NigelCo2 wrote:
Does anyone have a recommendation for a sturdy backpack type case for carrying my equipment? I travel a fair bit and need something sturdy, but also portable. I won't check my equipment, so need something that will allow me to carry the equipment on board. I have a Nikon D750 with 24-120mm zoom, 70-300 mm zoom and a large 14-24mm AF-S lens. The latter is bulky and comes with it's own case. I'd rather have something where I can fit all this into one backpack. Any suggestions?
If you're not carrying a full sized tripod on your trips, I'm going to recommend the Lowepro Flipside 300. The advantage of this backpack is that the primary access into the main storage compartment where your expensive equipment is located is against your back, and inaccessible to pickpockets!
I don't know if they make a larger Flipside, backpack or not.
I often leave my Canon 100-400 v2. mounted to my Canon Rebel T5 in the center compartment! In addition, there is my 18-55 lens, my 55-250 lens, my flash unit, 2 spare camera batteries, a puffer blower for dust, and in a zippered pocket, there is a mini tripod, extra SD cards, 2 cables for the camera, instruction manuals, lens wipes, filters, and extra tripod mounting plates. In an outside zippered pocket, I carry extra batteries for my flash unit, business cards and a pen and small spiral bound notebook. On the opposite side, there is a mesh pocket that I use to hold a frozen water bottle.
The only lens that won't fit into this backpack is my 105 mm Sigma, I used to let it hang off of the top handle on the outside of the backpack in it's own case, but it's susceptible to pickpockets doing that. I've found that I no longer use thus lens on photo shoots outside of my home so it stays at home, lightening the load. Please note that up to now, all of my photography travel has been via a car, I haven't flown in over 20 years because I haven't been able to afford to fly!
I will tell you that yesterday I was walking out to my vehicle to grab my tripod with my backpack held down by my side. I slipped on the ice and dropped the backpack the 3" to the ground with no damage to my equipment because of the amount of padding they use in their products! Thank you Lowepro!!!!