GAS496 Loc: Arizona

There is only one choice as far as I am concerned and that is a specifically designed Kelty backpack by the Photobackpacker. He designs it for your needs. I use one to carry all my 8x10 gear, 60 lbs worth on hikes all over the Southwest. I have tried others. They are cheap and don't last. Google him. You will not be disappointed. Your back will love you for it.

Sladecam Loc: Vancouver, BC

Reference has been made here to Mindshift bags and I'll add my contribution. I have some similar requirements for a forthcoming camping/photo workshop trip to Alaska in September to photograph bears. Though my hiking needs will be far less extreme than yours, I still need to take several flights to Alaska, transport heavy photo gear to a base camp (therefore, no wheels on luggage). Perhaps, a "trip of a lifetime" for me, I want to take pretty much all the gear I own.

My bag: Mindshift Firstlight 40L. Just got it. I have trial packed two pro-level gripped bodies, 600mm f4, 200-500, and three more "holy trinity" focal length lenses. Some additional batteries and assorted accessories render the bag ridiculously heavy (for obvious reasons) but I can carry it. I can still strap a carbon fibre tripod to the exterior and carry a gimbal head (I will not take a laptop). The beauty of the Firstlight series is the adjustable shoulder straps and padded waist belt that allow the bag to sit on the hips rather than hang off the shoulders.

Once in my base camp, I expect to remove certain pieces (leave 'em at camp, lighten the load ) and take what I need to our photo locations. Remove the 600 and capacity goes up and, of course, weight comes down. I do have a Think Tank Retrospective 20 shoulder bag (love its quality and innocuous looks) and sister company, Mindshift, similarly make very high quality gear.

Like so many of us experience, the trade-offs are between capacity/weight/flexibility...oh, and the Mindshift bags aren't cheap. Got mine from B&H. Typically great service and competitively priced.

https://www.mindshiftgear.com/products/firstlight-40l

rrayrob Loc: Las Vegas, NV

Check out Peak Designs 30L Everyday Backpack. Might fit your needs I have the 20L size and love it. https://www.peakdesign.com/

orrie smith Loc: Kansas

You may want to add a good vest to evenly distribute the weight of some of the smaller items.

advocate1982

You know part of what needs to be known is what 3-4 lenses are you talking about. Something that will carry a 600 f4 is quite different than something that only needs to hold a 80-200 f4

Hip Coyote

Like most folks on this site, I have a few backpacks. My go-to pack is the Mindshift 180. But if I need to carry a lot of equipment I use the Tamrac Expedition 7X which will hold all your equipment and perhaps a medium sized dog. Mindshift and their Think Tank cousin really are great packs. They are expensive as heck but well-thought-out. I am not sure a helicopter counts and requiring airline size gear. You are not going to be putting it in an overhead bin. It will be in some stowage compartment. Given that you are going to be up in the wilderness, I suggest bear spray or a 22 caliber pistol. 22s are not effective on bears, but you can shoot your photo leader in the leg and then run.

Have fun.

jwohlhueter

Take a look at the Pro Trekker 450 AW, the 650 may be too large for a carry on. I use this pack for mountain trail day hikes. There is enough room for my camera gear and hiking gear. I sometimes go in up to 7 miles and I am safety conscious, so I always include the ten essentials, first aid kit, extra shirt, light shell windbreaker, extra water, extra food etc. I tried to replace the Pro Trekker with the ProTactic 450, but the ProTactic is VERY firm, too stiff. The main compartment lid was not flexible. I couldn't zip it closed with the gear I needed. I returned it and got the ProTactic 350 for use when not in the mountains. I recommend these LowePro products highly. If you can, try before you buy.

whwiden

I would consider using a Domke F1X little bit bigger bag with the accessory shoulder straps. I just returned from Africa using one. It satisfies many of your requirements quite well.

Light weight for its size, easy to hold all the items you listed, great to work out of, held my puffy LLBEAN jacket in one end pocket. Can use wraps or Tenba inserts if more padding is desired. Fits under airline seats and sometimes cramped overhead space. Can fit a tripod in back zipper compartment or on top under flap.

This is a surprisingly useful working bag that gets overlooked with all the new higher tech offerings.

doclrb

They also have a 30L.

Les

btbg

I have a kata beatle 285 pl, it is big enough for what you want and has a waist belt. It will go as carry on on bigger planes, but not the smaller regional planes.

However, even though it will do what you want I personally would buy a good backpack and some foam because it will be a lot more comfortable and will still protect your gear. My backpack, an Aether 85L is too big for carry on, but it has two smaller variations. The pack has a lower compartment and a small compartment on top of the pack. In addition it has plenty of places to fasten items on the outside of the pack.

A good backpack that is custom fit to you and then has foam added will protect everything you own and will also make you look less like a photographer and more like a backpacker, which is helpful if you end up anywhere that has a theft problem.

I use my camera bag for work and travel with the backpack. Would recommend that you consider the same.

P.S. also makes it easier to pack water or snacks as there are small side pockets that are designed for water bottles and the Aether even has a spot to place a bladder so that you have a ready supply of liquid with a straw right by your mouth.

photogrow

I'm looking seriously at the F-Stop Ajna or Tilopa. What do you think?

photogrow

Haha! Too funny!

photogrow

What do you mean by a good vest?

photogrow

I'm taking a Canon 7D mk 2, or I may rent a 5D m4. The lenses are 16-35 f2.8, 70-200 f2.8, 100mm f2 macro, 24-105. I'm also taking my Olympus OMD EM1 mk2 w/ pro 40-150 f2.8 (80-300) -- silent mode for animal shooting. We will have various base camps so I won't have to carry everything all the time except when we change camps. However, when we are being transported via helicopter, weight will have to be contained to 45 lbs ONLY for everything (including my sleeping bag!!!!) in the one back pack pkus one even smaller carrier.

photogrow

You are hysterical!!!