Any Professional Photographers Backpack Suggestions

[naturlred]

We have a son who recently became a professional photographer and shoots anything from weddings to outdoor trail pics. He recently went on a trip to the Porcupine Mountains and came home very unhappy with his current camera gear pack after a 13 miles hike.

Now I know this is a lot to ask,but we leave in two weeks for Utah hiking and he is searching for a backpack that can carry his gear, hold a few snacks and water but mainly be comfortable for the hike.

If anyone has any suggestions a quick response would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

[bigcranky]

Depends on the gear he needs to carry. The Uinta pack from Gura Gear (http://www.guragear.com/) is a terrific day pack that can carry a fair amount of camera gear, and a full size tripod, along with snacks, jacket, etc., but it's not a gigantic pack. They make larger packs for people who need to carry really big lenses (like on safari). I have one of the Uinta packs and like it -- the suspension is about as good as a hiker's day pack (which is saying something compared to most photo backpacks).

A lot of photogs like F-stop backpacks (http://fstopgear.com/), too.

[Shutterbug]

We have a son who recently became a professional photographer and shoots anything from weddings to outdoor trail pics. He recently went on a trip to the Porcupine Mountains and came home very unhappy with his current camera gear pack after a 13 miles hike.

Now I know this is a lot to ask,but we leave in two weeks for Utah hiking and he is searching for a backpack that can carry his gear, hold a few snacks and water but mainly be comfortable for the hike.

If anyone has any suggestions a quick response would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

I am not a professional, but I am a serious photographer. I do have some suggestions:

1. The number one issue for me is having my camera available quickly. I really like wildlife shots. Wildlife won't wait around while you get a camera out of a back pack. I tried several approaches before settling on my current approach. I modified a camera case so that in hangs in front and the weight is on my back pack straps, not on my neck.

2. I just take one lens, a Nikon 18-200 VR lens. I have found that trying to use multiple lenses on a hike tends to ruin the hike and isn't good for my camera.

3. Since I carry my camera in front and don't carry extra lenses, it really doesn't matter which backpack I use. I have several and select the smallest one that will carry what I need for a particular hike.

This shows how I carry my Nikon D300.

[naturlred]

Thank you all. I am surprised I am getting suggestions so quickly but appreciate the suggestions. I am sharing them with him as they come in...I'll let you all know what he decides on.

[Shutterbug]

Thank you all. I am surprised I am getting suggestions so quickly but appreciate the suggestions. I am sharing them with him as they come in...I'll let you all know what he decides on.

Since he is interested in learning from other's mistakes, let me tell some of the things I tried that didn't work:

1. I tried one of the sling packs -- the kind that holds the camera on one's back and swing around quickly when needed. It was ok for a short day hike, but didn't hold a water bottle or emergency kit (I don't hike without the "essential 10". It didn't work for me.

2. I tried allowing my camera to hang in front on its camera strap. That put the weight of the camera on my neck and I found that the camera swinging tended to beat me up on uphills and downhills.

3. I tried holding the camera in one hand and using the other for my hiking pole. That didn't work because some of the places I hike, I really need two hiking poles.

4. I tried carrying my camera in my backpack. I missed too many great shots because it was too hard to get my camera out. I also ruined an expensive camera when my backpack fell in a creek.

My solution has been the one I suggested above. I keep a WalMart plastic bag to protect the camera if it rains. If I get caught in a prolonged rain, I put my camera in a plastic bag in my backpack. A lot of my hiking is in Arizona, so the rain isn't a frequent problem.