Shell Camera Backpack

[Empty] I really like that the backpack has a semi-rigid shell and maintains it's shape when full. A surprising amount of items fit into the backpack with its many pockets. Also appreciate the flexibility of the two outer pockets which can fit a water bottle or wine bottle depending on what you choose! Glasses pocket in the front can easily fit 2 pairs of glasses.

[1.65 lb] I recently got the 30L. Exceptional craftsmanship and design. The quality really shows and I expect this to last over a decade with constant traveling—as my Tumi backpack survived over ten years of international travel. I am realizing this is a very special backpack with only one exterior pocket and the clam shell design. A design decision that fits my pursuit for less clutter which gives my better mental clarity. My current Tumi has 5 exterior pockets… But I have learned over the years that five pockets encourages me to carry a lot of unnecessary stuff. I did a few audits of my backpack content over the last few years and realized that over half of the stuff I was carrying (besides notebook and laptop) was not being used. So, before getting this 30L, I had already started moving to less stuff in outside pockets, which are only the immediate essentials (ear pods, business cards, gum/mints, sunglasses, work access badge). Everything else can go in the main compartment. There are a couple of zippered pouches inside the clam shell main compartment. I have found that I can easily access the upper mesh interior pocket without having to open the entire clam shell. This is great because this design allows for a few more easily accessed items like passport and moleskin notebook (with a pen loop on notebook). I did get the compression cubes and will be using them for 1-2 day business trips. I will also use the bag for my DSLR setup with pro lenses. I am certainly enjoying the bag so far and look forward to a long 10+ year relationship with it. I think it can handle it. The trade offs with the bag are right for me and meet my desire for an everyday carry that can do a little more when needed.

[Zipper] Much better than soft shell

[Wool] I use these liners with the Full-Leather Shell. They perform very well and allow me to operate my cameras when the shell is in the open position.

[2.81 lb] I wanted a relatively light weight bag with a hard shell that I could just put the whole camera in complete with Matte Box one end to a V Lock Battery pack the other, and also leave the view finder in place. A big ask maybe but this bag fills all the needs. Highly recommended.

[Rain cover] I bought the shell before a trip to go whale watching and it helped to keep my camera clean in an inhospitable environment. Great cover!

[0.27 lb] Simple case, does the job of protecting the camera well without adding much extra weight. The hard shell is a nice feature, because I can put it in my larger camera bag without worrying about crushing it. Also has a good storage pocket.

I wanted a relatively light weight bag with a hard shell that I could just put the whole camera in complete with Matte Box one end to a V Lock Battery pack the other, and also leave the view finder in place. A big ask maybe but this bag fills all the needs. Highly recommended.

[10 lb] If you're gonna spend thousands on a camera you might as well shell out a little extra for a good bag. Porta Brace is a little more expensive than the rest, but for a good reason; they are the best. It even comes with a little white balance card... how thoughtful.

[Handheld Only] I got this large packing cube because it perfectly fits inside my small carryon roller luggage. Camera gear is incredibly heavy and I don’t want to pack for an entire wedding in my backpack or a duffel and I don’t like the hard shell roller 2-wheel carryons for gear that are on the market. I’m wanting 4 wheels & it be designed to hold camera gear with a hard shell but not look like it’s a camera bag. The packing cube is my solution to creating my one with a 4-bag I already have until hopefully peak design makes one eventually