including Lowe, Tenba, f64 and non-photo offerings from leading manufacturers. Six miles is about my limit these ays with 30 lbs of gear-4x5 camera, 5 lenses, tripod, a dozen film holders plus all the other doodads necessary.

FWIW my LF gear is always in the PBP pack even when I am working from the truck. I don't just use it when hiking. It is my ownly LF case/bag. It is the best combination of protection, light weight and ease of access I have come across.

[Drew Wiley]

Well, I hike for the hike itself - the experience of the trip. Maybe I have some shooting opportunities in mind, more often, I'm opportunistic. The LF gear is there,
with me, but in some cases, is never even unpacked. I've already got plenty of negs and chrome to work from, so unless something offers me a distinct new niche, no need to shoot it. One or two classic shots on a long trip, and that's quite a success, photographically. Otherwise, the journey itself is what counts. Of course, there is some time motivation to this. There will come a point where these longer trips might not be possible, or else will have to forego the wt of LF gear. The clock is ticking, and I know only a small part of my bucket list will get checked off. But I've always been conservative with my equipment. For two decades I only packed one lens with the Sinar. I don't waste film. Now I might carry three very small lenses. Just what I need, nothing more. You can always get another shot, some other time. But you can't get another life if you freeze to death. So a sleeping bag, parka, tent or rainshelter, food, come first. Only afterwards does the space for photo gear get factored in. But I do plenty of local photography too, returning to the same spots over and over. And in those cases
the bigger pack is nice for the bulkier gear, like the 8x10 system.

[Photobackpacker]

Regardless of gnawing ash trees with his teeth, he does have a point. Those old, out-of-favor external frames were good for heavy loads over long distances. They went out-of-favor because they were relatively heavy while typical backpack loads were getting lighter. And yes, some of the materials used for internal frames got better.

Personally, I wouldn't do the bubble wrap routine but if I had my gear in a hard case like a Pelican, I'd lash that to a frame with a shelf. In fact, I keep a old Boy Scout frame for that purpose.

Not knocking the PBP models; I've heard nothing but good things about them. Frankly, given what's been said about them, I find it odd that he didn't sell the business rather than shut it down.

I would love to sell the business. I wish there were someone who would love to buy it. It is for sale for the value of the inventory at cost. There are issues, however. The factory I used to produce the P3 took on a major backpack brand and all of the small clients were dropped. This means a buyer would need to find a new factory and bring it on line. That will take 12 to 24 months. I turned 67 last Saturday and I want to be able to use the backpack I developed to get into the field and actually take some pictures.

Seriously, if there were any folks who are interested, I would love to talk.

Bruce

[Regular Rod]

My second P3 and cases for whole plate Rittreck, lenses and all the other bits arrived this morning. To say I am delighted would be an understatement. I do hope someone can continue in the furrow that Bruce has ploughed for we lucky owners of his system. Everyone that walks any distance with their gear should treat themselves to a Photobackpacker outfit...


RR

[Drew Bedo]

I got a camera box and 4x6 Cascade pack at Christmas—already had a few lens boxes . . .all good stuff!

This is a brand that will be missed.

[Boinzo]

I love these threads, it's always great reading about people's hiking perspectives. Especially Drew Grylls. ;-)
One thing that I find interesting is that people who want backpack advise seem to always say what they plan to put in their new pack. Less often do they provide detail on where (and for how far) they plan carry it.
I reckon it's the where and how far questions that determine the most appropriate pack. That and your physical size and fitness.
I used PBP for ages but changed to a FStop Tilopa a few years ago. I'm a bit vertically challenged and for me the Tilopa carries better for longer than the PBP with the same load. And I can fit more of the life-saving stuff in with my photo things. First aid, extra layers, etc.
To cover a lot of ground I like to work a bit like Kirk and go places to scope them out. Then I can go back with only the right lens for the job. Instead of carrying all 5 lenses I can bring just one (or maybe 2).
I reckon it's also important to consider how a pack feels when climbing. Especially when climbing down rock shelves to reach a stream bed and so on. I always carry rope to let my gear down (and get it back again) so I can climb safely.