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Just for general information...I have had an opportunity to play around with one of those above mentioned backpacks....and whilst they may be great for special forces and fastwater nuts.....and other wilderness type ground/water crawlers....they are not suitable for general purpose photography. The heavy duty waterproof zipper is a real pain in the butt job to unfasten/fasten, and if you had to do it more than 4 times a day then you would go nuts. So unless you are into white water drowning or similar then beware of the boys toys look/ feel of this bag unless you are positive it is what you need.

Thanks for the warning Matt. I am still looking for the rich people to photograph, maybe the owner of one of these bags, I recall they were very expensive.

I notice on one of the Flickr discussion groups they've been talking a lot about the Crumpler bags, which are hip, but not cheap. I saw them in Gowings this week too.

But there's also been some posts about the Tamrac Velocity 9 bag. It's advantage as a backpack is that it swings around in front of you to give access to the camera compartment.

I wonder if anyone's had experience with either.

Bob, lot of talk about Crumpler, try a search and you will be surprised. I know the Tamrac is distibuted from Brookvale but have only seen a photo

The DryZone series is presumably what MattK reports of. They also supposedly have enough bouyancy fully laden to float - so should you come separated from your camera bag whilst white water drowning as mentioned, your bag won't end up on the bottom of the riverbed, but float away out to sea.

Glen wrote:Thanks for the warning Matt. I am still looking for the rich people to photograph, maybe the owner of one of these bags, I recall they were very expensive.

I have one of these, want to look at?

Your lens collection would go in the "rich" series Birddy

rjlhughes wrote:I notice on one of the Flickr discussion groups they've been talking a lot about the Crumpler bags, which are hip, but not cheap. I saw them in Gowings this week too.

But there's also been some posts about the Tamrac Velocity 9 bag. It's advantage as a backpack is that it swings around in front of you to give access to the camera compartment.

I wonder if anyone's had experience with either.

Bob,

I have a problem with Crumpler, and that's their stupid marketing policies. The concept of a corporate sales website is to make it simple to look at their products and determine which of them best suit one's needs.

Unfortunately, the Crumpler website has got to be amongst the worst in existence, and their product catalogue is little better. Confusing and muddled, they're spending far too much time pretending to be hip, and they've totally lost the plot. If you cannot provide the information in a clear and concise manner, then wtf do they even bother?

As to Tamrac ... they seem to have a number of bags that might be usable, but their importaers haven't got a bloody clue. Last year I engaged with them in an email exchange and ... they didn't know what models of their range were in the stores, nor did they have a clue about many of their models. Basically, I was told to go and check out a couple of stores, and if they didn't have what I wanted, tough.

I had a far better idea, and it didn't involve going to any of that sort of trouble at all.

Personally i don't like anything that stands out too much
I mean with a crumpler bag your just advertising yourself to get mugged
I am a strong believer that the photographer should be invisible

If i happened to get a crumpler bag for christmas I would gaffa tape it black, so it looks more discreet.

wendellt wrote:If i happened to get a crumpler bag for christmas I would gaffa tape it black, so it looks more discreet.

Gaffer tape ..... discreet .... hmmmm .... there's a concept!

Wendell,

hmmm - I did originally think of gaffer taping over the the id on my camera, but thought it would send the wrong signal to people who used other brands.


Gary,

I actually like the crumpler website, and I really like the names they give their products.

I'm not of the backpack generation, and so I don't know how to use them as effectively as I can a messenger style bag. The issues are getting the camera in and out quickly and discreetly, and being confident that nothing will fall out as you run for a break in the traffic.


But the messenger style bags give me an aching shoulder after a while.

It's not unusual for me to walk 3 or 5 or 8 k at a time, but I prefer to look like I'm strolling rather than trudging under a load.

And yes you do get very selective about what gear you carry on longish walks.

rjlhughes wrote:Wendell,

hmmm - I did originally think of gaffer taping over the the id on my camera, but thought it would send the wrong signal to people who used other brands.

This doesn't mean you're using other brand only other may think you're from Nikon, Canon, Minolta using their new prototype body on the street for evaluation, then if I see that, I'm willing to follow you to see what do you have in your hand and the bad guys might knock you down for that "special" items. I don't think it's a smart way or ideas

As we had a member drove a unannounced/ unreleased car from a well known brand with fully wrapped with no iD, to the mini meet last year with special number plate from its original country of manufacturing and special authorized letters from NSW Police Dept/ RTA etc...
He was stopped by coppers few times and that car has been tampered the wrap for seeing what're in there or what brand, etc...?

wendellt wrote:Personally i don't like anything that stands out too much
I mean with a crumpler bag your just advertising yourself to get mugged
I am a strong believer that the photographer should be invisible

If i happened to get a crumpler bag for christmas I would gaffa tape it black, so it looks more discreet.

Wendell, I just unpicked the label from the Lowe bag, just looks like any other black backpack now and very easy to pick at a mini meet as it seems to be the only one without a label

Glen wrote:

wendellt wrote:Personally i don't like anything that stands out too much
I mean with a crumpler bag your just advertising yourself to get mugged
I am a strong believer that the photographer should be invisible

If i happened to get a crumpler bag for christmas I would gaffa tape it black, so it looks more discreet.

Wendell, I just unpicked the label from the Lowe bag, just looks like any other black backpack now and very easy to pick at a mini meet as it seems to be the only one without a label

Wendellt got no label on his Minitrekker bag same as on his D2X

Wendell is a man who prefers the subtle approach, I like that approach



ps maybe I will mistake my bag for Wendell's and take home the D2X

Glen wrote:

wendellt wrote:Personally i don't like anything that stands out too much
I mean with a crumpler bag your just advertising yourself to get mugged
I am a strong believer that the photographer should be invisible

If i happened to get a crumpler bag for christmas I would gaffa tape it black, so it looks more discreet.

Wendell, I just unpicked the label from the Lowe bag, just looks like any other black backpack now and very easy to pick at a mini meet as it seems to be the only one without a label

Glen

I did the same the bag looks cheaper, so at a minimeet you may pick up mine and you will definately find a bonus inside

Birdy you are right taping up a camera makes it look like a prototype or you have something to hide

But the way i did mine is I left the nikon brand visible, i just taped it up so it looks like an abused workhorse camera, something that looks old
and very used.

wendellt wrote:

Glen wrote:

wendellt wrote:Personally i don't like anything that stands out too much
I mean with a crumpler bag your just advertising yourself to get mugged
I am a strong believer that the photographer should be invisible

If i happened to get a crumpler bag for christmas I would gaffa tape it black, so it looks more discreet.

Wendell, I just unpicked the label from the Lowe bag, just looks like any other black backpack now and very easy to pick at a mini meet as it seems to be the only one without a label

But the way i did mine is I left the nikon brand visible, i just taped it up so it looks like an abused workhorse camera, something that looks old
and very used.

Not really! the thieves or gangsters or snatcher know what you're carrying or using, even the bag without label, logo.
Anything in the backpack behind the tourists will bring them enough $$$ for a few doses at least! so there's no exception!

Look at some car with windows smashed! some found few valuable items in the bag left behind, some found just a dirty nappies in the bag.
But the damages are! taking care yourself are most important things, regardless of what brands or non brand, flashy camera body or $100.00 P&S.

rjlhughes
Like you, I have always worked with a shoulder bag. And also like you I now walk a very long way during a daytrip. The Lowepro Micro Trekkor AW is an excellent backpack. Very comfortable. Just big enough and quite easy to get at everything. I highly recommend it...as do many of the forum members.

Thanks Matt.....I'll check them out - I know there are lots at the mini-meets.....

I c an be a bit of a bag junkie (I realised as I tidied my workroom today)

and it's really all about how they feel when you carry stuff a long way. Although I'm scrupulously careful to jettison anything I don't absolutely need.

gstark wrote:I have a problem with Crumpler, and that's their stupid marketing policies. The concept of a corporate sales website is to make it simple to look at their products and determine which of them best suit one's needs.
Unfortunately, the Crumpler website has got to be amongst the worst in existence, and their product catalogue is little better. Confusing and muddled, they're spending far too much time pretending to be hip, and they've totally lost the plot. If you cannot provide the information in a clear and concise manner, then wtf do they even bother?

SO agree with you here Gary!
I went and had a look at their site when I was looking at bags and gave up in disgust. Some of their bags dont look too bad, but I couldnt handle the website. Its one of the few sites I have come across where I actually got to the point of trying to find a feedback link to tell them how ratsh*t it was!! From memory, I dont think I could find that either!!
Brought a LowePro MiniTrekker AW instead and very happy with it (and their website is relatively easy to navigate/use).

robboh wrote:

gstark wrote:I have a problem with Crumpler, and that's their stupid marketing policies. The concept of a corporate sales website is to make it simple to look at their products and determine which of them best suit one's needs.
Unfortunately, the Crumpler website has got to be amongst the worst in existence, and their product catalogue is little better. Confusing and muddled, they're spending far too much time pretending to be hip, and they've totally lost the plot. If you cannot provide the information in a clear and concise manner, then wtf do they even bother?

SO agree with you here Gary!
I went and had a look at their site when I was looking at bags and gave up in disgust. Some of their bags dont look too bad, but I couldnt handle the website. Its one of the few sites I have come across where I actually got to the point of trying to find a feedback link to tell them how ratsh*t it was!! From memory, I dont think I could find that either!!

That's hardly surprising. They're so hip, how could there possibly be a need for feedback on their website?

Brought a LowePro MiniTrekker AW instead and very happy with it (and their website is relatively easy to navigate/use).

Yep. And great quality at a reasonable price.

robboh wrote:

gstark wrote:
I have a problem with Crumpler, and that's their stupid marketing policies. The concept of a corporate sales website is to make it simple to look at their products and determine which of them best suit one's needs.
Unfortunately, the Crumpler website has got to be amongst the worst in existence, and their product catalogue is little better. Confusing and muddled, they're spending far too much time pretending to be hip, and they've totally lost the plot. If you cannot provide the information in a clear and concise manner, then wtf do they even bother?

SO agree with you here Gary!
I went and had a look at their site when I was looking at bags and gave up in disgust. Some of their bags dont look too bad, but I couldnt handle the website. Its one of the few sites I have come across where I actually got to the point of trying to find a feedback link to tell them how ratsh*t it was!! From memory, I dont think I could find that either!!

Crumpler came from a background of making bags for cyclists and well IMHO they are a pretentious bunch (no offence to any cyclyst intended), as these cyclists have branched out into other hobbies and bag needs so have Crumpler. Their website matches their intended audience.....
When it comes down to it no matter how something is presented somone is always going to complain. So if you are not the target audience you probably are not going to like their approach.

I love my Crumpler Camera bag and my Crumpler Courier bag they are well made comfortable to wear. (that probably makes me a pretentious (ex)cyclist...)

An interesting side fact I was able to get my camera bag $50 cheaper at a Photography shop than a Crumpler shop even their factory outlet....

Which photo shop?

I was going to post the name but i couldnt remember the name of it

BUt after a quick yellowpages search it was camera action in melb....

http://www.cameraaction.com.au



is my bag of choice fits my laptop and all mycamera gear at once...

Thanks Olrac,

I see them in Gowings, too, so should check those prices.

I started to post and hesitated twice that Crumpler probably thinks that their users are their greatest advertisement, and they may not want to see one of their bags on my back!

In Sydney there's a courier cyclist shop called Funky Monkey that has some interesting courier bags, too.

Better still i sent an email to the Web Design Co that is resposible for this pretentious site and let them know what i think of it!

Cheers
Marc

olrac wrote:Crumpler came from a background of making bags for cyclists and well IMHO they are a pretentious bunch (no offence to any cyclyst intended), as these cyclists have branched out into other hobbies and bag needs so have Crumpler. Their website matches their intended audience.....

Intellectually challenged?

IQ equivalent to their shoe size?

That's certainly how it comes across.

When it comes down to it no matter how something is presented somone is always going to complain. So if you are not the target audience you probably are not going to like their approach.

From their website, it's difficult to see if even they understand who and/or what their target audience might be. Consider that if you're selling photographic bags, then it's likely that a part of your market just might be photographers.

If you're going to marketing to such a narrow audience bandwidth, you might condier putting up the shutters sooner, rather than later.

Intellectually challenged?

IQ equivalent to their shoe size?

I didn't realise my shoe was a size 160

Their website is not the most intuative but then again who would have thought that a 1.8 would represent a bigger hole than 22.....

Here's their reply to my "inquiry"

Hi Marc,
Thanks for taking the time to pass on your thoughts about the Crumpler site.
The site gets much more fan mail than it does hate mail - but at least it gets a reaction - which is an achievement.
Crumpler pride themselves on not being like everyone else. They are original and that no doubt comes across in both their website and their products.
Cheers

Rob

Robert Stock
Managing Partner
Sputnik Agency

olrac wrote:Their website is not the most intuative

Not even remotely so.

Not even navigable.

but then again who would have thought that a 1.8 would represent a bigger hole than 22.....

Ahhh ... but that's a mistake by those stupid humanoids who keep forgetting that those numbers are fractions ...