Camera Compartment:
I thought of using one of my normal backpacks for the trip but I did not want to risk my gear bouncing around inside. I was extremely impressed with the camera compartment. It was padded all around and was separate from the rest of the bag. The compartment also opens from the side which allowed quick access. I did not want to bring my full camera gear on this trip; I just wanted to bring my essential zoom lenses to get scenery and action shorts of my family. It fit my Canon 7D with 17-55mm f/2.8 and 70-300mm f/4-5.6L with hoods attached snugly.
Stuff Compartment:
Above the camera compartment was a large open space to store whatever I needed for the day. This part of the bag opened with a cinch cord on the top and had a small zippered compartment inside. I managed to fit 2 windbreakers, snacks/granola bars, 4 juice boxes, 4 sandwiches, 2 extra water bottles, and extra memory card/battery with some extra room to spare. The top pouch which covers the stuff compartment features a zipper pouch for quick access. I stored a multitool, 3 sunglasses, cellphone, keys, and a flashlight in there with room to spare.
Everything Else:
The compartment for the hydration pack was extremely convenient; I fit my 70oz CamelBak into there which lasted me the whole day. The compartment is also quite large so I can see someone fitting in a small (no bigger than 13") laptop, netbook, or tablet into there. The shoulder straps were comfortable and did not strain me out like normal backpacks. The side waist straps kept the back from bouncing side to side and also had small pouches where I fit a sunblock bottle and my Canon S95. The back padding was adequate and had channels so your back does not get too sweaty. The internal frame kept the bag sturdy and helped with support. The rain cover tucks inconspicuously on the bottom of the pack and was useful when we hiked along a chest high river in the Narrows (if you go to Zion check this trail out). There is a tight front pouch where I managed to store a towel and a pair of sandals and a water bottle pouch on the opposite side of the camera compartment opening which fit my 1 liter aluminum water bottle easily.
Pros:
Lightweight and secure on the body
I am 5'11" and the bag sat well on my shoulders. I went on a 8 hour hike and did not notice the bag at all.
Padded camera compartment
Extra room for other gear/food/misc items
Hydration compartment
Rain cover
Does not look like a typical camera bag!
Cons:
I wish the bag was a bit larger horizontally. I would have loved to bring my Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L II but it did not fit without bulging out the other side.
You have to provide your own or buy a hydration bladder
This backpack served me well for my hiking daytrips; it offered everything I needed in a camera/hiking backpack hybrid. It is NOT a store-all carry-all type of camera bag such as the Photo Trekker series from Lowepro. This bag lets you carry the essentials for a daytrip and a DSLR with 1-2 lenses.
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I got this bag a few weeks ago and have been mountain biking a couple times a week with it since. As always, Lowepro has made another great bag. This is basically a day pack with a camera holder in the side. The new cinch mechanism seems to work pretty well to keep the camera in one spot. I have a Nikon D3100 right at the moment (waiting on my D7000 to get here) and it fits fine with a 55-300mm lens on it with space for another lens or flash. I have no doubt that my new camera will fit just fine with the same lens. I have been able to stick a small, lightweight tripod in the side that has the bottle holder, but I wouldnt recommend doing that to often to the strechy fabric bottle holder. If you were hiking, you could also strap it underneath. Nothing to heavy though. Another plus is that other than the Lowepro label, it does not look like a camera bag.I will try not to cover stuff in other reviews, but here is a couple of minor things I didnt know before I bought it:
1.The stuff sack at the top actually goes all the way to the bottom of the bag around the camera case. This is great and not great. Great because you can put stuff down there; not great for keeping medium size things in the larger compartment without them sliding to the bottom. This can be fixed by pulling the outside cinch straps tight. If I had a choice, I would leave it the way it is. It turns out that an Adventura 120 bag (maybe even a 140) fits perfectly in the top part of the stuff sack, so I took all my little parts, flash and extra lens and put them in that in the top of the stuff sack of the 200AW. When I go mountain biking, I just take it out and go.
2. A hydration bladder does not come with it. There is a place for one up to 70oz with a nice hole for the hose. I put an old Camelback bladder in and it works fine although the bottom next to the camera case is a little tight. With no bladder, you could also put a small laptop in this section if you needed to.
3. The waist straps do not fold in to anything to hide them when not in use. Once again it is fine with me but I could see them being a minor inconvenience while traveling. The waist straps actually work very well for me. I was able to put most of the weight on me hips which surprised me. The aluminum stiffeners work pretty well.
Aside these minor things it is a great bag for the active person, especially for the price. It isn't made for holding all of your camera equipment. It is however made for taking your camera and some equipment somewhere where the view is great in comfort and style.
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I felt the need to write a review of what is now my favorite camera bag. I've looked for a very long time for one that met all my requirements, and this one fits the bill. To summarize what I've been looking for:1. Quick access to camera
2. Backpack-style for hiking/biking
3. Water access
4. Space for other items other than camera
5. Light
6. Waist and sternum straps
* There is a frame to the back panel of the pack separating the water compartment from the padded camera compartment, giving the backpack some vertical shape/structure.
* As previously mentioned by another reviewer, I fit a 70oz. Camelback bladder into the water compartment of the pack without a problem there is some tightness at the bottom of the pack where the padded camera compartment bumps up against, but if you leave room in the water bladder to adjust the shape, it's not a big deal.
* I've found the waist belt to be a very valuable feature. My typical use case: I'm on a mountain bike and see something I want to photograph. I'll get off my bike, take my right shoulder strap off, swing my backpack around my left side while still attached to the waist strap, and quickly pull out camera.
* The camera compartment is nicely-sized for my needs. I shoot with a Canon 5D mk II and have attached the stock 24-105 lens. If I wanted to, inside the padded compartment, I can place a 580EXII in there with no problem. That side compartment has enough give where instead of a flash, I could fit my 70-200 F/2.8 IS II lens in there as well. Admittedly, with the 70-200 in there, the backpack bulges out a little bit, but it fits snugly. I found that with the 5D mk II, I didn't have to cinch up the camera compartment. I could pull the padded cover down, zip up the backpack cover, and not worry about my camera spilling out or anything. I value speed over snugness and whereas I might get a little more snugness out of using the padded compartment's drawstring, I get a lot of speed out of not using it.
* There are compression straps that allow you to attach either a throw or a fleece underneath the pack I found that I could attach a Gitzo Series 1 traveler tripod underneath the pack with very little fuss.
* One mini-gripe the construction doesn't actually feel like a Lowepro bag. For the target market, the fabrics used are very light which is great, and there's double/triple stitching in places that would potentially be break points, but a little more padding around the shoulders might be nice. That said, I don't REALLY have a problem with the straps.
* Found the larger non-camera compartment very useful for carrying snacks, a replacement bike tube, and tools. Also as previously noted, it's great that the compartment reaches all the way down to the bottom of the bag, but could be a little frustrating as well since you'd have to reach your hand down the top and around the padded compartment to reach items that may have fallen down there.
* There's the top cover over the large non-padded compartment that is zippered and that will store things like keys or protein bars.
* Also, as a sense of space, when I'm not taking it outdoors in the wilderness, I pack the water compartment with an iPad 2 which fits very nicely.
The one mini-gripe aside, this is by far my favorite camera bag for hiking and mountain biking. I would give it 4.75 stars if I could, taking it a smidgen down for what I thought could be studier build quality, but it's not a deal-breaker by any means.
Honest reviews on Photo Sport 200 All Weather Camera Pack by Lowepro
I've owned a lot of camera packs, and my quest for the perfect pack is still in process. This one, so far anyhow, has been my favorite. It swallows a lot of gear for it's size. I easily carry my Nikon D300 with a wide angle zoom lens attached, an 18-200mm zoom along side it in the adjacent compartment as well as a fixed 50mm lens. The top section easily holds my two speedlights (one is the large SB900) as well as other gear. Unfortunately, after my first week excursion with it the carry handle between the shoulder straps tore loose causing me to obtain a replacement pack that will shortly be put to the test on two overseas trips in the bush.I've owned GoLite backpacks, and to me this product appears to have had strong influence from that company. It's comfortable, light, and secure. First impressions? Appears to be a winner for the money for certain.
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