Backpack ~1kg / 2.5lbs, alternatives to LowePro Mini Trekker?

[engl]

Hi Engl:

I am sorry you didn't find the information you needed on my site. I ship worldwide. If you fill the shopping cart and proceed to checkout, you will be able to see what shipping costs are for the items selected. You will see this before you commit to the purchase.

Bruce

Sorry about the tone of my message, but when browsing for potentially interesting products, checking a ton of different webpages, it is very annoying when critical information is not easily available. I checked all the pages where I thought shipping information might be, then added a product to the cart and proceeded to checkout. Here however I was required to register as a customer in order to proceed, which I think is a bit unreasonable just to answer my question "Could I even buy this if I wanted to?".

Anyway, the product offered is not what I'm looking for at the moment, and is out of my price league. Thanks for letting me know that you do indeed ship internationally, but please do your customers a favor and include this information on your webpage.

[StevenJohn]

I guess my mini-trekker is an older model. I can't tell you how old it really is, because I traded a print for it.

[Photobackpacker]

I was not offended by your tone at all, engl. Criticism is gold and "ships worldwide" will be added to the site. Thanks for the valuable input.

Sorry about the tone of my message, but when browsing for potentially interesting products, checking a ton of different webpages, it is very annoying when critical information is not easily available. I checked all the pages where I thought shipping information might be, then added a product to the cart and proceeded to checkout. Here however I was required to register as a customer in order to proceed, which I think is a bit unreasonable just to answer my question "Could I even buy this if I wanted to?".

Anyway, the product offered is not what I'm looking for at the moment, and is out of my price league. Thanks for letting me know that you do indeed ship internationally, but please do your customers a favor and include this information on your webpage.

[Photobackpacker]

In backpacking, comparing pack empty weight can be misleading. A pack that puts its weight into the suspension and waist belt will cause the load to feel lighter because it transfers the weight effectively to the skeletal frame so the weight is carried by the quadriceps.

A pack with an effective suspension will make a given load feel 25% lighter than it actually is. We photographers carry more weight than a backpacker would ever dream of carrying. The ultra-light packs are not designed for that kind of weight.

[dave_whatever]

The mini-trekker includes a tripod pouch. It folds down from the back and the two bungees secured the middle and top of a tripod held vertically. I thought all versions had this, but maybe you have an older model or a different model.

Mine has one too. Not that I'd ever dream of using it - would make the whole thing very clumsy and probably give myself a black eye with a tripod foot at some point.

[Ulrich Drolshagen]

I suggest having a look at the Expedition line of Tamrac. Very well made backpacks with good suspension system.

Ulrich

[Bruce Watson]

Before I pull the trigger on that one, are there any other alternatives in the same weight class that would give me more space? Extreme ruggedness not required, neither the ability to carry very heavy gear comfortably.

What I looked for in a backpack to carry my 5x4 kit was 1) comfort, 2) safety, and 3) enough room to carry everything, and 4) a way to carry my tripod centered.

My solution was a winter sports backpack from Osprey, a small one intended for a daypack IIRC. The Osprey suspension design fits like a glove -- very adjustable, very comfortable, and keeps most of the weight on your hips were it should be kept. 20+ km hikes up and down the mountains are easy with the Osprey pack. It does an excellent job of keeping the center of gravity very close to my spine which makes climbing and rock scrambles considerably safer. It has plenty of room, and most importantly it has nice ways of adjusting the volume downward. IOW, it can snug down around your kit and keep it tight so the load can't shift, again a plus when climbing. Finally, it's got a lot of exterior loops and fasteners -- intended for skis, poles, etc. which make an excellent and easy way to strap the tripod, centered, to the outside of the pack. Finally, it has a hydration pocket that lets me carry as much as 4 liters of water -- if you're a hiker you know how valuable that is.

I bought mine seven or eight years ago -- they don't make that model any more. But I've been using it pretty steady for that long and I'm still happy with it.

Also, it's very light weight -- IIRC it was the lightest of the backpacks I was considering at the time. And after hundreds (thousands?) of kilometers it still looks new. The nylon of the pack itself looks a darn sight better than some of the nylon containers that I put inside it -- that the backpack protects.

I *highly* recommend the Osprey backpacks for view camera work.

[falth j]

To Quote engl's words:

"Sorry about the tone of my message, but when browsing for potentially interesting products, checking a ton of different webpages, it is very annoying when critical information is not easily available.

I can certainly attest to feeling empty-handed after visiting the backpacker site the first time as well.

Especially, since I was entirely unaware of the photobag concept Bruce developed for his type of photography bags.

It is completely different in concept from the conventional bag maker, perhaps, the 'one-bag' fits all concept, is not immediately discernable or in fact fathomable, from Bruce's site after viewing the 'tons' and 'tons' of bags and bag dimensions on other bag-makers' sites...

But, what knowledge may be lacking on the part of the buyer, is easily over-come by simply emailing Photobackpacker, and Bruce, the proprietor, will be there to explain and mollify any misconceptions or misunderstandings.

PhotobackPacker and Bruce, I have found to be very accommodating and helpful, even to the point that he called personally to question my needs, and explain how he may be able to simplify things with his 'system'.


When, if ever, have you had any company call and ask for information in order to accommodate you as their customer?

[engl]

Thanks for the further recommendations!

The idea of using a hiking backpack is interesting, I'd expect those makers to be much better at making a light, big, comfortable pack that put the weight where it should be. Many of the photography backpacks are built around quick access, which is less of a concern to a view camera user. How many liters size are you using, and how do you pad your camera inside the Osprey packs?

I'm still set on getting the 64$ Mini-Trekker AW first though, I want it for light use, getting to know my needs as well at use it for non-LF gear. I'm still not convinced I'd see any advantage for my use going with a heavier backpack, and the hiking backpack suggestion would be more suited to, well, hiking. I'm not doing that, but I might be someday.

[jeroldharter]

I have a Lowe Pro pack. It is large but does not have a waist belt. Can't remember the model number but is is one of their larger ones. It is an good pack but not comfortable for a heavy load and not very light. I have also had a Tamrac backpack. Most of these are made for 35mm or medium format and then upscaled a little (IMO) and as a result are not very good for large format.

I have 3 Photobackpacker packs, 2 of the largest and one smaller one based ont he Kelty 3100. I think the smaller one is the one that fits your needs. It is certainly lightweight, but not like a shapeless sil-nylon ultralight daypack. Those are light but not very useful for large format. Looks like the smallest current one is based on a 2500 which is a little smaller. You should get the backer board for the pack because that adds rigidity and protects your back but you can use other cases inside the packs to keep the cost down. Some people use Tupperware or Lock-n-Lock cases. I use a Cabela's fishing reel case for lenses and meters. The packs are modified to have a full length zipper for easy access to gear. The suspension systems are better than regular photo backpacks.

Bruce provides excellent customer service and has always been able to answer my questions promptly. I think that the first pack I bought had a loose strap. He shipped a new pack immediately without waiting for me to return the original. When I was trying to figure out the best way to carry my Arca, he drove 3 hours to my house and made measurements - now he offers a case for Arca. Based on customer requests, he is going to be selling film holder bags similar to Gnass (but significantly better) soon. Obviously you will have to decide if those packs suit your needs, but you can't go wrong with them.

In regard to the website, I agree that it could be more user friendly. However, it offers a lot of details, much more so than you will find for any other photo backpack. Check out the f64, Lowe-Pro, Tamrac, etc. websites and they all lack the detail a large format photographer would want. And an identifiable person (Bruce) who participates here is available to answer questions.