[Yes] It takes getting used to, but this is a must have if you plan on shooting in the rain/snow.

[Black] I got this bag because I travel on the plane on occasion, and I wanted to carry my Sony HXR-NX5U and 15 MacBook Pro in one bag. It works great. In addition to the camera and computer, I carry extra batteries, power, a couple of wireless lavs, a shotgun mic, and an external portal hard disk. I'm average height at 150 lbs, and it's well balanced on my back, comfortable to walk with it on.I have also traveled with it on buses and light rail to some locations, and it works well. Only thing I'd say is, unless you have a very lightweight tripod, carry that separately. Also, use separators to make partitions for the main compartment. It'll be worth it to make a tight fit for the camera and the space becomes more efficient.

[Black] I originally bought a Smith-Victor rolling case (B&H # SMCW), but now wish I had bought this Porta Brace case first.



The PB wheels are wider apart, meaning the case is more stable than the SV case when rolling. The SV case tends to wobble from side to side (or even tip over) unless you're on a smooth surface. And the SV case has cheapo wheels that tend to break easily. The PB wheels are larger, more durable, and on steel axles. Much better.



One thing not immediately apparent from the product info is that the PB case, like the SV case, has a telescoping handle for pulling the case behind you. I think the PB handle is a bit better made, but they are both adequate.



Size-wise, the cases are close to identical.



I'm very pleased with the quality of this product.

[14 lb] I purchased this case for a long (approximately 1 meter) refractor telescope--(Takahashi TSA120N, with the non-retractable dew shield). I added 1 inch foam padding on the bottom, put some more foam padding in the long side pockets, and voila--I have the perfect case. This thing is VERY well made and has some internal straps by which to secure the scope.

[Yes] I think it's most useful to think of this bag as built around the ability to carry light-to-medium light stands.
If you usually need longer stands or accessories (my Photek Softlighter doesn't fit), you're probably going to need a bigger bag (or additional ones). But if the length works for you, you'll enjoy a really well made bag with good wheels, well designed handles (soft handles AND a pull-out handle for rolling), customizable interior, and capacious side pockets that flatten. As an apartment dweller who often needs to travel to a job by taxi, this is a Goldilocks product-- just the right size.
I don't typically use this as an "all in one" bag, but one of several for different jobs. Chief uses are transporting a 2-head Einstein monolight strobe kit (with three light-to-medium stands, accessories, umbrellas, and compact Gitzo tripod; camera usually goes separately, as do any larger light modifiers), and as a main case for a video interview set-up (a Litepanels Sola 4+, bag of grip stuff, those light stands, boom pole, power and mic cords, Chimera 4x4 folding diffusion frame, gelly roll, maybe a folding flag frame). This is the kind of bag that you pack totally full and then, on your way out the door, you can still somehow fit that important item you almost forgot.
If you have a lot of space for equipment storage and/or don't need to wheel your equipment far, then some of the larger cases may make better sense. But this fills a niche, and I looked at a lot of cases in this size range and found nothing better. Value: I bought it on discount at B&H at almost half regular price. At full price, it's not cheap, but your money pays for real quality differences. If you're giving this bag a workout, it may be worth it. If it rarely leaves the house, then maybe not.

[Yes] Ideal for use on aircraft travel, and has many compartments and a divider kit to customize your gear. Great compact bag for Dslr bodies, lenses, LCD screens, laptop and all other smaller items. Comes with light panel for dark / low light scenarios. The wheels of course are a bonus, I am able to stack another runner bag on top of this. Porta brace is the zacuto of bags, you get what you pay for. I was looking at getting a hiker hk-2 and was swayed to this due to the extras like light, wheels and more usable compartments.

[14 lb] At the end of the day, all these type of bags are limited by how much you can lift, but this is excellent quality. Expensive (probably too expensive) at full price, but much better value on sale. I'd certainly trust it in an aircraft hold as long as it wasn't too stuffed full.

[Black] This bag is perfect for so many uses. We couldnt be more happy with the build quality of the bag. A must have!

[Zipper] This pack is built for large projects requiring cameras, lights, audio recorders, and batteries. Yep, it can handle all of these items with no problem, you need to ask yourself if your back can handle lifting all the gear at one time!