First: I like the look and the basic design of the bag. The velcro for the top flap is really heavy duty. It is a good substitute for zippers IF you are using the orange bag inside of the case. The orange protection bag can be pulled out and the insert with the dividers can be reinserted without the water resistant bag. There is space for memory cards and filters just above where the top lid attaches to the case, but no where else. The backpack-type strap is unique and I liked it, although it took some getting used to. The interior space is surprisingly small considering the size of the bag. However, I don't believe that this was designed to be an "all-purpose" camera bag (as are most Tenbas and Lowe Pros). This was made for transporting equipment (photo or otherwise) into really wet environments. So that's what I tested it for.
I used the orange "bag" for all of the water tests. I stuffed the interior dividers with colored paper (I was not up for risking my own photo gear) that turns really dark when exposed to the slightest bit of moisture. Next, I took it outside and took out my garden hose and my trusty eight-way spray nozzle.
I started with the "mist" setting and held the nozzle just two feet from the bag and sprayed all around it for about 20 minutes. If you have ever been close to a great falls you have an idea of what I was testing for. The bag wipes off surprisingly well. The paper was completely dry. Success #1.
Second I used a setting that would simulate a pretty good rain storm. Since I have been caught in these many times with my own camera bag in the past (including in the rain forest of Peru and a down-pour in a South Florida that I thought would never end) I felt that one hour was just about the right amount of time. I noticed some water inside of the case itself but not inside of the orange bag. It was still dry inside. Success #2.
Now, I wouldn't have subjected the bag to this last test if it were not for the photo on the tag that showed the bag being submerged in water. I wanted to see how well the Camera Armor bag protected gear from an accidental fall into water. This has happened to me several times in my life and I have ended up damaging a Hassleblad, two Leicas and ruining a favorite view camera lens. Time for a dip in the pool!
I stood near the edge of the four foot deep part of a community swimming pool and imagined that I had a brand new Canon 50D (yet to be released at this time) and about $5000 in lenses in the bag. I "lost" my balance, fell into the water and immediately raised the bag out of the pool as quickly as I would have if it had been for real. Wow! No paper inside of the bag was even a little bit wet. However, if I had memory cards in the space that I think they were meant to be they would have been subjected to a drowning unless they were in their own little plastic cases. Success #3!
I took out the colored paper and stuck white paper inside it now. I took it to a dry field and almost covered it with dirt and sand. Again, the interior of the bag had dirt in it, but not the protective orange bag. Success #4. I was tired and gave up in any further torture.
This is a GREAT bag for what it is designed for and worth the cost. But I have to be honest and say that this model should not be considered a "Pro" bag. There just isn't enough room for even enough gear for a day trip. Also, it is hard to get in and out of when using the orange bag. Where I think that this bag fits in is as a way for adventurists to carry a modest amount of sensitive gear and protect it from getting wet or dirty. I could put a digital SLR with a zoom attached, a flash, a GPS and radio or two. Until it is available in a larger model I would suggest the pro gets an external cover for his/her existing case. If you think that you and your bag might get submerged carry your equipment in a Pelican case.
I give the Camera Armor 5 stars for water resistance and 3 for being a well thought-out camera bag, so 4 stars in all.
Pelican 1450 Case w/Foam (Black)
Pelican 1620 Watertight Hard Case with Dividers & Wheels Black
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Customer review from the Amazon Vine ProgramIf you are carrying expensive camera equipment in unfriendly environments, this is the bag for you. For the 95% of us who don't, it's overkill and not very spacious.
Best Deals for MADE Products CA-2001-BLK Seattle Sling Waterproof Bag (Black)
Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program This bag offers comprehensive protection for your gear. Starting from the inside...The innermost piece is a removable box composed of soft felt padding. The box contains four dividers that are held in place by velcro. You can move the dividers around to fit your gear. Most camera bags have this feature.
Next is a heavily plasticized bag that closes with a folding flap. This bit seems very waterproof. You can remove this if you like. It secures to the outer part of the bag with three webbing/buckle bits.
Finally, the outer bag. It is padded. It secures with velcro. Lots of velcro. Noisy velcro. No webbing/buckles are used to secure the lid.
The outer bag has a large flap to hold a tripod. It secures with two webbing/buckle bits. There is room for a fairly large tripod here.
The bag has a clever system for slinging onto your shoulder. It features a large padded strap that goes across your chest, and a small strap. It took me a while to figure it out. I like to put it on like this:
1. Unfasten the small strap.
2. Sling the large strap across my chest.
3. Fasten the small strap.
There is a maneuver that should be used to access your gear. While you are hiking through the woods, the bag is on your back, like a mountaineering pack, in a vertical configuration. You can
1. Unfasten the small strap.
2. Loosen (lengthen) the large strap. Do it now, while the buckle is easy to reach.
3. Slide the bag around to your stomach. It is now in a horizontal position, and you can look down on the opening flap of the bag.
At this point, both your hands are free to open the bag. This involves
1. Open the velcro flap. This is loud, so forget about sneaking up on wildlife here. Conveniently, the flap opens away from your body, revealing a large opening that faces straight up. Your gear won't fall out.
2. Unfasten the three webbing/buckle bits that secure the waterproof bag.
3. Unroll the waterproof bag. You are now looking straight down at your gear, nestled in the padded dividers of the bag.
The above maneuver can be safely done while standing knee deep in a sea of mud. You don't remove the bag from your torso.
Everything I see on this bag seems to be well thought out, well built, very nice! There is an outside panel that rests on your back when you are carrying the bag. This panel has padding and ventilation like a soft mountaineering pack. There are several loops of webbing on the outside of the bag for lashing on gear. All of the webbing/buckle bits are large and strong.
The only reservation I have regarding this product is that the user should determine that he really needs this level of protection. It is obvious to me that the bag offers superb protection against shock and penetration, dust and dirt. I believe that the bag offers superb protection against water and mud, although I have not tested this! However, this bag is somewhat large and heavy. In fact, I would estimate that the outside of the bag occupies somewhere between two and three times as much volume as the amount of gear that can be stowed inside. Finally, there are no outside pockets to this bag that would allow rapid access to small items.
All of the disadvantages listed in the previous paragraph are a direct result of the high level of protection that this bag offers. These are not design flaws, these are what you get. If you need a lot of protection, this bag rocks.
Honest reviews on MADE Products CA-2001-BLK Seattle Sling Waterproof Bag (Black)
Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program I've never met a professional or hobbyist photographer who didn't have a collection of camera bags and was always on the hunt for the "perfect" bag. Well, the perfect bag doesn't exist, that's for sure. But many bags fit some needs perfectly and the Seattle Sling Waterproof Bag falls squarely in this category.If you've ever tramped around in the hinterlands of Washington, Oregon or California, you'll instantly understand the beauty of this bag. Same is true if you're on the other side of the continent in the mountains of New Hampshire. In fact, any place where you and nature's elements sand, water, rocks, dirt come together, the Seattle Sling will be a very welcome companion.
The manufacturer, Made Products, earned its reputation with Camera Armor, an encompassing silcone cover for many professional and prosumer DSLRs, like the Nikon D80.
The first thing you'll notice about the Seattle Sling are the orange tabs that come out from under the top into snap clips. When you open the bag, you'll see that the orange tabs are just the hint of a sealed seam sturdy Velcro-sealed vinyl-like pouch that completely surrounds the padded compartment that holds your camera, lenses and accessories. This bag closes with a roll-over and fold-over cover to form a very water-resistant, if not truly waterproof, barrier. The top of the case then folds over the waterproof bag and seals with enough Velcro to carpet a small room. It is very secure. I'm not about to load it with my cameras and drop them into nearby Lake Michigan to test it out. But it sure looks like it would protect my gear for at least long enough for me to retrieve it . . . if I can.
In an area with sudden rainstorms like the Northwest, the Seattle Sling is a welcome addition. The outdoor photographer anywhere will appreciate this bag in snow, early morning dew, nearby surf and sand. It's really a terriffic idea.
The storage compartment will comfortably hold a DSLR with a long zoom, an additional lens or two and an external flash unit. A smallish side pouch with web pockets can hold filters, extra batteries, flash cards, a manual (!). remote release, but not too much more.
There are four loops on the outside of the case that might be used to hold longish objects, like perhaps a QuikPod DSLR Handheld Convertible Tripod.
The front side has a flap and buckle arrangement which will securely hold a fairly hefty tripod.
The outer bag is made of some kind of man made material with padding between the layers.
Every aspect of the bag exhibits very good design and excellent manufacturing processes. It really a nice piece of design and very well made.
It has an over-the-shoulder carrying strap. Hand Made Products' attention to detail is evident in the small security strap that wraps under your arm to secure the main strap and keep shifting to a minimum. If you've even been trying to get down a steep slope and had a bag shift on your shoulder, you'll know how much a security strap like this is great to have. Its inclusion also demonstrates Hand Made's design prowess and attention to detail.
Overall, I think it is more comfortable than a backpack.
With a full kit of camera, accessories and tripod, the bag is suprisingly well balanced slung across the back. There is additional padding to ease the pressure on your back.
Is this bag perfect? No. There is, alas, no such thing as a perfect bag.
But the Seattle Sling has fewer drawbacks than many other camera bags.
The biggest problem lies in its biggest strength: the waterproof envelope. Unfolding it is a kind of slow process, not burdensomely slow, but slow enough to make rapid changing of lenses impossible. Thus, this is not the bag to use when you're shooting sports or any other event where you want to be able to change lenses in a flash.
The Seattle Sling is somewhat on the small side and not suited for those who feel the need to carry a half-dozen or more lenses, multiple external flashes and the like. But the Seattle Sling is not designed for those people it is designed for people going into places where there may be water, sand, dust, mud and all those other things dangerous to cameras.
It will carry what you need for a trek in the woods, a photo walk down the shore, a day of shooting flowers without breaking your back in a very secure weather and environment proof bag.
All in all, the Seattle Sling is a very well designed bag for its purpose and I suspect many photographers will immediately see its place in their kit.
Jerry
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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program 95% of photographers wouldn't need this bag. Unless you plan to carry your gear under Niagara falls or deep inside the Amazon rain forest, this bag is useless to you.I have never seen camera bag built this tough. No chance for any water to get in, or out for that matter thanks to a thick red plastic liner. It also weight a ton with limited carrying space. The strap is also strange and it is hard to wear it on your shoulder. You can remove the liner and use it as a regular bag, but what's the point? There are other better bag out there for everyday's use.
So, this is really for special applications.
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