Only a mile (with an 8x10)

[John Kasaian]

My quick and dirty approach for tripod shots not far from the car is:

8x10 mounted on a folded tripod, carried over the shoulder infantry style with lens in situ and a single, loaded film holder carried aboard.
Light meter and loupe suspended from my neck, notebook and pen in shirt pocket and in a day pack I'll have my filter kit, cable release(s) dark cloth, and if necessary another film holder or two, possibly (but not likely) a second lens or jacket. There are outside pockets on my pack for water bottles.

For short distances where I know what's waiting, this has worked very well for me in various locations.

Closer in I can fit nearly everything in a surplus GI canvas water cooler shoulder bag. It is heavy but quick since I can pull the bag out of the trunk with one hand and the tripod with the other and be on my way. If I need to carry a lot of film holders I have a second cooler bag.

I have a Lowe Pro XL pack for trips, but it's heavy and I'm in no shape to try anything so demanding right now, which brings me to my current challenge---getting my 8x10 to a location one mile down the trail and back. Wheeled carts aren't allowed and the trail is too beat up for one anyway. I need but one lens (which fits inside the 'dorff,) and at least two film holders. the idea of carrying the camera aboard the tripod isn't very appealing for that distance, but packing up the monster LowePro is even less appealing.

The camera IIRC will fit in my circa 2005 Mountainsmith Ghost pack and I'm hoping a couple of film holders will fit as well. I'll still have to carry the tripod since there are no lashing points, but it is only for a mile and without the wieght of the mounted camera.

If the Ghost won't accommodate the film holders I'll have to use an old, cavernous Swiss Army surplus Bergen style pack---admittedly uncomfortable in the suspension department but still much lighter than the LowePro and, well, it's only for one, OK, two miles.

I'm open to suggestions/comments/recommendations.

[Drew Wiley]

I've got a whole stack of classic vintage convenient frame packs - US mfg Kelty, Camp Trails. Most of these were over $200 way back when and superbly built and relatively lightwt. Traded a half-empty qt of marine varnish for one of them never even used at a local garage sale. My wife thinks I'm nuts, but with hip belts, straps, and back mesh supports no longer available as replacements, one can pick up an entire pack nowadays than a single replacement component cost when they were available. Way better made than new pack gear too. I also have various packs loaded up with different gear or equipment options, some for dayhiking, some for long haul treks. But other than just a few yard away on mild terrain, I don't like that rifle-style over-the-shoulder method for large format. A couple years back I had a buddy that messed up his foot along with thousands of dollars worth of expensive Zeiss/Rollei 6x6 gear traveling that way. One slip later and a lot of duct tape on his ankle trying to make it back out of, of all paces, Kaweah Basin, which as you know, is one of the most remote places in the
Sierra. To fixed a dinged filter thread I had to whittle a bender tool out of a foxtail pine branch. Two other sticks of foxtail pine and some duct tape created two
prosthetic legs for his busted Gitzo CF tripod, while yet another lens went into the water and had to be slowly dessicated after the trip.

[Jody_S]

I also avoid the 'over the shoulder' method unless it's just for a few yards on level terrain. I find I need a walking stick now to keep my balance on rough trails, which is making it difficult to carry a full 8x10 kit. I am actively looking for new options, I will keep an eye out for an old frame backpack.

[cdholden]

Carbon fiber hiking poles are nice. With a backpack, hands can be free to keep your balance... keeping your gear and yourself safe.

[Jim Noel]

I used to carry my 'dorf in a large, but lightweight, daypack on such excursions. Camera, one lens, 2 filters, meter, XXXL black T-shirt for use as a darkcloth, and 2 or 3 holders. Large Otto tripod went over shoulder. The Otto is lighter and stronger than a similar sized Ries.
Now that I am closer to 90 than 80, I follow Morley's advice,"There are no good pictures more than 50 feet from the car."

[Drew Wiley]

There are always annoying people less than 50 feet from the car.

[Chance2]

I too am finding it harder and harder to get myself and my gear from point a to point b. I've tried many dedicated camera backpacks, but they seem to be made for folks with a shorter than average torso, where mine's longer than average (in other words, they're murder on my back). I use a larger-than-I-would-like hiking backpack these days, which fits me well, but I still have to hand-carry my tripod and camera as a hike.

I see there are still some frame packs made like this Alps Commander Freighter Frame. My question is, how do those of you that are using one attach your bags and tripod/camera to it? That probably seems like a dumb question, but it's been 30 years since I've been around that style backpack and I've pretty much forgotten how they're put together. If anyone wanted to be super helpful, I'm sure I'm not the only one that would appreciate some pictures.

[bobwysiwyg]

There are always annoying people less than 50 feet from the car.

No sure I get this??

[Drew Wiley]

The problem with those game-hauling and similar military packs still being made is that they're heavy to begin with. Just do what I do. Find a vintage US mfg frame pack on E-Bay or whatever. They come of for sale frequently, often barely used, and are often adjustable with general size choices (Kelty for example offered a variety of sized to fit different backs as well as internal volume requirements). No need for a bunch of redundant heavy foam camera packing either.
Just drop the camera in the top compartment. A goose down jacket makes wonderful padding. Or for my Sinar monorail daypack, I drop in a kitchen-sized plastic wastebasket with the filmholders in the bottom, and the camera all set up atop it, suspended by the rail. Totally protected. With my 8x10 folder, I made a plexi sleeve; but when I want to go even lighter, just use a fomeboard sheet against my back and a phenolic groundglass cover. The big Ries tripods get strapped to the back of the pack upright using bunji cords, while the collapsible carbon tripods are simply held at the top of the pack horizontally under the top flap (only one tripod carried at a time, of course). All my packs have side pouches giving rapid access to lenses, meters, etc, as well as emergency rain gear.
Don't have to dig down into them like so many of these modern frameless packs. And if you do need extras cushioning, just use bubble wrap.

[Vaughn]

On Saturday I hiked about 5 miles with the 5x7 on the pod and over my shoulder -- sore shoulders for a few days! I kept the GG facing upwards since the springs are weak. It worked...but a pack can be nicer.

Photographing with a good friend many years ago -- he with his 4x5 over his shoulder and mine in my pack (same model camera, too). His thoughts on the matter was that having the camera ready to set up at a moments notice would allow him to take a photo he might otherwise miss -- and if the photo was sold, then it would more than pay for any damage he might do to the camera in a fall.

True, but when I was on a long trip (6 months in NZ) I kept the camera in the pack while hiking/traveling -- spent too much $$ getting there to risk losing the 4x5 camera to a fall!

The 8x10 is best in my pack -- I hike over rough ground consistently and my center of gravity is better with the camera in the pack. I like my internal frame pack with the zippered front. One zipper and all my larger equipment is accessable. The A100 Ries goes over my shoulder on flat ground (shoulder protected by the pack's shoulder strap pad), and on rougher ground the tripod becomes a hiking/climbing aid.