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Strengths: The pack has nice room and padding for an SLR and a lens.
The great thing about a chest pack is the ability to also carry a backpack at the same time and the easy access of the SLR because it stored right on your chest. In that regard, this design is a winner.
Weaknesses: The lower straps from the back harness have female ends who's straps are not adjustable. The adjustable male ends are on the lower part of the pack itself. This means that you have to reach the opposite arm across your chest and around the pack with the male end and hold the female to anchor it while pushing the male end into it. If you have a large chest it is difficult.
I was hoping that a chest pack built by Mountainsmith would be good for someone who wants to carry an SLR backcountry. The Descent AT hangs somewhat loosely off the chest so it swings when skiing or mountain biking and it bounces somewhat when hiking at a brisk pace. Even with the shoulder straps cinched as tight as they can be.
The looseness of the pack causes the top of the back harness rides up on the back of the neck. With a camera and two lenses (one large), this creates a sore neck. I workout regularly and I still find myself holding an arm under the pack to relieve my neck.
It seems to me that a strap that encircles the upper part of the rib cage would hold the pack close to solve the swinging problem and reduce the amount of weight on the back of the neck.
If the lens is long it and the camera in the the camera will hang over the second lens. My camera now has a rub mark on it. This is not one of the flaws I am referring to in the first paragraph, given what I'm trying to stuff into a chest pack, it makes sense.
This chest pack is a good start but it has a couple of design flaws that I've reported to Moutainsmith (but the response was the equivalent of a polite smile).
Note: While Mountainsmith makes a backpack for this chest pack, it is strictly for camera equipment. For people who want to spend time outdoors, want the quality of an SLR and need to carry more than camera equipment, that won't do. I would think there is a market for people who want both.
Bottom Line:
Mountainsmith should get credit for creating a chest pack with room for an SLR and a lens. It makes a lot of sense. If you want to carry a backpack and have quick access to your camera and a spare lens , there isn't much else out there. If you can live with the neck pain on long outings, this is the best choice right now.
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The Descent AT bag is an excellent companion piece for any photographer / hiking enthusiast. Essentially able to hold a single DSLR body (with lens attached), a telephoto lens, and a small amount of miscellaneous items, the storage capacity of this bag is not such that it can be used independently of a day-pack for longer hikes. However, Mountainsmith's design allows it to be used nearly seamlessly with almost any day-pack backpack on the market, making the Descent AT a great way of shifting essential camera equipment away from your back and onto your chest where it is easily accessible.
Having used the Descent AT for nearly a year, it has become a regular part of my hiking kit. As a testament to the quality construction, the exterior material is incredibly abuse resistant, zippers and seams holding strong, and the harness components remaining equally as durable. The key component to getting the most out of this bag is to ensure that it is adjusted properly. If there is one fault of the Descent AT, its that it hangs loose on the top of the bag, with the shoulder harness components being to long for a truly tight fit for an average adult. However, that said, the Descent AT remains comfortable for long periods of wear.
Overall the Descent AT is a great camera bag for essential camera equipment during any wilderness excursion.
Best Deals for Mountainsmith Descent AT Recycled Camera Chestpack
I have tried all kinds of bags. I get tired of taking my pack off to get the equipment I want to use with my camera. The front pack has changed this problem. I can hike and not miss a beat if I have to change my lens. Its comfortable and I am glad I took a chance on a different kind of bag.
Honest reviews on Mountainsmith Descent AT Recycled Camera Chestpack
Initial impressions: when I got the bag, I noticed immediately that it is a good, sturdy product like I've come to expect from Mountainsmith. Very happy with that. The bag has a harness-type system that supposedly ties in with a few Mountainsmith bags, but also can work as a standalone. As you should already know if you've gotten this far, this is a chest bag. That makes it good for quick camera access on the move, such as while hiking. I intend to use it for wildlife photography while in the backcountry.
Size and capacity: this bag will just barely accommodate my Canon 7D, a 28-135mm lens, my Sigma 170-500mm Telephoto, and a 2x teleconverter. It is a very tight fit. A telephoto lens any larger would definitely not fit at all. It also has a side pocket for something small and a front zippered flap that I'm using for my field notebook, pens, pencials, SD cards, etc.
All in all I'm happy with it. It carries comfortably, and carries a lot in a little package. More to follow after a five-day backcountry adventure next week!
