Petrol Bags PC300 Deca Shell for Camera - Black Review

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List Price: $217.00
Sale Price: $184.45
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I was hesitant when I initially got the bag, because I wasn't sure if it would be able to fit my camcorder and my supplies. No joke, this thing comfortbaly fits my Sony HVR-Z5U camcorder, dual battery charger, 2 batteries, my memory recording unit, shotgun mic, wireless lav. mic, and my Nikon D3100 with 18-55mm lens and still has extra room ,no problem!! It's very comfortable to wear, lighter than my past bags. 100% recommend!

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I really like this bag. It's solid and fits my ex1, batteries, charger and wireless mic kit. It's compact size means that I have to compromise a bit on how thing are arranged (not ideal), but I can get everything in safely. Construction is solid.

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I picked up a Petrol PC300 when the strap on my Genus GL-GEN1000 Backpack began to fray and separate at the right shoulder seam. The Petrol offers instant advantages over the Genus, including being less than half the weight of the larger bag (5.6 pounds vs a back-breaking 11.8) and a form factor that was is more taped to the human wearing it. I shoot in Washington, D.C. and take my bags frequently onto public transportation, so this is a vast improvement. The Petrol is even small enough to fit in a plane's overheard compartment, which I feel a lot more comfortable about than handing my entire video rig over to the roulette wheel of baggage arrival.

And despite the reduced size, the inside of the Petrol is better laid out and more usable than the Genus. I find I can fit the same gear in more or less the same arrangement, though a tad more snug, but everything just seems laid out better. This is especially true with the compartment made to cradle your camera snugly in the center of the bag; a thick Velcro thick strap permanently attached across the middle of the chamber accomplishes this very well. And the smaller removable velcro walls are easy to shift around to customize the kit any way you require. Two thin pockets line the inside of the bag lip. The smaller top pocket is clear and the perfect size for an iPad (though it offers basic no protection). The second has a zipper and folded Velcro enclosure and might be able to hold a Macbook Air (again, with absolutely no protection). The Genus offered ample laptop security (enough to barely fit my 17" Macbook Pro from 2008) as well as a third smaller pocket. You only get the bare basics with the Petrol.

There are two deep side pockets (with very narrow, unyielding openings) and matching bungee cords to latch for tripods and other gear to the outside of the bag...and that's it. No outside small pockets for batteries or tapes, no business card pocket or keychain, not even a cell phone pouch (though I found I could swipe the one from my Genus and it fit around the straps of the Petrol just fine). There is a pen holder attached to one of the removable inner walls, but only on one of them, and I found it purely by accident.

The main straps and moulded back handle are quite sturdy, but the support straps across the chest and waist are cheap, light plastic and the shoulder straps a tendency to shift dramatically an inch or so when putting the bag on or off, but stay attached firmly once worn. Still, it's just enough to be slightly alarming when you have $5000 strapped to your back. When properly strapped on, the bag is very comfortable to wear. The 6lbs between the Petrol and the Genus is the largest difference, but the way the smaller bag curves more to fit the back and shoulders is also a huge plus. I never had a feeling for how much space it took up behind me, always underestimating it.

The sacrifices for size and weight begin at the bottom of the Petrol bag, which has no additional protection or stability, making it impossible to stand the bag upright. Worse is how the bag opens face-down so that the narrower, rounded front of the bag is in contact with the surface, making the kit less stable when open than the Janus. And while the nylon-ballistic pockets on the outside of the bag are strong they have no give, so they aren't even large enough to hold a bottle of water.

For me, the sacrifices are worth it. I need my bag to stay on my back almost all the time, as I frequently shoot in nightclubs and outside venues that may view a stray bag with alarm. But if you need to regularly carry anything more than a small kit and an iPad with you, I'd look at a different bag.