Lowepro Classified Sling 180 AW Backpack (Black) Reviews

Customer Ratings:

I bought this bag because it was one of the few that would hold the 70-200mm 2.8. Overall, I was pleased with its organization and that it holds exactly what I needed, but I couldn't carry this for more than a few minutes without discomfort (I'm of an athletic build). My wife won't use it any more because it's too uncomfortable. I like the pack size, but I think it has to be a backpack or roller to work well.

PROS:

* Nice quality (as you would expect from LowePro)

* Good internal organization and equipment protection

* Holds 5D MKII, 70-200/2.8, 85mm/1.2, Flash, and laptop

* Does swivel around body, but (see below)

CONS:

* The single strap that cuts across your chest is very uncomfortable, even for a person who is strong and athletic. It was even uncomfortable with just the camera and one lens in the bag, putting excessive pressure on one shoulder and cutting into your chest, and putting undue pressure on your back.

* Difficult to travel with due to comfort

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Nicely designed and organized camera bag is handy for amateur day bag. Holds two zoom/telephoto lenses and camera along with assortment of filters. Add a ring or twin flash and it starts to get crowded and tricky to quickly reach accessories. If you like to get lots of gear for advanced set ups go with the bigger version. Seeing and handling the bags at a large photo speciality store will be a great aide in feeling the bags stiffness and padding quality. This bag is excellent at protecting delicate equipment and keeping things in place with it's velcro dividers and compartments.As a day bag on vacation it is just what you need.Because of it's shape it will store easily on a plane as carry on.Versatility:In the city I keep the bag under my arm and not as a back pack for security reasons.

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Love this bag for every day use. Great organization and more pockets than you know what to do with. If you are looking for a bag that you can hold a camera, couple lenses and your computer this is for you. High quality stitching and padding allow it to take a beating while protecting your gear.

Honest reviews on Lowepro Classified Sling 180 AW Backpack (Black)

I've tried a whole bunch of sling packs looking for the best one (including Kata and Think Tank), and this is still the best I've found.

Using this pack, I carry up to:

D7000

11-16mm/2.8

16-85mm

70-300mm

85mm prime

SB-600 flash

Gitzo Traveler tripod

assorted filters, remote release, extra batteries, etc.

And it's all very comfortable. I'm actually surprised as to how many reviewers say they didn't find it comfortable, so I guess it really depends on the person, body type, how you adjust it, etc. This is still my most used pack.

This pack is well organized with a large main compartment that's fully accessible even while the sling is worn (some other bags require you to take them off to access the inner/lower pockets). It also has an upper pocket for batteries and such, and the back pocket meant for tablets, but that I use mainly for larger accessories (gel filters, etc.). The tripod strap also works very well with my Traveler, although larger tripods might stick out quite a bit.

The only thing I wish it had was a mesh external pocket to carry a water bottle.

Unfortunately I think Lowepro discontinued this series otherwise, I would have probably stepped up to the larger 220. Still, this works for now, and I'll probably keep using it until it breaks down.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Lowepro Classified Sling 180 AW Backpack (Black)

The inside pouches take a little while to configure to accommodate your setup, but it's all comfy in the end. I have a Nikon D200 w/ 35mm f/1.8, 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6, 70-210mm f/4-5.6, SB-800 w/ diffuser, extra battery, battery charger, and even a Sony DSC T-700 all stowed away in the camera compartment. The laptop pouch is more than big enough for an iPad (one of the main reasons I got this bag). The straps are easy to adjust and comfortable.

The two things that bother me are the size of the pen pouch in the top compartment (it's a little hard to put in a pen into the pen pouch and the pouch behind the phone pouch (holds an iPhone 4 w/ case just fine) is hard to get access to. The only way I found accessing that one pouch was through the camera compartment. It is large enough for a passport and airline tickets. One other thing, depending on how heavy your tripod is, your bag will lean quite a bit due to the weight.