I’ve been leading photography expeditions around the world for nearly a decade and I’ve got to say that the most important piece of travel gear I own is my camera backpack. It’s always with me, and often on my back for most of the day. Sometimes I’m on the move for over 12 hours of exploration. As adventures usually go, the backpack is regularly in the rain, near the water, resting on the ground, crashing through brush, enduring heat, or sitting in a snow bank. Additionally, I’ve got to have a system that keeps my hands free for my camera, but also big enough for additional gear like layers, site specific gear, and safety equipment. It’s definitely a tricky balance to find the right photography backpack and so here’s 6 tips to help you in your decision.
1 – How big does your adventure camera backpack need to be?
There’s only a few expeditions I lead where I want my full range of lenses and multiple camera bodies, but enough that I want to ensure my adventure camera backpack can handle even the most gear-heavy trips. My suggestion is to lay out your “worst-case scenario” for cameras and lenses and find a pack that can accommodate all of those. Having extra space on lesser trips isn’t that much of an issue, and in my experience any extra space will get filled with something else important to the trip. I’ve found my perfect camera backpack to be in the 40L range, and able to hold two camera bodies and three or four lenses. These larger packs also typically come with sturdy shoulder and waist straps to help support the heavier load.
2 – Top-load? Side-load? Front-load? Back-load? Choosing a style of camera backpack
This aspect of camera backpacks is critical. Basically, you can load all your camera gear safely and travel / walk with it, but when it comes to speedily accessing your much needed equipment, how do you want to get to it? I’ve found my favorite type of camera backpack has a rear-panel compartment that allows me to either spin the bag around on my waist and open it up in front of me, or to lay it on the ground and open it up. If possible, I also enjoy a top-access to the back for getting to things like extra layers, first aid kit, or a pair of binoculars.
3 – Durability & Weatherproofing
In my adventures, I’m often walking or hiking through rain, wind, mud, gravel, volcanic rock, ice, snow, etc. Then, when I stop for photos or a break, my precious camera backpack will go down on the ground in whatever conditions I am in. I’m also hauling this pack in and out of snow machines, zodiacs, small boats, canoes, 4x4s, etc. Durability and weatherproofing is absolutely critical for long-term comfortable expedition use without failing. There’s tons of camera backpacks out there that have a really good style to them and look really fashionable, but those packs likely will get shredded up the first time they touch some volcanic scoria. Or perhaps when they get laid down on some barnacle covered rocks. When I’m looking at a camera backpack, I want something with a robust and rip-proof exterior. I want a backpack that is water-resistant to waterproof, and comes with a pack cover.
4 – Extra pockets can make a huge difference
When I’m on the go, I love having tons of extra pockets and sleeves for my randomly sized accessories and gear. Does it have a laptop sleeve? Is that laptop sleeve protected from exterior abuse? Where can I keep my additional memory cards and batteries? Does it have sufficient compartments for food for the day, water bottles, and even some extra layers? I love seeing camera backpacks where it’s laid out so, yes, you can easily store and access your camera kit, but also so you can add in those crucial extras in an organized way.
6 – Consider this an extremely important investment in your photography kit
One of the best investments I made early on was my camera backpack. I paid around $350 and used the backpack for five years on five different continents in innumerable different environments. It held up the entire time, and when I was looking to upgrade, someone bought it from me second hand. Camera backpacks can run from under $100 to well over $500 for the higher end / customizable models. When you’re considering what adventure photography camera backpack to buy, look at the purchase like you would a new lens or camera body. Arguably, the camera backpack the most important tool you’ve got with you when in the field, aside from your camera and lenses. This importance, in my opinion, needs to be reflected in how much you invest into the backpack. Factor in points 1 to 5, look at your budget, and commit to an awesome camera backpack. You’ll appreciate it later.
